Inkjet Refill Instruction Manual - Stratitec

InkJet Refill Kit 

InkJet Cartridge Refilling Manual 

Quickstart Guide 

Get started in three easy steps 

Prepare – Read the important information 

on pages 3, 4, and 5 

Identify – Find your cartridge on the table 

of contents on pages 6-7 

Refill – Follow the directions on the page 

for your cartridge 

Trouble Reading This Manual? 

www.stratitec.com 

View the full size color manual & updates online 

This manual is copyright 2003-2007 Stratitec, Inc. Stratitec and the Stratitec logo are registered trademarks, and the Stratitec rainbow mark is a trademark 

of Stratitec, Inc. HP is a registered trademark of Hewlett-Packard Company. Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Canon is a registered 

trademark of Canon, Inc. Epson is a registered trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Lexmark is a registered trademark of Lexmark International, Inc. All 

other trademarks are registered to their respective owners. 

070525 

Page 2 

Technical support on our website



Tool Identification and Reference 

Screw Tool 3mm Drill Bit Plugs Priming Tips 

Cartridge Refill 

Clip* 

Cartridge 

Opening Tool* 

Rubber Sealing 

Pad* 

The screw tool is used to 

remove plugs and enlarge refill Optional Tools 

holes. 

Screw Tool 

The drill bit is used to enlarge 

The cartridge refill clip is used 

or create new refill holes. Apply 

to refill and prime HP 15 and 

firm pressure when drilling to 

45 style cartridges. It doubles 

minimize debris and to make 

as a priming and evacuating 

Drill Bit drilled holes smooth for a 

tool for HP 17, 23, 25 and 78 

Cartridge 

proper seal. 

color cartridges. 

Refill Clip 

with Rubber 

Tip* 

The small priming tip is used 

for priming individual nozzles. 

It may also be used to create 

pressure or a vacuum in certain 

Small 

cartridges. 

Priming Tip 

L 

arg 

e 

Priming Tip 

Small Plug 

Large Plug 

The large priming tip is used 

to prime print heads and 

cartridges. It fits on the end 

of an empty syringe, and can 

draw ink, air, or clogs from 

the cartridge or print head. 

The small plug is for use with 

the standard 3mm drilled fill 

hole. 

Plugs may come in a sheet 

as indicated at left. Pull 

firmly to remove them for 

use. 

The large plug is used for the 

pre-existing holes in some 

cartridges. The large plug can 

also be used to make a tight 

seal when a small plug does 

not seal properly. 

Cartridge 

Opening 

Tool* 

To assemble, insert the 

rubber tip into the hole at 

the base end of the clip. 

The cartridge opening tool is 

used to remove the tops from 

specific HP and Lexmark 

color cartridges. 

The rubber sealing pad is 

used to temporarily seal a 

vent hole or ink outlet. Apply 

the smooth side of the rubber 

to the surface to be sealed 

Rubber and maintain pressure with a 

Sealing Pad* thumb or forefinger. 

*Tools in light gray are 

included with some refill kits. 

www.stratitec.com Page 3



General Refill Guidelines 

WHEN USING CUTTING OR DRILLING EQUIPMENT, WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES AND 

FOLLOW ALL OPERATING AND SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS. KEEP INK OUT OF REACH 

OF CHILDREN. MAY BE HARMFUL IF SWALLOWED. DO NOT INGEST. IN CASE OF 

INGESTION, SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION. AVOID CONTACT WITH SKIN 

AND EYES. SAFETY INFORMATION AT WWW.STRATITEC.COM. 

Successfully refilling ink cartridges may take some practice, but the process gets easier each 

time. It is extremely important that you read these refill guidelines and the instructions for your 

cartridge carefully to ensure desired results and avoid mishaps. 

Prepare a 

Work Area 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

Refill cartridges in an area that is well-suited for the work. 

Ink can spill; place a large sheet of aluminum foil and/or a thick pile of 

newspaper on your work surface. 

Keep distractions to a minimum. 

Wear an apron or older clothes in case of a spill, as well as plastic gloves 

to protect your hands from ink stains. 

Clean up immediately with soap and water. 

Ink on hands or arms will wash off in a few days. 

Do not refill over carpeted areas or near fine furniture. 

