Need help-refilling hp 57 cartridge problems; graininess, diluteness

[shadowere]

Hi all,
This is my first time posting here so please go easy on me, couldn't find answers to these specific problems so...

I have an hp officejet 4255 all-in-one and after refilling my hp 57 cartridge, color printouts were very grainy, tried a number of things that didn't work then just left the printhead on a wet tissue paper for a few minutes. That took care of the graininess but caused the magenta to become diluted or something, red comes out looking like a dull orange (even though all other colors come out right). After printing red images 5 times with no change tried sucking out the red ink and injecting new (even tried a new ink bottle in case the first was diluted) and still no change. So my questions are:

1. What caused the graininess in the first place, can it be fixed without wetting the printhead?

2. How can I fix the diluteness (or whatever it is) and get true red back?

3. After refilling, I also taped over the injection holes, is that the right thing to do?

Any suggestions welcome,
Thanx in advance

-shadowere

 

[alchemist]

Shadowere,

Could you provide a little more information to the following questions:
What ink are you using?

Did you soak the prinhead before attempting to refill, and if so what was your soaking solution?Did you then vacuum out the soaking solution, or centrifudge it out?

What did the cartridge weigh before refilling?

Did you tape over all the vent holes in the top cover?

Was the HP 57 and OEM or a remanufactured cartridge?

Sorry for so many questions but I would be just spitting into the wind with out a little more information.

Alchemist

 

[shadowere]

thanks for responding, with regard to the cartridge;

I use a Stratitec inkjet refill kit, the ink is good quality, I've used it before with success. I didn't soak the printhead before refilling (don't really understand what you mean by vacuuming out the solution). Unfortunately I didn't check the weight before refilling, I did tape over all the vent holes in the top cover and the cartridge I used was an original new HP 57 (first time empty). I have a feeling that the sponge for the red color or some other component inside has water in it cause I tried emptying the red ink and injecting new with no success. Is there anyway to force the water (if there is any) out or the red compartment or sponge?

Thanks,

-Shadowere

 

[JohnnyCool]

Hey Shadowere,

First, you say you taped over the vent holes. As your cart shoots ink it needs this venting in order to equalize the pressure inside, otherwise the pressure inside the cart will be lower than outside preventing ink from leaving the printhead. Ink also acts as a coolant for the head. Printing with no venting will burn out the printhead. To ensure you have venting just take the label and tape right off the cart.

The other problem may be air bubbles in the ink when you injected.

Try this:

Spray a little windex on a folded paper towel and place the cart on it, printhead down. Let it sit like this for several hours, check it periodically to change the towel once it becomes saturated.

Refill the cart. When you suck ink from the bottle examine it in the syringe for small air bubbles. When the needle is in the cart give the body of the syringe a few flicks of your finger to dislodge any air bubbles. The bubbles will rise to the top of the syringe and when you inject the ink stop before you reach the end ensuring no air gets into the sponge. Inject veeeerrrryyyy S......L.......O........W..........Y.

After refilling again spray some windex on a paper towel to get it wet. Place the towel(not the cart) in a microwave for 30 seconds then place the cart with printhead down on the towel for a few mins. This will both clean the head and prime it with ink.

Before putting the cart into the printer gently clean the copper contact (not printhead) with a q-tip or tissue damp with rubbing alcohol or windex.

Put cart back in printer and run a clean cycle, if the quality is still not there, just leave it in the printer overnight and run another cycle.

If all this does not work you will probably have to replace the cart.

Good luck!

 

[Manuchau]

You can also use a priming tool - costs about $5.00 - that will force some ink and air out of the bottom of the cart after re-filling. Sometimes, this works really well.
It also helps with these cartridges to wait an hour after re-filling to do any printing.

Good luck!!