Canon Refill Question

[Tom Crooze]

Just need some advice re BCI 3e / 6 refills.
Reading several pages , including alotofthings.com , some SPECFICALLY
suggest taping the air vent on the top of the cart , while others say to
wrap tape around the exit port , inferring that the tape would cover the air
vents in the process.

I have plastic covers for the exit port , so the question is

Should the air vents be taped during refill or not ? I understand that they
should be taped if storing for a period of time before re installation

TIA!!

 

[Dan G]

Well, if it's not right, all the ink runs out the bottom, so you'll know
about it. If you have a sealing snap-on clip for the bottom, you are good to
refill, just pop the plug and go. Once the plug is replaced, it's safe to
remove the clip for a short time.

I've also stored tanks in a plastic bag for months with no tape on the vent,
had no trouble with it.

 

[measekite]

I suggest you choose another Vendor and more specifically get Canon OEM ink.

 

[George E. Cawthon]

Just need some advice re BCI 3e / 6 refills.
Reading several pages , including alotofthings.com , some SPECFICALLY
suggest taping the air vent on the top of the cart , while others say to
wrap tape around the exit port , inferring that the tape would cover the air
vents in the process.

I have plastic covers for the exit port , so the question is

Should the air vents be taped during refill or not ? I understand that they
should be taped if storing for a period of time before re installation

TIA!!

If you understand how cartridges work you can make
up your own mind. A cartridge works just like a
feeder for birds (humming birds or the chicken
feeder which is just a bottle turned upside down
in a saucer). A cartridge is just turned sideway
with closed filler hole being like the bottle in a
feeder. There are three holes--the filler
(usually sealed), the vent, the exit which are
usually open to the atmosphere. Assume that you
have the exit blocked when you fill and the fill
hole is open. If the vent is plugged, ink can
fill the non-foam side but can't flow into the
foam side (a small amount will wick into the foam
side). If the vent is open, the ink can flow into
the foam side to the same height as it is in the
non-foam side. That may result in way too much ink
in the foam side.

If you fill a new cartridge with the vent sealed,
very little ink will move into the foam side. Undo
the vent seal and about half of the ink will flow
from the non-foam side to the foam side. Seal the
vent, fill the non-foam side, seal the fill hole
and you will have about the right amount of ink in
the cartridge.

If you rotate cartridges and refill when they are
down to about 1/4 on the non foam side, it makes
sense to seal the vent when filling and leave it
sealed during storage, removing the vent seal only
when you install the cartridge in the printer.

Works for me.

 

[mike.j.harvey]

Just need some advice re BCI 3e / 6 refills.

Shortly, someone called "Measekite" will tell you not to do it. He's
autistic and he's got this fixation. Ignore him. The rest of us do.

 

[Al Bundy]

Just need some advice re BCI 3e / 6 refills.
Reading several pages , including alotofthings.com , some SPECFICALLY
suggest taping the air vent on the top of the cart , while others say to
wrap tape around the exit port , inferring that the tape would cover the air
vents in the process.

I have plastic covers for the exit port , so the question is

Should the air vents be taped during refill or not ? I understand that they
should be taped if storing for a period of time before re installation

TIA!!

The vent should be left open during the fill and the exit port closed
by some method.
However, if you cut the cover of the printer you can fill the carts
without removing them from the printer and with the power turned off.
Once the printer is modified this way, refilling is less messy and more
efficient. I figure the printer is mine to cut and paste the way I
want. A Dremel tool with a thin saw attachment works best for cutting
the printer box. I replace the access hole with a paper door or one
made from the removed piece. This is as close to a CIS system I can
come without spending any money.

 

[John B]

For my Pixma ip4000, whenever I refill, I turn the cartridge upside down, drill
a small hole one side of the prism, fill the chamber with a syringe, cover the
hole with a small ball of 'Blue Tack' (that is what it is called in Britain
anyway - could be something else in other parts!), replace the cartridge and the
job is done. No mess, no problems. A tissue might be handy to have nearby just
in case. When filling again, just remove the 'Blue Tack' and repeat. If some of
the filler gets pushed into the chamber - so what - it's again no problem. The
cartridge does not leak at all, not yet anyway and I've been doing it for years,
from my first BJC600e, S450, etc. At least give it a try.

John B.

