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Refilling, is all ink basically the same?

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24K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  jp1203  
#1 ·
I used to read on a printer ink refilling forum (no longer there) about people who refill cartridges as a business buying ink by the gallon or barrel. They didn't buy separate ink for each brand and model. Someone once told me the main difference, when they sell refilling ink and kits, is the directions that come with them.

My question, can I use refilling ink from one model Canon printer (same series different model) to refill the ink tanks in another?

I had a Canon Pixma IP4200 printer. I bought this not realizing it only uses Canon ink tanks (has a computer chip on them) which are $12.99+plus shipping each, you can't use generic ones that might be $3.99 each, or refilling them. or, getting the chip off and attaching it to the generic tanks. I refilled them (messy) but buying the new Canon ones each time was way too expensive for me.

Now I have a Canon Pixma IP6000D printer. I made sure it has ink tanks without a chip, I've already found several sources of low priced (compatable) ink cartridges to buy for it.

Due to finances I can't buy these right now and the low ink indicator is showing on the new printer, for the black ink.

I have new refill ink I bought for the Canon ip4200 can I refill the Canon ip6000D with this ink, at leat for now, while waiting to buy more cartridges?

I know the new printer has "photo magenta" and "photo cyan" the previous one didn't have, which are apparently different than the regular colors, which it also has, but all I mainly need to refill right now is black.

I don't want to do anything to mess up my new printer, like if each model really does have different kind or mixture of ink? like Canon 4200 cartridges woud have ink different than 6000D? Maybe the refillers who buy ink in the jug or gallon get some kind that is universally used by all printers.

Thanks,
Carrie
 
K
#2 ·
First just consider how the ink jets get "propelled" on to the paper.

In Epson printers they use piezo devices which actually "pump" microscopic droplets, but in most others they use thermal micro-heaters that heat the ink making it expand and therefore expel through the print head.

Now if you are refilling, there are a few critical issues. One is that the ink should be compatable with the ink jet print head (as one that erodes or blocks it will often see the economic life of the printer being very short)

The other is the thermal viscosity, which each ink maker will optimise to best suit the heating used in their printer model.

Then there is the need to get the critical pressure (vacuum) in the refilled cartridge.

Hence "generic ink" may be less than optimum. It certainly will differ I believe.

I gave up refilling years ago, as the resulting quality was just not good enough. If most of your printing is B/W, use a low cost laser.

This is one area where HP have an advantage as if you stuff it up, buying a new ink cartridge fixes it as the printer head is part of the cartridge.
 
#4 ·
Howdy

I will only say this...

If you are looking for dependable and duplicatable, quality prints...don't dink around with refills or off brand paper... To get "quality" results .... the paper, ink and printer "must" be matched and calibrated for there to be any kind of reliable results...period....

Focus on the word "quality"

buck
 
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#5 ·
buck52 said:
Howdy

I will only say this...

If you are looking for dependable and duplicatable, quality prints...don't dink around with refills or off brand paper... To get "quality" results .... the paper, ink and printer "must" be matched and calibrated for there to be any kind of reliable results...period....

Focus on the word "quality"

buck
Click to expand...
Absolutely correct.
You really do get what you pay for.
 
#6 ·
buck52 said:
Howdy

I will only say this...

If you are looking for dependable and duplicatable, quality prints...don't dink around with refills or off brand paper... To get "quality" results .... the paper, ink and printer "must" be matched and calibrated for there to be any kind of reliable results...period....

Focus on the word "quality"

buck
Click to expand...
I don't generally run the inkjet, they're just too expensive to keep up supplies for.

I will say that I would never refill the inks on my Canon S9000. That is one awesome printer-the photos out of it look lab quality and are most certainly frame worthy. This printer is extremely nitpicky when it comes to papers. It despises Kodak and Epson papers, for instance. If I try to print on them I get junk for quality. Seems only paper it likes is Canon and Dell paper.

We did try refilling an old Lexmark Z52, it didn't like that too much. I believe that may well be what put that printer to a quick death!
 
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