top fill clearance

[The Hat]

Here are the details on the low profile plugs from OctoInkjet..
http://www.octoink.co.uk/products/Refill-Plugs-[Canon].html?setCurrencyId=1

Uncle, you need new glasses. That's the link I posted above.

So it is, Ah well I dont mind getting the next born after you ...

 

[websnail]

Erm... My wife does get to veto names you know, but I'll see what I can do... *ahem*. :/

Regarding the query...

Websnail please tell us about the low profile plugs?

Are they easy to remove and are they solid or hollow?

The plus are solid with a tiny 0.7mm diameter hole in the centre.. Removal is frankly a tricky proposition but with a little experimentation I've found a blunt 18-20g needle will fit the hole and allow you to prise the plug out.

To be frank though I suspect the process of removal and reinsertion will take its toll on these plugs for a number of reasons:
1. They can easily ping off as you're trying to prise them out so you may lose a few
2. Each time they are removed they are being stressed somewhat

I think I may have to double the number of plugs with my refill bundles to cover this sort of eventuality...

Just as an aside though, Alumin(i)um tape is a definite alternative to plugs provided you have cleaned and dried the surface around the fill hole before applying it.

 

[barfl2]

I have just completed my first refill of the PGI-520/CLI-521 carts using all 3 methods i.e. Freedom PGI-520 Topfill CLI-521 BK/Cyan and German CLI-521/Y/M I did the Pigment one first and it did not go quite as planned. I was previously refilling BCI-6/CL-8 and these as you know are quite a bit larger, whether this has anything to do with cartridge internal volume I do not know, but when I started I had so strong a vacuum I had a job to pull back the plunger which is quite stiff anyway. I got the first bit of ink in but I then seemed to be pulling that ink out when I pulled the plunger back for the next attempt. I finally filled the cart but probably more from pushing the plunger down which is not recommended.

I then switched to topfill. First the BK cart, no real problems, a bit of inky bubbles coming out near the end. cleaned up and inserted one of Octoinks FLANGED plugs which I calculate has a flange thickness of approx.1mm. Does anybody know the clearance on the MP620 ? and will it foul ?. next came the Cyan this I used the new flangeless plugs aslso from Octoink. These smaller plugs are quite difficult to handle with rubber gloves on, getting them the right way up prior to inserting them. I have since found traces of Cyan ink inside the ziplock bag on on the top of the cart, so do not have a good seal. I pushed them in quite firmly, they are going to be a delight to get out again for the next refill. I will put a piece of tape over for now. But if I could continue with the flanged version would much prefer to do so.

Finally the Magenta. It started as topfill but ended as the German method. As soon as I inserted the sqeezy bottle in I had inky bubbles coming out the top, as I continued that got worse, and then it started dripping out the exit port (with clip on). I only had 1/3rd of a tank but ink was coming out of both top and bottom. I gave up plugged hole with a flanged plug for now, drilled my usual .5mm followed by 1.25mm hole with pin vices. I then topped the tank off with no problem using the same squeezy bottle I had tried for the topfill method.

Anyway this is my first attempt with the MP620 carts and from my experience, the Durstitch method was troublefree

 

[Redbrickman]

I use a similar low profile plug on my MP640.

I have moved away from the top fill method because I found it fiddly to get the plugs out and in again without a mess.

I fitted plugs after flushing the carts and now fill only by the German method.

If I encounter a problem in the cart, i.e. once I got ink out of the maze due to filling too full, I can then remove the plug and flush out the cart.

I got some thin aluminium tape from Poundland, cut a small piece and rub it down over the top plug to provide an extra seal. It is so thin (well it does cost 1 ) that it can easily moulded to the cart surface.

When filled via the German method I also fit a small piece of the tape on the refill hole just for insurance, and to help prevent evaporation if storing a spare set.

 

[ghwellsjr]

i spoke with mike he doesn't carry the low profile plugs, i have the 2 other plugs he carrys, but they are too thick, does anyone know of someone in north america that carrys the lower profile plugs

rjettek.com is the USA supplier for OCP. I'm pretty sure I recall an email from them advertising these plugs but I can't find them on their website.

 

[emerald]

ghwellsjr and mrelmo: These plugs might be the ones you referred to on the rjettek.com web site.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

You know, I had no idea the clearance was so ridiculously low on those printers. Why don't you just drill holes in the end of the cartridge at the top, instead of trying to fool with special plugs?

 

[mrelmo]

now that is a plug that i have not seen before, it looks very interesting wish i had seen them prior to drilling out the last set of cartridges, but i will be ordering them to see how well they work, is it my understanding that you can inject through the plug without removing it, i would think at some point the seal would be lost, has anyone tried this yet.

 

[lin]

Erm... My wife does get to veto names you know, but I'll see what I can do... *ahem*. :/

Regarding the query...

Websnail please tell us about the low profile plugs?

Are they easy to remove and are they solid or hollow?

The plus are solid with a tiny 0.7mm diameter hole in the centre.. Removal is frankly a tricky proposition but with a little experimentation I've found a blunt 18-20g needle will fit the hole and allow you to prise the plug out.

To be frank though I suspect the process of removal and reinsertion will take its toll on these plugs for a number of reasons:
1. They can easily ping off as you're trying to prise them out so you may lose a few
2. Each time they are removed they are being stressed somewhat

I think I may have to double the number of plugs with my refill bundles to cover this sort of eventuality...

Just as an aside though, Alumin(i)um tape is a definite alternative to plugs provided you have cleaned and dried the surface around the fill hole before applying it.

Hi websnail, the low profile plug I measured is definitely not 0.7mm diameter as you mentioned.
The top diameter is ~4.1 - 4.3mm and the bottom diameter is ~3.5 - 3.8mm. The center diameter is ~4mm. The height of the low profile plug is ~4mm
I don't how you could have measured them to be 0.7mm diameter.

The lipped profile plug the diameter at the top without taking into measure of the top piece silicone waffer is ~4.0mm - 4.3/4.5mm, top diamenter with the piece of silicone waffer is ~7.0 mm - 7.2mm. The bottom diameter is ~2.5mm. The height of the lipped profile is ~6.5mm - 7.0mm

 

[Tudor]

The plus are solid with a tiny 0.7mm diameter hole in the centre..

I don't how you could have measured them to be 0.7mm diameter.

lin, thank you for your measurements, but Martin said the hole in the centre is 0,7 mm in diameter.