# ??? About Inkjet cartridges



## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

I use my printer VERY rarely, but do need it when I need it LOL. So, I replaced the cartridges about a year ago, printed maybe 30 pages, and that was that till this weekend, when I needed to print several pages of contracts. "Replace black cartridge" Mutter, mutter, replaced. "replace yellow cartridge" Mutter, mutter, replaced - and so on till all 4 were replaced with new ones. At this rate, each page will be costing around $4 to print.

My question: if I were to remove the cartridges and put a strip of tape over the head, then seal them in a foodsaver vacuum bag would this keep them viable? Anyone know?

Mary


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Probably not.. A lot of cartridges have a date code embedded in the chip on them, and if they are expired the printer will ask you to change them.. HP is the worst a it.. seems like mine used to expire faster than I could change them... I bought a Canon because I got sick of it... and I've yet to have one expire..


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## CountryWannabe (May 31, 2004)

Thanks, Simi. My printer *is* an HP. That really sucks! Those cartridges are expensive - the black one was nearly $40!! I may have to go back to handwriting. For that price I could do illuminated calligraphy!

Mary


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## lhspirited (Jan 31, 2010)

I've gotten in the habit of printing everything in draft mode. It's still very readable, and my HP printer cartridges last a lot longer. 

I didn't know they expire after a certain date. I haven't run into that. 

I will get a Canon instead of an HP next time I need to buy a printer. HP printer cartridges are very expensive.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I've never had an ink cartridge expire and the printer not read it. What is happening is the ink is drying and blocking the jets. An easy fix is to print something every week or two. Just one page in b/w and colour. That will keep the heads clear. $40.00 for a cartridge?!?!?!? Try here to see if they have remanufactured ones for your model. I've used their ink for many years on three different printers with no problems at all. http://www.ldproducts.com/


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

From HP:

_What is ink expiration and will it make my HP ink supplies stop working?
What is ink expiration? Why does it exist? Is there something built into HP ink supplies that make them stop working on a certain date? These questions may have crossed the consumer's mind at some point while printing. The simple fact of the matter, however, is that most HP ink supplies do not have ink expiration dates, so few users are affected. Of the small percentage of HP ink supplies that do have ink expiration dates, some will, indeed, stop working on those dates, while others have dates that can be overridden&#8212;causing minimal impact to the overall printing experience._

Mine would expire, and I had no way to over ride it... That's why we went out and bought a new printer... 

Turns out the Canon we bought produced a LOT better quality prints for less money in ink... Both the HP and the Canon were their higher end printers.

I know not all do the expire thing, but I've had two printers from them that did...

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c01764161


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

Depending on which HP cartridge you have, some of them can be reset. Here's a website with a little about it.

http://www.misterinkjet.com/resetting-hp-ink-cartridges.htm


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## tlrnnp67 (Nov 5, 2006)

Also look to see if there is a watch-type battery that keeps the date set on the printer. I had a HP printer in the past that I slipped a sliver of a cut up credit card behind the battery, and I never got an expiration issue after that.


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## backwoodsman7 (Mar 22, 2007)

Next time, buy a laser printer, not an inkjet. Cost per page is a fraction of an inkjet, and toner doesn't dry out like ink does. It costs me about $0.02 to print a page, including the paper.


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## Librum (Dec 17, 2003)

Countrywannabe, check out a 'cis' system, or reloadable carts for your HP. Both usually have 'resettable' chips, you may also find battery powered resetters depending on the model.. 

Also from the same retailers are cartridge flusher inks. We make our own, but it would not be appropriate for me to give a formula, there are different ones for different inks, makes, models, etc. 

We have inkjet printers that gets used rarely, but 'special', like our full drafting paper Brother. We have the reloadable carts with the flusher in these units, so they do not dry out. We run a page with the flush, then replace cart with a good one. 

Hope it helps, 

Sarah 
of the Librum


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

We found it cheaper to buy a new printer than to buy ink cartridges a few months back.
We've used Lexmark Printers for years, no expiration dates on it's ink.


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## WhyNot (Jun 21, 2011)

Country Wannabe...do you still have the old ink jet cartridges? Did you actually get an expired message, an ink is low message...or did it just make a bunch of noise trying to clean them and then tell you to replace?

If you still have them...slightly damped a qtip with rubbing alcohol... and carefully clean where the ink comes out of the cart., wait until they are dry..and install. Some of the carts. don't have expiration chips anymore but the ink dries up and clogs and then the printer doesn't detect ink coming out...and tells you to replace them.


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## Lost Ear (Dec 27, 2012)

Librum said:


> Countrywannabe, check out a 'cis' system, or reloadable carts for your HP. Both usually have 'resettable' chips, you may also find battery powered resetters depending on the model..
> 
> Also from the same retailers are cartridge flusher inks. We make our own, but it would not be appropriate for me to give a formula, there are different ones for different inks, makes, models, etc.
> 
> ...


This! I'm a photographer and basically, ANY printers out there would cost an insane amount when you factor in the inks needed. So I just invested in a CISS system and have not even noticed the ink level lowering despite a lot of printing 

If you have problems with the CISS, usually you can just replace the one or two parts of it. Just be aware that when you use a CISS, you must NEVER update the firmware of the printers. 99% of the time, the update is not for any bug fixing or improving the printer's functionality. The firmware update are likely to be for locking out the CISS print cartridge.

I bought the printer myself. I have the right to do whatever I want to it! :nono:


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