ip5000 Printhead

[mccoady]

I do not recommend the Hobbicolors pigment black ink as it appears to behave just like the Inktec ink that clogged the purge system in about a dozen printers that I refilled for. I would recommend Precision Colors.


I've never used squeeze bottles, I'm still using a syringe with a 2" blunt 18 gauge needle which seems perfectly adequate to me.


I highly recommend the German method over the top fill method, especially for a first-time refiller like you. Just make sure you use a good tape to cover over the refill hole. Have you seen my videos on refilling via the German method?

Ghwellsir I never really considered the German method because I thought it looked hard and more chances for a screw up but I'm willing to give it a go. I bought 30 PGI-5/CLI-8 Canon virgin empty cartridges on eBay but didn't think I would try refilling all of them just would have some on hand.

Your video makes it look so simple using the German method but nothing like this ever comes easy to me.

After watching your video using the German method it looks like you make your hole as near as possible to the top of the upside down cartridge but when you are inserting the needle all the way into the reservoir chamber are you actually going through the outlet filter?

Do you foresee a problem with these 2" long 20 gauge needles http://www.octoink.co.uk/products/SquEasyFill-125ml-kit-%2d-5-bottles-[Canon].html using the German method?

How you go about getting those Inktek thumb syringes they look much easier to use over a regular syringe do you have to buy their ink? Are you still using them or are you using a regular syringe now?

 

[limot]

Hi all,
I am the new kid on the block. I see most everyone has a problem with the flow of ink through the cartridges.
The problem I am having is the printhead in my iP5000. The printer was running fine, then one day the green power lite started blinking. It started with the green lite, then five orange lites, then green again. I believe the error message indicates the printhead is defective. Now what? I believe it is very difficult to find a print head at a reasonable price. I see one on eBay for $140. For that price I can buy a new printer. Would anyone know what the problem may be or where I can pick up a printhead to see if that will fix the problem?
With the blinking lites, the printer is useless. It cannot do anything except sit there.

 

[The Hat]

limot
These print heads are supposed to be as scarce as hen teeth, but here are two places you could try.
Good luck..


http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/Canon_Printheads_IP5000_QY6-057-000.htm
http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/225389108/Canon_print_head_QY6_0057_000.html

 

[ghwellsjr]

I do not recommend the Hobbicolors pigment black ink as it appears to behave just like the Inktec ink that clogged the purge system in about a dozen printers that I refilled for. I would recommend Precision Colors.


I've never used squeeze bottles, I'm still using a syringe with a 2" blunt 18 gauge needle which seems perfectly adequate to me.


I highly recommend the German method over the top fill method, especially for a first-time refiller like you. Just make sure you use a good tape to cover over the refill hole. Have you seen my videos on refilling via the German method?

Ghwellsir I never really considered the German method because I thought it looked hard and more chances for a screw up but I'm willing to give it a go. I bought 30 PGI-5/CLI-8 Canon virgin empty cartridges on eBay but didn't think I would try refilling all of them just would have some on hand.

Your video makes it look so simple using the German method but nothing like this ever comes easy to me.

After watching your video using the German method it looks like you make your hole as near as possible to the top of the upside down cartridge but when you are inserting the needle all the way into the reservoir chamber are you actually going through the outlet filter?

Yes, you want to make the refill hole just as you describe and with a Canon original cartridge, there is no problem sliding the needle between the sponge and the filter. However, sometimes, the needle has a little trouble getting into the reservoir. There must be some kind of lip at the entrance. But if you rotate the needle and gently push on it, it will eventually go in.

Do you foresee a problem with these 2" long 20 gauge needles http://www.octoink.co.uk/products/SquEasyFill-125ml-kit-%2d-5-bottles-[Canon].html using the German method?

20 gauge needles can bend very easily but you should have no problem if you handle them with care, not just while you are refilling, but all the time.

How you go about getting those Inktek thumb syringes they look much easier to use over a regular syringe do you have to buy their ink? Are you still using them or are you using a regular syringe now?

A long time ago, I was able to buy Inktec ink in 1-liter bottles but then for a long time I could only get it in those small thumb syringes at twice the price. They are a nice way to refill if you are refilling just for yourself. I still haven't used up all my Inktec dye ink 1-liter bottles so I'm not sure what I'll do when it runs out.

If you want to buy Inktec in the thumb syringes, you can get them here:

http://www.inkjetcartridge.com

If you want to buy Inktec in 1-liter bottles, you can get them here:

http://www.inktec-usa.com

 

[mccoady]

ghwellsjr I haven't got around yet at trying my hand at refilling using the German method but I have a couple of questions:

1. I'm going to to refill 2 or 3 cartridges at a time of each color so that means they will be stored so I assume I will need to tape off the hole I just made for refilling, the air vent, and the outlet port. Will black electrical tape suffice here?

2. The Canon virgin empty cartridges (PGI-5/CLI-8) I bought on eBay were listed as fresh empties and they all look fine except the yellow carts, the outlet port sponge on these carts seem to be shriveled up some. Once refilled with ink will they come back to life?

 

[Redbrickman]

The Yellow will probably be OK with refilling, but I'd be tempted to flush them first, just in case they have been dried up for a long time or subjected to heat. It is an easy matter to flush using the top fill hole and then reseal it with hot glue or a plug.

