General Help & Instructions

Over the years, we ourselves have moved further and further away from "refilling" cartridges.

Even though this is the very least expensive way to run your printer, it comes with a hidden cost: lost time from having to trouble-shoot, fiddling, and wasting labels.

Some years back, we asked this very same question:

"Is your business-time valuable to you...

with Refilling Cartridges yourself, you will spend 1/2 hour, 1 hour, 5 hours, or whatever, troubleshooting why a particular in cartridge isn't functioning properly...

...is it over-filled, does it have trapped air-bubbles causing ink loss and streaking...

...is it too old and starting to dry out (inside), etc, etc, etc."

... is it an issue with the print-head. The trouble-shooting list can be long.

If you need to save every last possible dollar on ink cartridges - and not apply that time to "running your business"... we understand, we get it.

Here are some general help suggestions to assist you in refilling.

Overview - the CHIP

All ink cartridges are equipped with an electronic “chip” that identifies the cartridge with a unique serial number.

After the cartridge has been refilled, the printer will still recognize it as being out of ink, and it won’t print. This chip has to be replaced.

The Primera cartridges use a chip that needs to be replaced each time the PTStatus Monitor recognizes the cartridge as being empty.

This occurs normally at -8% to -11%. However, we recommend refilling the ink and replacing the chip at 0% to -5% to avoid ruining the print-head by allowing the ink to run dry. DO NOT LET YOUR CARTRIDGES (PRINT HEAD) RUN OUT OF INK - EVER.

NOTE: Replacement print-heads for the Primera LX900 Series retail for about $70-$80.

PRO TIP: You should ALWAYS have an extra one hanging around.

Handy Inkjet Refill Tips

Always remove the ink cartridge from printer before attempting to refill it with ink.
Always put the cartridge into its plastic storage cradle when it is outside of the printer.
Always refill over an easy to clean surface. You WILL eventually spill ink. Spillage can cause permanent stains to most surfaces.
Use syringe & needle carefully – they are sharp and pointy. Duh!
Pull plunger slowly to fill syringe to desired quantity. Avoid getting any air bubbles in the syringe.

COLOR CARTRIDGES - will take about 6-8ml of refill ink.
BLACK CARTRIDGES - will take about 14-18ml of refill ink.
Always close the ink refill bottle immediately and securely with original cap. Again, you WILL spill ink, sooner or later.
Syringe and needle can be cleaned by drawing warm water into the syringe and slowly using the plunger to expel water down the sink.
Always clean the syringe and needle as described before filling each color … best to use separate syringes for each color.
When handling cartridges and print-head, do not touch ink surfaces (sponge), electrical contacts or metallic looking parts.
Do not allow cartridge to remain empty for more than two (2) consecutive weeks.
For best results, refill cartridge before it empties completely.
Store newly refilled cartridge UPRIGHT for 24 hours.
Store refilled cartridges in a sealed ZipLock bag (i.e. air tight).
Do not over-fill cartridges. It is always best to under-fill in order to avoid leakage and flooding of the print-head when first used.

PRO TIP: Draw a small amount of ink back out of the cartridge once it is completely full (i.e. over-filled, over-flowed).

NEVER insert a leaky or dripping cartridge into your printer.

If you notice leakage or dripping, you need to remove some of the ink... you can "squeeze" the cartridge over a trash can... you may draw-back ink from the cartridge by re-inserting the needle and slowly, slowly, slowly pulling the plunger (avoid sucking air).

Leave the cartridge standing upright for a one hour or so and check for additional leakage.

PRINT HEAD CLEANING

PRO-TIP: Print heads CAN be cleaned several times to extend their Life. CONTACT US for an updated cleaning procedure.

PRINT CMYK TEST LABELS

To quickly and easily TEST the quality of your print cartridges, please see our Printing CMYK Test Labels for assistance.