 

[measekite]

For my Pixma ip4000, whenever I refill, I turn the cartridge upside down, drill
a small hole one side of the prism, fill the chamber with a syringe, cover the
hole with a small ball of 'Blue Tack'

I just eat a Tick Tack and use Canon carts and do not have to any of
that stuff. I also do not have to worry about printhead clogging, rapid
fading or lower quality results.

 

[Martin Trautmann]

For my Pixma ip4000, whenever I refill, I turn the cartridge upside down, drill
a small hole one side of the prism, fill the chamber with a syringe, cover the
hole with a small ball of 'Blue Tack' (that is what it is called in Britain
anyway - could be something else in other parts!),

Blue Tack may be ok - but you don't know about its chemistry which may
react with the ink, thus turning ink, cartrigde or even print head into
garbage.

replace the cartridge and the
job is done. No mess, no problems. A tissue might be handy to have nearby just
in case. When filling again, just remove the 'Blue Tack' and repeat. If some of
the filler gets pushed into the chamber - so what - it's again no problem. The
cartridge does not leak at all, not yet anyway and I've been doing it for years,
from my first BJC600e, S450, etc. At least give it a try.

The most simple method:


+---------[ ]-+
| |XXXXXXX| < drill a hole here
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
+------+-------+

Turn the cartridge upwards!

Then put a long (!) injection needle into this hole, push it through the
sponge. There's a small gap on the lower side, below the wall separating
ink tank and sponge half. Move the needle through this
gap and fill the cartridge.

Images:
<http://www.enderlin-direkt.com/news/faq_canon.html#durchstich>
(German text)

There's not even any need to close this hole afterwards again.
(at a certain risk...)

The more common solution is to close the print head hole with its
original cap (e.g. held in place by a rubber band), to drill a hole on
the top front side, refill there and close the hole with hot glue again.
A tooth pick, a screw, a piece of rubber, blue tack, adhesive tape etc.
may do the same - but all of those have a higher risk that it may leak
some air into it, flooding your printer.

 

[Taliesyn]

For my Pixma ip4000, whenever I refill, I turn the cartridge upside down, drill
a small hole one side of the prism, fill the chamber with a syringe, cover the
hole with a small ball of 'Blue Tack' (that is what it is called in Britain
anyway - could be something else in other parts!),

Blue Tack may be ok - but you don't know about its chemistry which may
react with the ink, thus turning ink, cartrigde or even print head into
garbage.

replace the cartridge and the
job is done. No mess, no problems. A tissue might be handy to have nearby just
in case. When filling again, just remove the 'Blue Tack' and repeat. If some of
the filler gets pushed into the chamber - so what - it's again no problem. The
cartridge does not leak at all, not yet anyway and I've been doing it for years,
from my first BJC600e, S450, etc. At least give it a try.

The most simple method:


+---------[ ]-+
| |XXXXXXX| < drill a hole here
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
+------+-------+

X

Interesting place you've selected to fill the cartridge. I haven't heard
of that one before.

I've been filling for years by drilling a tiny hole at the top, near the
back of the cartridge. Seal the exit port with orange cap & rubber
bands, fill the tank about 90% full (never more!), then seal with a size
2-56 x 1/8 stainless steel set screw (must be stainless to prevent
rust), topped off with a strip of black electrical tape covering. Never
had a leak of any kind. I'm now working on my third year of filling my
Canon iP5000, same original printhead and various aftermarket prefilled,
bulk and refill kit inks (atlanticinkjet.com for their great BCI-3e
black pigment, Hobbicolors for the color & black BCI-6 cartridges, and
have used some excellent prefilled cartridges (marketed as "Vivi Color")
imported from Australia, though made in China. Canon printers are not
that fussy, will work fine with many inks. And if they do clog, not that
I have had that problem, remember: Canon put in two cleaning cycles for
THEIR OWN inks, so it's normal to have to clean if you've left your
printer alone for an extended period. But I haven't had use for the
clean cycle except to prime the ink to the printhead after a cartridge
change. I replace all the color cartridges at the same time with a
backup set of refilled ones. This way I don't have the problem of a
different color annoyingly running out every couple of days. The big
black runs on its own cycle since it's twice as large. Wonderful!

