Time for a rethink on the use of refillable compatible for Canon..

[The Hat]

Let me start by saying that prefilled compatible cartridges work just like any OEM cartridge does, however it they are extremely cheap to buy then the ink and cartridge maybe totally rubbish and should be avoided.

In the last 3 to 4 years the Aftermarket Cartridges coming out of China have gotten far better and their quality control has vastly improved also.

There was a time that most of these cartridges were all rubbish and the ink was not much better but these clever Chinese have moved up a gear and are now producing good quality hardware and inks.

Now don’t get caught out by buying cheap cartridges and inks on EBay because the chances are they are not quality products at all but could actually be rejects that didn’t make quality control standards and were sold on.

If you are thinking of using refill compatibles or inks then purchase them from known quality suppliers, in your own region that is your best guarantee that these cartridges have been tried and tested and will actually work in your type of Canon printer.

If you want you can get them directly from China yourself but be prepared because mostly you can’t get just one single set of cartridges you may have to buy 10 or even 50 sets, and only buy through Alibaba and no from individuals or companies.

We have condemned the use of these cartridges for years and rightly so due to their past poor quality but the timing of these new improved compatible cartridges couldn’t have been better for the hard pressed refillers and are a good alternative to costly OEM’s..

 

[websnail]

I'm drifting off-topic here but I hooked on to the "Time for a Re-think..." part of the title and wanted to just expand on that a little..

I was recently asked why I was recommending OEM cartridges over third party refillables for an older Canon and I gave the stock answers of better design, staged sponges, designed to do job, patents don't allow copying, etc... and the questioner followed up by asking: When was the last time you tested third party compatibles for that printer?

...at which point I realised it would have been around or just before my son was born.


In many respects a lot of the old assured "wisdom" I built up over the last decade or so took a kick in the "If it ain't broke" pants and to a certain extent I guess I have a valid excuse in that any free time to explore new ideas (or simply check old ones) has been severely hampered by small child, way too much to do in established areas, etc.. so, falling back on "Well, that works. I need to fix the things that don't" makes sense.

But that little discussion above has meant I find myself looking at some of the issues I experienced with things like CIS systems in Canon printers, the assumption that the same thing will happen with them in say the Epson XP-700, and so the list goes on.

That's not to say I've tossed everything out the window but for one I'm starting to re-evaluate and re-test and now that my little boy is getting old enough to try taking things apart I'm thinking it might be a good idea to find a focus for all that enthusiasm before he finds other items to "fix"!



Anyway, I'm curious, anyone else had similar heretical thoughts?

 

[Roy Sletcher]

Anyway, I'm curious, anyone else had similar heretical thoughts?

My middle name is the "the old heretic from the skeptics tank"

Nothing is forever. Being old, and somewhat soft in the head, I can remember when we were warned about about the low quality of Japanese consumer goods.

A few years later we were willing to pay a premium for the perceived superiority of Japanese goods. Go figure!!

There are so many smart hard working people in China I am predicting a similar outcome. They have the potential to become an economic powerhouse. Also more beneficial for their society than the usual military brinkmanship of ambitious new leaders.

However, never underestimate the stupidity of governments when they think their national pride is at risk.

RS

 

[The Hat]

Now you have me totally confused Roy, was that a yes, a maybe or even a wait and see approach to compatibles, or are you just simply hogging the pot..

 

[stratman]

Like the emoticon.

 

[Roy Sletcher]

Now you have me totally confused Roy, was that a yes, a maybe or even a wait and see approach to compatibles, or are you just simply hogging the pot..

I guess my writing is more obtuse than I thought.

My point is constant evaluation should be the order of the day. Things change, and we have to change with the times.

Right now compatibles do not work for me. They obviously do for a lot of other people.

We shouldn't be so iconoclastic that we forget nothing, and learn nothing new.


RS
I tell you this climate change thing was all started by those Ancient Britons using bows and arrows. - It`s all their fault.

 

[The Hat]

In the past my attempts at refilling and using compatible PGL-9’s never amounted to anything other than failure, they just couldn’t supply enough ink to meet the demands of the print head. (Non sponge)

But while using CLI-8’s compatible sponge carts with CISS they were very reliable and I never had any problems with ink flow on them, it was always the rest of CISS parts that tended to fail.

I am now in a position where refillable compatibles are just about the only way of using an iP7250 with 551 carts successfully, the OEM’s are a joke to refill, needs must..

 

[martin0reg]

...
But while using CLI-8’s compatible sponge carts with CISS they were very reliable and I never had any problems with ink flow on them, it was always the rest of CISS parts that tended to fail.
..

Which compatibles with ciss did you use? And which part tended to fail?

AFAIK the connection of the cartridge outlet and printhead inlet may cause problems with ink flow, because the contact on the rubber seals could get loose and suck air. While this is a potential issue of all carts, with a ciss it may become more important...

 

[Smile]

Good example is the BCI-21 / 24 carts are made like their originals except the sponge perhaps, but works very good.

 

[wilko]

I suppose the problem is in sourcing some reliable refillable carts. My experience using these type of carts, with my MG6250, was ink flow. The carts didn't clog up the printhead but they couldn't deliver ink in sufficient flow for the printer. I took it to be a problem with the sponges.

However, as the Hat says it's almost impossible to refill the latest Canon printer carts.

Perhaps someone could report their experience with good quality compatible carts, preferably refillable ones.