Drying Time

[martincregg]

I know the answer to this is "how long is a piece of string", but generally speaking, how long does it take for a flushed cartridge to be dry enough for refilling?

I used a piece of kitchen roll (paper towel) to help "pull out" any water. After two days I removed the paper (completely dry) and have had the cartridges in a room at about 70F. I don't have any scales accurate enough to weigh, but was hoping that they would be dry by now.

Thoughts?

 

[stratman]

Forum consensus is to not let the cartridge go all the way to dry or else risk decreased or slow absorption time for ink in the sponge. If bone dry then some recommend Pharmacist's conditioning solution to help with speedy ink absorption.

How much flush liquid you want gone before refilling is your preference on what you think will be acceptable levels of ink dilution and therefore loss of color dynamics in the print. This is more important if you sell or compete with your printed images. Also, whatever fluid remains will eventually be insignificant with subsequent refills.

So, yes, how long is a piece of string. Your cartridges sound ready for refilling.

Using paper towels to wick away the moisture, I have flushed and refilled in 4-6 hours or so and been good with the results. If you want, you can speed up the equation by putting the cartridge inside an old sock and spinning the cartridge around like you are David against Goliath. Careful with potential splatter from the centrifugal forces on the fluid exiting the cartridges.

 

[kdsdata]

stratman: I can see from your picture "why" you have discovered the sock trick You are the inquisitive type. The splatter comment is likely also the result of some experience. Having said that, the sock trick sounds like an excellent idea, especially when one needs a cartridge "like now", or when the wife doesn't want all those cartridges lying around drying with the paper towels attached (and the "don't touch" notes).

 

[Technician]

I tried the sock trick once and ended up banging my head on the wall !. I would advise anyone tempted to give it a go, don't do what I did.....make sure you take your sock off first

 

[martincregg]

Forum consensus is to not let the cartridge go all the way to dry or else risk decreased or slow absorption time for ink in the sponge.

I hadn't realized that you could dry the cartridges too much. I better get them filled ASAP

 

[stratman]

sock trick

I didn't discover it and haven't tried it. I am not sure who proposed it first on the forum but the @The Hat may be the one or know who.

 

[stratman]

I hadn't realized that you could dry the cartridges too much.

I hadn't either until the forum told me so.

My experience is that bone dry sponges just take longer, much longer, to absorb a fuller complement of ink in a CLI-8 cartridge. Maybe other cartridge models utilize different sponge materials, designs or whatever that make their refill characteristics different. This is why I usually first offer the "forum consensus" for advice.

 

[mikling]

If the paper towel was applied properly for a good while till the paper started to dry off or has dried off, it is unlikely that the centripetal force with a revolving sock is likely to take more water out. After that the time to dry off will primarily depend on the temp and relative humidity. Typically if the relative humidity is about 35% or less, a day or two sitting around is sufficient.

 

[mikling]

I hadn't either until the forum told me so.

My experience is that bone dry sponges just take longer, much longer, to absorb a fuller complement of ink in a CLI-8 cartridge. Maybe other cartridge models utilize different sponge materials, designs or whatever that make their refill characteristics different. This is why I usually first offer the "forum consensus" for advice.

When I use bone dry carts and when we ship out refurbed carts, the bone dry aspect does not affect dye inks.
The only issue revolves around some of the older style text pigment inks with higher viscosities. However the newer pigments with smaller grind size and different surface tension to accomodate ColorLok papers behave more like dye inks and do not have a problem with bone dry sponges.

 

[stratman]

@mikling -- great information. Thank you!