Refilling black ink to a colored cartridge

[rm_dimns]

Since canon cartridges nowadays are not durable, I have come up to an idea by using the colored ink cartridges, refilling it with black ink since colored cartridge are more durable than black cartridge. What I did is that when I no longer appreciate the colored cartridge output, I refill it with black ink so that I can print black and no need to buy a black cartridge which gives me an advantage to save money.

My question is that is it safe to do that? Will it harm the printer? Can you give me a list of negative effects from what was on my mind? Particularly, I’m using Canon Pixma iP2770 printer. Hope nice comments would come up. Thank you.

 

[dac7nco]

Since canon cartridges nowadays are not durable, I have come up to an idea by using the colored ink cartridges, refilling it with black ink since colored cartridge are more durable than black cartridge. What I did is that when I no longer appreciate the colored cartridge output, I refill it with black ink so that I can print black and no need to buy a black cartridge which gives me an advantage to save money.

My question is that is it safe to do that? Will it harm the printer? Can you give me a list of negative effects from what was on my mind? Particularly, I’m using Canon Pixma iP2770 printer. Hope nice comments would come up. Thank you.

In WHAT environment do you have your printer where you're breaking cartridges? Empty color cartridges can't be refilled with black ink, and used to increase your black ink reserve. Your best bet is to buy recycled and refilled cartridges, which won't have a serial number your printer recognizes as being a previously used cartridge.

Daimon

Edit: Most inkjet printers in the last few years check to see if you're using an "expired" ink cart, meaning they reject refills. The solution is to buy someone ELSE'S refill, at places like computer recycling centers and print shops.

 

[rm_dimns]

Have you tried ip 2770 printer? I don’t know about serial numbers in cartridges which you have mentioned hehe. I think it doesn’t matter I really need a cartridge that would last a year or six months just like old printer cartridge (Pixma IP 1980). Once a black cartridge of IP 2770 starts printing with white lines, it stays like that forever until no black colors appear and you need to buy another one.

My idea works perfect refilling the 3 holes of color cartridge with black ink and setting my printer from my pc to use only color cartridge so that it uses only the color cartridge which has a black ink. After that I print some files (ofc text must be in cyan or magenta or yellow color) and the result is perfect. Black text appears and my printer prints only black not colored anymore. I don’t care if it doesn’t print color and in this case I prefer to buy another printer exclusive for colored printing (no black cartridge). I can save more money than buying expensive new black ink cartridge every 1 or 2-3 weeks

So here’s my question:
1. Is it safe to do that?
2. Will it harm the printer?
3. Can you share me your list of negative effects to the printer from my idea?
------
I can open my printer and clean its dirty little secret. I mean I can clean the foam inside it. Therefore cleaning is not a problem to me.

​

 

[Fardringle]

Besides that the cartridges simply are not designed for this, you're pushing black ink through the color ink heads, which means that when you switch back to color cartridges the ink heads may not product the correct colors (they'll be darker because they are mixed with black).

Also, since refilled cartridges from places like SwiftInk are very inexpensive and have tested/certified cartridges and better quality ink than you can get in the self-refill kits, I would never consider destroying my printer by using the wrong ink/cartridges.

 

[dac7nco]

I can open my printer and clean its dirty little secret
​

I have no bloody idea what you mean by this, but it sounds heinous.
Most inkjet printers will know if you're refilling your own carts, and what you want to do is a hilariously bad idea. You should simply buy refilled carts, which are a LOT cheaper than new ones.

Daimon

 

[rm_dimns]

To Fardringle:
Of course the color would be darker if you switch back or refill the cartridge with color ink again but like I said, I prefer to buy another printer, one exclusive for black ink (which I refilled) and one exclusive for colored ink. Also, printers now a day is very different from the past printers which make the places what you so called SwiftInk to start testing again new released cartridges and prove to people that their product would solve the durability issue of the cartridge. Can you give me instances on how my idea destroys the printer?

To dac7nco:
It’s not that bad and funny idea. It’s the only way to think of on how to avoid buying expensive brand new cartridge because no one is selling refilled cartridge or no ink cartridges on that kind of printer because of its cartridge durability issue. Therefore I came up to this idea. Can you give me instances on how my idea destroys my printer?

 

[Lemon law]

To rm dimms,

Using black ink in the place of color might hurt your printer if and only if you use black pigmented ink when your printhead is designed to use only a dye based ink for color. Actually the usual default arrangement.

Other wise, I fail to see what your idea gains you. After all you bought what amounts to a cheap disposable Canon with a tri-color color cartridge that will run of out ink at the speed of light. And a chipped printer on top of that. Once the chip decides the cartridge is empty, you can refill the cartridge util you are blue in the face, but the chip will still tell your printer the cartridge is empty and refuse to print.

 

[rm_dimns]

To Lemon Law:
It’s not pigment or dye ink using. My printer uses dye ink, I think. I don’t have problem with that, I know what kind of refilling ink I must buy. All I’m asking is to let me see what you can share about negative effects to my printer about my idea like for example (Printer will explode!). Yeah, just like that. Hehe.

