How to Refill HP 26 Ink Cartridges

For people who print often and go through at least 3 to 4 ink cartridges a year, refilling ink cartridges can be very cost effective. It's also more environmentally-friendly. Printer ink refill kits aren't difficult to use, and you can get good results with them. Refills give you the convenience of refilling cartridges on demand instead of buying a brand new printer cartridge. The key is learning how to correctly refill the cartridge. This article will describe the process for refilling an HP 26 ink cartridge.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Ink refill kit compatible with HP 26 printer cartridges
• Paper towels
• Disposable Gloves
• Newspaper
• 3 mm drill bit

1. Prepare your area for easy clean up. Place paper towels or an old newspaper on your work surface area. Remove the disposable gloves that came with the ink refill kit. Place a glove on each hand. This will help to prevent ink staining your hands during the refill and cleanup process.

2. Place cartridge upright on the work area. Locate the refill hole on the top corner of the cartridge. Older cartridges may be sealed with a ball bearing. If this is the case, put the ball bearing into the cartridge using the tip of a pen. Be careful not to push too hard into the work surface or you will ruin the print head. If the cartridge does not have a refill hole with a ball bearing, take a 3 mm drill bit and drill a small hole on the top of the cartridge in the bottom right corner.

3. Assemble the syringe. Take the needle that came in the ink refill kit and connect this firmly to the small opening on top of the syringe. Remove the cap from the color of ink you wish to refill, and press the syringe into the ink pulling the plunger back to draw ink into the syringe. Fill plunger 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Fill the cartridge unitl full (about 25 to 40 ml).

4. Take the rubber plug that came with the refill kit and plug the refill hole. Make sure this hole is sealed properly and is airtight to prevent leaking. Do not use tape.

5. Turn the cartridge upside down and locate the vent maze. This will be the small hole in the center of the bottom of the cartridge. Remove the needle from the syringe and attach the small plastic priming tip that came with the refill kit to the syringe. Put the tip of the priming tip into the vent maze hole. Pull back on the syringe to retract 3 to 4 ml of air or ink. This helps to balance the pressure in the ink cartridge.

6. Take a paper towel (damp) and wipe the excess ink off of the outside of the cartridge. Turn cartridge to upright position and allow to sit like this for at least 30 to 45 seconds. Check for leaking ink. If ink is leaking, make sure that the cartridge plug is securely in place and airtight. You may need to replug the cartridge.

7. Press ink cartridge against damp paper towel. If you see a solid black line, the cartridge is filled properly. Reinsert the cartridge into the printer and print a test page.

Tips & Warnings

• If the cartridge does not work the first time, you may need to repeat the steps again.