Prepare Ink and 

Syringes 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

Syringe size and style may vary. Always use a syringe with a locking tip 

where specified. 

Always check to be sure that the needle or tip is securely attached to the 

syringe. 

Do not fill syringe with ink until you are ready to refill your cartridge. 

Unused ink may be returned to the appropriate ink bottle or stored in the 

syringe. Be sure to secure a rubber scabbard to each needle tip to 

prevent leaking or drying out. 

Label the syringe(s) to easily identify the ink color. 

Thoroughly rinse and dry needle and syringe when changing ink colors. 

Do Not Remove Seals 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

Do not remove the bottle seals. 

Use a needle or the screw tool to create a small hole in the seal and draw 

ink through the hole in the seal. 

To avoid accidental spills, replace the bottle caps promptly. 

Page 4 




Use Recently 

Emptied Cartridges 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

Old and/or dry cartridges may not work, even after refilling, priming and 

cleaning. 

Refill your cartridges just before or immediately after they run out of ink. 

Cartridges should not be stored outside of your printer for more than an 

hour unless required as part of the refill process. 

Ink in the ink supply outlets or print heads will dry out in cartridges that 

are stored improperly, or allowed to remain empty for long periods of 

time, and refilling such cartridges may not be successful. 

Know The Colors 

Cyan 

(Blue/Green) 

Magenta 

(Red/Purple) 

Yellow 

(Yellow) 

Photo Cyan 

(Light Cyan) 

Photo Magenta 

(Light Magenta) 

✔ 

✔ 

Color printers require special ink colors to produce high-quality prints. 

Standard color printers require color blends known as cyan (blue/green), 

magenta (red/purple), and yellow. 

Many inkjet printers can use “photo” cartridges, which require two 

additional colors: “photo cyan” or light cyan and “photo magenta” or 

light magenta. Printers that require these additional photo cartridges are 

called “six-color” printers. 

Photo cyan and photo magenta inks are only for six-color printers. They 

are not intended for use in standard four-color printers, even when 

printing photos. If photo cyan and/or photo magenta are used in a 

standard four-color printer, the color balance will be incorrect and the 

quality will be reduced. 

Use Colors Correctly 

✔ 

✔ 

Injecting the wrong color of ink into the ink chamber of a color cartridge 

will cause unfavorable results and may ruin your cartridge. 

Use care when refilling color cartridges. Always inject the correct color 

of ink into the correct ink chamber. 

To verify the color of ink contained in each chamber of the cartridge, 

insert a wooden toothpick into each refill hole, withdraw it, and then 

check the color of the toothpick. 

Avoid overfilling 

✔ 

✔ 

✔ 

Overfilled cartridges may leak and cause color contamination. 

Overfilled cartridges will not print. Use care to avoid overfilling! 

Use only enough ink to fill the cartridge. 

If you do overfill your cartridge, refer to the instructions for your 

cartridge and use a syringe to extract excess ink. 

Never install a cartridge that is leaking, dripping, or oozing ink. Doing so 

may damage your printer. 




