FAQs and important tips on Inks, Refills and Refilling

1. I have heard about refilling cartridges and am thinking of trying it for the first time. What do I need to know?

A. Refilling cartridges is probably the best way to save money. There are two (2) very important things to begin with:

1. What brand of printer you have
   
   If you have an EPSON printer, is it a recent model with the Epson IntellidgeTM smart-chip? If so, at the very least you will need a Chip Reprogrammer before you can refill the cartridge. These are just becoming available in Australia and are currently still fairly expensive. Ink Sales Plus is continuing to investigate their effectiveness and value.



2. How to make sure your cartridge is suitable for refilling
   
   
   • Never leave the cartridge out of your printer. The print head in most cartridges is very susceptible to drying out. This tends to be the biggest problem with refilling cartridges. If the ink dries in the print head and / or nozzles, there are no easy ways of removing the dried ink. We recommend that you leave the cartridge in the printer and take it out only when you need to replace or refill it. Depending on the environment, a few days … or even hours can dry the print head out.
     
     
   • Refill the cartridge BEFORE it becomes completely empty. Many cartridges rely on an ink supply being in the print head before they print. If there is no ink the cartridge will still try to print and can actually burn out the print-head ink-jets. A good idea is to routinely take the cartridge out of the printer and check that there is enough ink in it. If there is less than 2 ml - 3 ml in it, either refill the cartridge or replace it.
     
     
   • Keep Print-Heads Clean. Keep the print head clean to stop the ink from "clogging" and giving inconsistent results. Run the printer's "head cleaning routine' utility on a regular basis.
     
     
   • Cartridge Life Expectancy. Cartridges that contain print heads (such as HP, Canon) will wear out eventually. When this occurs the only solution is to buy another cartridge. However, a cartridge that is properly maintained and used correctly can be refilled up to 8-10 times before it wears out and needs replacing. Don't forget, inkjet cartridges are designed to be disposable. With this in mind, always have a spare cartridge handy. Murphy's Law says that your cartridge will always run out at the most inconvenient time!
     

2. How much money can I save by refilling my own printer cartridges?

A. A lot. It really depends on which cartridge you are refilling, with which product and by what method, but the savings can be substantial. You could realistically expect to save approximately 50% up to 70% or 80% of the cost of a new cartridge.

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3. I have two brands of printer and I want to start refilling them. Can I use the one refill kit or bulk inks for both printers?

A. No! Definitely NOT ! There is no such thing as a "universal ink", unfortunately. All inks are different and must never, ever be mixed. Printers function differently and the printer manufacturers develop their own inks to suit their specific cartridges. Each individual ink has different properties such as colour pigment size, viscosity, pH, surface tension. Some are water-based, some are pigmented and incorporate many other factors to suit the printer's specific ink delivery system.

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4. Can the wrong ink damage my printer?

A. Yes, it can. Using the wrong ink can ruin your cartridge, clog print-heads and as some have found out, mean you have to replace the printer! That is why it is so important to select the correct ink type to suit your specific printer cartridge. If you use a cheap ink, it can cause clogging in the print-heads and when we say "cheap", we don't necessarily mean inexpensive. The refill kits and bulk refill inks you buy from Ink Sales Plus are formulated to meet (or exceed) the printer manufacturer's specifications for each individual printer model and cartridge and guaranteed for quality and compatibility.

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5. I have heard of people taking their cartridges to a shop where they "refill while you wait" or exchange your empty cartridge for a full one. In some cases the results were terrible. What's the answer?

A. There could be a number of answers to this. Sadly, this sort of bad experience is perhaps the most common reason (along with using inferior compatible cartridges) for people being wary of all non-genuine alternatives and feeling obliged to begrudgingly spend large sums of money on genuine cartridges.

Firstly, we do not provide a "refilling service" because our philosophy is that it is much less expensive and (usually) more convenient to refill your cartridges yourself at home. That's why we only sell compatible cartridges, refill kits and "bulk" inks.

As to why the (printing) results were "terrible" in some cases is difficult to say due to the great number of variables and assumptions we have to make, such as:-

• Assuming the refilling staff were experienced and competent then we have to assume firstly that they used the correct ink formula for that cartridge (remember, there is NO "universal ink") and secondly that the ink itself was a quality product.
  
  
• If that was the case, we must then assume that the cartridge was the culprit. As we cannot know the condition of that particular cartridge, it is quite probable that the cartridge had dried out between the time it ran out of ink and when it was taken to be refilled. It is equally probable, or possible that, if an exchange service, the refilled exchange cartridge was not in good condition, wearing out or had dried out to start with (even though professional refilling businesses do generally clean them all thoroughly prior to refilling). Again, remember that cartridges are deliberately designed to be disposable, do wear out and therefore have a relatively limited life expectancy.
  
