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Is it true that some printer makes can't have their ink cartridges refilled?

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  • 06-06-2015 6:25pm
    #1
    ivorystraws
    Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭


    Hi,

    I was told by an ink cartridge refill shop that the cartridges for my HP printer cannot be refilled "due to the fact that they have a chip on them", according to the shop owner. Is this true? If so, how does an ink cartridge know if you've refilled the cartridge with generic ink?

    Thanks.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    Because, most likely, the "chip" will measure how much ink has flowed through the nozzles, and when it's alotted amount has passed through, the chip tells the printer that that cartridge is empty, and the printer will then refuse to use it. No amount of refilling can reset the chip.
    Printer ink is one of the biggest scams going.


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    #3
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,711 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    You can get replacement chips.

    http://smallbusiness.chron.com/change-chip-ink-cartridges-58890.html


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    #4
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    That's an awful lot of hassle though, and how much are the chips? I guess if you are doing a lot of it then it might pay off.


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    #5
    ivorystraws
    Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭ivorystraws


    excollier wrote: »
    Because, most likely, the "chip" will measure how much ink has flowed through the nozzles, and when it's alotted amount has passed through, the chip tells the printer that that cartridge is empty, and the printer will then refuse to use it. No amount of refilling can reset the chip.
    Printer ink is one of the biggest scams going.

    Thanks for that answer, makes sense I guess and I definitely didn't know that!


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    #6
    ivorystraws
    Registered Users Posts: 251 ✭✭ivorystraws


    Sam Russell wrote: »
    You can get replacement chips.

    http://smallbusiness.chron.com/change-chip-ink-cartridges-58890.html

    It's probably cheaper just to buy generic printer cartridges as I've done that in the past for an epson printer and it was fine


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    #7
    Sam Russell
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 19,711 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sam Russell


    excollier wrote: »
    Because, most likely, the "chip" will measure how much ink has flowed through the nozzles, and when it's alotted amount has passed through, the chip tells the printer that that cartridge is empty, and the printer will then refuse to use it. No amount of refilling can reset the chip.
    Printer ink is one of the biggest scams going.

    I think the mechanism is much simpler than measuring. When the level goes below a limit, the chip says empty, and that is it. No matter how much ink you pump in, the cartridge says NO.

    Perhaps you need to fill it up from nearly empty, and just keep going. But compatibles are your only man.


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    #8
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    It's about time this shady practice was stopped. What's the odds that'll happen?


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    #9
    eeepaulo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,322 ✭✭✭eeepaulo


    excollier wrote: »
    It's about time this shady practice was stopped. What's the odds that'll happen?

    Ha, never ever. Couple of years old but I'm sure it hasn't got any better.

    http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/feb/23/printer-ink-cartridges-paying-more-getting-less


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    #10
    Uncle Ben
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,843 ✭✭✭Uncle Ben


    ivorystraws wrote: »
    It's probably cheaper just to buy generic printer cartridges as I've done that in the past for an epson printer and it was fine

    It's probably cheaper to buy a new printer.


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    #11
    excollier
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,576 ✭✭✭excollier


    Uncle Ben wrote: »
    It's probably cheaper to buy a new printer.
    In some cases that's definitely true.


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