CLI-526 cartridges don't fill up to 20 grams

[MP640]

I have a canon MG6150 printer which takes CLI526/PGI521 cartridges. I have refilled the (opaque) cartridges several times now, using the German Durchstich method, a scale and a chipresetter. I have weighed the cartridges when they came out of the box, the CLI were 20.x grammes and the PGI 34.x

Today they were up for a refill again. This time I could not get the grey and magenta beyond 18.5 grams. According to my initial weighing they should be 20 grams but after 18.5 grams they leak from the sponge hole and the air hole. I tried turning them around, waiting, etc but no more ink will stay in. The other colors could be refilled up to 20 grams without problems.

Anyone who can shed some light on this issue?

 

[stratman]

Possible causes are

1) Ink blocking the air vent - blow on the top of the cartridge over the sponged side (the ink exit port side of the cartridge). The cartridge will leak ink and remove ink that is in or blocking from below the air vent and its maze. FYI - if this is the cause then using the cartridge may result in ink starvation, meaning the cartridge is not able to continuously supply ink, because no air can get into the cartridge to displace the ink that leaves during printing, and you will see missing streaks or swaths of ink on the page.

2) A non-compliant stiff sponge from whatever reason - flush the cartridge to restore proper flow. Use ghwellsjr's paper towel method to remove excess water.

3) A saturated sponge - use the refilled cartridge until low on ink and then refill again. Do not run your cartridge dry or you risk burning out your print head. Hopefully on the next refill the sponge will be less saturated and you will be able to refill completely. Compared to an air vent clog in #1, a saturated sponge will not cause missing streaks on the printed page.

 

[MP640]

Than you for your reply, Stratman. Maybe we can rule out your cause #1? During refill ink was flowing out from the air vent, so I guess it wasn't blocked?

 

[InkFu]

Make sure your scale is on even surface. If it's tilted the displayed weight will be lower then the actual weight. Also, digital scales may require calibration after a time. A shiny new nickel should weigh ~5.00g +/- .05g.

 

[stratman]

Than you for your reply, Stratman. Maybe we can rule out your cause #1? During refill ink was flowing out from the air vent, so I guess it wasn't blocked?

The air vent is found on top of the cartridge over the sponged side of the cartridge, the same side as the cylindrical ink exit port on the bottom of the cartridge. If ink was leaking from the top of the cartridge along the plastic label then you very well may have an ink block in the air vent.

Are you talking about the same location as I am? Please describe in detail where the ink leaked out?

 

[MP640]

I tried Stratman's #1 but with no success. I know for shure know that the air vent isn't blocked but still I cannot get more ink in the cartridge. I thought of maybe another explanation. I sometimes have trouble getting the needle into the ink chamber. I must try several times in such cases. Could it be that I damaged the sponge with the needle to a point where it can no longer absorbe the amount of ink that it could before?

 

[MP640]

The air vent is found on top of the cartridge over the sponged side of the cartridge, the same side as the cylindrical ink exit port on the bottom of the cartridge. If ink was leaking from the top of the cartridge along the plastic label then you very well may have an ink block in the air vent.

Are you talking about the same location as I am? Please describe in detail where the ink leaked out?

I marked the position with a red circle. That's the air vent, right?

(sorry for the poor photo quality, but it does show what I mean)

 

[stratman]

When you blow into the air vent on top of the cartridge, ink should leak out the ink exit port on the bottom of the cartridge and maybe even the Durchstich refilling hole. If no ink leaked out then either you are not blowing in the correct location, you have a bad blockage somewhere/somehow, or insufficient ink in the sponge.

Did ink leak out when you blew into the air vent? Where did ink leak out? I ask these specific questions because I'm not sure you understand the terminology and anatomy of the cartridge.

Yes, you can damage the sponge so that ink will not flow properly. It is possible this prevents proper refill and proper printing. However, the sponge does not go all the way to the top of the sponged side of the cartridge. This space can fill up with ink if you improperly refill your cartridge. In this case, you can put more ink inside the cartridge than desired.

Since your cartridges are opaque, your best bet at this point is to flush the cartridge if blowing in the air vent does not fix the issue.

You did not state whether you are having a printing problem. If you are printing without missing ink, this could be #3 in my previous post and the next time you refill everything will return to the usual fill amounts. If there is a problem printing, or you do not want to chance a problem, the flush the cartridge as I mentioned above.

 

[stratman]

I marked the position with a red circle. That's the air vent, right?

Yes, that is the area to blow into.

Did ink leak out when you blew into the air vent?

One other thing to keep in mind, as I mentioned in #3 of my list, your sponge is now saturated since you refilled the cartridge - even though you didn't fill to the desired weight. The ability of the cartridge to compensate with dispelling air throeugh the air vent as you inject ink may be compromised due to saturation of the sponge with ink. This may be an early indicator you will need to flush the cartridge. Or it may not be. You will find out in due time when you keep noticing bubbling/dripping while injecting ink as well as the worse problem of missing ink on the printed page.

 

[MP640]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. ".. but with no succes.." can be interpreted in multiple ways. Sorry about that.

I blew n the location that I marked with a red circle in the picture that I posted. Yes, ink leaked out of the ink exit port (the large hole on the bottom of the cartridge) and also out of the refilling hole. The ink that came out of the refill hole was a bit foamy, with lots of air bubbles. I was unsuccessfull in the sense that after this action the cartridge would still not accept more ink that to a total weight of (now) 17,5 grams. I don't blame the scale, because the other cartridges did go to 20 and 34 grams.

I do not have printing problems like you described, no missing colors or streaks.

I refill the cartridge in the upside down position (opposite position as it is in the printer) and every now and then I turn it over to allow the ink to be absorbed by the sponge.