How NOT to fail with the German Refilling method

[panos]

I noticed in some recent postings people stating problems with the German method.

Since I am using this method for the last 3 years on the same set of 2x5 cartridges with 0 problems and 0 purges and a lot of printing, I've decided to offer a few points about what NOT to do.

1. Don't seal the refill hole, especially not with tape. Ink might streak out and eventually start leaking. This is important because this mistake is made even on nifty's main article about the Durchstich method.

2. Don't use non-OEM cartridges. There is at least one old posting describing the various quality issues in non-OEM cartridges. Even cartridges from brand companies are not as good as Canon's originals.

3. Never inject ink in the sponge area. The sponge area should receive the ink only from the ink compartment which you have filled.

4. Don't refill a non-empty cartridge. If you need to, first draw some ink while the needle is in the sponge area and then you can proceed normally.

5. Don't drill the hole at the very bottom of the cartridge in order to slide the needle under the sponge. This shows where to drill: http://www.druckerchannel.de/bilder/forum/83598.jpg

6. Do not overfill. This is the golden rule of refilling and even more so with the chip counters -- it is pointless to overfill. Even if the ink compartment is half full, the cartridge will still have enough ink even when you get the message to replace it.

7. Make sure your inks are of acceptable quality. I've used some very low quality inks in the past and while the Durchstich method is the most tolerant of everthing I tried on this matter, it still has its limits.

As I have used this method for such a long time I believe it's safe to say that the open refill hole poses no problems. I never had a leak. And no issues on drying either; I own a second printer which I use very infrequently and last time I used it it was turned off for 9 months. The printer had 2 durchfilled cartridges and 2 new ones. They had all dried out on the exit port in exactly the same manner and they were all fixed in the same manner.

The durchstich method is simple and reliable. Just do it as it is.

[this posting has been edited to link to Pharmacist's step by step instructions to the correct method. Credit goes to Defcon2k for introducing it to the forum as well.]

 

[The Hat]

panos I noticed in some recent postings people stating problems with the German method.

Its good to hear of your willingness to defend this great filling method.
I dont use the German method myself but your seven points of dont
should help those that do and are having little and annoying problems with their own fillings attempts.

(Could be a contender for a Sticky).
Great info..

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Panos: about the sealing of th refill hole: I never endorsed sealing the refill hole, but some conservatives among us are afraid of leaking and want to tape off the refill hole.

Actually by using tape the adhesion forces will pull the ink out from the cartridge. If one want to seal the refill hole one must use a dot of hot glue, but this will make refill again, removing the glue is more difficult. Also very important is to cut away any plastic sticking out from the refill one caused by the drilling process. The refill hole must be smooth like a mirror, with nothing sticking out or around it.

 

[martin0reg]

Why should tape on the refill hole cause leaking? Out of which hole?
Sometimes I tape it sometimes not, I did not notice any issues by this...

 

[Tom Hock]

I don't agree with point number 1 about sealing the refill hole. I have refilled for over a year without sealing the hole, and now for about the same length of time sealing the hole. I never detected any problem either way... BUT... I now seal the hole because I'm concerned that since the hole is close to the ink tank outlet port, and the refill needle may form an air path from the refill hole very close to the outlet port, any vacuum applied to the outlet port during a clean cycle, by the purge pump, may cause air to be drawn into the sponge and/or print head. Air does not belong there so why risk it?

 

[jtoolman]

I have a question cocerning the hole location. Why do you have to drill it on the sponge side only to then insert the long needle all the way in order to inject ink into the opposite chamber? I know there must be a technical reason but it escapes me.
By the way I will be recieveing a new Canon Pro9000 MKII to add to my other printers so I am very interested about you all's favorite refilling methods.
What is the diference or advantages of this method versus removing the little ball located on the spongless side os OEM carts, refilling, and pluging the resulting hole left from the ball removal. By the way the rubber part on the plunger of Insuling needles fits and seals it perfectly.
From the video I saw it seemed to work quite well and it did not appear messy. Then there 's the vaccum based "Freedom" method. I presume all of these various methods are intended to be used on OEM carts, correct?
There are also some refillable carts available with mounted ARCs that are meant to be filled from the top by injecting through the sponge side even while they are still in the printer. The idea of removing carts in and out every time I need to replace one or two of the 8 colors is not very appealing since I am so used to just a CISS or topping off all my carts at once while on the printer as with my Epsons. If I get an empty cart notice. I fill that one and top of the rest while I'm at it.
All the positions are then reset to full.

This is my first Canon so I have a lot to learn about this system.

From what I can see, there are many ways of "Skinning" this cat which it's really begining to interest me.

 

[rodbam]

Panos I wish you hadn't posted this post because all my holes are at the very bottom of the cartridge. Just wait till I see Stratman

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

1. Don't seal the refill hole, especially not with tape. Ink might streak out and eventually start leaking. This is important because this mistake is made even on nifty's main article about the Durchstich method.

I'm not so sure about this. I'll bet tape doesn't cause leaking. It merely fails to prevent it. Notice that the tape (if you use tape) is not touching the sponge. I don't see how it can possibly cause wicking unless you have oversaturated the sponge. If you don't cover the hole, you do open the cartridge to the possibility of drying. There's a reason for the serpentine vent. The cartridge must be vented, but at least the vent is a long, narrow path.

5. Don't drill the hole at the very bottom of the cartridge in order to slide the needle under the sponge. This shows where to drill: http://www.druckerchannel.de/bilder/forum/83598.jpg

Good point. If the hole is above the level of the port between the two chambers, it cannot leak while in the printer -- unless you have overfilled the sponge somehow. If the hole is lower, it could leak if the sponge were to get displaced. In practice, however, few have reported a problem.

 

[panos]

1. Don't seal the refill hole

I'm not so sure about this. I'll bet tape doesn't cause leaking.

Here is one of those leaking reports. Tape is used.

The German method as it is, does not include a step to seal the refill hole. If you worry about ink spilling out of the hole or whatever: Defcon2k had pierced a cartridge 300 times to test it. No leaks. You can also find some other theories against the open refill hole in that particular thread -- now they have been proven wrong in practice.

Panos I wish you hadn't posted this post because all my holes are at the very bottom of the cartridge. Just wait till I see Stratman

Stratman is a great contributor and everyone in this forum is. I don't mean this thread to be a criticism to modifications or ideas upon the German method. I only mean to point that the method as it is, works very reliably

AND

that should one modifies it, then any potential issues should not be blamed on the method as it was introduced to the forum by Defcon2k and later streamlined by Pharmacist.

 

[Redbrickman]

IMHO as long as you drill the hole central in relation to the sides of the cart, and a little bit up from the base of the cart there is no problem.
The closer to the base of the cart the easier to get the needle under the sponge without too much bending of the needle.

I cannot find it at the moment but I have seen a close up picture of exactly where to drill using the > PP < moulding on the cart as a guide.