Changing Your Printer Cartridge
When your printer cartridge runs dry, you will want to get a new one in there before your next print job. Changing a printer cartridge is easy on most makes and models of inkjet or laser printers. Specific changing instructions will vary, but for the most part, there are similarities in each. First, buy your new printer cartridge. Make sure you match the model number of your printer with the correct printer cartridge. Far too many people neglect this and get home to find they bought the wrong one.
The best bet is to bring your empty printer cartridge with you to the store to be sure. Next, open your printer and expose the ink bay. Typically, there is a latch type mechanism that locks the printer cartridge in place. Open that latch after you have removed the protective strip on the printer cartridge that keeps ink from running. Once removed and latch opened, insert the printer cartridge into the bay slot and lock it in place. Depending on your printer, you should next run the alignment test to ensure that your new printer cartridge is properly set-up. Run that and a test page and you are ready to go until your next ＆dry＊ spell.
Refilling Color Printer Ink
Color printer ink may not need to be refilled as much as black printer ink, but the job is a little more complicated to make up for it. When you refill your black printer ink, you have only one color to deal with.
On the other hand, refilling color printer ink cartridges involves three separate pigments of ink that you will need to refill. The actual process of refilling the color printer ink cartridge is the same as a black printer ink cartridge. You will still use a syringe or other injector tool to inject the ink. However, as important as it is to keep your colors separated when refilling the color printer ink, you will either need to thoroughly clean the injector after each color, or simply have three different injectors to start.
Again, the most important thing is not to mix the colors. If you let the colors mix inside the cartridge, you will get prints that are low quality and ill-colored. If you can be careful and keep the colors separate, you will have no problem getting the job done and having great prints in the end.
Buying the Right Printer Ink Cartridge
With so many makes and models of personal and business solution printers, there are also enormous variants on the types of printer ink cartridges on the market. Unlike camera film, or even paper for that matter, there is no standard size for a printer ink cartridge. Manufacturers of printers also are the manufacturers of ink, in many cases, and they are sure to make their printers only compatible with their own size and type printer ink cartridge. Due to this, you should be sure to buy the correct printer ink cartridge when you are next on empty.
To determine your type of printer ink cartridge, you can do a couple of things. First, consult your printer manual. It should have the exact type that you require. Also, you can use the internet to access the manufacturer＊s website where they should tell you what type of printer ink cartridge matches your model printer. The best bet however, is to simply remove the empty printer ink cartridge from your printer. It will have markings that let you know its type. Bring it with you when you guy to re-buy and you will be 100% sure you get what you need.
How can I get more life from color printer ink cartridges?
For those that do a lot of color printing, it may be worth it to spend a few extra bucks on a printer that has separate color printer ink cartridges. As opposed to the traditional color printer ink cartridge which holds all the colors in a single, smaller cartridge, these new models can hold much more of each color in their own, dedicated cartridges. Many have separate cartridges for Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow, which combined with Black, form the every color that can be printed.
The advantage of having separate printer ink cartridges is clear. When you have several prints that will require less use of one color, that color of toner or ink can be saved for when it will be needed. If you tend to print the same colors often, such as when printing letterhead, you may only have to replace or refill one printer ink cartridge at a time. These printers can be slightly more expensive to purchase. You will save that money in no time by not having to replace your color printer ink cartridge when only one color runs empty.
Common Printer Ink Questions
There are many common questions with regards to printer ink. Here are a few of the most common questions and some brief answers.
What is the difference between printer ink and toner? Simple, printer ink is a liquid that is applied to paper by pressure. Toner is a fine powder that is burned onto the paper through heat and laser guidance.
Do printer ink refill kits really work? The quick answer is yes, printer ink refill kits are a great resource. However, they do require more time than simply replacing your empty ink cartridge and are at a higher risk for faster loss of print quality.
How many prints can I get from a printer ink cartridge? This is a harder question to answer because it will greatly depend on the manufacturer and size of your particular printer ink cartridge. However, the average printer ink cartridge will provide you with around 800 pages for color and 600 pages for black.
Should I recycle my printer ink? Absolutely! This is the easiest question of all. Recycling your printer ink is great for the environment and can often save you money on your next printer ink purchase.
