Replacing the print cartridge in the printer: instructions

The article will discuss instructions for replacing cartridges in laser and inkjet printers, as well as methods for refueling and repair. A conventional laser printer cartridge is a sophisticated mechanism that provides normal paper feed and printing on it. Everyone who has ever come across image processing devices can fix minor breakages - paper jams, even refills. But what if a breakdown occurs that is out of the ordinary? This will be discussed in our article.

Features of inkjet and laser printers

Inkjet printers, regardless of model and brand, are filled with liquid inks - and only those recommended by the manufacturer should be filled. If you use fluids that are not approved by the manufacturer, important components that are responsible for print quality can quickly become unusable. Moreover, the cost of the matrix, for example, is quite high - it reaches several thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturer of the printer.

Laser printers are filled with special powders - toners. In this case, refilling with poor-quality toner will also lead to sad consequences - you will have to completely repair the cartridge, and sometimes it’s even easier to install a new one. Any user will be able to independently replace the cartridge in the printer - be it an accountant or an engineer. The essence of printing is that the toner warms up to a high temperature and is “pressed” into the paper, which is why it comes out hot.

Install a new cartridge in an inkjet printer

One guide can replace the cartridge in any printer, regardless of manufacturer. The essence of the process is the same, and the design of the mechanisms, too. To remove old elements and install new ones instead, simply follow a series of steps:

1. Open the cover that covers the cartridge compartment.
2. If necessary, slide the cartridges in the side of the window. On some printer models, they themselves are automatically installed opposite the window in order to make them easier to remove.
3. Wring out latches and pull a cartridge up.

Please note that the replacement is carried out in just a few minutes. Installation is in the reverse order. The main thing is that you cannot hold the printer for a long time without ink cartridges, since everything inside will dry up and the device will no longer be able to print.

Replacing an item in a laser printer

Before installing a new cartridge in a laser printer, you need to get rid of all the transport “attributes”:

1. Remove foam pieces that prevent cartridge parts from moving. Such elements may not be on all cartridges, their availability depends on the manufacturer.
2. Remove the films covering the shafts.
3. Remove the protective film from the contacts on the side and chip.

Carefully inspect the entire cartridge for any films or pieces of foam. Open the sash that covers the drum - it should be perfectly clean and without damage. Only after you verify that you are working can you proceed with the installation.

Removing an old cartridge

But first, of course, you need to remove the old one - to do this, open the cover on the printer and, pulling the handle on the cartridge, take it out. The new one is installed in the reverse order - there is nothing complicated. Please note that sometimes when replacing Canon cartridges a little trouble occurs - the printer starts to buzz, refuses to print, and it is audible that something is spinning inside without stopping. The reason lies in the chip - it is installed on the cartridge. To get rid of such a breakdown, put the chip from the old cartridge into a new one.

Refill a laser printer cartridge

Sometimes after replacing a cartridge it is necessary to refill it - initially it is 50-70% full, therefore toner is produced very quickly. You need to pay attention to the fact that refueling is done in several ways, they depend on the specific brand of printer.

In any case, it is necessary to perform the following manipulations:

1. Remove the cartridge.
2. Disassemble completely the item.
3. Pour toner out of the waste bin.
4. Clean all parts from powder.
5. Put toner into the filling hopper.

It should be noted that not all cartridges can be easily disassembled - you will have to tinker with some. Some craftsmen make holes in the bunkers and, using them, refuel. After these holes are sealed with adhesive tape. But to do this is undesirable, since there is no way to assess the condition of all cartridge elements.

Basic cartridge problems

By the way the printer prints, you can identify the main problems with the cartridge. When refilling or replacing an Epson cartridge, these types of print defects may appear:

1. A faint image indicates that a low-quality toner has been refilled. This is the most common cause of faint prints. But sometimes it happens that the drum unit becomes unusable. Moreover, if you look at it, you can detect defects - peeling of the coating, cracks, etc.
2. A black bar anywhere on the sheet indicates that the hopper for mining has completely filled. Apparently, when refueling, they forgot to empty it. In order to fix this damage, simply shake the waste toner out of the bin.
3. The printer picks up paper poorly - a malfunction in the pickup roller. It is made of rubber, which dries over time. Therefore, contact with paper is getting worse.
4. Poor print quality, the appearance of spots, toner spills out - this is a clear sign of a breakdown of the magnetic shaft. Its active surface is erased, becomes worthless.

Which is better - repair or change?

After refilling and replacing the Xerox cartridge, you will have to install a chip card. This procedure cannot be avoided if the printer has not been “hacked”. This significantly increases the cost of office equipment maintenance.

And now let's look at the cost of repairing one cartridge using the example of the popular model 729 or its analogues - 85A, 723, etc.:

1. A drum will cost about 120-180 rubles for a purchase at a wholesale store. In the retail network, its value grows 2-3 times, about 300 rubles or more, it will cost. Drum life is not more than 3000-4000 pages - this is 3-4 full refills.
2. The magnetic shaft also has a cost of about 100-150 rubles (for bulk purchase). In the retail network, it already has a price of 250 rubles and above. Resource he has a little more than the photo.
3. The capture roller is perhaps the most “long-playing” part of the cartridge: it can also serve 5 refills if it is made of high-quality material. Retail price - about 300 rubles, a little less in bulk - 130-150 rubles.
4. And the small elements are the blades that are installed on the photocell and the bunker to collect the mining. With their help, there is a selection of "excess" toner when printing. Cost - up to 100 rubles apiece.

So, the cost of a full repair of one cartridge, if you purchase everything in a retail network, will be about 900 rubles. And this must be borne in mind that there is no need to buy an additional chip or card. A new compatible cartridge costs 450-500 rubles.

Conclusion

Now you know how to independently replace the cartridge, refill and repair it. The work is simple, but painstaking and, admittedly, quite “dirty”. Try to refuel in non-residential premises, protect the organs of vision and the respiratory tract.

From a financial point of view, self-fueling will be beneficial only if you make bulk purchases of components. And only when the toner consumption is very large, for example, in a large office. As for home use, one refueling is enough for several months. A cartridge with moderate use can last several years.