  
• Another problem caused by careless or hasty refilling is "air-lock" in the ink reservoir causing non-printing by apparently being out of ink.
  
  
• It is important to note that cartridges should always be refilled "wet", that is before they completely run out of ink (to prevent drying out). If a cartridge has dried out (many also have a sponge inside the ink reservoir) then it needs to be "wetted" (soaked) and / or cleaned before attempting to refill it. Depending on how dry it is this could be anywhere from 10-15 minutes to an hour, or if really clogged, over night!

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6. How do I clean my print-head?

A. Each printer manufacturer provides instructions and software programs that clean and align the print-heads with the cartridge. This is typically found under SETTINGS of your computer in Printer Properties under UTILITIES. For EPSON the Utilities contains nozzle check, head clean routine and print-head alignment. NOTE: Epson printers can use a lot of ink running the head cleaning routine repeatedly. Again, for Epson, we do have print-head cleaning cartridges to suit many models. Do not try to clean the print head yourself with any kind of cleaning solvent. This will damage the print head and void the printer warranty in most cases.

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7. How many times can I refill my cartridge?

A. That depends on a great many factors. Firstly, remembering that cartridges were deliberately designed NOT to be refilled (the printer manufacturers want you to buy a new one each time), it depends on the cartridge. Each one seems to have its own personality. Many cartridges are simply ink reservoirs with no parts to wear out and can be refilled many times.

With the world-patented InkTec "easy-fill" / "Click 'n' Fill" Refill Kits for HP, Canon and Lexmark you can typically refill a cartridge up to 3-5 times, some of the smaller kits at least twice. This is very economical compared with the original cartridge price. Remember not to overfill a cartridge. Our customers who do a lot of printing and purchase our inks in bulk quantities are still governed by the cartridge life-span.

Cartridges with built-in print-heads (such as HP and Canon) do actually wear out, but typically can be refilled at least 3-6 times without affecting the print quality. If the cartridge is correctly used and maintained it is often possible to recycle (refill) it up to 8 or 10 times before having to buy a new one. You can prolong the life of these cartridges by regularly topping them up with ink rather than letting the cartridge run out.

Most importantly, never let any cartridge dry out if you intend to refill and re-use it. Seal the print-head or the holes with sticky-tape and store your cartridge in "Glad-Wrap" or better still, an air-tight "click-lock" or "zip-lock" type plastic bag with as much air as possible removed. Putting something damp, like a piece of wetted paper towel, in with the cartridge can help, too.

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8. Do you have the Refill Kits for Epsons?

A. Our experience at Ink Sales Plus has been the same as that of InkTec world-wide. The majority of home computer users are exactly like larger users such as government departments, educational institutions and businesses … they prefer to buy a guaranteed quality, compatible cartridge every time, where they are available. InkTec found that, on a world-wide basis, it was not necessary to manufacture Epson Refill Kits when their compatible cartridges were incredibly popular because of the quality and affordable price.

However, there are those who still prefer to refill their cartridges, so Ink Sales Plus do have premium quality 100% compatible 125ml and 250ml. Bulk Refill Inks to suit EPSON inkjets.

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9. Can I refill my Epson cartridge?

A. YES!   Epson are trying to prevent this by building a "smart chip" into the cartridges (called "Intellidge™") of all their new printers (such as the excellent Stylus COLOUR 680 we have at Ink Sales Plus). EPSON claims it is to keep track of the exact amount of ink in the cartridge. It does - so that once empty, the cartridge cannot be re-used. There are methods being developed to overcome this, such as the "chip re-programmers" and over-ride software programs. They are beginning to appear in Australia but are still relatively expensive. Ink Sales Plus has been investigating these overseas for a while (although we still prefer the convenience of InkTec cartridges for our Epson 680). Once we are convinced these new "chip-beating" systems work reliably, effectively and are good value, we will stock them.

If you have a "non-chip" EPSON cartridge printer, keep it! The new EPSON's are no faster despite Epson's claims and do not offer any better printing resolution. Don't forget to check out our Epson Print-head Cleaning Cartridges too.

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10. What is the Easy Fill / Clip Fill refill system?

A. Most of our new InkTec Refill Kits now come with the "easy fill clip". This is a brilliant, world-patented, simple and clean method and eliminates those primitive, "back-yard" methods like trying to drill holes in the cartridge. This means some refills are now even easier and quicker to use. They also are less susceptible to air lock and leakage after filling, ensuring a successful refilling operation.

