Do I have a problem with dry sponges

[mikling]

The statement referred to a second set of cartridges and the assumption is that they will be stored until used and the outlet port sealed In this situation Thrilla concurs with me that the seal on the air vent will actually prevent the air exchange due to fluctuations in temp and pressure. The air exchange though mitigated by the inlet maze system and its twin buffer chambers is still not better than no air exchange over a period of time. We are talking very very small benefits over a period of time that a second set might be left sitting around <2 months? perhaps near none if they are left stored in a sealed container as is normally recommended.

An open hole with the German method presents a different situation. The hole is always recommended to be resealed not because of the ink leak issue because there is none but rather it will allow a shortcircuit to the air maze system that is designed into the cartridge.

 

[panos]

You reasoning against an open refill hole is logical but in all those years I'm using the German method, I haven't resealed the refill hole once.

It wouldn't hurt if done correctly but it is not recommended in the original method and it would defeat the advantage of "I can have all my carts pulled, refilled, and back in the printer way before the printhead heads back into the docking station" convenience.

Convenience is an important element of the reliability of a method as it guards against potential human errors which could lead to problems.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

Panos, he's talking about the serpentine vent, not the refill hole.

 

[ghwellsjr]

Actually it can hurt to leave a seal over the air vent hole. The daily fluctuation of ambient air pressure will force air in and out of your cartridge. The air vent hole is there to safely let the cartridge "breathe". If you plug up this passage, the cartridge will breathe through another hole, most likely, the outlet port. That can cause ink leaking out the port and/or ink drying out inside the sponge.

Then why do the manufacturers seal the vent?

If you could seal the air vent as securely as the manufacturers do and weld the outlet port cap on the bottom of the cartridge and then vacuum seal the entire cartridge in a strong bag, then you will be doing what the manufacturers are doing. But if you have less than perfect seals, then the daily fluctuations in ambient air pressure will interchange air and/or ink within the cartridge. You're not going to stop it with tape or rubber bands.

If you leave the air vent open, then whatever you do to seal the outlet port will do a good job. If you try to seal both of them, one of them will leak and you don't want it to be the outlet port because that could cause an ink leak or drying of the ink. I don't mean the ink completely dries out, just that some of the water evaporates, leaving the ink in a more concentrated state.

But it is also a good idea to store your cartridges in a sealed, zip lock bag so that you don't lose humidity within the cartridges. You want to use a flexible bag that will change its shape with the ambient air pressure fluctuations so that there is no exchange of air, rather than a rigid can, jar, bottle, box (unless it is has a genuine hermetic seal on it). And it is a good idea to leave a wet paper towel in the bag to further protect against the cartridge losing humidity.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

I don't think that's right, but let's leave it at that, shall we?