CLI-42 Purging

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

CLI-42 Purging

Since I replaced the Pro-100 CLI-42 yellow cart with the purged CLI-8 from Precision Colors, the CLI-42 is of little value since its chip is gone. That being the case I decided to experiment with purging the CLI-42.

I use the German method of refilling and many have reported that purging using that method is impossible or at least very difficult and time consuming. Various methods have been advanced about how to do the purging, but I wanted to try something different and use the German method.

My plan was to use LA’s Totally Awesome general purpose cleaner as the purging agent. I discovered this product some time ago and it truly is the best cleaner I have found. In addition, one day while refilling I managed to get quite a bit of ink on a new shirt. It completely removed the ink. My wife never knew the stain was there. I have also removed red wine stains with it. It just seemed to me that it would work on the sponges of the Canon carts.

The cleaner is very concentrated and should be diluted for most jobs. I diluted it 50% with distilled water. Here is how it all went.

1. Drained the CLI-42 cart overnight with the famous paper towel method invented on this very forum.
   
   
2. Filled a 10 ML syringe with the cleaning solution using an 18 gauge 2” blunt needle. Over filled the cart until liquid came out ot the outlet.
   
   
3. Drained the cart. This took less than an hour. Most of tank and part of the sponge were clean. The cleaning solution is light yellow in color, so some of the remaining color was from the cleaner.
   
   
4. Inserted the second douse of cleaning solution. This time I agitated it some by pumping the syringe in and out.
   
   
5. Drained the cart. The tank was clear and most of the sponge. Just a little yellow remained at the top and far end of the cart.
   
   
6. Refilled the cart with distilled water as a rinse. Overfilled the cart with the distilled water and agitated it back and forth.
   
   
7. Set the cart up to drain and went to town for some errands.
   
   
8. Observed the cart when I returned – about 1.5 hours. All clear! I mean, All Clear! It looked just like the CLI-8 cart I got from Precision Colors.
   
   
9. Before final drying, final rinsing is all that is left to do. Pumping and agitating several syringes’ full of distilled water did the trick. Just clear distilled water flowed from the outlet when overfilled.
   
   
10. It’s in the final drying stage now.

The project just happened to be started at night. The whole thing could easily be completed in a few hours.

This all proves that you can purge a Canon cart using the German method. Of course the cleaner will for the top fill method as well.

If you have an interest you can Google “LA’s Totally Awesome” to find where to buy it. One place is “Family Dollar Store.”

Good Luck!
Wil

 

[jtoolman]

I can now do that with plain Windex and the top fill method in about 15 minutes. I just did another CLI-42 Yellow cart and it is pristine white in a very short amount of time. Purging is a lot more effective on cart set up for top filling I suppose.

Do you know exactly what are the active ingredients of this cleaner?
Joe

 

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

I have no idea about the ingredients. The stuff just seems to work on everything I try it on. It does a great job in the microwave oven.

Wil

 

[Methodical]

Do you have any photos of the purged cart?

I purged mine also (top fill though) and it is whiter than the purged CLI-8 cart. I will keep it in the inventory just in case I need it in the future.

 

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

My CLI-8 purged carts were completely white. So is the CLI-42 that I purged.

I'm away from camera and cart now, but will make photo in the near future.

Wil