Cleaning Solution - Canon PGI-5 & CLI-8 Cartridge Flush

[pharmacist]

Conditioning: after flushing the sponge has difficulty to absorb the ink well and tends to be become a bit hydrofobic (water repellent). By completely immerge and drenching the sponge material with this solution and then blowing as much solution as possible the sponge is revived again. The pigment BCI-3eBK/PGI-5Bk is the most difficult one and using this conditioning solution improves the absorption degree of your favourite refill pigment ink.

Cleaning: fill a cartridge with this solution (with ammonia) and execute a deep cleaning cycle to remove stubborn and tenacious clogging.

 

[ghwellsjr]

But there are two sponges made of different materials in a Canon OEM cartridge (which is one of the things that makes it superior). The upper sponge starts out hydrophobic and should remain that way for proper operation and the lower sponge starts out hydrophilic and should remain that way. The cartridge needs to allow ink to flow from the reservoir through the hole in the wall separating the two chambers, through the lower sponge and out the outlet port while at the same time allowing air to flow through the air vent on the top of the cartridge through the upper sponge, down to the groves in the wall between the two compartments, and into the same hole at the bottom of the wall to allow air to displace the ink that is drawn out of the reservoir.

How can you treat one sponge without giving the wrong treatment to the other sponge?

This is my concern with refilling the conventional way by making a hole in the top of the reservoir and allowing ink to saturate both sponge materials. The German Refill Method is immune to this problem as long as you inject ink only into the reservoir. When you turn the cartridge over, it will only saturate the lower sponge, leaving the upper sponge free of additional ink.

I believe that this will eliminate the need to flush the cartridge (but I don't know for sure).

 

[stratman]

But there are two sponges made of different materials in a Canon OEM cartridge (which is one of the things that makes it superior). The upper sponge starts out hydrophobic and should remain that way for proper operation and the lower sponge starts out hydrophilic and should remain that way.

What do you base this on?

 

[ghwellsjr]

I base it on many things but one convincing thing is this post (#59).

 

[leo8088]

This is my concern with refilling the conventional way by making a hole in the top of the reservoir and allowing ink to saturate both sponge materials. The German Refill Method is immune to this problem as long as you inject ink only into the reservoir. When you turn the cartridge over, it will only saturate the lower sponge, leaving the upper sponge free of additional ink.

OEM cartridges are all filled from the top. The presence of the hole plugged with a plastic ball tells that. Traditional refill method allows air displaced by the incoming ink from the fill hole easily. The German Method the displaced air has to escape though the sponge. If the sponge has ink the escaping air will force some ink coming out of the vent, fill hole and the large outlet. You need to fill ink very slowly. There are pros and cons for both methods. Be aware of the fact.

I believe that this will eliminate the need to flush the cartridge (but I don't know for sure).

The need to flush the cartridge really depends on the ink formulation. Cartridges containing pigment based ink tends to need flush but cartridges containing dye based ink seldom need to be flushed. I have not flushed my CLI-8 cartridges refilled with Hobbicolors UW8 ink for more than a year. I very rarely invoke cleaning cycles. I certainly never had purge unit problems either. I have not purged my PGI-5 for several months. I refilled it about once a week. Frequent refilling of my PGI-5 eliminated or greatly reduced the need to flush. The need of flushing has nothing to do with the refilling method.

 

[stratman]

I base it on many things but one convincing thing is this post (#59).

It is an interesting concept which I had not thought about before but can understand how it could be useful.

The cartridges are engineering mini-wonders.

 

[The Hat]

I use Canon PGI-9 pigment cartridges and there is no sponge in them at all

 

[johnwarfin]

Thanks for the input. This forum is a goldmine of info and much food for thought. Fortunately I never remove carts when refilling on the Canon so German vs Traditional is never a choice.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Here is my cartridge flush/conditioning solution recipe again:

-3 % propylene glycol (or 2 % glycerin)
-20 % isopropyl alcohol
-distilled water up to 100 %

Conditioning: after flushing the sponge has difficulty to absorb the ink well and tends to be become a bit hydrofobic (water repellent). By completely immerge and drenching the sponge material with this solution and then blowing as much solution as possible the sponge is revived again. The pigment BCI-3eBK/PGI-5Bk is the most difficult one and using this conditioning solution improves the absorption degree of your favourite refill pigment ink.

I followed this process on four BCI-3eBk cartridges. As I blew on the air vent to expel the extra solution out of the sponge material through the outlet port, it became very difficult to blow towards the end of the process. I took a piece of paper towel folded over and contacting the filter in the outlet port to facilitate drying the sponge. After it was completely dry, I refilled with Image Specialist pigment black ink using the German method. I only injected ink into the reservoir (not the sponge). The ink would not soak into the sponge material.

As far as I can tell, the propylene glycol became a blockage to pigment ink flow in the sponge unless I did something wrong. Any ideas?

 

[pharmacist]

It should not. I believe Stratman (not sure) was quite happy with the conditioning solution to revive the sponge of an dried up PGI-5 cartridge and it should work like a charm. Propylene glycol is only a small amount (3 %) of the total solution and it already will be blowed away from the sponge. I would suggest you to inject a few ml of pigment ink inside the sponge area and see if the adhesion powers will pull the ink into the sponge. I think this will help. Did you try to refill when the sponge is only blow dry, not completely dry ?