How to refill a laser cartridge. How to refill an inkjet printer yourself

Manufacturers of office equipment strongly recommend purchasing a new printing unit when the old one runs out of toner. But high prices original products leave users wondering: can HP cartridges be refilled? Definitely yes. But to maintain print quality, it is important to strictly follow the rules, which we will talk about later.

Refilling methods

You can choose one of two options:

• the cheapest is to refuel yourself;
• It’s a little more expensive to contact a company that professionally provides this service.

Toner for HP cartridges

The ink powder has the greatest impact on print quality. Hewlett Packard's expensive original polymer toner is chemically synthesized. It has a finely dispersed structure and an even spherical shape of microscopically small particles.

Looking for more available options You can buy compatible powder for HP printers, which are produced by AHK, IPM, Integral, Kaleidochrome, Katun, MK Imaging, TTI, WWM. TM Static Control has proven itself well.

When deciding which toner to refill HP cartridges with, be sure to read reviews about it on specialized forums. In addition to compatible ones, you can come across cheap but low-quality counterfeit powders from unknown manufacturers on the market. They are made by crushing, the particles have an irregular shape and can scratch the sensitive layer of the photo roll. As a result, printing defects occur and ink consumption increases due to powder spillage from the hopper.

How to refill an HP cartridge yourself

It is impossible to write a single instruction for refueling, since the models are not interchangeable: despite the external similarity, the design is significantly different. Hewlett Packard constantly changes the types of chips, the shape of the side covers (seats), the location of fasteners and technological holes. We will look at the main steps you need to go through when refueling any model.

• Unscrew the screws that hold the sides in place and remove both side pieces.
• The result was two blocks: a paint hopper and a photodrum.

Attention! For many models, the drum does not have a protective cover and is supported only by the sides, so when disassembling it must be held so as not to damage it.

• Remove the photo roller, primary charge roller, cleaning blade (squeegee) and remove any remaining paint from the waste hopper using a vacuum cleaner. If there is none, simply shake out the contents of the container. Clean the squeegee from dirt. If its edge is deformed, install a new blade and sprinkle the edge with a thin layer of toner or special starting powder. Wipe the photo roller and charge shaft with isopropyl alcohol using a lint-free cloth (NeverTab series PCR rollers cannot be wiped). Inspect the photo roll: its surface should be perfectly smooth, without chips, scratches or abrasions. If there are defects, the photo roll needs to be replaced. Lubricate the side shaft holders with fresh conductive grease. Place the cleaned parts in their places and assemble the compartment, securing the photodrum with the side covers.
• Now you need to disassemble the hopper with the coloring powder. Remove contact group(usually it is mounted on a white plate). To do this, unscrew the bar on which the contacts are attached and remove it. Remove the Developer Roller (transfer roller) and dispensing blade.
• Clean the hopper thoroughly to remove any remaining toner. It is ideal to use a vacuum cleaner for this, but be careful not to damage the foam dispenser roller. If there are any defects on it, replace the roller.

The easiest way to clean the hopper is to remove the dosing blade. However, it is difficult to put back on and will require careful adjustment to the correct position, so it can be cleaned without removing the blade. But in this case, removing the remaining powder will take longer.

• Refill with new toner and install the dispensing blade if you removed it. It is important to do this correctly, because the distribution of the powder on the surface of the photo roll depends on the position of the part. If the blade is too high, it does not press well against the photosensitive layer and a colored or black background appears. If the blade is too low, not enough ink reaches the roller and your prints will appear faded. Ideally for correct installation you need to use a special probe: the blade is attached with screws, the probe is placed under it and fixed in the correct position.
• Reinstall the transfer shaft and contact strip, which should also be rubbed with conductive lubricant.
• Rotate the transfer roller to ensure that the toner evenly covers its surface. If this is not the case, the metering blade is not installed correctly.
• Connect the halves of the cartridge so that the spring on one part coincides with the protrusion on the other, screw the side parts.
• Remove the old chip and replace it with a new one, securely fixing it to the case.