How do I replace my color printer cartridge?
Color ink in printer cartridges will typically need replacing fewer times than black ink cartridges. This is because the black in your printer is used on almost every single print, whereas the color printer cartridge is only used in color prints. When the time does come to replace your color printer cartridge, and it will, the steps are universally easy and will only take a few minutes.
- First, get your replacement color printer cartridge. Make sure you buy the right model for your printer as there are many variations on the market. Open your printer lid and remove the empty printer cartridge by releasing the latch that is holding it in place.
- Now, remove the protective tape on the head of the new color printer cartridge. This is there to keep ink from bleeding out in the package. With the tape removed, insert the new color printer cartridge in the empty slot left by the old one. It should easily snap into place and be locked in by a latch of some sort.
- Once you have re-inserted the printer cartridge, go to your printer maintenance program and align the printer cartridges and clean them. You will be making perfect color prints in no time.
Conserving Your Printer Ink
Nothing is more frustrating than starting an important print job only to find that you run out of printer ink half way through. Of course, printer ink will always eventually run dry. However, you can conserve your ink cartridge over time and stretch the life of your printer ink for that one last job. Here are a few ways you can help yourself conserve.
- Quality 每 By this, I mean to only print in the quality that you need for each job. If you do mostly draft work, be sure to set you printer to print at a fast and lower quality setting. The quality setting directly relates to the amount of printer ink that is used for the job. The lower the quality, the less ink used.
- Quantity 每 With the benefits of electronic communication, printing in quantity is often unnecessary. Be sure to double check your print job before you begin each print so that you do what you can to not waste printer ink on bad prints. Also, do not print more copies of your work than are necessary.
Again, printer ink cartridges all run out at some point, so there is no guarantee that you will never find yourself stuck in printing limbo. What you can do is follow these conservation tips and keep an extra printer ink cartridge around in case it happens.
Conserving Color Printer Ink
Anyone with a printer knows that color printer ink is far more expensive than black ink. If you want to keep from buying color printer ink more often than you need to, here are a few ways to conserve.
- Print Settings 每 Most color printers offer you choices for the quality of your prints. The most common are ※Normal§, ※Best§, and ※Econofast§. If you want your color printer ink to last as long as possible and do not need the highest quality prints, choose the econofast setting as your default.
- Don＊t Need Color? Don＊t Use It! 每 Most print jobs do not require color printer ink. For most documents, only the black cartridge is necessary. Be sure that when you are printing black and white documents or images that you change your print settings for black and white printing instead of color.
- Better Paper 每 Believe it or not, the quality of your printer paper can affect your ink usage. With better paper, you can print at a lower quality and not lose as much in terms of the end print. As cheap as paper is when compared to printer ink, this is a viable option in the long run.
There are many other ways to conserve printer ink. Take a look at our other resources here at LifeTips and at those provided by our sponsors.
Saving Money on Printer Cartridges
For many small businesses or even individuals, printing can grow costly if you print in quantity. Between printer cartridges and paper, the expenses build up. There are ways that you can save money on printing and, in particular, printer cartridges. If you have this problem, here are a few ways that you can cut down on your expenses.
Have you tried refillable printer cartridges? Many people sacrifice the money and buy the alternative for what they see as additional labor that comes with refillable ink cartridges. These people usually have never tried these types of printer cartridges because if they had, they would know that the effort is far worth the savings.
Are your printer settings optimized? Printer cartridges go empty more often due to unnecessary printing. Whether you print in too high a quality or print more sheets than you need, you are wasting money on either paper or ink and will need to replenish more often than you should have to. If you find yourself spending way too much on printer cartridges and other printing supplies, ask yourself these questions to evaluate your printing habits and how you can save in the future.
Need New Printer Cartridges? How About a Whole New Printer!
A funny irony when it comes to printer cartridges today is how expensive they are. This is ironic due to the fact that a new set of black and color cartridges can sometime be more expensive than buying a brand new printer＃ which comes with new ink cartridges. Many retail stores today offer such large rebates on their printers that you can even find a brand new printer, with ink, for less than it would cost to refill you own printer cartridges. Why are we not seeing landfills overflowing with printers?
