I Hate My Canon

[mrelmo]

refilling the BCI cartridges is easy enough to watch the sponge area, however with the newer 221s the sponge is not as visible, you can see the sponge from the front edge near the exit port, that is how I noticed that the sponge area on my magentas was not accepting ink as it normally did, so I am thinking there may be an air lock, but it was only happening with the magenta

 

[The Hat]

@mrelmo, do you use the 221 cartridges or the 226’s in your printer ?..

 

[martin0reg]

@martin0reg, the German method didn’t work very well in my capable hands either, that’s way I switched to the top fill method, it works 99% of the time..

P.S. the German method is not very user friendly when refilling the small cartridges..

I don't want to continue this endless discussion about pro and con of these methods..but I'm ready to convert from catholic to protestant...at least for a while..
So I just tried to make a refill hole for top refilling: it was more difficult than I expected, needed my battery drill and 1mm to catch the ball and 4mm to drill out the hole so that a standard plug would fit.
What is the easiest way to make the refill hole? And what is the best instruction?

 

[mrelmo]

I am using the 221s in the states, I take a paper clip and heat the end with a match then push it into the ball in the reservior to make a small hole then I use a small threaded hook like a tea cup hook to screw into the ball and pull it out, then ream the hole with a 5/32 drill

 

[martin0reg]

Yes mrelmo, heating helps. First I tried just prying with a spike but instead of getting the ball out I pushed it into the ink chamber.
Then I took a sort of hand drill with a tip like a screw, heated that tip and screwed it carefully into the ball. You'll have to hold and wait until it has cooled and the drill would keep sticking in, then you can pull the ball out (hopefully). Similar like your method but with only one tool.
My first set is now wicking in paper towels, soon ready to go for my first top filling... I'm curious what method will be my personal winner...regarding saturation levels, ink flow... and last not least what is less or more messy in my hands.

 

[palombian]

... So the sponge begins to suck while you have injected only a small amount...

That's why I keep the cartridge upside down - with the idea the air evacuates alongside the needle through the "German" filling hole - until I see the reservoir is full.
Then I turn it up, with the idea the ink will saturate the lower sponge first.
In my experience a flushed and dried 526 cartridge (<= 11g) takes 10ml ink the first time leaving the upper sponge blank.

Just my 2ct.

 

[martin0reg]

palombian, this is exactly how I use to do it, and mostly with success.. will see how top fillling compares..

 

[palombian]

martin0reg, I'll stay with the Durchstich method until I've found out all the (dis)advantages ...

Even if it is generally accepted you may leave the filling hole open, it can cause small leaks when transporting the cartridges (and that ink smudges the printhead, with the possible danger the dried ink on the rubber seal causes air leaks), so I started to close them with a piece of aluminium tape.

 

[wilko]

I don't print nearly as much as I used to, but I still use my old i9900's with BCI-6 carts using Precision inks and top refilling. The new magenta inks do not wet out the "sponge" nearly as well as the old inks when refilling, but here is what seems to work for me:

VERY IMPORTANT - don't run the carts to empty. Refill on the "low ink" warning, preferably before.

This is the first time I've seen this advice. Could this be the reason for PH clogging. Certainly I've experienced PH problems in the past after refilling carts and perhaps it was because of only refilling after EMPTY warning.

I will be watching ink levels from now on.

 

[wilko]

DCP-J4110DW and MFC-J4510DW. Both have wifi and duplex and print in landscape (printhead goes over the long edge of the paper). Can also print single sheets of A3 by manual feed. The 4510DW also has an ADF for 25 pages and a fax (which I don't use). Successors are 4120, 4620, ..

I refill with a Proluer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmrIQj6wINA). Works like a charm and no cartridge modification necessary.

Hope this helps...

Did you have to purchase some Brother original carts for refilling? I read somewhere that the carts that come with the printer can't be reset. I've just bought a S/H DCP-J4120DW and am using refillable carts.
What ink do you use?