-Taliesyn

 

[measekite]

For my Pixma ip4000, whenever I refill, I turn the cartridge upside
down, drill
a small hole one side of the prism, fill the chamber with a syringe,
cover the
hole with a small ball of 'Blue Tack' (that is what it is called in
Britain
anyway - could be something else in other parts!),

Blue Tack may be ok - but you don't know about its chemistry which may
react with the ink, thus turning ink, cartrigde or even print head into
garbage.

replace the cartridge and the
job is done. No mess, no problems. A tissue might be handy to have
nearby just
in case. When filling again, just remove the 'Blue Tack' and repeat.
If some of
the filler gets pushed into the chamber - so what - it's again no
problem. The
cartridge does not leak at all, not yet anyway and I've been doing
it for years,
from my first BJC600e, S450, etc. At least give it a try.

The most simple method:


+---------[ ]-+
| |XXXXXXX| < drill a hole here
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
+------+-------+

X

Interesting place you've selected to fill the cartridge. I haven't heard
of that one before.

I've been filling for years by drilling a tiny hole at the top, near the
back of the cartridge. Seal the exit port with orange cap & rubber
bands, fill the tank about 90% full (never more!), then seal with a size
2-56 x 1/8 stainless steel set screw (must be stainless to prevent
rust), topped off with a strip of black electrical tape covering. Never
had a leak of any kind. I'm now working on my third year of filling my
Canon iP5000, same original printhead and various aftermarket prefilled,
bulk and refill kit inks (atlanticinkjet.com for their great BCI-3e
black pigment, Hobbicolors for the color & black BCI-6 cartridges, and
have used some excellent prefilled cartridges (marketed as "Vivi Color")
imported from Australia, though made in China. Canon printers are not
that fussy, will work fine with many inks. And if they

when they

do clog, not that
I have had that problem, remember:

he replaced the printhead at least once

he accepts fading


he accepts reduced print quality

but that is ok. he chooses to do that to have more lunch money for school

 

[Martin Trautmann]

The most simple method:


+---------[ ]-+
| |XXXXXXX| < drill a hole here
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
+------+-------+

Interesting place you've selected to fill the cartridge. I haven't heard
of that one before.

Yes, I feel it's the less known method - but since it's the most simple
of all those I know by now, I took the effort to describe it here.

I've been filling for years by drilling a tiny hole at the top, near the
back of the cartridge.

Yes, that's what I named as the most common one.

Seal the exit port with orange cap & rubber
bands, fill the tank about 90% full (never more!),

I feel 100% would not be any problem for the cartridge. Since the sponge
is not yet filled, this will reduce the total amount while used from 100
to 90 - or probably from your 90 to 80!?

then seal with a size
2-56 x 1/8 stainless steel set screw (must be stainless to prevent
rust),

you never know about all what's within the ink. Stainless is no 100%
warranty against rust. However, such a screw is not made for a areal
seal.

topped off with a strip of black electrical tape covering.

.... which is not necessarily good on cartridges. Its main purpose is to
hold on itself, wrapped several times around a wire.

Never had a leak of any kind.

That's what I would guess. Very simple methods may work very well. But
some have a higher risk than others.

- Martin

 

[measekite]

is to go to Costco or another retailer and buy Canon Oem ink. That is
what is simple. Anything else is a pain. If it wasn't, there would not
be these types of questions. If you would just think about it that
would be obvious.

+---------[ ]-+
| |XXXXXXX| < drill a hole here
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
+------+-------+

Interesting place you've selected to fill the cartridge. I haven't heard
of that one before.

Yes, I feel it's the less known method - but since it's the most simple
of all those I know by now, I took the effort to describe it here.

I've been filling for years by drilling a tiny hole at the top, near the
back of the cartridge.

Yes, that's what I named as the most common one.

Seal the exit port with orange cap & rubber
bands, fill the tank about 90% full (never more!),

I feel 100% would not be any problem for the cartridge. Since the sponge
is not yet filled, this will reduce the total amount while used from 100
to 90 - or probably from your 90 to 80!?

then seal with a size
2-56 x 1/8 stainless steel set screw (must be stainless to prevent
rust),

you never know about all what's within the ink. Stainless is no 100%
warranty against rust. However, such a screw is not made for a areal
seal.

topped off with a strip of black electrical tape covering.

... which is not necessarily good on cartridges. Its main purpose is to
hold on itself, wrapped several times around a wire.

Never had a leak of any kind.

That's what I would guess. Very simple methods may work very well. But
some have a higher risk than others.

