how many times can you refill toner cartridge?

[substance12]

i have 2 samsung ML 1740 refillable printers. I've refilled each a few times without issues. One of them is now not printing as well... even after I refill it. Does the cartridge need to be cleaned or conditioned or is it just going bad and I now need a new one?

 

[Zepper]

Depends on how well the cartridges are made. I'd expect most could be refilled at least a few times. Cartridges that also contain a drum should have the drum resurfaced or replaced every couple of refills. Some places that sell refilled cartridges do the resurfacing or replacing each time.

.bh.

 

[corkyg]

Professional refillers usually always replace the drum. Once that is done, it is good for 3 or 4 more refills.

 

[substance12]

which part is the drum? is it replaceable all the time? I just bought a replacement cartridge.

 

[corkyg]

The drum is an internal part of a cartidge that handles the disbursement of toner.

 

[Zepper]

There is a web site called How Stuff Works or similar that will show you how a laser printer works in pictures. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/laser-printer.htm

In inexpensive units, the cartridge contains the drum, so it is expected to be replaced with each new cartridge. On more expensive laser printers, the toner and drum can be replaced separately. You decide when to replace it based on the page count. Some makers claim a drum life of over 1 million pages - Kyocera Ecosys was one series as their toner contains a mild abrasive and polishes the drum during use.

.bh.