pixma ip4300 ink

[dwolf]

I read over many posts on the problem with the cli carts, but in all of my reading didn't find what my best option is...
They sell carts without the chips and claim you can put your old one on the new cart ?
Is this an option....
If I bought a refill kit, and reset the chip, does that work ? I did read that you will lose the ink level monitor ??
And what refill kit is recommended ?
I thought maybe I could search the web for canon carts at a good price... I imagine that's not to be ??

So what's my best option... certainly don't want to drop $12 to $14 a piece for these

Thanks

 

[Lilla]

dwolf, I am planning to purchase this same printer soon so I have done some research on this. I plan to use refill ink from inksupply.com (called MIS). If you search this forum you will find they are a respected supplier of refill ink.

Genuine Canon cartridges are generally preferred for refilling, over 3rd party cartridges. If you are new to refilling you might think a cartridge is a cartridge, but this is not true. Each cartridge manufacturer's design is slightly different and may require slightly different refill methods and tricks.

This is especially true for the new Canon printers (like IP4300) that use the new chipped carts (CLI-8/PGI-5). If you use 3rd party cartridges you will have to move the chip from your genuine canon cartridge to your 3rd party cart. The chip cannot be reset. A refilled cartridge will not tell you when the cartridge is low/empty, you must monitor the ink level manually.

I've read in this forum, that the best practice is to keep the ink level above 1/2 full on the reservoir side. I figure when one cartridge needs ink I will refill them all. I've read in this forum about some special bottles that make it easier than using the standard syringes. I'll be looking into this.

MIS sell a refill kit ($37 ish) for this printer. First time refillers will probably want to buy the kit to get started; after that you will buy their bulk ink.

Since I have been refilling BCI-6 carts, I plan to skip the refill kit as I think I have everything the kit provides already.

On their site you can download their refill procedure titled:
Canon Printer Refill instructions for CLI-8, PGI-5 cartridges.

Neil Slade has done tests on various 3rd party inks; his tests are for BCI-6 ink (not CLI-8) ink, but in the absense of CLI-8/PGI-5 specific ink tests I am assuming the recommendations will hold for the new inks.

For Canon BCI-6 cartridges he recommends:
INKGRABBER G&G prefilled carts
MIS bulk refill ink (inksupply.com)

You can read his excellent article titled "INEXPENSIVE INK versus EXPENSIVE INK SHOOTOUT" here

Hope this helps,
Lilla

 

[mikling]

I've done some recent research on the methods of refilling the CLI-8 & PGI-5. I have dark stained hands and wasted ink to prove what many have not figured out yet. The canon refill on the surface appears easy and it is but if it is done improperly will leave you with some angst.
I also thought that refilling often is the best way for these carts but if done the wrong way is likely the WORST way. Yes, I have pics to prove it.
MIS instructions are half way there in being correct but not fully correct. The problem is ink movement within a Canon cartridge or compatible and the lack of an ink monitor after a refill magnifies the problem over the BCI-3 and 6. I now see why Canon has that warranty disclaimer on refills because it will cause some major service problems if the user doesn't realize what's happening when they have problems. The problems are not electronic but physical.
I'll start another thread in a couple of days to shed light for those who think I'm full of it.

 

[mikling]

Here's what the problem is>
The cartridge sponge was refilled and allowed to empty by removing the seal from the refill hole. This was done until no more ink was dripping from it. I then refilled the tank side with water and allowed it to drip out again to simulate a situation where ink was being used. This was done twice. Notice how the water did not reach certain areas of the sponge? With real ink, the diffusion would have been weaker and even LESS ink from the colored parts would have been used up. What do you think eventually happens over time?

It is obvious that the old ink never gets used up and eventually starts drying out and guess what happens next?
The user now has a printer that "appears" (to the uninformed) as to have a major clog problem since there is ink in the cartridge and missing colors are on the print.
So refilling has caused "clogging".

 

[fotofreek]

What happens next is you do Grandad35's purge to bring the cart back to as-new condition for refilling.

 

[mikling]

Yes, but that purging can be probably avoided altogether if it was refilled properly.
To many inexperienced Canon & HP printer users, they will think it is a clog and then a spiral of bad things starts happening. They end up producing severely caked heaters in the printhead that may end up costing a printhead. Any printing even with the nozzle check would create greater caking etc.

You see, once caking on the heaters occurs, it becomes difficult to clear that with a normal cleaning. Putting in a brand new cartridge will not clear caked heaters. Removal and soaking of the printhead is necessary.

So Canon is correct that refilling can damage your printer IF you don't do it PROPERLY and are not aware of looking out for certain signs. I considered telling my customers about purging but that truly requires decication to printing. An easier alternative had to be found that minimizes or eliminates that need.

 

[mikling]

Refilling properly will redistribute the old ink and position it to be mixed and consumed in the next "round" of refill. New ink is predominantly in the sponge now and the old ink is diluted with the new ink.
If you refill frequently with the old method of through the "refill" hole you get even less of the old/"colored" part being used at all. This exacerbates the problem.

Here with a refill, (with water for illustrative purposes) through selected areas on the sponge side, we move the older ink so that it will be used. New ink in the sponge will determine the flow characteristics just as if it was new. At this point a little shake to mix the ink on the tank side is a good idea.

 

[dparadowski]

InkJet Guru,
can you post your instructions for refilling cli-8 cartridges.

 

[fotofreek]

same as bci-6 carts lots of instructions on every vendor's site. You can pick up little tips that make refilling easier, however, by reading through the posts on this forum.

 

[pebe]

Refilling properly will redistribute the old ink and position it to be mixed and consumed in the next "round" of refill. New ink is predominantly in the sponge now and the old ink is diluted with the new ink.
If you refill frequently with the old method of through the "refill" hole you get even less of the old/"colored" part being used at all. This exacerbates the problem.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y20/mikord/CanonMagenta-refillproperly.jpg
Here with a refill, (with water for illustrative purposes) through selected areas on the sponge side, we move the older ink so that it will be used. New ink in the sponge will determine the flow characteristics just as if it was new. At this point a little shake to mix the ink on the tank side is a good idea.

You talk of filling the cart 'properly' yet you have not described the 'proper' method. Should I assume you drill and fill through the top above the sponge, while leaving the reservoir vent open?