Struggling with leakage after the first cartridge refill! Don’t worry; you are not the only one here. There are lots of people who attempt to refill their ink cartridges but end up with multiple problems.
Technically, the Procedure for refilling cartridges is not the same for all printers. For example, you can’t refill your Canon ink cartridge following the HP ink cartridge procedure.
To make your job easier, we have developed a great instruction guide. We will show you how to refill canon ink cartridges without any leakage following this step-by-step guide. We also share some essential tips regarding this.
Refillable Ink Cartridges Canon
A ‘refillable ink cartridge’ is a must-have item to refill your ink cartridges. Some canon cartridges are extremely hard to refill. It’s because there is no hole available to refill the ink. So you have to create a hole on your own and use them.
This is not a great idea since these cartridges tend to leak easily. So better get a refillable cartridge when the main cartridge finishes. For a single cartridge, it will cost not more than $10. Depending on the quality, a double cartridge set will cost $18 to $25.
How Many Times Can You Refill a Canon Ink Cartridge?
You can refill your Canon ink cartridge as many times as you like. There is no specific condition for refilling the cartridge. You can keep refilling the cartridge until it gets damaged or broken.
Normally a canon cartridge can be refilled 5 to 7 times without any problem. However, from there on, it starts clogging up or gets damaged. But there are also some other printers where you can refill them more than 10 times. So basically, it depends on the type of printer.
Since we are talking about canon cartridges, we can expect 5 to 7 times refilling. However, knowing the cartridge category might lead to more accurate information.
What Tools Will you Need Here?
We will use basic and easily manageable tools for this operation. All of them can be found at your home if you search carefully.
- Paper/towel/tissue paper – Either it’s paper or towel. The color should be pure white. We will be using this to check the cartridge leak.
- Candle – A normal candle will be ok. The main purpose of this candle would be to heat the needle. Because with this heated needle, we will increase the plastic cartridge hole.
- Needle/Awl – A simple sewing needle will be enough to make a hole larger. Better get a small one rather larger. If you have an awl on your house, you could also use that.
- Syringe (total 4 pieces) – A total of 4 syringes will be needed. The size should be 2.5 ml. Frankly, it depends on the cartridge size. Anyway, if you have one syringe, that also will be ok.
- Plier – Try to get a needle nose plier or linesman plier; both will be ok for this job. We will hold the needle with the pliers while creating a hole in the cartridge.
- Screwdriver – It’s an optional tool. But if you want to get this tool, then better go for Reed and Prince screwdriver.
- Lighter – We will use a lighter to heat the needle.
How to Refill Canon Ink Cartridges?
Refilling Ink Cartridges is tricky, and the process would be lengthy. But once you learn the process correctly, you can do it very easily. People think the cartridge is unfillable, so they throw it when it gets empty. Never do this.
Here we will show you the easiest Procedure for refilling a cartridge. Following this simple guide, you will refill your ink cartridges canon has provided multiple times. You will surely be able to do it all yourself.
To describe the process, we are using a Canon MG series printer. It is because this model is the latest and it has all the features. If your printer is not from this series, don’t worry, the functions are almost identical for all Canon printers.
Part-1: Check Whether the Cartridges Are Empty or Not
Sometimes the printer gives us the wrong signal showing the cartridge is empty. But when you check it physically, you will see some ink is still in there.
It happens because when your ink is less than 80%, the machine can’t recognize it and keeps showing empty cartridge signals.
Step 1:
Before doing anything, just rerun your printer and print something in ‘color’ and ‘black & white mode. If a properly printed paper is out from the printer, it means the cartridge still has color. You don’t need to change anything.
If the paper doesn’t print appropriately means the color doesn’t look solid, then you can say the color is almost finished. In this case, uninstall the cartridge and check the amount of color. If it’s too little, then you can refill it.
Finally, if you see the printer send a full fresh paper without any sign of color, then the cartridge is finished. You better start refilling.
Step 2:
Now, Open up the front part of your printer to reach the cartridge. Some printers have this door in the back. When it opens, you can see the cartridge. Disconnect them from the cartridge board and check if there is still any color left or not.
Since it’s not transparent, you can’t see them, but you can understand by shaking them. If there is some color left, you will feel it. Otherwise, it will feel empty.
Part-2: Cartridge Refilling Procedure
Step 1: Take Out the Ink Cartridge
Using a screwdriver, open up the front part. You could see two ink cartridges, one is a color cartridge, and another is black & white. Our color cartridge code is 746s, and the black cartridge code is 745s.
