BCI Carts: So the entire sponge gets saturated..So What?

[turbguy]

I top fill BCI-6 and BCI-3 carts. Invariably, the entire sponge saturates to the top. These refilled carts seem to perform just fine.

Yet there seems to be some concern about this on the forum...

What's the objection?? The ink will only flow from the "tank" after the "level" in the sponge drops near the passage between the tank chamber and sponge chamber. The "hummingbird feeder" effect modified by capillary forces. How else does air enter the tank during use?

And any empty refilled cart always shows the top sponge empty (but stained, of course).

Wayne

 

[The Hat]

turbguyI top fill BCI-6 and BCI-3 carts. Invariably, the entire sponge saturates to the top. These refilled carts seem to perform just fine.

Yet there seems to be some concern about this on the forum...

I also top fill all my OEM cartridges and the sponges get saturated to the very top too.
I top up the reservoir to 75% full before resealing with hot wax and yes
the cartridges tend to drip a few drops after I remove the orange clip before inserting them into the print head.
I can safely say I have had no ink starvation or leaks with this procedure on any of my refilled OEMs (39 in all)..

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

I'm not sure why you're asking. Sounds to me like you've got it right, turboguy. As I understand it, the problem is that it is possible to fill the sponge so full that it will drip after you fill it. I suppose it might also be possible to continue dripping a little in the printer after you think it's stopped. It sounds like you're managing this fine, although I suppose you could just on the edge.

Mikling has a topfill procedure that makes sense to me, that sounds like a pretty conservative approach. I don't remember exactly the details, but he first fills the chamber partially, to allow a limited amount in the sponge. After that, I don't remember whether he seals the vent (seems like a good idea to me), or just fills the chamber rapidly rapidly. But in any event, he tops up the chamber (almost full, as I recall) before he seals it. His method seems very well thought out, and I would suggest you look it up, just to be on the safe side.

 

[turbguy]

I expect ink to drip from the sponge immedeately after refilling, and force out 4 drops into waste by squeezing the sides with the vent sealed, to get a "vacuum" back into the cart.

Wayne

 

[ghwellsjr]

It's pointless to try to get a "vacuum" back into the cart. It'll do it on its own with no help from you.

And if you have the vent sealed during top fill to prevent overfilling of the sponge, you should remove it when you're done. The cartridge needs to breathe through the air vent. That's what it is for.

As long as you don't have a leak in the reservoir side, the outlet port will only drip for a while if you over fill the sponge. But if you over fill it so much that you get ink into the air vent serpentine path, then you should clean that out before you're done.

 

[barfl2]

My last 2 refills via the Top method have been fine following Milking and Octoinks instructions. I think the important bit is that you fill the empty tank to 50% and then either tape the vent Milking just uses his finger and steadily complete the fill. I leave a little room at the top just to be on the safe side. Replace the excellent silicon plug from Octoink. Remove vent tape

So different from previous floods. I thought it easier than the German method because the syringe is easier for me than the squeeze bottles and 20G needles because I have Arthritis in my hands

barfl2

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

I leave a little room at the top just to be on the safe side.

Makes no difference, barfl2. It doesn't matter how high you fill the reservoir side. The level in the sponge side will be the same as long as the vent is sealed while you are filling it. (But of course the vent isn't sealed perfectly, so don't take too much time to top it up.) Remember the hummingbird-feeder model here: http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=46335#p46335 .

 

[Tin Ho]

Getting the ink to saturate all the way to the top of the sponge does not make the sponge over saturated yet. However if you keep filling the reservoir tank until the sponge stops absorbing the ink the sponge is likely become really over saturated. At that point the reservoir tank will be full too and if you remove the orange cap from the ink outlet a few drops of ink will spill out of the cartridge. If you use the cartridge right after the spill stops you will have problems.

You will have ink leaking out of the nozzles. You will see streaks or banding on your print. You may see missing a color missing. These symptoms will make you think you get a clog in your print head. Further more if you leave the printer alone for a few hours or over night you may find ink contamination in one or more of your ink cartridges. You may find black ink in your yellow ink cartridge, something like that.

To prevent this from happening just don't let the sponge to become fully saturated.

 

[The Hat]

Tin Ho Getting the ink to saturate all the way to the top of the sponge does not make the sponge over saturated yet. However if you keep filling the reservoir tank until the sponge stops absorbing the ink the sponge is likely become really over saturated. At that point the reservoir tank will be full too and if you remove the orange cap from the ink outlet a few drops of ink will spill out of the cartridge. If you use the cartridge right after the spill stops you will have problems.

I would have to agree with you to a certain extent on some of what you say but not all.
I have found that its not the over saturated sponge that causes the most problems
but in fact its the over filling of the reservoir + the sponge together that can do all the damage.

Thats why I limit all my reservoirs to only 75% full just to prevent such a disaster happening later.
With the sponge over saturated + the reservoir limited to 75% there is still more than enough ink left
in the cartridge after its reported empty by the chip, a lot more..