The answer is simple, refillable printer cartridges. The costs of a new printer cartridge is great, yes, but the cost savvy consumer does not buy new printer cartridges each time they run out of ink. They use refillable printer cartridges and save money and the environment. You won＊t find a new printer for the price of a refill kit. These kits are a great way to save on your printer cartridges and you should look into them if you don＊t have one already. Your wallet will thank you.
Lexmark - The Leader in Recycling Printer Ink Cartridges
Almost every major manufacturer of printer ink cartridges has their own recycling program in place for their customers. Many may leave you with the wrong impression of their idea of recycling. Most manufacturers do not consider recycling in terms of remanufacturing, but rather in using the materials to ＆generate more energy＊ 每 a euphemism for burning them. These printer ink cartridges never make it back on the market.
One manufacturer stands out from the rest in truly recycling their printer ink cartridges 每 Lexmark. Lexmark is unique in that they work with independent environmental agencies to ensure that each of their printer ink cartridges are remanufactured and re-introduced into the market as a printer ink cartridge. Their recycle process only requires that their customer request the necessary packaging to send it to their facilities. Lexmark pays for postage and gives you the printing labels. They will not incinerate their returns as most do in order to use the plastic for other purposes. You can be sure that when you recycle your printer ink cartridges through Lexmark, they will remain printer ink cartridges when they are ＆recycled＊.
Buying Printer Ink Cartridges in Bulk
The savvy business operator knows that the real secret to shaving costs of supplies is by purchasing from a wholesaler in bulk quantity. This applies to everything from paper clips to light bulbs. Printer ink cartridges are also available in bulk quantities and, for as expensive as printing can get, are the smart solution for any business. The thing about office supplies is that they will always, eventually, get used. Paper clips do not go bad. If properly stored, neither will printer ink cartridges. Why not save money and stock up? Too many people are scared off by the initial expense in buying in bulk.
If you are still hesitant, here is what you should do. Take a few minutes and calculate how much you have spent in the last year on printer ink cartridges, or printer supplies in general. If you itemize your purchases, this should not be too difficult. It should also be mentioned that buying in bulk makes such expense tracking far easier as well.
Once you have a number for that yearly expense, find a wholesale source online or locally. Ask them for a quote on the same quantity of printer ink cartridges you purchased in that same year, but all at once in bulk. L For most who take this little test, they immediately see that they have been wasting money, in the long run, for what they perceive as savings in the short run. Don＊t make this mistake yourself. Buy your printer ink cartridges in bulk.
Printer Ink Smeared? You Need a Cleaning
Sometimes a printer will go for hundreds of prints with no problems only to all of a sudden begin smearing and misprinting. If you are faced with poor print quality with smudges and the like, chances are you need to clean your printer ink cartridge. Most printers have a built in cleaning system or the ability to clean the printer ink through your computer.
If you are running Windows, go to your control panel and select Printers. Once there, choose the printer that you have installed and view the properties or settings. There should be a tab for ＆maintenance＊. There are a few options there, but you are looking for ＆clean printer ink cartridges＊. This will print out a test page and ask you to confirm that it was correctly printed. If not, repeat the process. If it fails to work again, you may need to replace your printer ink cartridge.
Best Results From Printer Ink - Stick to the Manufacturer
With so many choices in the printer ink market, how do you know where to find the best ink for your printer? If quality is the key to your purchase, you should seriously think about sticking to the recommended printer ink from your printer manufacturer. Printer ink is not all the same.
For many printers, there are reasons beyond simple marketing for why certain printer ink is suggested over others. Some printers will simply not function properly without the manufacturer＊s ink. From a separate perspective, you should think about using the printer ink recommended by your manufacturer because if you have a warranty, it could very well depend on it.
If the manufacturer states that the printer will only function properly with a certain type of printer ink, you will often nullify your warranty if you choose to use any other type. Double check this, for sure, before you try something different. Should anything go wrong with the other ink, you will want to know if your warranty will still apply to your machine. If you are concerned with saving a few bucks on your printer ink, you can always look for the cheapest available. Just be sure that you don＊t sacrifice print quality or endanger your product warranty. If you want security and the best quality available, stick with the printer ink from your printer＊s manufacturer.