You can also understand the color by seeing the cartridge sticker. The color label is attached to the sticker. If the number does not match yours, don’t worry; it is not that important.
Step 2: Unfasten the Stickers
Now gently detach the sticker from the cartridge, and leave it on the side. Try not to damage them because we will use that later.
After detaching the sticker, you could see three holes in the color cartridge. Three holes are placed in three different palaces. You will see only one hole in the middle in the black cartridge.
Step 3: Make the Holes Clear and Bigger
You have to pour the ink through these holes. But unfortunately, the holes are very narrow, and without making them larger, you can’t use them.
To make them larger, we can use a needle. But before that, we need to heat the needle a bit. So quickly light the candle, hold your needle with the pliers, and place them on fire for 40 to 60 seconds.
Now with that heated needle, put it into the hole. If it’s not entering, then reheat the needle and try again. Keep doing this until the hole gets clear. However, don’t make the hole much bigger. Otherwise, the ink will leak out and fall off.
Remember that our job is to put the syringe through the hole and pour ink. So when you feel the hole is good enough to get a syringe, stop doing the needling.
Step 4: Prepare Your Ink
Now, get all the refill color packs. We are using 4 needles because we are about to pour four inks—generally, three for the color cartridge and one for the black cartridge.
Color cartridges contain magenta, cyan, and yellow, while black ink contains black ink. Suppose your printer is just black and white. Then don’t worry about the other colors.
Now load each syringe with different ink; better use a 2.5 ml syringe if your cartridge is 3ml. If you try to pour a 3ml cartridge with 3ml ink, the cartridge will overload.
Step 5: Inject the Ink into the Cartridge
Get a white paper or a towel and place it under the cartridge. The reason is if the cartridge gets overloaded and leaks, the white paper will be colorful. Then we will understand it leaks.
Pour all the cartridges one by one and check whether it’s leaked or not. If the cartridge is not leaked, then it is ready. If any of those leaked and ink is falling, it’s not good to go.
Allow the excess ink to dry for a couple of minutes. Then clean it with towel paper.
Step 6: Put the Sticker On
Cartridges are almost ready to install. Now put the sticker on again. Otherwise, the ink will come from the hole. If your stickers get damaged, then you could use masking tape.
But when using masking tape, make sure you label them clearly. The label will help you to recognize the cartridge on your next refilling.
Step 7: Finish Your Job
Install them on the cartridge board without touching the copper sensor. Make sure the cable is connecting perfectly with the cartridge. Finally, shut down the front of the printer. Installation is finished.
Congratulations! You have successfully refilled your Canon ink cartridges. But it’s not finished yet.
The printer’s empty signal won’t remove because once the cartridge is finished, the canon system counts it empty, and even though you refilled it, the system always thinks it’s blank. So it keeps showing the empty signal. So don’t worry about that.
Part-3: Run Your Printer And Check Whether It’s properly Refilled or Not.
Again don’t worry about the signal light; it doesn’t mean anything now. Place some white paper and run your printer. We are pretty sure proper printed paper will come out from the machine.
But if something else happens, gently reconnect your cartridge once again. I hope now it will work properly.
Is It Worth It To Refill an Ink Cartridge?
If you think saving more than 60% is a big deal, then yes, refilling a cartridge is worth it. Most people ignore it because they think refilling is a professional job. Surprisingly anyone can refill their cartridge multiple times by following these simple steps.
If you can refill the cartridge more than 5 times, you could save up to $125. Usually, a set of ink cartridges cost $54 to $70. But you can get a refill pack for $20 to 25. So do your math.
What If You Use Other Brands’ Inks in a Canon Printer?
Honestly, that won’t be a problem. Many people use other brands’ ink in Canon printers, and it’s running well.
Two things you always keep in mind. Firstly, never use cheap ink in your cartridge. It will dry extremely fast and clog the cartridge hole. Always use branded color while refilling.
Secondly, know the color types. If your cartridge is good for pigment-based color, use pigment-based branded color.
Final Word
I hope you understand refilling canon ink cartridges is not professional work. Anyone can do it with the right tools and proper instructions. The only thing you need is patience. Otherwise, the Procedure will be very long for you.
Well, we divide the process into three simple parts. In the first part, you have to check whether the cartridge is empty or not. In our second part, we have described how to refill canon ink cartridges in a few simple steps.
Ultimately, the final part will reveal whether it is ready for use or not—best of luck.