help required refilling

[duncan22]

Hi,
I have a canon 610 with the chipped CLI-8 cartridges and am having major problems refilling them.
When using the method shown the ink goes into the sponge but does not appear to be filling up in the chamber. I am injecting the ink very slowly.
Once the sponge is saturated the ink then starts to come out of the base of the cartridge (yes I am holding the cartridge up side down) and when the cartridge is returned the right way up not only does the ink pour out from the base but also comes out of the small hole (needle size diameter) that I made to fill the cartridge up.
Clearly I am not understanding some part of what appears to be very simple instructions about refilling the cartridges OR these cartridges have some sort of one way valve which would prevent ink from flowing from the sponge into the main chamber.
Any advice would be welcome.
Thanks

 

[ghwellsjr]

There are many methods to refill these cartridges. Which one are you using when you say "the method shown"?

Basically, you need to inject the ink directly into the chamber. You cannot inject the ink into the sponge as air pressure will prevent the ink from flowing into the chamber.

You need to make a hole in the cartridge to insert a needle directly into the chamber. One of the more popular ways to do this is to drill a hole near the bottom of the sponge at the end of the cartridge and then use a needle that is long enough to reach all the way through the small hole in the bottom of the chamber. As you inject ink, the air in the chamber is forced out through the same hole. If the needle isn't long enough, the ink will not go into the chamber because the air cannot be forced out. This method is described at:

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=14284#p14284

One other place to make the hole in the cartridge is at the top of the chamber but this requires you to completely seal up the hole when you are done, otherwise all the ink will leak out of the cartridge. This used to be the only way people injected ink into these cartridges and is usually the method described in refill kits but the previously described method is a lot more convenient and gaining in popularity.

 

[Choice Inks]

Hi Duncan,
first we place a cap on the cartridge to stop any ink leaking through the sponge then we drill a hole in through the top of the empty chamber and fill with a syringe. the sponge should slowly absorb the ink through the gap at the bottom of the chamber into the sponge. once the sponge has absorbed all the ink you top it up again. we then seal the hole with a glue gun and remove the cap and leave the cartridge sitting over the sink for 30 minutes to let any excess ink dribble out and to let the sponge adjust. the cartridge should then be ready to go.

hope this helps!

 

[duncan22]

Hi,
Thanks for your responses. I Was using the German Durchstich method and your responses made me look at the photographs shown in more detail,if I had done that in the first place I would have seen that the needle passes all the way through the sponge and through the central wall into the second chamber.
My only problem now (I live in the UK) is to get some sharp needles that are long enough to penetrate the central wall of the chamber. If anyone can give me any pointers as to where I can get such needles or is aware of anyone supplying good quality refill kits that have needles of the same length this would be helpful.
Thanks again for your help.

 

[panos]

If you can't find long needles, just make a small opening on the ink chamber top (you can remove the little plastic ball plug in OEM cartridges), cover the main ink hole (the OEM orange caps will do) and after refilling the ink chamber seal it with hot glue gun or a rubber plug if you have some. Make sure the cartridge doesn't leak without the orange cap.

The durchstich is superior though. So, do try to find long needles.

 

[pebe]

Hi,
My only problem now (I live in the UK) is to get some sharp needles that are long enough to penetrate the central wall of the chamber. If anyone can give me any pointers as to where I can get such needles or is aware of anyone supplying good quality refill kits that have needles of the same length this would be helpful.
Thanks again for your help.

I think this is websnail's site.

http://www.octoink.co.uk/store/products/21g-Sharp-Needle.html

 

[duncan22]

Hi,
Many thanks for the link to websnail's site. I Have sent for some of these needles but my wife has some of those carpet needles that are long and tough so I will use these to make a hole into the second chamber. By holding the thick end of the needle in a pair of mole grips it should be fairly easy to make the hole into the far chamber.
Once again thanks for your help.

 

[billkunert]

There is already a hole into the ink chamber. You can find it by carefully threading the needle through the sponge. I ground a point on my needles to aid getting through the sponge. The opening into the ink chamber is not large so it takes a little experience to hit it first time.

 

[petrocelli]

I recently purchased a Canon MP610 which,after many years,using and refilling Epsons,I am impressed with the all round performance of this machine.However I need some confirmation on the refill of these cartridges.I have refillef the PGi-5 cartridge and the CLi-8 yellow using the German method and it seemed to work OK.Both cartridges were Canon originals and after the initial fill the sponge saturated the way it should and I left it for a minute or two to settle as per the instructions.After this when I checked the ink chamber was half full(yellow) and 3/4 full in the black one.The sponge as I said was fully saturated,at this point I tried to fill the chamber up but it wouldn't take any more leaking out of the bottom feed.This quickly stopped and I then tried them in the printer and they worked perfectly,print quality as good as the original.The only other point I would make is that the sponges were quite dry as they had been lying around for some time with a friend - don't know how long.My question is how much ink should I be able to inject into the chamber.Is less than full a problem or am I doing something wrong?

 

[avolanche]

Less than full is not a problem.But they can be filled easily as long as the needle enters the ink chamber.It MUST go past the sponge into the ink chamber and keep the cartridge flipped upside down as you slowly add ink.Air must escape as the ink goes in....so go slowly as you near "full".

That said,I usually fill,let it sit a minute ,add more ink but not absolutely full to the top.