logajan@ns.network.com (John Logajan) (03/12/90)
More on re-filling HP DeskJet ink cartridges. There was some worry mentioned a while back about re-filled ink clogging up the little plastic (sort of rubbery) hose. The hose travels from the little coupling down through a sort of artificial-heart pump (where the hose is formed in a semi-circle and a little wheel rotary pinches the hose on its way around the semi-circle) and into the base of the unit where a 4x4 inch hunk of ink blotter paper sits to collect anything. Apparently the hose is there for two reasons. When the machine is off or idle, any ink "siphoning" will get directed into the blotter. And, secondly, when you push the prime button, the little heart pump is engaged and a bunch of ink is sucked out of the cartridge. Which leads me to this first observation: DO NOT PRESS THE PRIMING BUTTON UNLESS YOU ACTUALLY FEEL IT IS NECESSARY -- you are just throwing away ink, and unless you re-fill your own cartridges, you are throwing away big money. On power-up the cartridge moves about two inches from its resting place and does a different (electrical) kind of prime. It shoots some ink into a little "L" shaped groove. You can see the grove, and probably some dried ink, which you can clean if you are so motivated. So, the hose should not get ink in it unless you press the priming button. If you do, or if you just like to clean things, or you are worried about your re-filled ink clogging the hose, do the following. With the same hypodermic needle you used for refilling the ink cartridge, slowly squirt some water into the little "resting/priming" coupler. The water may sit there for a few seconds/minutes but it will slowly find its way down the hose. As the water level drops in the coupler, you may want to keep adding more, oh say, up to 1/4 cc. This should wash out the hose and get rid of any residue ink. If the process seems stalled, you may want to remove the ink cartridge, power up the unit, and press the priming button. This should help draw the water through the hose. If your water DOESN'T go down the hose, then you have a clogged hose -- however, I don't consider this a likely event, and if you "wash" your hose once in a while and you don't use the priming button, it should never happen. -- - John Logajan @ Network Systems; 7600 Boone Ave; Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 - logajan@ns.network.com, john@logajan.mn.org, 612-424-4888, Fax 424-2853
logajan@ns.network.com (John Logajan) (03/12/90)
>With the same hypodermic needle you used for refilling the ink cartridge, >slowly squirt some water into the little "resting/priming" coupler. The >water may sit there for a few seconds/minutes but it will slowly find its >way down the hose. As the water level drops in the coupler, you may want >to keep adding more, oh say, up to 1/4 cc. This should wash out the hose >and get rid of any residue ink. By the way, does anybody know what the "short life ink cartridge fix kit" is? I mean, what is it EXACTLY? Is the ink actually sucked out of a "short life" cartridge, or is the ink still there but not getting down to the head? -- - John Logajan @ Network Systems; 7600 Boone Ave; Brooklyn Park, MN 55428 - logajan@ns.network.com, john@logajan.mn.org, 612-424-4888, Fax 424-2853