 

[ghwellsjr]

ghwellsjr I haven't got around yet at trying my hand at refilling using the German method but I have a couple of questions:

1. I'm going to to refill 2 or 3 cartridges at a time of each color so that means they will be stored so I assume I will need to tape off the hole I just made for refilling, the air vent, and the outlet port. Will black electrical tape suffice here?

2. The Canon virgin empty cartridges (PGI-5/CLI-8) I bought on eBay were listed as fresh empties and they all look fine except the yellow carts, the outlet port sponge on these carts seem to be shriveled up some. Once refilled with ink will they come back to life?

1. You want to tape your refill hole with a sticky tape like duct tape that won't come loose in case a little ink gets on it. You want to seal the outlet hole, either with the original orange cap that came with it held on with a rubber band or you could use a good vinyl tape like electrical tape that you can stretch across the port to make a good seal. But you should leave the air vent open so that the cartridge can breathe as designed. Then you should put your spare refilled cartridges along with a dampened paper towel in a ziplock bag. This will keep them from drying out.

2. I presume you are talking about the small filter that is in the outlet port. I have never seen one that looks shriveled up so I don't know what to recommend. Can you post a picture of it? That filter material is pretty durable so I suspect that it may be some kind of compond that has deposited itself on the outlet filter. Can you scrape it off or wash it off?

 

[mccoady]

I'm terrible at taking pictures but this is the best I can do



I haven't tried washing it out but it looks like it's dried out to me I'll just go ahead and fill one with ink and see what happens.

 

[Redbrickman]

I have tried zooming in on your picture but I don't see anything wrong with the outlet ports. They normally have two small plastic protrusions on the sides to hold the sponge which is maybe what makes you think the sponge has shrivelled up. The sponge itself just looks dried out to me.

Without seeing them close up it's hard to tell. You could open up the top refill hole on one cart as a an experiment and flush the cart. Then fill or plug the hole and fill by the German method.

NOTE - When you refill the first of the carts check ink will flow by pressing the outlet port gently against a piece of kitchen roll or tissue. After that leave the cart right way up for a few minutes to check for any leakage, you should not see any. The last thing you want is a leaking cart in the printer!

When I put my first refills in the printer I checked it a few times that day and next day before being satisfied that they were OK.

Here are a few things I did when preparing the carts for German method...

1 Pay attention to where you drill the small hole for the needle, and search this site and the internet for close up pictures of the place to drill. Try and keep the hole close to the bottom of the cart, that makes it easier for the needle to slip past the sponge with a little downward pressure when inserting it.

2 Choose a drill for the hole that is only a little bigger in diameter than the refill needles.

3 Some use a small electric hobby drill, but for me that seems too dangerous as once the drill goes through by the time it stops it may twist up the sponge. I used a dremel drill but only turned the chuck by hand, once you feel it go through then twist the drill back and forwards gently to finish the hole. That helps to prevent twisting the sponge.

Then take a larger drill in your hand and twist it gently in the hole to remove any plastic and leave a smooth surface. In essence a small countersink of the hole to prevent any ink wicking out on the sharp plastic.

I seal the hole with thin aluminium tape. It will not leak, but my opinion is that it is another opening to lose moisture from, and possibly dry the cart out a bit if not used for quite a while after filling.

When inserting the needle do so very slowly and twist backwards and forwards to help it past the sponge, also applying a small amount of pressure to keep the needle on the bottom of the cart.

It sounds complicated but it isn't once you get the hang of the first one. Once modded the carts are refillable in a few minutes.

IMPORTANT - Do not overfill the cart, the most common cause of leakage. I prefer to fill only to 3/4 or slightly more and I think most will agree it makes good sense. After all it takes only a few minutes to refill them, and I actually find it quite relaxing

One other thing... I don't fill more than one spare set of carts at a time. A spare set with the outlet ports sealed and kept in a ziplock bag will be ready to replace the set in the printer. Once replaced simply fill the empty carts and in a few minutes they are ready again.

Both refill methods work fine, it really comes down to personal preference. For me the German method results in no ink spilled on me or anywhere else, especially using SquEasy bottles.

BTW when you get your fingers covered in ink on the first attempts use a pumice stone and warm water - works a treat. If you haven't got one beg steal or borrow from the nearest female :/

Good luck.

 

[mccoady]

I think it must just be dried out I plan to go ahead and try as it but first I need to order some orange clips since I plan to fill three of each color and store

In the meantime I experimented with making a hole and inserting the needle going by instructions in Martin's pdf: "Using an awl, push pin or similar instrument, you need to create a small hole by carefully pushing it into the back of of the cartridge, through either of the > or < parts the >PP< markings (as shown fig 1). This helps avoid the central sponge running down into the outlet hole.

If I understand right you want the needle to ride above the sponge so I think I made the hole a hair too low since I have to angle the needle upward to do so. Now with the needle angled up riding above the sponge I'm running into what ghwellsjr described as a lip at the entrance of the reservoir and I can't seem to get past it.

Since I'm blocked by this lip does it sound like the the tip of the needle needs to go up or down/right or left although I'm a little limited in my actions since the needle is angled up a bit? I've tried twisting and pushing the the needle up and down as much as possible but still no go.

I think if I was making the hole again I would try to get a little lower to the bottom so I would have a straighter shot.