Refilling HP22 cart - magenta problems

On 07/19/2010 03:49 PM, Joel wrote:

And most if not all ink yet printers (even laser printer) have option to
display the ink status, you can always check to see the ink level. Again,
this is the calculated ink level by number of print not the actual level

Success at refilling is greatly increased if done before any of the
colors run out, and it doesn't hurt to refill when the cart is still 50%
full. I just successfully refilled one of my #57 carts, very similar to
the #22 carts, and it works perfectly - but Linux said it was still 25%
full before I refilled.

If Adam can't develop a "feel" for how long a cart should last, he
should develop the habit of checking ink levels frequently. Windows will
alert him automatically, but Linux doesn't do that much handholding. In
Linux, HP printer ink levels can be checked easily with the HP Device
Manager, but you have to initiate the action yourself.

TJ
--
Life isn't fair. It's not meant to be.
Overcoming the disadvantages we face is what makes us strong.

TJ wrote:
Success at refilling is greatly increased if done before any of the
colors run out, and it doesn't hurt to refill when the cart is still 50%
full. I just successfully refilled one of my #57 carts, very similar to
the #22 carts, and it works perfectly - but Linux said it was still 25%
full before I refilled.

If Adam can't develop a "feel" for how long a cart should last, he
should develop the habit of checking ink levels frequently.

I agree completely! I kept checking, and refilled this HP 22
cartridge (which I've designated 'C') when 'hp-levels' reported
there was 40-50% ink remaining, and somehow that one, which had
stopped working (which was why I started this thread in the first
place), is now working nicely for all three colors. Maybe it just
took a while for the ink to soak down through the sponge or something.

Meanwhile I'm experimenting with HP 22's 'A' and 'B' which I thought
I'd killed by letting the ink run out before trying to refill them.
(Cartridges 'A' through 'E' (so far) all started out as identical
sealed HP 22s, but I wanted to keep track of which was which.) It
turned out to be not as hard as I expected to remove the blue tops
of the cartridges, so I then took out the sponges, as had been
suggested in this NG. Right now 'A' is soaking in isopropyl
alcohol, and 'B' is soaking in ammonia. No conclusions yet. :-)

In Linux, HP printer ink levels can be checked easily with the HP
Device Manager, but you have to initiate the action yourself.

Or, since Python source for the HPLIP package is available, maybe
someone could eventually write a program (perhaps for
/etc/cron.hourly) to check at regular intervals, and notify the user
if the levels were below some threshold. One would have to ensure
that (a) the printer was switched on, and (b) it wasn't in the
middle of printing anything.

Adam

On 07/20/2010 06:29 PM, Adam wrote:
TJ wrote:
Success at refilling is greatly increased if done before any of the
colors run out, and it doesn't hurt to refill when the cart is still 50%
full. I just successfully refilled one of my #57 carts, very similar to
the #22 carts, and it works perfectly - but Linux said it was still 25%
full before I refilled.

If Adam can't develop a "feel" for how long a cart should last, he
should develop the habit of checking ink levels frequently.

I agree completely! I kept checking, and refilled this HP 22 cartridge
(which I've designated 'C') when 'hp-levels' reported there was 40-50%
ink remaining, and somehow that one, which had stopped working (which
was why I started this thread in the first place), is now working nicely
for all three colors. Maybe it just took a while for the ink to soak
down through the sponge or something.

Could have been a little air bubble in the passages leading to the
nozzles. You could try buying an Inktec tricolor refill kit. This comes
with a cartridge holder, ink, and four syringes. After using the first
three syringes to fill the cart, the fourth is used in conjunction with
the holder to draw some ink out through the nozzles to clear out any air
blocks. At least, that's the way it works with my #57 cartridges.

Meanwhile I'm experimenting with HP 22's 'A' and 'B' which I thought I'd
killed by letting the ink run out before trying to refill them.
(Cartridges 'A' through 'E' (so far) all started out as identical sealed
HP 22s, but I wanted to keep track of which was which.) It turned out to
be not as hard as I expected to remove the blue tops of the cartridges,
so I then took out the sponges, as had been suggested in this NG. Right
now 'A' is soaking in isopropyl alcohol, and 'B' is soaking in ammonia.
No conclusions yet. :-)

Since the HP color inks are dye-based, distilled water might have been
enough to do the job.

