How to Fill Ink Cartridges for Printers
Ink cartridges are perhaps the single most purchased items for printers today. Businesses that go through a large amount of ink cartridges in a fairly short amount of time can afford to be part of a corporate ink cartridge recycling program, but this is not a solution for the individual who merely needs to supply one or two printers in a home office. There is an inexpensive alternative to purchasing new cartridges every time your printer gives the signal that you are low on ink: refilling your existing cartridges. Refill kits cost almost the same as buying a single new cartridge, but contain enough ink to refill your cartridge up to five times.
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Instructions
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Begin by removing the ink cartridge from the printer. Open the access panel and allow the cartridge cradle to position itself within the access area. Flip open the cartridge cover and press down on the cartridge. Pull straight up to remove the cartridge from the printer. Look at the bottom of the cartridge and examine the ink jets to determine if they are clogged.
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Pour rubbing alcohol on the paper towels and then gently rub the ink jets to loosen up and remove any dried ink that is clogging the jets. Flip the cartridge over and use the hand drill and small drill bit to make a hole in the top of the ink cartridge near the sticker. This is your refill hole, which leads directly to your ink reservoir. Fill the syringe with the appropriate color and amount of ink determined by examining the chart supplied with your refill kit (see Resources below).
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Insert the needle fully into the refill hole and slowly pour the ink into the reservoir. When no more ink will go into the reservoir, pull the needle out and rinse the syringe with water. Let it dry overnight, and dry the ink cartridge upright overnight as well to make sure the ink saturates the reservoir fibers.
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Mount the ink cartridge back in the printer by placing the cartridge in the cradle, closing the cartridge cover and then closing the access panel. Wait for the printer to recognize the new cartridge, and then run "Clean and Align" under "Print properties" before printing anything.
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Tips & Warnings
Refill your ink cartridges when they are low but not empty, as this will keep your ink jets from getting clogged with dried ink.
Do not force ink into the reservoir too quickly, as you could cause the ink to froth and introduce air into the ink reservoir. This could adversely affect your printing quality.
Resources
- Photo Credit alotofthings.com
