We are all aware that ink cartridges don’t come cheaply. This is one of the biggest surprises of the printing industy, when you get a great deal on a super printer and then get your first look at how much the ink cartridges are going to cost! Thankfully, you now have the option of buying refilled cartridges, which were empty and turned in, then refilled and sold at a discount. These cartridges are less expensive than the brand name version, but work exactly the same way. Even then, you need to ensure that you care for your ink cartridges to the point where you’ve maximized their lifespan.
Generally, people don’t realize that ink cartridges have to be treated well to continue performing at maximum potential. They may believe the best way to use an ink cartridge to try to print with it until it’s totally bone dry. This is true, but if you follow a few easy steps, you’ll be able to get more ink out of the cartridge. To start, you need to ensure that your hands never come into contact with the copper plate on the ink cartridge’s head. The copper plates will come with a plastic covering over them to protect them from static electricity, which could damage the ink cartridge head. This will ruin your cartridge for sure.
Another tip to follow is to keep a wary eye on the papers that print out. You’ll know it’s time to clean the ink cartridge head if you start to get blurry prints with points and lines on them. Generally, printers will have a cleaning function for fixing just this problem. Run the cartridge through the cleaning option and see if the blurriness has disappeared. It may take two or three cleanings to get it entirely cleared off.
One reservoir of ink will likely run out before the others when you use a tricolor cartridge. This is an indication that your ink cartridge is running low on ink supplies. You’ll easily be able to tell when this happens because the prints will still come out but their colors will be off or seem too bright or too dark. Don’t continue to use the cartridge after a line has run out. It’s also crucial that you never let an ink cartridge run totally out of ink. It’s tempting to do so, as you may think that you’ll squeeze a little more ink out of the cartridge, but it’s definitely not recommended. The circuit head of the printer cartridge can burn if it continues to print when there is no ink, and this can cause overheating and serious damage in your printer.
Make sure that you read the instructions on your ink cartridges, as they all have special instructions, and make sure that you never leave it in a vehicle where it can overheat, as the ink expands and can then leak. If you treat your ink cartridge properly, you’ll see that it’ll probably print longer for you.
For more great information about printer cartridges, ink cartridges, and the technology that goes into using and working with them, check out the Ink Cartridge Blog. It’s full of good information about technology and printer news, like ink refills for printers.
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