In Linux, HP printer ink levels can be checked easily with the HP
Device Manager, but you have to initiate the action yourself.

Or, since Python source for the HPLIP package is available, maybe
someone could eventually write a program (perhaps for /etc/cron.hourly)
to check at regular intervals, and notify the user if the levels were
below some threshold. One would have to ensure that (a) the printer was
switched on, and (b) it wasn't in the middle of printing anything.


Don't look for it any time soon. Many, if not most, Linux programmers
feel that Linux users don't need that much hand-holding, and many, if
not most, long-term Linux users agree.

TJ
--
Life isn't fair. It's not meant to be.
Overcoming the disadvantages we face is what makes us strong.

TJ wrote:
that [HP22], which had stopped working [...] is now working nicely
for all three colors.

Could have been a little air bubble in the passages leading to the
nozzles. You could try buying an Inktec tricolor refill kit. This comes
with a cartridge holder, ink, and four syringes. After using the first
three syringes to fill the cart, the fourth is used in conjunction with
the holder to draw some ink out through the nozzles to clear out any air
blocks. At least, that's the way it works with my #57 cartridges.

Thanks, TJ! That could have been it. I /think/ I can work out
something similar with what I already have on hand, but if not I'll
give that a try. I think Staples (office supply store chain)
carries those.

Meanwhile I'm experimenting with HP 22's 'A' and 'B' which I thought I'd
killed by letting the ink run out before trying to refill them.
[...]
so I then took out the sponges, as had been suggested in this NG. Right
now 'A' is soaking in isopropyl alcohol, and 'B' is soaking in ammonia.
No conclusions yet. :-)

Since the HP color inks are dye-based, distilled water might have been
enough to do the job.

NOW you tell me! :-) Thanks for the tip; I'll pick up some
distilled water and try that the next time. My preliminary
conclusions are that isopropyl alcohol cleans HP color carts, while
ammonia ruins them.

someone could eventually write a program (perhaps for /etc/cron.hourly)
to check at regular intervals, and notify the user if the levels were
below some threshold.

Don't look for it any time soon. Many, if not most, Linux programmers
feel that Linux users don't need that much hand-holding, and many, if
not most, long-term Linux users agree.

I agree with you there. That's why I said "someone could write"
instead of saying that I would. ;-)

Adam

"Adam" wrote in message
...

Meanwhile I'm experimenting with HP 22's 'A' and 'B' which I thought I'd
killed by letting the ink run out before trying to refill them.
(Cartridges 'A' through 'E' (so far) all started out as identical sealed
HP 22s, but I wanted to keep track of which was which.) It turned out to
be not as hard as I expected to remove the blue tops of the cartridges, so
I then took out the sponges, as had been suggested in this NG. Right now
'A' is soaking in isopropyl alcohol, and 'B' is soaking in ammonia. No
conclusions yet. :-)

The sponge provides some back pressure to keep the ink from dripping out the
bottom of the printhead. Without the sponge the ink will dribble out, at
best causing a mess and at worst damaging the printer and perhaps your
desktop. Ink delivery systems without sponges will have some other design
to keep the ink in the cartrdige. Examples include the spring bag system
used in the #45 cartrdiges.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

On 07/24/2010 07:13 PM, Joel wrote:
"Bob wrote:

wrote in message
...

Meanwhile I'm experimenting with HP 22's 'A' and 'B' which I thought I'd
killed by letting the ink run out before trying to refill them.
(Cartridges 'A' through 'E' (so far) all started out as identical sealed
HP 22s, but I wanted to keep track of which was which.) It turned out to
be not as hard as I expected to remove the blue tops of the cartridges, so
I then took out the sponges, as had been suggested in this NG. Right now
'A' is soaking in isopropyl alcohol, and 'B' is soaking in ammonia. No
conclusions yet. :-)

The sponge provides some back pressure to keep the ink from dripping out the
bottom of the printhead. Without the sponge the ink will dribble out, at
best causing a mess and at worst damaging the printer and perhaps your
desktop. Ink delivery systems without sponges will have some other design
to keep the ink in the cartrdige. Examples include the spring bag system
used in the #45 cartrdiges.