- Martin

 

[george]

The most simple method:


+---------[ ]-+
| |XXXXXXX| < drill a hole here
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
| |xxxxxxx|
+------+-------+

Interesting place you've selected to fill the cartridge. I haven't heard
of that one before.

You all make it seem so difficult. All you have to do is put a sharp
awl into the plastic ball that Canon uses for a seal. It lifts out
easily and can be reused. The ball is under the black circle that
says "PUSH"

 

[Pixmaker]

Regarding that 2-56 machine screw. . .

I've been refilling those Canon carts for years and find that a 6-32 x
1/4" panhead, stainless-steel machine screw works just fine. They're a
lot easier to find (at any Home Depot) and the larger size is a whole
bunch easier to handle that the li'l No. 2 screw and it's a li'l
easier to find the hole with the needle.

BTW, I'd be sure to use only a slotted-head screw, not a Phillips
head. With a slotted screw, you can use a "Quick-Wedge" screwdriver
(trade name) and just leave the screw atached (wedged) to the
screwdriver throughout the refilling procedure. That way, there's no
hunting for the verschluggener screw that rolled under that stack of
papers, etc.

I also use a 1/8" O-ring around the machine screw. They are readily
available at hardware stores in the plumbing department. When I
install the screw after refilling, it's only necessary to tighten the
screw very gently. . . just enough to compress that li'l O-ring a
little. That way, there's no appreciable stress on the threads in the
plastic cart. body. After all, there's not 150 pounds per squinch
trying to pop out the screw .<G>

I have carts here I've refilled 20 or more times with no problems.

It works for me!

David in Ft. Lauderdale
=======================
"It's not the heat,
it's the humidity!"
(Think the humidity's bad?
You should watch us vote!)
=======================

 

[measekite]

I do not bother to risk my printer to a head clog

reprint photos due to fading

or accept lower quality results

and go thru the mess of screwing a cartridge


I just buy Canon OEM. Even though the price is still high if not for
the relabelers screwing their customers and the dumb people who support
them the cost for all OEM stuff would e even higher.

 

[Irwin Peckinloomer]

I do not bother to risk my printer to a head clog

reprint photos due to fading

or accept lower quality results

and go thru the mess of screwing a cartridge


I just buy Canon OEM. Even though the price is still high

<snip>

of course, if you don't bother, ... then you have to pay the sucker
price.

You've been telling us for years now ... that you've chosen to pay, just
like 90% of the sheep do, so what's the news? "Hey, I've got a great
idea, pay retail! Bet nobody else ever thought of that!"
Sure is interesting & informative to read about original thinking like
that in a newsgroup!

 

[measekite]

<snip>

of course, if you don't bother, ... then you have to pay the sucker
price.

It is better to pay a somewhat higher price then to have all of the
sucker problems including fading, mess, lower quality, and a higher risk
of printhead clogging.

You've been telling us for years now ... that you've chosen to pay, just
like 90% of the sheep do, so what's the news? "Hey, I've got a great
idea, pay retail! Bet nobody else ever thought of that!"
Sure is interesting & informative to read about original thinking like
that in a newsgroup!

When did you learn to read

 

[Taliesyn]

It is better to pay a somewhat higher price then to have all of the
sucker problems including fading, mess, lower quality, and a higher risk
of printhead clogging.

OK let's calculate.... I saved $1,500 in the last two years by refilling
and got basically the same result. No noticeable fading, great color,
no mess and no clogging. A very hard decision indeed (groan.....)

When did you learn to read

What a dreadfully useless response if I ever saw one! Yes, we should
all be glad to pay 20 times more than we have to! ($5 for a refill vs
$100 for OEM - Canadian prices) Call me when OEM inks improve to where
they 20 times better than the inks I'm currently using.

-Taliesyn

 

[measekite]

OK let's calculate.... I saved $1,500 in the last two years by
refilling and got basically the same result. No noticeable fading,
great color,
no mess and no clogging. A very hard decision indeed (groan.....)

You had a clogged head, accepting lower quality and had some fading.
Nobody believes you saved that amount and neither do I.

What a dreadfully useless response if I ever saw one! Yes, we should
all be glad to pay 20 times more than we have to! ($5 for a refill vs
$100 for OEM - Canadian prices) Call me when OEM inks improve to
where they 20 times better than the inks I'm currently using.

What is your phone number and real name