Instructions by Cartridge 

Apple® 

M1949.......................... ..............18 

M1950......................... ...............18 

M1951......................... ...............18 

M1952......................... ...............18 

M3240.......................... ..............19 

M3329......................... ...............20 

M3330......................... ...............20 

M3822......................... ...............18 

M3852......................... ...............18 

M3908......................... ...............20 

M3909......................... ...............20 

M3910......................... ...............20 

M3911......................... ...............20 

M3912......................... ...............20 

M4609......................... ...............21 

M5658........................... ...............8 

M5659........................... ...............8 

M5693........................ ................12 

M5694......................... ...............11 

M8041.......................... ..............21 

M8049.......................... ..............21 

M8052......................... ...............21 

Brother® 

IN-700......................................... 16 

IN-710C......................... .............17 

IN10.......................... .................21 

LC02BK/C/Y/M................ ............26 

LC04BK/C/Y/M.................. ..........26 

LC11-BK...................................... 16 

LC11-CL.................................... ..17 

LC21BK/C/Y/M................ ............26 

LC31BK/C/Y/M................ ............26 

LC41BK/C/Y..................... ...........22 

Canon® 

BC-01....................................... ...21 

BC-02....................................... ...21 

BC-05....................................... ...21 

BC-06...................................... ....21 

BC-20....................................... ...19 

BC-23....................................... ...19 

BC-30/BC-30e.............................. 18 

BC-31/BC-31e.............................. 18 

BC-33e................................ ........18 

BC-60...................................... ....27 

BCI-10..................... ...................20 

BCI-11..................... ...................20 

BCI-15..................... ...................20 

BCI-21..................... ...................20 

BCI-24....................... .................20 

BCI-3Bk/BCI-3eBk................. ......18 

BCI-3C/BCI-3eC........ ..................18 

BCI-3M/BCI-3eM.................. .......18 

BCI-3PC/3PM.................... ..........18 

BCI-3Y/BCI-3eY.................... .......18 

BCI-5Bk....................... ...............18 

BCI-5C/BCI-5M/BCI-5Y............. ...18 

BCI-61.................... ....................27 

BCI-61e.................................. .....27 

BCI-62............................. ........27 

BCI-62e...................... .............27 

BCI-6Bk.............................. .....18 

BCI-6C/BCI-6M/BCI-6Y............18 

BCI-6G.................. ..................27 

BCI-6PC/BCI-6PM.............. ......18 

BCI-6R.................................... .27 

BCI-8Bk................................ ...18 

BCI-8C/BCI-8M/BCI-8Y............18 

BJI-201Bk(HC)....................... ..18 

BJI-201C/BJI-201M/BJI-201Y....18 

BX-2........................... .............21 

BX-20........................ ..............19 

CL-40........................ ..............27 

CL-41........................ ..............27 

CLI-8BK.................................. .18 

CLI-8C................................. ....18 

CLI-8M........................... .........18 

CLI-8PC................................ ...18 

CLI-8PM.......................... ........18 

CLI-8Y............................ .........18 

PG-40........................... ...........27 

PG-41........................... ...........27 

PGI-5................................. ......18 

Compaq® 

180844-001.................... .........17 

180845-001................. ............16 

180846-001................. ............17 

180847-001................. ............16 

180848-001.................. ...........17 

203428-001................. ............16 

337709-001................ .............16 

337710-001................. ............17 

337711-001................. ............17 

337714-001................. ............16 

337715-001................. ............17 

Dell® 

7Y743/X0502 (A940/A960)......14 

7Y745/X0504 (A940/A960)......15 

J4844/K5553 (922/942/962).....15 

J5566/R5956 (922/942/962).....14 

J5567/R5974 (922/942/962).....15 

M4640/R5480 (922/942/962)...14 

M4646/R5482 (922/942/962)...15 

T0529/K1014 (720/920)...........14 

T0530/K1017 (720/920) ..........15 

T0601/K1143 (J740)................14 

T0602/K1145 (J740)................15 

Epson® 

S020034............................. .....23 

S020036.......................... ........23 

S020047............................. .....23 

S020049............................. .....23 

S020062 (K)............ ................27 

S020089........................... .......23 

S020093........................... .......23 

S020097........................... .......23 

S020108........................... .......23 

S020118 (K)............. ...............27 

S020122 (Y)..................... ...........27 

S020126 (M).................... ...........27 

S020130 (C).......................... ......27 

S020138.................. ...................23 

S020143 (M)...................... .........27 

S020147 (C)........................... .....27 

S020187.................. ...................23 

S020189.................. ...................23 

S020191.................. ...................23 

S020193.................. ...................23 

T001 (T001011)........................... 23 

T003 (T003011)........................... 23 

T005 (T005011)........................... 23 

T007* (T007201)............... ..........23 

T008* (T008201)............... ..........23 

T009* (T009201)............... ..........23 

