Do CLI-42 Cartridges need to be pristine white?

[avolanche]

@avolanche The vinyl hose sounds great. Yet another trip to the hardware store (it's not a project unless you make three runs). But, I couldn't find pharmacists solution; what is that and could you include a link, please?

I works really well. But,be careful.... no need for much water pressure.

 

[PalaDolphin]

I works really well. But,be careful.... no need for much water pressure.

Got it.

 

[PalaDolphin]

The pharmacist solution is more for reconditioning and light cleansing purposes, it helps restore cartridges back to pristine condition, and Windex does the better job at cleaning...

Okay, that's good to know. I'd never heard of propylene glycol; I had to Wiki it. @apetitphoto says it's inexpensive but it isn't in the large amounts it's normally sold at Walmart. Since such little is needed, I figure a 4 oz bottle is all I'll need which I've found online for $5.99.

 

[PeterBJ]

I'm not too familiar with American units of measure, but I think that the 4 oz bottle of propylene glycol will be sufficient for preparing more than a gallon of pharmacist's solution.

 

[The Hat]

I'm not too familiar with American units of measure,

Here is an easy conversion 4 oz. = 125 ml and I reckon that 1 bottle wouldn’t last very long, and suggest @PalaDolphin would be better getting two bottles, it’s always handy to have a little extra, but I am surprised by the cost, its four time what I get it for...
Propylene Glycol EP @ €12 for 500 ml, and €18 for a Litre.

 

[stratman]

Glycerin may be less expensive. Both glycerin and propylene glycol can be found in numerous brick and mortar stores.

For 100 ml Pharmacist's solution:

3 ml Propylene Glycol (or 2 ml Glycerin)
20 ml Isopropyl Alcohol
77 ml Distilled Water (or 78 ml if using Glycerin)

Conversions can calculated easily on the internet. Plug and chug!

 

[mikling]

There is NO need for Pharmacists conditioning solution when the proper inks are used to fill flushed carts. Evidence ----over x0,000 carts flushed over the years. Like adding additives to decent motor oil. This will be unnecessary work. Inks with the incorrect surface tension and viscosity will not need it, or if there are foreign residues left from prior chemicals but these are rare and point to another real issue and the solution ends up being a band aid.

 

[The Hat]

There is NO need for Pharmacists conditioning solution

On the contrary, pharmacist solution is a must when a cartridge has suffered long term abuse and over filling and fails to deliver sufficient ink to the print head, it returns an old cart back to its original state, like NEW, why don’t you give it a try, it might even surprise you...

 

[mikling]

You are not removing old ink if you just rinse with pharmacists solution. If you reach a point of non performance is is better to completely cleanse the old ink old especially in the upper sponge. Again after x0,000s of flushed carts with plain water, they all perform well afterwards. The question comes down to this. Is is better to start completely anew without the need for a special solution or having to concoct up a special solution when there is no need for it when proper inks are used. I prefer the first choice but to each his own. The thread makes it appear that one needs to use Pharmacists solution after a proper flush which is not the case when proper inks are used to refill the carts afterwards. All the inks in the PC42G Pro-100 inkset will fill back properly without such a solution. KISS principle at work. I do not have any flow situations, and if they occur a simple flush of which I will do a thousand (1000 carts) or so at a time always rectifies the situation.
I'm sorry Hat, I will agree to disagree because the evidence is totally overwhelming as to the non-requirement.

 

[The Hat]

@mikling, I must agree there is no getting around your agreement when you put it like that, but not everyone is equal, so if someone decided to use a belt and braces approach, what so wrong about that, after they flush their carts clean, it’s comforting to know that the cart is in pristine condition...

I use it my self sometimes..