Take the common HP 151629A black cartridge for example. Refilling this cartridge is now so easy … simply clip your used HP cartridge into the easy fill clip provided, screw on one of the two ink bottles provided, and squeeze. When the bottle is empty you have one full cartridge and without the need to drill holes or break the cartridge top off. Ink is pushed up into the cartridge through the head of the cartridge. This also cleans the head at the same time.

As we said, this revolutionary refilling method is exclusive to Inktec, and is world patented. The Clip Fill method is demonstrated on the video clips CD - see the following question.

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11. Is it difficult and messy to refill my cartridges?

A. No … to both parts of that question.

It is not difficult to refill a cartridge. It is more difficult than it should be only because the printer manufacturers designed the cartridges not to be refilled. Each cartridge type is different, however our InkTec world-patented "easy-fill" or "click 'n' fill" refill kits have all the "tools" and instructions necessary to do it very painlessly - it's not "rocket science". Like everything, it's even easier with practice - after one or two refills, you will be an expert and it will take only a few minutes to refill yours.

Refilling instruction video clips on CD

To make it even easier for you, we have short, easily followed video clips on CD demonstrating how to refill the various types of HP, Canon and Lexmark cartridges - it really couldn't be simpler (all you need is Windows MediaPlayer™ and sound card). It's surprisingly easy.


Refilling is not messy if done correctly, carefully and common sense used - in fact you should not get a spot on you. Wearing disposable rubber gloves is a good idea … just in case. Refill in a place where mishaps won't occur from other people bumping into you or where spills can be easily cleaned up ("first-timers" should choose a "wet" area like the laundry or kitchen sink) and put newspaper on the work surface … just in case.

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12. Is inkjet ink toxic or hazardous?

A. We can offer the following information (which only applies to the Ink Sales Plus inkjet ink). It may not apply to other manufacturers' inks and does not apply to dye sublimation inks.

Common sense says … Keep out of the reach of children!

Our ink is generally about as harmful or toxic as ordinary dishwashing detergent. The dyes, pigments and solvents are intentionally chosen to be safe and non-carcinogenic. Many, but not all, of the chemicals used are food grade. However, because surfactants must be added to the inks, some minor irritation can occur and the possibility of an allergic reaction always exists, as with any substance.

If you drink the ink - Most people will experience no ill effects or perhaps a mildly upset stomach and possible diarrhea from drinking a litre or so of the ink. Naturally, you should expect to see a colorful display as natural processes eliminate the dyes or pigments from the body. You should drink additional water to dilute the irritation effects. Do not induce vomiting unless advised by a physician or Poisons Centre. (There is no particular advantage or disadvantage in inducing vomiting with our inks under most conditions.) Allergic reactions are extremely rare, but anyone who drinks the ink should be watched for possible allergic reactions to the ink, including itching, swelling, hives or difficulty breathing. If an allergic reaction occurs, seek proper medical treatment.

If you get ink in your eyes - The greatest problem with the inks is that they will cause minor eye irritation if you get the ink into the eye. In a few people, eye exposure may cause allergic reactions. The general course of treatment is to rinse the eye with warm water for 5 minutes. Again, if an allergic reaction occurs, seek proper medical treatment.

If you get ink on your skin - There is little danger from getting ink on your skin, except for the possible allergic reaction. Wash the skin with soap and water. You may want to use a waterless hand cleaner. If an allergic reaction occurs, seek proper medical treatment.

If you inhale vapors from the ink - Under normal conditions, there are no significant vapors to worry about. The inks are predominantly water based, do not have petroleum solvents and only a couple of the inks have as much as 5% alcohol content. It is possible that some vapors might be created during a very hot fire. Any vapors which might be created will not be toxic, but may cause irritation to sensitive people. If you think that you may have inhaled vapors from the ink, get fresh air immediately and inhale slowly and deeply.

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13. What are inks made from?

A. The key ingredient used in the inks is water. A couple of the inks also use less than 5% isopropal alcohol. Petroleum solvents are not used as major ingredients. Various dyes and pigments are used as colourants. Other than causing stains and creating interesting color displays during elimination, these colourants are nearly ignored by the body in normal exposures. Various surfactants (soap-like substances) are used to vary the viscosity and surface tension of the inks. Most of these surfactants will cause reactions similar to those caused by most soaps, such as mild stomach irritation and diarrhea, and eye irritation. Some inks are mildly acidic, such as the inks used in the HP Type 10 cartridge, which are about as acidic as vinegar.

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14. Are inks a Fire or Explosion risk?

