FAQ'S: Troubleshooting - Ink Cartridges

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This list was last updated on Tuesday, August 3, 2004

 
• Some colours are missing or wrong when printing
  Tri-Colour cartridges are made up of the three primary colours for printing. Cyan (Blue), Magenta (Red/Pink) and Yellow. When one colour is empty the resulting output will look strange. To test which colours are empty try printing in pure Yellow, then Magenta, then Cyan and it will soon become apparent which colours are empty.

 
• My HP or Lexmark Ink Cartridge won't print.
  If the cartridge has been left out of the printer for any length of time then ink may become dried on the printhead. This is easily removed by standing the cartridge on a damp tissue for a few moments. The printhead is the part of the cartridge that is closest to the paper when inserted into the printer.
  
  If this does not cure the problem then gently wipe the printhead with a lint free damp cloth or tissue.
  
  Stubborn cartridges can be left on damp tissue for 5-10 minutes but if you are not careful the tissue will act like a wick if left to stand for any period of time and ink will leak from the cartridge onto the tissue.

 
• What should I clean my Ink Cartridge with?
  The only item we recommend using is a damp tissue or lint free cloth. Under no circumstances use any solvents or cleaners as they will damage the sensitive glues and laquers used on the printhead and will render the cartridge useless.

 
• When should I use cleaning cartridges?
  We do not recommend the use of cleaning cartridges. If you use a reliable source of compatible cartridges (from us!) you will not need to clean the ink delivery system of your inkjet printer. Cheaper compatible cartridges (not sold by us!) may necessitate cleaning or replacement of internal parts of the ink delivery system, which may cost more than your printer is actually worth! We guarantee that use of our compatible cartridges will not damage your Inkjet Printer.

 
• How do I know when my cartridge is empty?
  The quality of print will deteriorate quickly and the cartridge will then need replacing or refilling. However, not all cartridges can be refilled, check our website for full details.
  
  Tri-Colour and Photo cartridges may contain multiple chambers (usually three) within the cartridge. It is not unusual for one colour to expire before the others. This means the cartridge must then be replaced or refilled. It will still be possible to print, but the colour that needs refilling will be omitted, i.e. if you were printing a picture of a daffodil and the colour yellow had ran out, then your page would appear blank where the petals would have been, also the leaves would be blue instead of green as green is made up from the two colours blue and yellow.