Purging Questions

[chobo2]

Hi

As some of you may know I been having lots of trouble with my refilling cartridges. My yellow screwed up everything.

So I tried everything basically and it all failed so I am going to stick a genuine ink cart from canon and hope that everything goes back to normal and wait for another cart to run on empty and try again.

With that said I decided hey might as well try purging the cart and see how that works and maybe stick the cart back in and see if it would work.

Now my questions.

1. I did not understand one of the methods that the person from precision inks sent me.

So I am wondering if someone could clarify it for me.

"Another method of flushing is to create something as shown on the pictures. This was created using original cover seals and attaching a connector to it. To flush, we assemble the three items toegehter, dunk the cartridge into a container of hot water and pull water through the cartridge. To dry the sponge the easiest way is to wick out the water using paper towels. Once dry, refill the tanks as you would normally."

The picture basically has the Flusher they made by poking a hole with a push pin on the original ink tank seal, A cartridge and the syringe.

So that really did not tell me much

What I am confused on is what is this connector thing he talks about?

I know there has been a device you can build on this site however I don't want to go that extreme because I don't even know if I will continue refilling inks if they keep on not working.

Also I don't know how to do this "wick out water with the paper towel"

I just used my syringe and started putting water through it. I got it pretty clean but I went through the spot(where the ink comes out) and I am wondering will that have any effect on the printing?

Also know how long do I have to let the cart dry before I can use again.

Thanks

 

[mikling]

Wicking out water to dry out the internal sponge with a paper towel is simple enough? No? Paper towels working by wicking moisture into the towel thus removing the water from whatever it touches.

The only place you can touch the sponge in the canon cartridge/tank is at the outlet if you want ot remove the water.

If you leave the water in sponge it will dilute the ink and the colors will be too light and the ink physical properties will be drastically altered. No?

Purging is the act of flushing out whatever ink or residue is within the cartridge. However that is accomplished is all that counts. People on this forum have done it all kinds of ways and as long as it works is all that counts. There is no right way and no wrong way. If you wish to dry it with a vacuum as others have done, go ahead but wicking is pretty simple concept. No??????

 

[Tin Ho]

Chobo2, I have done quite some purging of my Canon cartridges. I do not try to flush out "all" ink residues. That's an overkill to me. I simply dump the cartridge in a small cup of water and let the sponge to absorb all the water it will drink. I wipe the cartridge dry and clean then use my mouth to blow air into the vent to force the water/ink mix in the sponge out from the large outlet. I do it a few rounds within 10 minutes. At the end I blow air harder to get as much as possible the ink/water mix. I have to empty the reserve tank too as water tends to get in there. Usually I will refill right after a very brief period using paper tissue to wick the water out of the sponge. The point I am making is there is no need to do a 100% purge and neither a 100% drying of the sponge. It works and is a lot faster.

 

[stratman]

I just tried the Belson Profiles Spa Shampoo And Color Rinse (http://www.belsonproducts.com/products/product_display.asp?id=65), cost $3.49.

The hose inner diameter is big enough to fit over the cartridge outlet port but would pop off, requiring a clamp or hand holding to stay on. No biggie. The end that attaches to the fawcet would not securely fit onto the fawcet - really crappy design - requiring me to hold it on and it would leak if I moved a fraction. I suppose I could cut/machine some of the material so that it would snug up to the fawcet better. This I felt was a major issue with this contraption. I would not recommend this unless the configuration of the fawcet adapter is better made.

Time to go to the hardware store for parts to make a purging unit.

BTW, I am using the Durchstich refill method and drilled a 2mm hole on top of the spongeless area next to the edge of the decal (near where the ball is located) to let the purge water out. A minute or so of blowing into the ink exit port and the bulk of the water was gone, except for whatever is left in the sponge. I'll close it with some hot wax when the sponge dries. Final result was excellent.

Thanks to Grandad and all for the tips on purging.

 

[stratman]

Put together a purging unit from Hope Depot loosely based on Grandad's design. I did not use any part of an old garden hose.

1) 3/8" inner diameter clear vinyl tubing (outer diameter 1/2"), 3 feet ~$1.00 worth.

2) One Sweeper Nozzle, Model 56171 at Home Depot, cost $2.97. Similar to but with some plastic: http://lawn-garden.gillroys.com/Hoses_&_Sprinklers/Hose_Nozzles/BRASS_SWEEPER_NOZZLE-s761223.html. This screws onto my utility sink's threaded fawcet like a typical garden hose would.

3) One Hose Clamp 7/32" to 5/8" to secure #1 to #2, cost $0.99.

4) 2mm hole drilled into the top of the spongeless area next to the edge of the decal (near where the ball is located) to let the purge water out.

The flexible tubing easily fit around the exit port of the cartridge. Warm water washed the sponge clean in well under one minute and I have no ink on my hands. I held onto the cartridge and directed the purge stream down the drain hole, but any ink in the sink washed completely out without staining.

Results were fantastic - nice white sponge! Will let them dry out a couple days then refill. Easy peasy.