Changing ink brands causes clogs?

Dubbya

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I've run across this a few times and it seems to happen most often after changing the brand of compatible ink cartridges being used, most notably when changing from OEM to compatible inks.

Whether they're some obscure generic brand, G & G or Qink cartridges it doesn't seem to matter. Also, it doesn't seem to matter whether the printer is a Brother, Canon, Epson, HP or Lexmark.

I put the new cartridges in, get them primed and start printing. As I continue to print, the print quality degrades progressively until the nozzles are significantly or completely clogged. After several head cleanings and a few test pages, the problem is temporarily resolved and I'm able to resume printing properly.

Slowly, it may take a day or two, but the problem resurfaces and print quality begins to decline. In my experience, it seems it's usually one or two sets of cartridges before the problem is resolved to any marked degree. It seems that, as long as I keep using the same brand, all is well. It's frustrating and time consuming to work through but it usually works itself out.

I'm thinking it's due to the different ink formulations and solvents reacting and contaminating each other and that the contaminants end up being flushed out completely by the second or third set of cartridges.

Has anyone else come across this? I'd love to hear a solution or suggestions.
 

fotofreek

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sounds like poorly feeding cartridges. Some prefilled compatables have substandard carts. A few years ago several of us purchased Arrow carts. Some of them fed well and some didn't. I believe that the air vent in some of these carts was too small. The best carts, by far, are Canon OEM carts. They are very easy to refill, and when they start feeding poorly they can be purged (Grandad35's technique) and are then as good as new to refill several more times.
 
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