Refueling at home: risks and dangers

Chemical toner contains substances harmful to humans, although in minimal doses. It is impossible to get poisoned by them. But, nevertheless, some facts are alarming:

• old laser cartridges should not be thrown into household waste, there are special programs their disposal;
• manufacturers compatible toners They do not produce self-refill kits “for dummies”, as is done for inkjet cartridges.

Why? The danger lies in the small size of the particles of the coloring powder. They are ten times smaller than ordinary dust particles, so they settle imperceptibly on the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose, easily penetrate the human body and remain on the surface of the lungs, entering the blood. Due to their microscopic size, the body does not recognize them as a foreign body and does not fight these dangerous substances (benzene, dibutyl, tributyl, organotin compounds, etc.) In Europe, more than a dozen diseases, including cancer, are officially confirmed, the causes of which are ingestion of toner into the body. The first symptoms: headache, fever, cough, and allergic reactions.

Here are a few rules on how to refill an HP cartridge with less risk of harming yourself and others.

• Close windows and doors to prevent air movement. It is a dangerous misconception that you need to work with ink for laser printers in a well-ventilated area! A draft carries particles throughout the room, they are guaranteed to enter the body.
• Pour the powder very carefully, slowly. Use special watering cans. A respirator will not help; it is not designed for such small particles.
• If toner does spill onto your skin or clothing, wash it off big amount cold water. It is impossible to collect it with a regular vacuum cleaner; it will only scatter around the room. A vacuum cleaner with a water filter or special disposable bags for a HEPA class household vacuum cleaner (from H-10 to H-14) can help.

Professional refilling of Hewlett Packard cartridges

Probably, 1-2% of users enjoy the process of assembling and disassembling: they need to satisfy the thirst for knowledge “what’s inside?” But if you're not ready to turn your home into... service center with all the necessary tools, and all you care about is the result: a stable printer without much effort - choose professional HP cartridge refills.

A cartridge is a complex mechanism consisting of dozens of small parts. Due to inexperience, if you damage or install one of them incorrectly, you will ruin an expensive printing block or deteriorate the print quality. When you decide to refill an HP printer cartridge yourself, it is important not to miss a single detail. So, if you forget to sprinkle the squeegee with toner, you risk damaging the blade and photo roller. Without lubricating the parts with lubricant or wiping them with acetone, you will get pale print with defects.

Specialized companies have equipment that is not profitable to buy for home refueling. A vacuum cleaner completely removes old toner residues. It is difficult to achieve perfect cleanliness by simply shaking it out of the hopper, and caked lumps of old powder can lead to defects during printing. As already mentioned, it is difficult to install the metering blade without a special feeler gauge.

Inkjet printer ink is one of the most expensive supplies needed to keep your home office running. You, like any beginning photographer, create hundreds of beautiful photographs, copy them to your computer and print them. It is a very sad situation when the printer runs out of ink. In this case, you have two options:

• Buy new cartridges;
• Refill the cartridges.

By following our instructions, you can save a significant amount of money on new cartridges for your device, namely on the purchase of cartridges. Refilling the cartridge yourself is many times cheaper than buying a new one.

1 The first step is to purchase a set of color inks. Ink can be purchased at your local store or ordered online.

2 Organize your workplace. Prepare a roll of paper towels and some wide tape.

3 Open the printer and remove the cartridge from the printer. While you are working with the cartridge, close the printer to prevent dust from getting on the exposed parts.

4 Wear gloves when handling ink and cartridges. They will not allow you to stain your hands with ink, which is very difficult to wash off from your skin.

5 Tear the required amount from the paper towel and fold it in two. Working on a paper towel will keep ink off your desk. Which, as we already know, are very difficult to wash.

6 Place the empty cartridge on a previously prepared towel.

7 Carefully read the instructions that come with the refill kit. From it you will learn how to properly refill your particular type of cartridge. Below is general instructions for refilling ink cartridges.

