How to Refill Compaq Ink Cartridges

Whether you're trying to save money on printer supplies or simply believe firmly in recycling, the task of refilling a Compaq cartridge need not be difficult. The appropriate refill kit and a bit of patience make short work of solving your printer ink cartridge supply needs.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Refill kit
• Cardboard
• Apron or old clothing
• Small knife
• Paper towels
• Cleanser

1. Purchase the correct ink cartridge refill kit to match your Compaq cartridge and printer type. Keep in mind that ink varies by manufacturer and type, and by color and intensity. An incorrect ink can not only damage your printer's print head, but can also cause over inking, long unnecessary print lines, white spaces, fuzzy or faded printouts and lack of image or picture definition.
2. Verify that the kit came with all necessary refill items such as the refill bottles, instructions, gloves, a needle with syringe and a mini drill.
3. Place a large sheet of cardboard in your work area to reduce damage to furniture from ink spills.
4. Read your kit's instructions to determine the correct refill location on your Compaq cartridge, as different cartridge models require different refill methods. Keep in mind that depending on the type of cartridge (tri-color, uni-color or black) the refill location may consist of a small open hole, a closed/capped circular indented area or a drill hole area.
5. Remove any refill hole caps if applicable with your small knife. Widen the refill hole(s) with your drill if instructed to do so. If not instructed to drill, put on your gloves and apron or old clothes and gently remove ink from a bottle with your syringe. Insert your needle into the refill hole down to the sponge, if possible, and gently push your syringe plunger to inject ink slowly into the cartridge.
6. Seal your refill hole if applicable. Otherwise, wipe the outside of the cartridge with a wet paper towel, dry, wait 2 hours and wipe away any ink overflows or leaks. Keep in mind that you must wait another two hours or more plus drying time if the cartridge leaks before you can insert your cartridge into your printer to perform a test print.
7. Clean up your work area, syringe(s) and gloves with a mild, non-abrasive cleanser and dry thoroughly. Store your syringes and any remaining ink for future use.

Tips & Warnings

• Never use the same needle and syringe when refilling different color cartridges as the colors can bleed together causing incorrect colors, reduced color intensity and print head clogging.
• Always work on tri-color refill insertion holes separately by refilling or drilling one hole, filling with ink and then capping or taping the hole so that you can work on the next. Although this may seem like common sense, realize that the ink can overflow during the refill process and bleed from one hole into another.

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