Spongeless cartridge for Canon BCI-6 from WeInk

[CanonPhreak]

The spongeless BCI-3BK holds 29 mL of ink, the spongeless BCI-3 colors holds 15 mL of ink. This is based on the weink spongeless cartridges I filled.

The only problem with them that I have is that it takes several cleanings after install to get clean nozzle checks. Once the checks are clean they run fine until they need to be filled again.

Yes that is the Jetyoung spongeless cartridge.

Interesting to look at their refill instructions. A normal sponged BCI 3e takes ~26mls and a spongeless takes ~ 13mls. This confirms my findings that the spongeless holds less ink. I am still using one spongeless black cartridge with no further issues.

 

[ocular]

CanonPhreak

How do you get 29mls into those spongeless cartridges?
My weights are spongeless BCI 3BK empty 29.3gms - full 46.1gms = 16.8mls (with clip and plug insitu). The cartridge looks to have enough space to have perhaps another ml or two - but not 10+! From the Weink instructions they refill the spongeless black with 13mls.

I would be very interested in your technique to get 29mls into the black spongeless cartridge. Please share.

I do find that after taking out the spongeless cartridge out and then putting it back in there is sometimes a poor print pattern. This is probably due to the fact there is some air caught between the exit hole of the cartridge and the inlet screen of the print head.

 

[CanonPhreak]

You are not filling a BCI-3eBK you are filling the BCI-6 black, the BCI-3eBK holds twice as much ink. The instructions they have posted were from the BCI-6 sponge-free they offered the BCI-3eBK later.

BCI-3eBK
http://www.weink.com/ecom/catalog/easy-fill_bci-3ebk_sponge_free_blank_for_canon_4429037.htm

They have it rated at 26 mL but when I filled it I got 29 mL in them.

BCI-3e/6

http://www.weink.com/ecom/catalog/easy-fill_bci-6_style_sponge_free_blank_4350372.htm

CanonPhreak

How do you get 29mls into those spongeless cartridges?
My weights are spongeless BCI 3BK empty 29.3gms - full 46.1gms = 16.8mls (with clip and plug insitu). The cartridge looks to have enough space to have perhaps another ml or two - but not 10+! From the Weink instructions they refill the spongeless black with 13mls.

I would be very interested in your technique to get 29mls into the black spongeless cartridge. Please share.

I do find that after taking out the spongeless cartridge out and then putting it back in there is sometimes a poor print pattern. This is probably due to the fact there is some air caught between the exit hole of the cartridge and the inlet screen of the print head.

 

[ocular]

It is a BCI 3BK

see picture empty and full http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115

the full weight is 46gms ( Panos has confirmed this at 47gms)

What are your weight measurements?

 

[CanonPhreak]

Weigh them? I actually use a syringe with volume graduations so I no the exact volume of the ink I put into the cartridge. I fill the syringe twice with 18 mL of ink and I end up with 7 mL remaining after the second fill.

It is a BCI 3BK

see picture empty and full http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=115

the full weight is 46gms ( Panos has confirmed this at 47gms)

What are your weight measurements?

 

[Andrew]

This is a bit of a newbie question, but what are the benefits of spongeless cartridges? (assuming they work properly)

 

[zakezuke]

This is a bit of a newbie question, but what are the benefits of spongeless cartridges? (assuming they work properly)

In theory.... they hold more volume, and in theory you don't have to replace them every so often. Also there is really no guesswork... when they are empty they are clearly empty at least when you look at them.

The disadvantage i've observed is they often require vacuum filling, as in a tight seal between the input port and a syringe filled part way. The only set i've owned for epson had an annoying habbit of the chambers sucking up air resulting in banding till such time as they were refilled again. But I imagine that newer or different designs are less prone to this issue.

 

[fotofreek]

Andrew - the Canon design with sponge in the chamber over the ink exit port, a tiny air vent over the sponged chamber, and an adjacent reservoir, is well engineered to balance the prevention of leakage when no demand for ink delivery occurs, and slight air intake when the printer puts a demand on the ink cartridge to deliver ink for printing. There are two downsides to this design: It does require more frequent refilling (or changing to a new cart if you are using OEM carts only) as it holds less ink. After several refills there is some dried ink and air retained in the sponge and it ceases to function efficiently. Keeping two or more sets of carts in rotation to be refilled smooths out your printing sessions. Grandad has also devised a technique for backflushing the carts to extend their live for refilling. From what has been reported on this forum, the downside of the spongeless carts is that they are tricky to refill so they function properly.

 

[Nifty]

Personally I'm not sold on the spongeless cartridges. I've had such great success with the sponge kind. Yes, they may need to be refilled more often, but these cartridges are by FAR the easiest I've ever refilled. I'd rather refill more often with fewer problems than less often with more problems.

Also, I don't have proof, but I really like the filtering effect that I believe the sponge provides. I'm not sure where it all comes from, but I always see gunk in my cartridges after refilling them a few times and I believe the sponge helps keep this stuff in the ink chamber.

Finally, the spongeless seem to be quite a bit more expensive.

Just my $.02

 

[CanonPhreak]

When I bought mine from weink I was told that the spongeless cartridges were original designed for continuous systems, where you plug in the cartridges and leave them. I have converted my three camelflo systems (2 ip3000 and 1 ip8500) to spongeless. I have a third pixma ip3000 that I am manually filling, because I don't use it as often (its more like a back-up).

The cartridges fill very easily and they do have a sub-micron filter in them. But the main fault I have with them in manual filling is that you have to remove the cartridge to refill, this empties the exit spout of ink, since it has no sponge, and you have to clean 2 or three times to fill it back up when you put it in the printer. John at weink told me that they have sent a request to the manufacturer to provide a top-off port like they have on their Epson spongeless blanks so that the cartridge can be safely filled without removing them from the printer.

Personally I'm not sold on the spongeless cartridges. I've had such great success with the sponge kind. Yes, they may need to be refilled more often, but these cartridges are by FAR the easiest I've ever refilled. I'd rather refill more often with fewer problems than less often with more problems.

Also, I don't have proof, but I really like the filtering effect that I believe the sponge provides. I'm not sure where it all comes from, but I always see gunk in my cartridges after refilling them a few times and I believe the sponge helps keep this stuff in the ink chamber.

Finally, the spongeless seem to be quite a bit more expensive.

Just my $.02