Red cartridge keeps going. Should I replace?

[PeterBJ]

I have had a similar problem with a CLI-521 M cartridge. It would not deliver ink, whether it was top filled or refilled using the German method. You couldn't even make it drip ink when blowing hard into the vent. Flushing and cleaning the cartridge and treating it with pharmacist's conditioning solution made no difference. Even with the refill hole left open after a top fill the ink would not enter the sponges, it stayed in the ink chamber.

I cut open the cartridge to investigate, I found a little needle damage caused by the German refill, but that was not the cause of the problem. I tried to dip the sponges in a little ink in a shallow tray, and to my surprise the bottom sponge that is supposed to be very hydrophilic would not absorb the ink, it had somehow become hydrophobic. The fibres in the sponges are polypropylene, I think. I found out by a simple burn test. Normally polypropylene is hydrophobic, so some treatment of the sponge material must be used. Maybe several refills and purges washed away a chemical treatment of the sponge material?

This was a year or two ago. I never found the cause of the problem, and I have luckily not experienced it since.

 

[stratman]

I am uncertain as to the conclusions that can be drawn from this, perhaps it suggests that treatment with pharmacist's solution is necessary or perhaps it is normal behaviour.

Except for whatever contribution the Fairy washing up liquid makes, the situation you describe with ink absorption is normal for dry sponges.

Did you check any earlier than 3 days later or was that when ink had finally absorbed across the sponges?

 

[Emulator]

I checked next day and it had only partially spread through the lower sponge.

 

[stratman]

Ok.

 

[The Hat]

My carts would take up to 5 or 6 hours before most of the lower sponge would be cover completely and the cart would drip once the orange clip was removed from the bottom, tapping the cartridges sides in your hand can also speed up the absorption, hold in one hand and tap with the other..