8 Remove the sticker from the cartridge and locate the ink holes. Different cartridges may have several holes, but only one leads to the ink reservoir, see which one in the instructions.

9 To uncork the ink reservoir, use a toothpick or needle. Pierce the protective layer and you will have access to the tank.

10 When refilling a color cartridge, be careful to fill the correct ink into the correct reservoir. Color cartridges use three colors of ink:

• Magenta ink;
• Yellow ink;
• Turquoise ink.

To determine the color in the reservoir, dip a toothpick into it. After which you will know exactly which color and where to fill it.

11 Fill a disposable syringe with ink from a can, the required amount of ink individually for each type of cartridge (see the instructions). Also, make sure that foam forms in the syringe and that there is no air - this can damage the cartridge.

12 Insert the syringe needle into the required hole, about 1 centimeter, and slowly inject the ink. Be careful not to overfill the tank.

13 After injecting the ink, remove the syringe needle. If you have poured more ink than necessary, carefully blot the excess with a napkin.

14 Clean the ink cartridge contacts with a paper towel.

15 After cleaning the cartridge, seal the openings of the reservoirs with pre-prepared tape.
Blot the cartridge nozzles again with a paper towel until you are sure that the ink has stopped leaking.

16 Place the refilled cartridges back into the printer.

17 Close the printer cover. Then from the printer settings menu on the computer. Start printing a test page.
If the printed sheet does not contain any blemishes and displays all colors efficiently, this means that the process of refilling the cartridge was carried out at the highest level.

What you need to refill ink cartridges:

• Ink cartridges;
• Refill kit;
• Roll of paper towels;
• Narrow tape;
• Toothpicks;
• A pair of disposable gloves.

Cartridge for laser printer usually ends at the most inopportune moment - you urgently need to print a document, and there is no money for a new cartridge (and new cartridges are very expensive, often half the cost of the printer). In this case, you should try to refill the cartridge - refilling Kolomenskaya metro cartridges. It will cost several times less, because you will only need to buy ink.

How to determine whether a laser printer needs to be refilled?

To determine what laser cartridge needs refilling, see if it appears when printing white vertical stripe on paper. If it is there, it means that the toner has run out and the cartridge really needs to be refilled. If you urgently need to print a few more sheets, you can use this technique - remove the cartridge from the printer and shake it thoroughly. Replace the cartridge. Print quality will improve slightly. This technique can be used several times, but remember that the cartridge needs to be refilled quickly.

Many laser cartridges have a chip installed that counts the amount of ink used. Even after refilling, it will show that the toner is empty and remind you of this all the time. If you can ignore this when working, then you don’t need to do anything. But if it bothers you, you need to reset counter or replace the chip if reset is not possible.

Toner selection

When purchasing toner, try to do it in specialized supplies stores. Buy exactly the toner that matches your laser cartridge. If there is a choice of toner of the same capacity, but different manufacturers, buy the one that is more expensive. This way you have more guarantees that it will be of high quality and the printing will be better.

Problems that may arise when refilling cartridges

The most common problem is that the toner is a black fine powder, which, with the slightest carelessness, ends up scattered throughout the work area. Therefore, be careful when refilling the laser printer. If this is your first time, cover the table with old newspapers and wear clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Take things slowly. Carefully disassemble and reassemble the laser printer cartridge. Its service life depends on this.

How to refill a laser printer cartridge at home (general recommendations):

1. Try not to touch the working parts of the cartridge with your hands, namely: the photodrum, rubber shaft, magnetic shaft, squeegee, and so on.
2. Hold the cartridge by the body only. If you do touch something, wipe the area with a dry, soft and clean cloth.
3. Pour in the toner carefully, in small portions, preferably through some kind of funnel (it can even be made from a sheet of paper).

Algorithm: how to refill a color laser printer

You will need:

• Toner powder
• Paper towels or newspapers
• Rubber gloves (highly recommended)
• Smart chip (replacement if necessary)

1. Successfully refilling a laser printer cartridge begins with toner selection. Indeed, in terms of their physical and chemical properties, toners from different manufacturers are far from the same: they can have small or large particles, lighter or heavier weight, and even different components in their composition. Very often, users do not pay attention to this, but the use of toner with unsuitable characteristics affects both the print quality and the condition of the printer.