A. No. Inkjet inks supplied by us are safe for air transportation and have ignition points in excess of 1750C (3500F). Since the inks are predominantly water based, contain no significant petroleum solvents, and only occasionally have alcohol (in less than 5% concentration), it is very difficult to get these inks to burn. They will freeze, but return to normal when gradually returned to room temperature,

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15. How do I get refilling ink off my fingers?

A. OOPS!   Obviously the ink got through the rubber gloves you were, of course, wearing (see previous Q&A) so usually a mild / dilute solution of ammonia and water (about 1 part ammonia to 9 or 10 parts water) will remove the ink.

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16. I have just refilled my colour cartridge and the print colours are all wrong. Is the ink faulty or is it my printer?

A. Probably neither. If you are using Ink Sales Plus inks, the inks are perfectly OK and it's a pretty safe bet your printer is fine too. It sounds like "Operator Error" to us - you mixed up the inks when refilling the cartridge - that is, you accidently put, for example, magenta in the cyan cartridge or yellow in the magenta cartridge etc. It is essential that you get the sequence right … check which colour is in which cartridge before you start refilling. See the Toothpick Test in 'Handy Hints & Tips'. You will now have to discard the cartridge or try to clean it thoroughly and / or flush it with the correct colour, (ideally using the head-cleaning routine) for quite a while and then refill again. It is a waste of time and ink.

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17. What is the difference between photo ink and colour ink?

A. The difference between photo ink and colour ink is that photo ink spreads more when it hits paper. This "fills in the dots" to eliminate graininess so the result is closer to a photograph. Again, photo inks are different shades from the colour inks - they tend to include Light Cyan and Light Magenta to achieve more realistic skin tones in photos etc.

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18. What is the difference between dye-based ink and pigmented ink?

A. There are several major differences. These are set out below.

1. Water Resistance
• The dye in the dye-based ink completely dissolves in water.
• Pigment does not dissolve completely, it is more like a "suspension".
• Since dye-based inks fully dissolve, they flow better and are standard in inkjet printers. However, be aware that if drops of water hit your print-out the dye will re-dissolve and flow across the paper.
• Pigmented ink are more water-resistant because pigment particles tend to settle into the miniscule paper fibres and become trapped there as the ink dries, so that there is minimal "re-flow". Thus, the pigmented inks are more water resistent than the dye-based inks. Only about 5 to 10 percent of the ink will re-flow if the paper is hit by water.


2. Fade Resistance
• The molecules in dye-based inks are spread out. You might think of dye-based ink as the paper covered with sand. The dye-based ink tends to fade quicker since all of the molecules are exposed to the chemical and sunlight-caused reactions that fade the ink. You may notice fading of dye-based inks exposed to direct sunlight in maybe 6 to 12 months.
• Pigment particles are more like to large pebbles on the paper. It is much more difficult for sunlight and chemicals to react with all of the pigment molecules, since most of them are hidden inside the "pebbles". Pigmented inks will usually last for many years before fading becomes noticeable.


3. Print Quality
• It is possible to get more "colour" into pigments than into dyes. Therefore, pigmented colours tend to be more vibrant than dye-based colours. Pigmented black inks tend to be slightly darker than dye-based inks.


4. Price
• Pigmented inks are costly to manufacture so they are more expensive than dye-based inks.


5. Usability
• Canon BC-23 cartridges must use pigmented ink. All other Canon cartridges use dye-based ink.
• HP Black cartridges 51629 and 51645 can be filled with either dye-based or pigmented ink. HP Black cartridge 51626A and other HP Black cartridges are only available with dye-based inks.
• Epson cartridges only have a single Black ink available. The ink used in most newer Epson cartridges is a pigmented black ink which is priced as a standard dye-based ink.
• Lexmark cartridges with xxxx620 part numbers use a dye-based ink. Lexmark cartridges with the 12A1970 part number or the xxxx400 part numbers use a pigmented ink.

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19. How long is the shelf life of ink?

A. Our inks will last years - most likely longer than your printer as long as you keep the caps tight on the bottles, keep them out of direct sunlight and at room temperature.

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20. Are your inks water-proof?

A. Our inks match the original or OEM specification / formulation. If the OEM ink is waterproof, then so is ours, however inks are generally NOT waterproof. Dye based inks are not waterproof while pigmented inks are.

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21. Can I purchase my ink in bulk quantities?

A. Absolutely. Our 125ml and 250ml. Bulk Refill Inks are premium quality at an affordable price. Larger sizes are by special order and you need to contact us.

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22. What if I have a problem and I can't refill my cartridge?

A. All we ask is that you give it an honest try. If you follow the video clips and directions supplied with our kits even most children can do it without any problems. Please don't call us until you have given it a good try. If you are really stuck we can be reached by email at info@inksalesplus.com.au. We will do whatever we can to help you.

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