Printer ink is one of the very expensive things you have to work with if you create your home office. Do not be surprised at the following situation: you took dozens of shots using the new digital camera, downloaded them to your computer, printed only a few, and soon the ink ran out of the cartridge. Their consumption is always very large, and nothing can be done about it.
This article provides instructions on how to refill your HP inkjet print cartridge yourself instead of buying a new one. This can save you a pretty decent amount.
We buy materials
To refill the HP printer cartridge yourself, buy a set of ink to fill in at the office supply store. Many retail outlets specializing in office products offer such a package at a low price (as a rule, its cost is almost half the price of a new component). You can also find these kits at various online stores.
Preparation for the process
Fold the ink kit you purchased, a roll of paper towels, and some transparent tape on a large, flat work surface (table or board). Remove the empty cartridge from the device. Be sure to close the lid or fuse while you are working with it.
Wear disposable rubber or plastic gloves before handling paint. Take a paper towel and double it in half. Always work on a paper towel to prevent ink from leaking onto the table. Place an empty cartridge on it.
Before refilling an HP printer cartridge yourself, read the instruction manual that came with the ink to learn how to fill up your specific capsule type. This article provides general instructions only.
Look for the refill holes on the top of the cartridge. This recess can be felt by rubbing the label with your fingers. Some cartridges have multiple openings, but only one of them always leads to an ink tank that can be filled. This hole will have a sponge in it.
Use a sharp pencil to puncture the filling hole at the top of the ink cartridge. You can also remove the top label with a knife or a screwdriver (the location of such places can be found in the user manual that came with the kit).
As a rule, in addition to black, three ink colors are attached: cyan, magenta and yellow. Follow the installation instructions using the hole to insert each color, or push a toothpick into each hole to identify the colors. It also happens that the marking on the cartridge of the device is sometimes erroneous, and you may accidentally fill the wrong colors in ink capsules. This happens when users try to refill the HP 650 printer cartridge themselves (and similar models).
Filling process
Insert the long needle-like end of the ink bottle into the correct hole deep enough: so that it penetrates to the bottom of the cartridge. It is important that you do this so that you do not let air in and create foam when refilling the cartridge. An air pocket will prevent ink from reaching the print head, which may cause the cartridge to malfunction.
To refill the HP 655 printer cartridge correctly, add ink slowly. Carefully monitor the filling process so as not to overfill them. Stop quickly as soon as you see a little ink dripping from the hole. Without letting go of the bottle, slowly let the air out by squeezing some ink back out of the cartridge (before removing the needle completely).
How to refill the HP printer cartridge yourself: complete the process
Wipe the cartridge contacts thoroughly with a paper towel. You must completely eliminate dirt and leaks on its surface.
Cover the hole with a small piece of transparent tape. This works much better than the sealing points included in the refill kit. Make sure that ink does not leak from the top holes at all (this is what transparent tape is used for).
Checking for correct refueling
Repeat all the steps above for each ink color to completely refill the HP printer cartridge yourself. After you fill in all the colors, soak (do not wipe or press) the print head of the cartridge with a folded piece of paper towel. This process will probably need to be repeated several times. Do this until the paint stops oozing, mixing and staining the towel. Stop this process only when you have 3 clear color traces left.
If faded colors appear on the paper towel or the ink does not stand out at all, blot the print head with a wet cloth and then dry. Repeat this several times until ink starts to stand out.
Install the cartridge in the printer. Remember that you should never, ever install a leaking cartridge.
Print test files right away to make sure that the ink is highlighted properly. Print a small number of different pages, preferably photographs with bright colors.
Useful Tips
Do not worry that you will not test or verify the purchased refill kit. It is worth the effort, and there is no need for it. If you ruin your cartridge with your actions, you can always buy a new one. In any case, it’s worth trying to refill the HP printer cartridge yourself (122), since with a favorable outcome this will significantly reduce your costs.
After you refill the cartridge, it should weigh the same as new accessories. Overcrowding beyond the norm can fail much earlier than its term. These inkjet printer accessories use ink sponges, and when overfilled, you wet the top of the sponge, causing the ink to flow upward, further from the print hole.
Another good tip
And finally, you can use another method if everyone else has failed: to find a second-hand or simpler printer cheaper than a new cartridge. It comes with one new cartridge (or two: black and color). If you manage to do this, you will have a new device with 1 or 2 cartridges at a lower price than the cost of one new component. Printer companies often sell them inexpensively, planning to profit from future cartridge purchases — a well-known marketing ploy. Use them until ink is used up, and then look again at what is more profitable to purchase.
Ink should not thicken and dry
Do not let your ink cartridge dry. Check and replenish it periodically to keep it in working condition. Try not to leave it unused for a very long time. Print at least once a week. This will help the device last longer, even if you have to refill the HP printer cartridge yourself (178) before.
As a last resort, before buying a new cartridge, you can always try to reanimate the old one. Take a clean syringe, remove the piston and insert the syringe into the cartridge. Attach the open top of the syringe to your mouth and blow hard enough. This can help push substandard or thickened ink to the print head. Be careful not to let ink bubbles form on top of the cartridge. Then blot the end of the cartridge nozzle with a paper towel. Repeat as necessary several times. This method can expand the usability of refilled cartridges.
If the ink still does not stand out from the cartridge when printing, use a syringe to inject one or two small drops of a special solution (a mixture of ammonia and distilled water in equal proportions) deep down into the cartridge. This will help dissolve the resulting ink clots.
Finishing touch
If only one of the colors after installing the cartridge is difficult, remove it from the printer and recheck the tape covering the filling holes. Lift it and rearrange, while adjusting the strip of adhesive tape.
After repeatedly filling the print cartridge, the print head will gradually wear out. As a rule, this procedure can be repeated no more than 10 times.