Decide where you will refuel, and cover the table or floor with clean newspapers(it is easier to collect accidentally spilled toner from them). Use thin housekeeping gloves to protect your hands from unwanted exposure to the powder.

3. Inspect the cartridge: it has a reservoir where the toner is poured. If there is a hole in the tank, you may need to remove the plug. You may need to make the hole yourself - this is made using tools sold in threading kits. Such a set must be accompanied by instructions with detailed instructions on how to burn it. After completing the work, the hole is sealed with foil.

1. There are containers with toner closed with a so-called “nosed” lid. In this case, the “spout” is inserted into the filling hole, and the container is gently squeezed - this way, the toner will gradually fall out. Toner is poured from a container without a spout through a funnel (you can twist a paper one). As a rule, one filling uses the entire contents of the container, so don’t be afraid to overdo it.

Now it remains close the filling hole. For this, as already mentioned, foil is suitable (the instructions clearly state how it is glued). And if you took the plug out of the hole, you just need to press it back.

Refilled cartridge needed shake a little, this will distribute the toner throughout the entire tank. After this, the cartridge is ready for use.

True, the printer may not “recognize” such a cartridge, since it happens that the chip blocks it from working. Therefore, it will be necessary to remove the cartridge again and replace its chip with a new one (zero the chip) - usually it is also included in the standard refill kit.

As you can see, refill laser printer cartridge– it’s easier than steamed turnips!

How to refill a printer video

How to refill a cartridge yourself? I personally have asked myself this question more than once, since the printer has long been a part of my life.

And everything always happens something like this: a person buys a printer, uses it for some time, and is very satisfied. But soon his cartridge naturally runs out.

And it ends much earlier than a person expected. But you just bought a cartridge?

But the fact is that when you buy a printer, a DEMONSTRATION cartridge is inserted into it, which has a small resource. And now a person faces a simple question: Is it possible to refill the cartridge at home yourself? or buy a new one?

Of course, you can buy a cartridge, but it often costs MORE than the printer itself. (There is really a good option: buy laser cartridge or ink cartridge in China, it will be much cheaper)

And this is done on purpose, since without a cartridge the printer is dead. It is noteworthy that HP derives its main revenue from the sale of cartridges, since their cost, compared to store prices, is very low. AND The revenue is almost 1000%!

It is worth immediately understanding that refill the cartridge yourself at home not always simple and depends on the type of printer and specific model cartridge. Here are some recommendations for refilling the cartridge at home.

1. How to refill an inkjet printer cartridge yourself?

The most common printer is still jet printer, since at a low cost, it allows you to print color photographs.

When a person goes to the store, he often buys into the low-cost trick, and only then finds out that the cartridges for this “cheap” printer will cost him VERY expensive!

And of course, a person immediately begins to think about how he will then refill the cartridge? And it's easy to do.

The first thing you need is to buy GOOD ink for your cartridge. ( buy paint cheap again, you can do it in China) If you buy bad paint, the photos will be terrible.

Another disadvantage of bad ink is that it will dry out quickly and the cartridge will periodically fail to print images. Blowing out the cartridge will result in almost a third of the cartridge being spent on blowing out! In addition, it is worth remembering a simple but important truth:

Cartridge manufacturers NEVER produce ink or even refill kits for their cartridges!

But now you’ve bought ink, how can you refill the cartridge now? Everything is done simply: fill the syringe, look for a hole on the upper end of the cartridge under the sticker through which the air comes out. It is very small, but the syringe needle fits just right.

You can tear off the entire sticker, but then be sure to stick it back, since there is a whole labyrinth for bleeding air. If you simply leave a hole, the ink will randomly flow through the cartridge nozzle.

