How should I handle my cartridge during refilling?

inkfiller · Professional Support Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 98

a)
Handle your cartridges with care. Do not touch the print nozzle with your hands.

b)
A cartridge will usually dry out if it is left unused. Do not let unwrapped cartridges sit outside of the printer or the print nozzle may become clogged with dry ink. If you are not going to use a cartridge for a long time, wrap it with plastic wrap and put it in a zip-lock bag. Do not use adhesive tape to wrap the cartridge

c)
If the nozzle becomes clogged from exposure to air, you can soak the nozzle area in warm water for a few minutes to dissolve the dried ink. To do this, place the cartridge in a white Styrofoam cup (Styrofoam is soft and will not damage the cartridge nozzle) and fill with water until the cartridge is halfway submerged. Blot the cartridge dry and try printing again. You can do this as well with alcohol instead of water, and/or blotch the print heads on alcohol soaked paper towel to create a wicking effect.

d)
Refill your cartridge as soon as you see signs that the ink is getting low (such as light prints or white streaking). You never want to let a cartridge completely run out because it may damage the print head. If you are going to be printing a large number of pages, run a test print first and check the level of your ink to ensure that you do not run out in the middle of your print job

e)
Never place a leaking cartridge back into the printer. Minor leaking after a refill is normal and will stop when the air pressure inside the cartridge is balanced. If the cartridge is leaking heavily, place it on a folded piece of paper or in a disposable cup and let the excess ink run out. When the leaking stops, wipe the cartridge clean and put it back into the printer

f)
If you do not use your printer often, clean the print head before printing.

neleson · Joined: 26 Jul 2011 Posts: 16

Informative post. Thanks a lot for sharing this post. Now I will refill my ink cartridge at home.