Refilling Canon CLI-8 Carts

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

I've had great success in filling BCI-6 carts for a Canon i9900 printer. After I purchased a Canon Pro9000 MK II with CLI-8 carts, I looked for refill options. The chip on the CLI-8 generated a lot of problems.

I had great success with BCI-6 carts and Media Street Plug and Play ink. Ink2Image took over from Media Street and offered virgin carts to replace the Canon CLI-8 carts. This was familiar ground for me, and I purchased a supply of their ink and virgin carts.

The ink works well, but the carts are a different issue. The carts have given a continuing problem. Although you can get a good nozzle check, the prints show banding that suggests cart ink starvation. This conclusion is supported by the fact that replacing the Ink2Image carts with OEM carts eliminates the problem

Calls to Ink2Image were most unsatisfactory. They have no interest in working through this problem. Their only solution was for me to purchase a set of new set of carts. I'll not do that now -- I've already done that and it didn't help.

All of this means that I have come to the conclusion that the recommendations on this forum to refill original Canon OEM carts is the only real solution.

1. I have decided that the "German Method" is the way to start, and the refilling operations give me no problem. But I do have some issues:

2. I am a color managed guy. I want the colors on the print to be like the colors on the screen. I've have spent a lot of money to get this to work. I have xRite hardware and software to produce correct profiles for my complete work flow from camera to monitor to print.

3. To get the desired results, it seems that one should start with a "purged Canon OEM cart."

3.1 Can they be bought?

3.2 If they can't be bought, how do you purge the existing Canon OEM cart so you can make a proper profile with the the new, non Canon, ink?

Thanks!
Wil

 

[ruffin]

Andrews: here is simple method to purge your OEM canon cartridges
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtqutxm_oiM
After purging, reset the cartridge chip following this method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQssismfTIs&feature=related
I use the top fill method, which works well for me.
You can search this forum for other methods.
Chip resetters available UK here:
http://www.octoink.co.uk/categories/Refill-Tools%2fKits/Chip-Resetters/
Chip resetters also available Canada here:
http://stores.ebay.ca/PrecisionColo...186675011&_sid=98545621&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322
Here is another movie demonstrating another purge method:
http://www.infento.com/carts/purging/index.html
Hope this helps.
Regards

 

[fotofreek]

Ruffin's excellent video is one to watch. The first thread on this issue on the forum, by Grandad35, has several devices pictured and lots of dialogue that you might be interested in seeing as well. The link for that thread is http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=311&p=1 . Generally, that technique involves forcing hot tap water through the ink outlet port, and the ink/water flows quickly through the fill hole made on top of the cart plus the vent hole. The simply made devices hook up to a sink faucet and fit snugly at the cart ink outlet so that even a little water pressure is very effective and fast in cleaning the carts.

As Grandad35 notes, you must be sure that the sponge is not displaced upward at the ink outlet. A few taps with the cart right side up will take care of that. Just be sure you don't tap the ink outlet on a hard surface as you may scar it and not get a good seal when installed in the printhead.

No matter which technique you use, the basics are the same. Nearly all purged carts subsequently work as if they were new.

 

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

The purging methods referred to in the responses seem to indicate that a new hole, or some kind, has been drilled into the top of the Canon OEM cart.

The "German" method of refilling the carts does not require drilling a hole in the top of the cart. My real question is, is it necessary to make the additional hole in the top of the cart when purging the cart when using the "German" refilling method?

If the answer is yes, what is the recommended method of resealing that hole?

Thanks,
Wil

 

[fotofreek]

I've seen some posts on purging carts used with the German method where there is no additional hole made. Someone who uses that technique might be able to give you the link or describe purging without the top hole. I just purged about 20 OEM carts today. With the top hole, purging and then vacuuming the majority of the water out through the extra fill hole is extremely fast.

I've also seen some people post on this subject. They've stated that with the German method no purging is necessary. Because I've been very successful with the top fill technique I haven't bothered to change over.

As for sealing a hole at the top of the ink reservoir area, I use stainless steel pan head sheet metal screws with well fitted "O" rings. Others have used sheet metal screws with a tapered head that effects a seal without an "O" ring. Hot glue guns have been used also. Although I wouldn't use a glue gun with the top filling technique (you have to open the hole and then reseal it), it would be OK for purging for the German method because you seldom have to purge a cart, There are also neoprene plugs available to close the fill hole. Someone can guide you to the vendor for those. They are very convenient.

Look for the very old thread on sealing the fill hole to see the dialogue regarding that issue. most tapes don't seal well and you would get leakage in your printer which is a mess to clean up and screws up the print process.

 

[ghwellsjr]

The purging methods referred to in the responses seem to indicate that a new hole, or some kind, has been drilled into the top of the Canon OEM cart.

The "German" method of refilling the carts does not require drilling a hole in the top of the cart. My real question is, is it necessary to make the additional hole in the top of the cart when purging the cart when using the "German" refilling method?

If the answer is yes, what is the recommended method of resealing that hole?

Thanks,
Wil

I would not drill a hole in the top of the cartridge for purging if you are going to use the German method. Afterall, one of the BIG advantages of the German method is that you don't have to compromise the cartridge by putting that hole in the top of the cartridge which MUST be absoluting air tight. Dye ink cartridges are not hard to purge. See here how to drain the ink out of a cartridge and then you can use a combination of Windex and water to clean the sponge units. To get the reservoirs clean, you just fill them with Windex/water using the German method and redrain the cartridge.

I used to have an i9900 and still have all the OEM cartridges used in it (including red and green) which I can sell for $3 each plus postage. (I can get $2 each for them from Staples.)

 

[wcandrews@sccoast.net]

Thanks ghwellsjr, I was going down that road, but the video and your experience helped a great deal

Wil

 

[l_d_allan]

I've seen some posts on purging carts

Something to take into consideration ... my impression is that a number of the most experienced and most helpful "Inkjet Masters" with 1000+ posts have altered their "best practices advice" over the years. Some ... if not many ... of the older posts from several years ago may be obsolete. The OP might be in the position of "Oh, I don't do it that way anymore because I found a better way."

This refilling newbie finds this confusing to keep track of as I've been looking at 100's of archive threads in a relatively short time-frame, but overall it is a Very Good Thing. The "state of the art" is changing, with much being positive.

I consider this to be the best time in history to be an amateur photographer ... until next week gets here. In some sense, the same applies to cart refilling. Quite dynamic and perhaps a real-word example of Schumpeter's "Creative Destruction"?

You'll see posts like:
"I used to do ... [fill in the blank] with procedure [fill in the blank], but now I've found the following alternative .... fill in the blank ... to be simpler/better/less expensive/etc."

And it adds to my confusion that the "best practices guidance" can be significantly different with die-based vs pigment-based printers.