Or you can simply drill the cartridge with a thin drill and fill it, and seal the hole with plasticine, or simply with chewing gum. Everything seems simple, but the disadvantage of inkjet cartridges is that if it really dries out, then such repairs of the cartridges are very difficult.

You can, of course, try to soak it in distilled water with a small addition of ammonia, but this does not always help. A short video about how to restore and refill a cartridge yourself.

Another good option is this. (I advise buy CNC in China , it will be much cheaper!)

This device is very useful for those who print a lot, such as photographers. I myself have installed such systems on several printers, and I can say that they performed well.

An inkjet printer is certainly good, but they have been replaced by laser printers. And even color laser printers are affordable for many today.

2. How to refill a laser printer cartridge yourself?

I would like to note right away that the powder used to fill laser printers is VERY harmful! But this, of course, does not mean that refilling one cartridge per year will undermine your health. Just take basic precautions when refilling and refill the cartridge in a well-ventilated area.

Remember: Even an army gas mask does not retain the toner from the cartridge, so all dust masks are simply USELESS!

If I scared you and you don’t want to risk your health, then it’s better to take the cartridge to a special company where they can refill the cartridge in 15 minutes. For example, you can follow the link and see prices for such services.

If you were not afraid, and still decided to refill the cartridge yourself, then buy toner here and place the newspaper on the floor or table. Refilling a laser printer cartridge is very simple if you guess the model correctly.

The fact is that some cartridges have a plug through which toner is simply poured. To get to the plug, you need to remove one of the side covers of the cartridge, after unscrewing a couple of screws.

This completes the cartridge refilling. If there is no such plug, then you will have to disassemble the cartridge almost completely and pour toner into the slot. What's the conclusion? Before buying a laser printer, find out about the structure of its cartridge - does it have a cork?

Another difficulty when refilling a laser cartridge can be the CHIP. Therefore, it is also better to find out right away whether it is even possible to refill this cartridge at home without unlocking the CHIP?

Well, to make it more clear, here is a video on refilling the cartridge. Your cartridge may have a slightly different design, but the principles remain the same.

It is also worth noting that if you buy a color laser printer, you will need to refill 4 cartridges, and this may not be cheap, and the required color toner may not be on sale.

Here are the ways you can refill the cartridge yourself for inkjet and laser printers. If you know any other subtleties, please write about them in the comments.

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13 comments

13 comments to the article “How to refill a cartridge yourself?”

About the laser cartridge. In addition to refilling with toner, it must be cleaned of waste toner; it has a special container for this. If this is not done, it will quickly fill up (and with non-original toner very quickly) and the result will be a damaged cartridge, and then the printer.

Agree. But as a rule, this is not relevant for the first refills. But when you refuel more than once, then yes. But I noticed that many people don’t care so much about quality, as long as the text is visible, since they just print drafts.

hmm, not so difficult.

It’s not very difficult, the main thing here is CARE, as you can easily mess everything up :) And besides, the powder is harmful, it’s better not to breathe.

It's not the printer, it's the cartridge. Some cartridges have a cap and some don't. full analysis you can't refuel. The best option- go to the gas station and ask the guys which models are best. They are constantly changing and it is difficult to keep track.

I have a Samsung ML 1660 with just such a plug, but I bought it 4 years ago, such a model is unlikely to be still on sale.

Hi all. Progress in the field of resuscitation of inkjet cartridges is rather weak. Wait for a message about the start of production of a trial batch of "Resuscitator Solution". It works almost instantly. Compatible with water-soluble and pigment inks. You turn the cartridge over, apply 2-3 drops of resuscitator to the working area, after 2-5 minutes the cartridge is ready for use. In particularly difficult cases, the shutter speed can be increased. The solution does not affect plastic and metal surfaces of the cartridge. About 10 years ago, this miracle product could be bought via the Internet; it was a purely Russian development, I see that it is still relevant.
I liked the video report from the intensive care unit, the filming was just great!!! I wonder if microscopic photography is possible so that you can see how intensively the cartridge nozzles are cleaned. Under decent magnification it's impressive.

