German "Durchstich" refill method for the PGI-520/CLI-521 cartridges

[jim]

I don't know about the BJC-620, but Canon started out with a single sponge in their cartridges and then later switched to the dual sponge. This ought to tell you something.

True enough... they didn't switch to a more expensive method unless there was a good reason. I will admit that I can't remember exactly how the cartridges were on those because it has been so long ago, but I think they only had the one sponge.

It looks like I will be using the german method for refilling and I'll leave the empty ones that came with my kit for use as emergency spares in case something goes wrong. It looks like those have to be refilled from the top since there is an extra sponge of some sort over the ink exit port which would get in the way, at least with a blunt needle. I assume the Canon cartridges don't have this and it should be easy to run along the bottom of the cartridge based on what you have told me.

Thanks for all the help... I'll post my results, but it might be a while since the ink is actually lasting longer than I thought it would.

 

[Revolution]

So,u don't need any Chip Re-Setter for these cartridges.
This is a very good tutorial for new 820/821 cartridges .
Thanks.....

 

[irvweiner]

Pharmacist, a question: it appears that the main goal of the 'german' method is to fill the main ink chamber without allowing an imbalance of the internal air pressure to develop. If I were to place a rubber stopper in the ink refill port and close off the exit port to the printer as is presently done to keep one's hands 'color-free'. Yes, I understand why this step is not necessary, but is a good precaution.

Next, I insert the syringe thru the rubber stopper and inject the new ink into the main ink chamber. This is the same dynamic status as in the 'german' method--except that it was not necessary for me to pierce the outside cartridge wall to enter the foam chamber (at the bottom) and pierce a second wall to the main ink chamber. When filled, I hold the plug in place and withdraw the syringe, the plug reseals immediately. If the cartridge wall of the main ink chamber was fabricated of a 'self re-resealing' material refilling or even initial filling would require no 'holes'.
Canon, nor any other manufacturer would dream of doing this--the cost of inserting a rubber/plastic plug exceeds the cost of the ink in the cartridge! This would be 'verboten', thus the 'german' method!

I can't report on this technique yet, I just refilled a set of carts before finding this excellent post, in fact those carts are the 'almost' foamless ones that were available from inkjetreset.com and intrigue me technically regardless of the recent controversial post on this forum. They are working quite well so far (2mos.) and I'm impressed by their robust fabrication.

I welcome all comments and applaud your contributions to this forum.

PS: The plugs needed for the BCI-6, PGI-5 and CL-8 carts are available from rjet-tek.com for the outrageous price of $9/100! Each plug should be reusable 3-4+ times, effective cost 2.4 cents(US) or 1 cc of OCP ink. For the price of the full bag of plugs you can pay for the Canon ink in the OEM cart (all 10 cc).
The part # for this plug is: 1916 An excellent cover plug for the bottom cartridge port, #1813 is 30 cents.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I hope you understand that if you refill the reservoir through an air-tight rubber stopper in the top of the cartridge, you will have to hold the cartridge upside down to avoid your injected ink from going right out to the sponge chamber. You want the air to go out of the reservoir and into the sponge chamber and out of the cartridge by whatever path it decides to take.

Also, I'm not sure you understand that with the German method, you do not pierce the wall between the two chambers. There is already a hole there that a blunt needle can enter.

 

[irvweiner]

Thanks for the update, I had overlooked mentioning the upside-down position of the cart when refilling even though standing on my desk while I was typing, I had a CLI-8 cart with the rubber stopper and a syringe thru it. It was leaning against my printer in the proper position!

However, I am embarrassed with regards to creating a second hole in the ink chamber wall. How did I ever imagine the pathway taken by the ink? Especially after spending a good number of hours during the last decade flushing carts to keep that pathway open.
I do believe that the refill setup I suggested will function properly and still welcome comments. If it were not so late, my intent was to refill the above empty cartridge and present the results. My original pursuit of this idea was to refill the carts without removing them from the printhead but the necessity of filling the cart upside-down precludes this approach. Once the cart is removed the 'german' method or my suggestion would be work properly. I'm quite certain that my idea has been offered by others in past posts and is not that unique. I simply viewed the refill chamber of the cart as a 'resealable' membrane.

irv weiner

 

[ghwellsjr]

There are some people who report actually refilling their cartridges without removing them from the printer but they have a conventional removable plug in the top of the reservoir. They have to work quickly because a lot of ink can go right out the outlet port into the print head. I do not think this has any advantage over removing the cartridges to refill them and it has several risks. There is no harm in leaving a cartridge out of a printer for a few minutes while it is being refilled, especially by the German method because it is so fast.

 

[davewe]

Well 1st refill job on a BCI-6 and I thought I'd do it with this German method, since everyone says it's cleaner and easier. I drilled a hole apparently a bit too far down because then I had to slide the needle through the sponge. Realized immediately that that wasn't going to work. Drilled hole # 2 very close to the top (bottom of the cart, really) and slid the needle through and over the top of the sponge. Am I correct in assuming you have to go over and not through the sponge. No problems going over the sponge and fairly easy breaking through into the ink chamber.

But here's where the real problems began. The needle stops at an indentation (an air hole?). But still I figure, it's in the chamber. I start injecting the ink as slowly as I can. Much of the ink backs up into the sponge area, traveling the path I have created with the needle. Soon I have an overfilled sponge area and a barely filled ink chamber. The sponge overfills and I start leaking like a sieve. I start injecting ink even slower and this helps a bit. The only other technique that helped was placing my finger over the air hole which seemed to halt some of the backwash.

So, it seems like I have made every mistake in the book. Any suggestions?

Dave

 

[leo8088]

You need to wiggle the needle to overcome that indentation and see the needle going into the reservoir chamber before injecting ink. If the sponged chamber is not completely empty you will have this ink trying to flow back out from the inkjecting hole problem. Try to put the cartridge in 90 degree angle. The hole you drilled at the top and the reservoir tank at the bottom. Then inject ink very slowly. Your needle tip needs to be inside the reservoir tank.

 

[pharmacist]

Your needle is not long enough: READ MY MANUAL: the needle should be 2 inch or even longer, any shorter needle and you must stop with it. you should only refill when the needle has actually entered the ink compartment, just at the border -like you did- is not enough !!!

 

[ghwellsjr]

Is your needle at least two inches long? If not, it won't go into the reservoir.