That may be what the designer had in mind, and what third party ink
cartridge manufacture haven't thought of it. But to me it isn't the case

And if you didn't follow this thread alosely then you may GOOGLE for the
word "refillable cartridge" and you may find some clear photo of refillable
catridge not only has no sponge but most of them has 2 LARGE HOLES for
filling. Each hole is around 1/8" diameter right on top of the cartridge.

FYI, I dare say that nobody that frequents this newsgroup knows more
about HP printers than Bob Headrick. Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, but I
believe he retired from HP just a couple of years ago or so after many
years there.

TJ
--
Life isn't fair. It's not meant to be.
Overcoming the disadvantages we face is what makes us strong.

On 07/25/2010 10:44 PM, Joel wrote:
wrote:


FYI, I dare say that nobody that frequents this newsgroup knows more
about HP printers than Bob Headrick. Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, but I
believe he retired from HP just a couple of years ago or so after many
years there.

TJ

Heck, I don't know who Bob Headrick is and I ain't dare to know more than
what I know. I don't think working for HP means being smarter than you or
anyone, else I would fight for a HP job myself.

BTW, I never worked for HP, but in 1971 I started worked for a company
making many computer stuffs from computer floppy, hard disc, to robot for
big oil companies. And I ain't dare to say I know more about computer than
anyone.

So, you should be as good as Mr. Bob Headrick and others.

Of course I am, at what I do for a living, and so are you, I'm sure. But
while it's quite possible to know a little about many things, and a lot
about a few things, it's next to impossible to know a lot about
everything. We all have our specialties. HP printers are one of Bob's.
It isn't one of mine, and comments you have made show that it isn't one
of yours, either. Therefore, his knowledge of HP printers is likely to
be much more extensive than mine or yours.

I never worked for HP, either. Except for a two-year stint with a
newly-minted engineering BS, working for the US Army at the request of
Richard Nixon, I have been self-employed as a farmer since the age of
12. While in the Army, my specific job involved operating several pieces
of HP equipment, including minicomputers, at a research facility. But I
wouldn't dream of citing my experience with 38-year-old technology as a
qualification for understanding modern inkjet printers.

BTW, it's possible to disagree with somebody and remain respectful of
that person. You should try it.

TJ
--
Life isn't fair. It's not meant to be.
Overcoming the disadvantages we face is what makes us strong.

Bob Headrick wrote:
The sponge provides some back pressure to keep the ink from dripping out
the bottom of the printhead. Without the sponge the ink will dribble
out, at best causing a mess and at worst damaging the printer and
perhaps your desktop. Ink delivery systems without sponges will have
some other design to keep the ink in the cartridge. Examples include the
spring bag system used in the #45 cartridges.

Thanks, Bob and EVERYONE, for all of your helpful and interesting
replies! I /would/ have asked how those refillable cartridges
manage without sponges, but that's already been asked and replied to
in here.

Adam

"TJ" wrote in message
...

FYI, I dare say that nobody that frequents this newsgroup knows more about
HP printers than Bob Headrick. Bob, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe
he retired from HP just a couple of years ago or so after many years
there.

Thanks for the kind words TJ. As it turns out I do happen to have extensive
experience in the operation of sponge type ink delivery systems, both in how
they work as well as the various ways they can fail. There are certainly
other forms of ink delivery systems that do not have sponges. The 21/22
cartridges do have sponges and indeed they *will* leak if the sponge is
removed and the space filled with ink. If the lid is sealed it may stop
leaking temporarily, but will leak again as the temperature increases (such
as during printing) or when the barometric pressure changes.

The discussion here (with its large percentage of misinformation) is one
example of why I do not frequent this newsgroup as much as in the past. I
the last couple years I have spent most of my volunteer support time in the
HP forums he
http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printer...es/ct-p/InkJet

For those with questions on HP printers the forums there may be a better
place to get good answers.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, MS MVP Printing/Imaging

On 07/27/2010 10:13 PM, Joel wrote:

So many things around you willingly to teach you but you don't
trust yourself enough to learn.

It's sad that lot of people don't spend little spare time to learn many
simple things happening right before our eyes.

It's also sad that there are people who assume another has little
confidence in himself in all things simply because he acknowledges that
someone else is likely to have superior knowledge in a specialized subject.

I'm done with this discussion. Feel free to spread any flames you may
have left. I shall not respond.

TJ
--
Life isn't fair. It's not meant to be.
Overcoming the disadvantages we face is what makes us strong.