Thank you very much, I liked your advice and found it useful, but it’s really bad that refilling of newer cartridges is not described. For example, HP 650 cartridges as in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jossDP4xI1A

Thanks for the material. Very helpful. I work as a cartridge refiller in Krasnodar; for those who can’t refill it themselves, I can refill it if necessary...

The financial costs do not end with the purchase of a printer. As sad as it may be, the truth of this statement cannot be disputed. Through certain time The ink cartridge is running low. The commonplace statement that nothing lasts forever under the sun becomes an obvious fact in the form of the technical imperfection of a particular device. At such moments, a practical user thinks about how to refill an HP cartridge. Because I am convinced that this is the most effective way protect yourself from unjustified expenses for expensive Consumables. As you understand, the article is dedicated specifically to printing devices of the American brand Hewlett-Packard, whose logo is often associated with the term “usability,” which you can see for yourself by putting into practice the tips and recommendations from the material presented.

How to refill an HP cartridge correctly: step-by-step instructions

It's no secret that users often approach the troubleshooting process unprepared. That is, having only superficial information about what needs to be done, and having no idea at all what wrong actions can lead to. At the same time, a trip to a specialized store for a new cartridge could easily be avoided.

Step No. 1. Wise diagnosis

Before you worry about running out of ink or start experimenting to figure out how to refill an HP cartridge, use software printer, perform a number of actions.

• Make sure that the printing device (PU) “sees” the cartridges as a correctly installed component.
• What ink level is detected by the printer?

If the cartridge has sufficient ink volume, but the diagnostic page prints blank, proceed to the next step.

Step #2: Clean the nozzles

• Using the printer software, access Device Services.
• Activate the “Clean Cartridges” process.

As a rule, the last point has a three-step execution scenario. Therefore, carry out a full cleaning cycle. If the described actions do not have a beneficial effect or the detected ink level is critical, the HP cartridge must be refilled.

Step No. 3. Preparing the tool

In order to properly fill the containers of a refillable cartridge (REC), you will need:

• Four syringes with needles.
• Napkins.
• Scotch.
• Gloves.
• Dye.

This is a standard refill kit for a block-type slam-shut valve with an integrated print head. If your modification of the PU is serviced by a different type of cartridge, be aware: there is a separate syringe for each color.

Step No. 4. Color filling of tanks

Typically, the outside of the cartridge has a special sticker that displays information identifying the printing component. Peel it off carefully. Each hole (sometimes there are two for each paint compartment) is a filling channel for a specific color.

Important! The practical steps that will lead you to understand how to refill an HP cartridge should be done slowly. Utmost attention is your best friend in such a situation as the location of the colored tanks is often confused by the user. For example, red ink flows into the yellow compartment of the cartridge, etc. Usually the color of the ink is visible when examining the refill hole in detail. IN otherwise use a match, the wood of which will color when it comes into contact with the absorbent material of the chamber.

• First fill the syringes with ink.
• Slowly inject paint into the corresponding color compartment.
• Cover the filling holes with tape (cut to the size of the stickers).
• Use a tissue to remove any traces of ink from the surface of the print head.

Attention! Movements should be predominantly tangential rather than rubbing. Do not turn the PZK container upside down, as ink may flow out of the print head, which, in turn, will negatively affect the overall process, and you will never know how to refill an HP cartridge.

Step #5: Clean and Print a Test Page

If you did everything correctly, then a “colorful” result is guaranteed. When the printed page “sins” with the displacement of some parts of the design, it is necessary to carry out another type of adjustment - aligning the cartridges, which can be done by launching the process of the same name in the printer control panel.

Summing up

So, you have received the necessary knowledge on how to refill an HP cartridge yourself. Now, in a situation where you run out of paint, you will feel like a confident user. However, this is only a small part of what full operational maintenance of printing devices includes. Do not forget that, in addition to electronics, the printer has quite a lot of different mechanics, which will work for a long time and properly only if you know and follow the simple rules. All the best!