Ink cartridge leaking from the top

[OM2]

I refillied an ink cartridge (german method)
It's leaking ink from the top

See image:

What's happened?
Have I over filled?
I've left standing upside down for 45 min and it's still leaking tiny amounts

Thanks


Omar

 

[panos]

Have I over filled?

Yes.

The cartridge may keep leaking for a long time they way you've placed it to rest because an ink line may have been formed between the sponge and the paper towel.

Don't worry, just clean the cartridge's top and then make sure it doesn't drip from the bottom exit port.

No matter what method you choose, overfilling always leads to problems.

 

[OM2]

thanks for the reply
i've put back in now
it was drippng from the bottom
i padded it a few times
when i put in,it wasnt dripping
assuming all ok!?

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

There are a few things you could have done wrong.

1. You could have injected into the wrong chamber. Check the length of the needle and be aware of where the tip is.
2. You could have kept right on filling after the ink chamber was full.
3. I suppose you could have kept the outlet port closed, and with a tight fit of the fill hole around the needle, you could have forced ink out the top. This seems less likely, but remember, air has to come out someplace when you fill.

Make sure you cleaned the vents! Blow a little air through them, and you should get a little ink out the port. Then wipe up excess ink and reinstall.

 

[Redbrickman]

It's an easy mistake to make.

Next time only fill the reservoir about 80%, rest it until ink is absorbed into the sponge, then top up to about 80% full.

It's tempting to fill it right up, and most of us have done that at some time with the same result as you have had.

Practice makes perfect

 

[rodbam]

As said above you need to make sure the needle is fully into the ink chamber side, the needle fully goes into the cartridge until the plastic hits the cartridge & just withdraw it 1mm or two. I had the same problems as you when I first started with the German method because my needle wasn't fully in & as I was refilling the sponge was getting ink as well as the chamber. With the German method no ink goes into the sponge area until the ink chamber is full & you set it down right side up as it would sit in the printer & let the sponge soak up the ink naturally, then you can top up the ink chamber.
Make sure you blow out the air maze where the leaking was because if the ink dries in there it might stop the ink flowing & fry the head. I just held the cartridge over the sink & blew through the air maze with my mouth until the top sponge looked less saturated than the bottom sponge, the excess ink will come out of the ink outlet on the bottom.

 

[OM2]

It's an easy mistake to make.

Next time only fill the reservoir about 80%, rest it until ink is absorbed into the sponge, then top up to about 80% full.

It's tempting to fill it right up, and most of us have done that at some time with the same result as you have had.

Practice makes perfect

hmm, we;; i went over 80%
i had a discussion about this in another thread
instructions from octoink said to refill to 75%
a few others said that they filled right to the top and had never ever had problems
i think i'll go with 75% from now on though

having said that, we i rested the in cartridge, it was showing less than 90% full in the see through bit - but it was still leaking?

There are a few things you could have done wrong.

1. You could have injected into the wrong chamber. Check the length of the needle and be aware of where the tip is.
2. You could have kept right on filling after the ink chamber was full.
3. I suppose you could have kept the outlet port closed, and with a tight fit of the fill hole around the needle, you could have forced ink out the top. This seems less likely, but remember, air has to come out someplace when you fill.

Make sure you cleaned the vents! Blow a little air through them, and you should get a little ink out the port. Then wipe up excess ink and reinstall.

not inject in wrong chamber
i didn't completely fill to be honest - but the outlet port started to bubble! thats when i stopped
outlet port was definitely not covered

hmm u live and learn!

 

[OM2]

As said above you need to make sure the needle is fully into the ink chamber side, the needle fully goes into the cartridge until the plastic hits the cartridge & just withdraw it 1mm or two. I had the same problems as you when I first started with the German method because my needle wasn't fully in & as I was refilling the sponge was getting ink as well as the chamber. With the German method no ink goes into the sponge area until the ink chamber is full & you set it down right side up as it would sit in the printer & let the sponge soak up the ink naturally, then you can top up the ink chamber.
Make sure you blow out the air maze where the leaking was because if the ink dries in there it might stop the ink flowing & fry the head. I just held the cartridge over the sink & blew through the air maze with my mouth until the top sponge looked less saturated than the bottom sponge, the excess ink will come out of the ink outlet on the bottom.

ya, i had the needle inserted correctly
erm... uve got me a little concerned about blowing through the leak bit!
i'll have to do this tmrw!
thanks for the tip
(and what happens if i get blue lips as a result? lol)

 

[rodbam]

It's strange you got bubbling at the outlet which is the same as got when my needle wasn't fully in but it doesn't bubble now I make sure the needle goes all the way in past the stop.
If you don't want to get coloured lips you should get your missus to do it

 

[ghwellsjr]

If you don't want to get coloured lips you should get your missus to do it

You might still get colored lips.