Priming cartridges

InkjetMall Customer Support Printer Maintenance & Cartridges
1

The priming instructions in the video says to insert the syringe into a priming port on the side of the cartridge. When I do this, I get no ink coming into the syringe. This port seems to be completely blocked.

The printed instructions say to insert the syringe, with a priming tip installed, into the exit valve in the back end of the cartridge.

Which is correct?

2

You should be able to pull ink out of the side exit valve port, have you removed the silicone plug? The correct way of doing this is with the priming tip on the syringe and pull ink out, making sure your air vent plugs are removed of course. We made the video before we figured out the priming tips worked better, that’s why they differ and we are going to be making NEW videos next month to keep the confusion to a minimum. Cheers-Kelly

3

Thanks Kelly.

I did just try and suck ink out of the priming port (= side exit valve port). I had to remove the plastic plug to get the syringe tip in, and there is ink down the hole. The air vent plug was out, the fill port plug was in. No ink came up into the syringe although it was sucking hard. I tried priming with the priming tip on the syringe and got ink into the syringe with no effort.

If I can offer a suggestion, adding a few labeled pictures of a cartridge to the printed instructions would be helpful. The various ports could be labeled, and “top”, “front” and “back”. I note in my message above I said the exit valve was on the back of the cartridge and just noticed that the instructions say the ink fill hole is on the back. A picture of the priming tips would be helpful, too, or possibly just a label on the plastic bag they come in.

4

This is very strange, the side port is a direct hole to the exit valve, there is nothing that could get in the way of the ink going into the syringe. I am curious if this cartridge somehow has a defect in this area? There is an arrow pointing to the plug that is the side exit valve port on the blue label of the cartridge, this is the plug you removed correct? And the big orange plug just above it was removed as well?

I don’t believe any of this makes a difference to the effectiveness of the priming you performed through the exit valve itself, you should be all set to print. I am interested in figuring out of something has changed on these carts that I am unaware of, we have about 10 sets here and I went through them randomly to double check and they looked normal. Please let me know what you find or you could post a picture of the Side Exit port with the plug out so I can view into the exit valve area itself if you would be so kind?

5

Well, I was going to say something else (below), but reading again I’m of the opinion that you pushed the syringe too far into the priming port. If this is the case, it would have sealed itself against the far wall. Since you got ink to come out of the ink-outlet port, your cartridge is working properly.

As for your point about labels and such, I’m always for written instructions, and there is an excellent priming diagram on page 2 here http://shopping.netsuite.com/c.362672/site/WT-3800_3880-email.pdf

Now, what I was originally thinking:
I think I had a similar issue: http://www.inkjetmall.com/tech/showthread.php?608-38xx-cart-not-venting-properly
In studying the cartridge, I believe the vent maze was blocked due to a manufacturing defect. Since the ink also travels through a portion of the maze a similar defect could block that channel.

6

Thanks for your helpful input tjcooke :slight_smile: