How To Refill Printer Ink Cartridges Using Conventional Ink

2010-02-20

Refilling printer ink cartridges is an easy way to save on printing costs. For example, a new HP 74 ink cartridge costs around $20. A half-pound of conventional ink, enough for about 30 refills of the same cartridge, along with the equipment to refill the cartridge, can be found online for around $20. If a user does not wish to refill their own ink cartridges, dozens of companies, from Walgreens to online businesses, are more than happy to refill ink cartridges for a small price. This is because refilling cartridges is easy and remarkably profitable. For users who wish to save even more, refilling a printer ink cartridge may be a bit messy, but it is undoubtedly simple.

The first step to refilling an ink cartridge is to determine what type of printer ink is required. Most inkjet printers have a black ink cartridge and a color ink cartridge. The color ink cartridge consists of three colors, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Some printers have a separate cartridge for each of those three colors. The process for refilling is the same for all cartridges; the only difference is the color of the ink. The next step is to prepare the work environment accordingly, with plastic gloves, newspapers on the desk, and perhaps an apron or a painter's smock. Finally, to prepare the ink cartridge, remove it from the printer and wrap it in a paper towel.

The specifics for refilling a printer ink cartridge will vary. Purchasing a refill kit specific for the brand and model number of the cartridge is recommended. Conceptually, this is a simple process. First, a user locates the fill holes, usually on top and covered by a rubber stopper. Then using a syringe filled with ink, a user inserts a needle through the fill hole and injects the ink into the cartridge. Once the cartridge is full, the hole plugged with a stopper or a piece of tape. Refill kits commonly have something designed to plug the hole. And with that, the printer ink cartridge is full and ready for use.

The main precaution is to inject the ink slowly and not overfill the cartridge, which results in a messy spray of ink. Also, users have to be careful not to injure themselves with the needle, and to clean any ink off the cartridge before placing it back into the printer. Refill kits have specific directions for cleaning. Finally, the inkjet mechanism on the cartridge will fail over time, so they cannot be refilled forever. Even with these few precautions, refilling cartridges is simple and greatly reduces costs.