Reusing cartridges I know not recommended and may have made it worse

InkjetMall Customer Support InkThrift Inks & Printing
1

I know that you recommend new cartridges with a new ink, but the budget is tight and I already have 2 sets of cartridges. One is full of flushing fluid. I am trying to re-use a set that had pigmengted ink in it.

Here is what I did so far:

  1. emptied the ink
  2. rinsed several times in water
  3. filled with water and put into a ultrasonic tank to get the ink from the final feed
  4. forced water into the feed tube to flush
  5. drained

Here is where I may have gone wrong)

  1. I added a little flushing fluid to each cartridge and swished it around and purged it to get rid of the water.
  2. emptied the cartridges and gently blew air into the air vent and feed tube to get rid of the flush fluid. (Ok not so gently at first, so I will be ordering at least one cartridge or reusing the one from flushing for now.
  3. let the air dry

The concern I have is that there is a pink tinge to the cartridges where there is flushing fluid drying.

so:
is it possible to save them?

I was thinking of adding a little of the thrift ink and swishing it around (and dissolve the flushing fluid), then purge the air and then dump it out and refill it with new fluid.

Any comments would be appreciated.

2

I would rinse with distilled water and let it dry before trying with inks. Gentle and patient is good. You’re right about the standard recommendation, but I understand your constraints, which is all the more reason to be gentle and patient.

3

Can you be more specific in what kind of cartridge you are using. ie. 7900, 4900? I don’t see a cartridge purchase in your sales history so I am not sure what kind of cartridge you are referring too. Some of the large format cartridges are very easy to rinse and reuse, others are more complicated because they have multiple chambers and ink exit chambers that are more complex.

Yes, Brian is correct here, use Distilled water to rinse the cartridges out.

Once I get a better idea a to what kind of cartridge you are using then I may be able to offer you better advise on rinsing and re-using.

4

I have a 4900. I bought a set of refillable cartridges from someone else (mistake) and want to use them for your ink. I have 2 sets, one was filled from the back with a bladder. the second set was a top fill with a series of compartments. I am using the compartmented ones for the ink, and the batter ones for the flush.

I will rince them in distilled water before I use them for ink, and I will be gentle,

Thanks for the replies.