If you want to know why I’m doing this kind of thing, umm, here is my reason.
First, the brand new cartridge of my printer is soooo expensive. I have made an observation: I bought the printer for 2100 with free new black and colored cartridge. After 1 or 2-3 weeks of refilling, black cartridge dies. So I bought a brand new cartridge for 900. Therefore it is better to buy brand new printer than buying a new cartridge every 1 or 2-3 weeks with a total cost of 900-2700per1or 2-3 weeks. Or use my way on refilling with a total cost of 4200(2 printers)+400(4 ink prizes)=4600 in first year. After that you only spend 1800 (2 new Cartridge)+400(4 ink prizes)=2200 for the next year.

Second, This printer is known in our city, in fact almost all of us here uses this printer but I can’t find a shop selling empty cartridges for this kind of printer. Maybe because they can’t reset the chip or do something about it to print nice quality output again.

Finally, I observed that its color cartridge is more durable. It would last for 6 months or 1-1.5 years. Wow, amazing. Therefore, I have come up to this idea: Refilling the tri color cartridge with black ink instead of buying or refilling black cartridge.

I just want to know all possible negative effects to the printer.

 

[BoomerD]

Why not simply buy an inexpensive monochrome laser printer? Refill your toner cartridges.

 

[rm_dimns]

yeah maybe. Nice idea. But i think toner is so expensive if not, then the laser bulb is expensive. and laser printer is not good in printing 1-2 rms. per day. It will go hot and untouchable like not like inkjet. I think so. -_-

But if laser is good than inkjet, its okay. But I'm using inkjet.

 

[Fardringle]

I already suggested one place to get inexpensive ink cartridges (SwiftInk). There are many places that sell cartridges just as good as the new manufacturer cartridges but for a LOT less money.

I'm not sure what you mean by "printing 1-2 rms." But if you mean printing a lot of pages every day, then laser printers are definitely better in every way. They are faster, cheaper, and easier to maintain. If you have a laser printer that is overheating, then it is either poorly designed or malfunctioning. A laser printer that is working properly will get hot around the drum roller (because that's the way they work) but not anywhere else on the printer and you shouldn't ever be touching the drum anyway.

Laser printers can cost more to buy at first, particularly for color laser printers, but they are almost always a lot easier and cheaper to use over time, especially if you print more than a few pages per day. On average, an inkjet printer costs as much as 15 to 50 cents (U.S. money) per page to print depending on if you use just black or color. A budget laser printer can be as cheap as 1 or 2 cents per page to print black and anywhere from 5 to 10 cents in color.

 

[corkyg]

"I'm not sure what you mean by "printing 1-2 rms." But if you mean printing a lot of pages every day, then laser printers are definitely better in every way.

I believe rms is his abbreviation for reams. A ream is 500 sheets.

 

[splat_ed]

I'm going to have to second the idea for a cheap laser printer. I bought a second-hand one (my company were upgrading all their printers so selling off the old ones to staff). The toner was apparently nearly empty according to IT dept.

However, I used it for about 3-4 years without ever needing a new toner, with my housemate printing lots off for his postgrad teaching course and me printing quite a bit for hobbies (rpgs mostly...)

A good laser will last you a long time. Yes the toner is expensive to replace with an official new one, but it will last you many (tens of)thousands of pages.

Most large companies will use these to print off their company reports (I've seen 200+ pages) so it will handle extended print runs. The paper will be warm to the touch towards the end hence the phrase "Hot of the press"

Michael

 

[BoomerD]

I got in on a "hot deal" posted here a few years ago for a networkable Canon AIO laser printer. Yes, the factory toner cartridges are about $80...but the aftermarket ones are half that...and refilling them is about $20-$25. <shrug>
(I think the cartridges are good for 2,000-2,500 pages)

I'm happy as hell with the print quality, love having a fax machine and copier, and other than the size, (it's a big mofo) it's great for my day-to-day uses.

 

[Lemon law]

To Rm dimns,

If you are interested in leaning to refill your own printers, the following site is a great place to learn.

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/

Its somewhat no accident that most photo printers and refillers tend to use Canon and Epsom printers. But high volume refillers would almost never use the intsie bitsie teeny weinie cartridges to be found in a ip2770. They will buy the 5 or more color Canon printers where text black has over 25ml or ink and the 4 or more colors will hold about 13 ml of ink of a pure color. In contrast your ip2770 has less than 10ml of text black ink and you have only about 3 ml each of the 3 colors. Since it takes as to refill a large cartridge as a small one, why bother refilling tiny cartridges?

In my case I refill such a large cartridge Canon, and it costs me about a 1/3 of a cent of black ink to print a standard page, and it probably costs you at least 30 times as much in an 1p2770.

Want to learn how to save money printing, its all in the link I just gave you. And the same place I learned how to. But at the time, one could still buy a non-chipped Canon and not have to fight the chips.

 

[rm_dimns]

To all who shared:
Okay. Thank you for your comments and suggestions. But you don&#8217;t get what I want.
All I want is:
TO KNOW THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS TO THE PRINTER WHEN REFILLING BLACK INK TO ITS TRI COLOR CARTRIDGE. Please give me lists of specific negative effect to the printer.

That&#8217;s all I want.

corkyg is correct rms. mean reams. Thank you to Lemon Law for giving me a link. But I guess it won&#8217;t help me : P

 

[Lemon law]

To all who shared:
Okay. Thank you for your comments and suggestions. But you don’t get what I want.
All I want is:
TO KNOW THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS TO THE PRINTER WHEN REFILLING BLACK INK TO ITS TRI COLOR CARTRIDGE. Please give me lists of specific negative effect to the printer.

That’s all I want.

corkyg is correct rms. mean reams. Thank you to Lemon Law for giving me a link. But I guess it won’t help me : P

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OK rm_dimns, I cannot conceive of a single negative effect except three. (1) Put the wrong color ink in a color cartridge and your color balance will be totally screwed up. (2) The ink in your Canon text black cartridge is a pigmented ink that can't be used for color printing which requires dye based ink instead. Yet the printhead nozzles used by color cartridges will clog up big time if fed pigmented ink. But wait, you are using some third party ink and you have no idea if its text black is pigmented or dye based, or matches the OEM specs of Canon ink or not. Yet you will feed a pig in the poke ink through your $60.00 replacement value printhead?????? (3) The Canon ip2770 and just about all other inkjet printers use a thermal electric method to vaporize tiny ink drops which deposit the ink onto paper. But if you over ride the chip and the ink stops feeding, when the electrodes fire, there is no ink to cool the printhead electrodes, and then once again, you burn out a $60.00 printhead beyond repair. At least its possible to unclog a Canon printhead, but over heat the printhead electrodes and the damage is unrepairable.

At least with HP foil printheads on the cartridges, when you buy a new cartridge you get a new printhead. But they are damn near impossible to refill and chipped also.

The link I gave you is not for the faint of heart, there is a big learning curve to go through if you want to save big bucks on ink jet printing. Now either gasp, read up and learn, or don't complain when you get ripped off by the ink jet industry.

 

[BoomerD]

To all who shared:
Okay. Thank you for your comments and suggestions. But you don’t get what I want.
All I want is:
TO KNOW THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS TO THE PRINTER WHEN REFILLING BLACK INK TO ITS TRI COLOR CARTRIDGE. Please give me lists of specific negative effect to the printer.

That’s all I want.

corkyg is correct rms. mean reams. Thank you to Lemon Law for giving me a link. But I guess it won’t help me : P

I'm not very familiar with your exact printer model, but I have 2 Pixma iP series printers...they both have chipped cartridges. If your does, you MAY have a problem with the printer recognizing the refilled cartridges.

Otherwise, I suspect the only negative effects you'll have on the printer will be the contamination of the print heads with the black ink. You'll probably never be able to print accurate colors with the printer again...but, you seem to be OK with that, so...

I DO NOT know if the black ink is compatible with the color print heads or not. You're taking your chances there. It MIGHT work OK, or it might just run right out...

 

[Lemon law]

The other thing to note rm dimns, if you are engaged in black text printing, your printer is basically programmed to not use your color cartridge at all. So what good does it do you to have a full color cartridge when your printer does not use it at all in printing text black?

 

[rm_dimns]

I have a question:
1) Print head is a part which belongs from the cartridge, correct? Is it not part of the printer? Print head are those small squares from the cartridge that will make the cartridge recognized by the printer when cartridge is inserted, correct? Sorry about this question. Hehe

2) If whatever the cartridge is no longer useful, then I should buy a brand new cartridge and then of course print head is also brand new right? Will this solve the problem?

3) Are there any possible technical/mechanical problems that will happen to my printer? (Except the cartridge)

4) I can open my printer and clean the area where the cartridge stays when it&#8217;s not printing using alcohol and let it dry and then pull out and clean the ink absorber with water and put it back when it&#8217;s dry. Is this helpful? Will this fix the ink contamination?


Thank you for the reply

 

[rm_dimns]

..I dont know how to delete this

 

[Fardringle]

The print head is the part of the printer where the ink moves out of the cartridge and is directed/sprayed in the proper pattern on the paper. In some printers, it's part of the ink cartridge. In your printer, it's a separate (expensive) part. If it gets clogged, which is likely when you use the wrong ink, it has to be replaced.

 

[BoomerD]

Canon printers usually have print heads that are separate from the ink cartridges. Not terribly difficult to replace, but not cheap either. Looking around the Canon website, I don't see replacement print heads available...so they may not be a consumer serviceable item on this printer...or you may just have to contact Canon for the parts.

 

[rm_dimns]

-_- Guess print head will be the problem. If I can only turn back the time, I would not buy this useless printer and stick to my old ip1980 which has more durable cartridge. Thank you.

 

[dac7nco]

The biggest danger is being made fun of on this forum like the guy who panicked after sneezing on his motherboard.