Refilling BCI-6X Cartrudges

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan G
  • Start date Start date
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Dan G

Forget the vent hole. I use the kit from www.inkfetsaver.com and it works
great. Just remove the factory fill plug and then re-seal it with a
non-ferrous screw. Great service there too.
 
I've read a heap of material regarding the refilling of these
particular carts. Of all, they seem to be the easiest to do.

But. . . I wonder about the need (or desirability) of opening the "air
vent" that's located atop the sponge compartment. Some say to open it;
others say not to open it and some don't address the issue at all.

It seems to me that if I'm refilling an almost-empty cart, where just
2 or 3 ml. of ink remain in the liquid-ink chamber (to me, the most
desirable point at which to refill), it's not necessary and, in fact,
may be very undesirable to open that sponge-chamber vent.

If I melt a hole in the ink chamber (I like the paper clip trick), I
can insert a needle with enough room around it to allow the air in the
ink chamber to come out. Once filled, a li'l dab of bathroom caulk
should do the trick. Does that make sense?

If all I'm doing is raising the level of the ink in the ink chamber,
why can't I just leave that vent alone? I'd like to let it do its
thing in peace and contentment, far from the excitement that I create
in the ink chamber.

Of course, if I'm filling some empty, virgin carts, that's another
story!

I'll appreciate some wisdom from those to whom this refilling is old
hat. Thanks!
Pixmaker in FLL
==========================
It's not the heat, it's the humidity!
==========================
(...Think the humidity's bad?
You should watch us vote!)
 
Pixmaker said:
I've read a heap of material regarding the refilling of these
particular carts. Of all, they seem to be the easiest to do.

But. . . I wonder about the need (or desirability) of opening the "air
vent" that's located atop the sponge compartment. Some say to open it;
others say not to open it and some don't address the issue at all.

It seems to me that if I'm refilling an almost-empty cart, where just
2 or 3 ml. of ink remain in the liquid-ink chamber (to me, the most
desirable point at which to refill), it's not necessary and, in fact,
may be very undesirable to open that sponge-chamber vent.

If I melt a hole in the ink chamber (I like the paper clip trick), I
can insert a needle with enough room around it to allow the air in the
ink chamber to come out. Once filled, a li'l dab of bathroom caulk
should do the trick. Does that make sense?

If all I'm doing is raising the level of the ink in the ink chamber,
why can't I just leave that vent alone? I'd like to let it do its
thing in peace and contentment, far from the excitement that I create
in the ink chamber.

Of course, if I'm filling some empty, virgin carts, that's another
story!

I'll appreciate some wisdom from those to whom this refilling is old
hat. Thanks!
Pixmaker in FLL
==========================
It's not the heat, it's the humidity!
==========================
(...Think the humidity's bad?
You should watch us vote!)
Click to expand...

Your method is the same as what I've been doing for a long time. The only
difference being that I now make the hole in the ink chamber with a 4d
finishing nail chucked into a cordless drill. The only reason for the nail
vs. a drill bit is that no chips or residue will fall into the ink chamber
(which won't hurt anything even if it did happen) since the spinning nail
will burn the hole instead of cutting it. Using a hot paper clip is just as
effective and it's only a matter of convenience which should be used.
Instead of using bathroom caulk I use a spot of thick cloth duct tape to
seal the opening. As to modifying the air vent on top I see no reason to do
that and agree completely with your comments above. If the cartridge was
working prior to refilling then the vent is sufficiently open and shouldn't
be disturbed.
 
You don't have to seal the air vent but if you don't, the sponge area
becomes completely saturated as the ink naturally levels between the two
chambers. If you seal the sponge chamber then you only fill the reservoir
chamber, which maintains as close as possible the ink distribution in the
chamber as a genuine cart.

With so much ink in the sponge area there is a possibility of too much ink
flowing out of the cart which could flood the head area with ink.

It is VERY simple to seal this chamber and there is really no reason not to
do it. All you use is a piece of sticky tape. Put it over the vent hole
and press down hard all over the top to form an edge seal. When the ink
chamber is sealed, you can remove it.

The other way is to ignore the sponge seal, let it flood when you refill,
then when have sealed the ink chamber, cover the hole with your finger and
squeeze the sponge area to push the excess in out the bottom back into your
ink bottle. Make sure you open the hole before you let go of the side
pressure so air can come in from the top to replace the expelled ink.
 
I have been filling for 2 years. I seal the hole that feeds ink to the
printer and leave the vent hole open. I fill through the hole that had the
little ball in it. If you seal the vent hole, then as soon as you open it
before putting a cartridge in the printer, the sponge will absorb a bunch of
ink from the tank. I am very careful that before putting a cartridge in the
printer that no ink will drip from the cartridge when the vent is open. In
fact I tap the cartridge on a paper towel to be sure.
 
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