T013 (T013201)........................... 23 

T014 (T014201)........ ..................23 

T015* (T015201)............... ..........23 

T016* (T016201)............ .............23 

T017* (T017201)............... ..........23 

T018* (T018201)............... ..........23 

T019 (T019201)........................... 23 

T020 (T020201)........................... 23 

T026* (T026201)............ .............23 

T027* (T027201)............... ..........23 

T028* (T028201)............... ..........23 

T029* (T029201)............... ..........23 

T036* (T036120)............ .............23 

T037* (T037020)............... ..........23 

T038* (T038120)............... ..........23 

T039* (T039020)............... ..........23 

T040* (T040120)................. ........23 

T041* (T041020)................. ........23 

T0431* (T043120)............... ........24 

T0441* (T044120)................. ......24 

T0442* (T044220)................. ......24 

T0443* (T044320)................. ......24 

T0444* (T044420)................... ....24 

T0481* (T048120)............... ........24 

T0482* (T048220)............... ........24 

T0483* (T048320)............... ........24 

T0484* (T048420)................. ......24 

T0485* (T048520)............... ........24 

T0486* (T048620)............ ...........24 

T0601* (T060120).......... .............24 

T0602* (T060220).......... .............24 

T0603* (T060320).......... .............24 

T0604* (T060420)............ ...........24 

T480 (T480011)........ ..................27 

T481 (T481011)........ ..................27 

T482 (T482011)........ ..................27 

T483 (T483011)........ ..................27 

T484 (T484011)........... ...............27 

T485 (T485011)........ ..................27 

Hewlett-Packard® 

51625 (25)................... ...............11 

51626 (26)................. .................12 

51629 (29)................... ...............12 

51633 (33)................... ...............12 

* Ink is compatible with these cartridges, but they may require an ink-level chip reset to print. See page 25 for details. 

** These cartridges may require a third party replacement chip and resetter. See page 31 for details. 

Note: Many HP cartridges have additional letters following the part number. For example, the C6615 may be marked C6615N, 

C6615AN or C6615DN. All cartridges are compatible, regardless of the extra letters after the part number. 

Page 6 




51640a (40).................. ................8 

51640c (40)................. .................8 

51640m (40).................. ...............8 

51640y (40)................. .................8 

51641 (41)......................... ...........9 

51644c/51644m/51644y (44)........8 

51645a (45).................. ................8 

51645c (45)................. .................8 

51645m (45).................. ...............8 

51645y (45)................. .................8 

51649 (49)..................... .............11 

51650c/51650m/51650y (50).........8 

C1816 (16)......................... .........11 

C1823 (23)............................... .....9 

C3844A (844).............. .................9 

C3845A (845)........... ....................9 

C4836 (11)**........................ .......27 

C4837 (11)**.......................... .....27 

C4838 (11)**.......................... .....27 

C4841 (10)**........................... ....27 

C4842 (10)**........................... ....27 

C4843 (10)**........................... ....27 

C4844 (10)**............................ ...27 

C5010AN (14).................... .........13 

C5011AN (14).................... .........13 

C6578 (78).............................. ......9 

C6614 (20).......................... ........12 

C6615 (15)............................. .......8 

C6625 (17)............................. .......9 

C6628 (19)......................... .........12 

C6634 (34)........................... .......11 

C6635 (35)......................... .........11 

C6656 (56)....................... ...........10 

C6657 (57)......................... .........10 

C6658 (58)......................... .........10 

C8727 (27)........................... .......10 

C8728 (28)........................... .......10 

C8765 (94)........................... .......10 

C8766 (95)......................... .........10 

C8767 (96)......................... .........10 

C9351 (21)........................... .......10 

C9352 (22)........................... .......10 

C9359 (59)........................... .......27 

C9361 (93).............. ................10 

C9362 (92).............. ................10 

C9363 (97).............. ................10 

C9368 (100)........... .................27 

C9369 (99).............. ................10 

Lexmark® 

10N0016 (16)............. .............14 

10N0026 (26)............ ..............15 

10N0217 (17)............... ...........14 

10N0227 (27).............. ............15 

10N0510/10N610....... .............15 

10N500/10N600............ ..........14 

12A1970 (70)........................... 16 

12A1975 (75)........................... 16 

12A1980 (80)....... ...................17 

12A1985 (85)....... ...................17 

12A1990 (90)....... ...................17 

13400HC......................... ........16 

1361400........................ ..........16 

1361760....................... ...........17 

13619HC........................ .........17 

13620HC....................... ..........16 

1380619........................ ..........17 

1380620...................... ............16 

1381400......................... .........16 

1382050........................ ..........16 

1382060........................ ..........17 

15M0120 (20)........................ ..17 

15M0125 (25)........................ ..17 

15M2971 (71)...................... ....16 

16G0055 (55)........ ..................16 

16G0065 (65)....... ...................17 

17G0050 (50)......... .................16 

17G0060 (60)........ ..................17 

18C0031 (31)........ ..................15 

18C0032 (32)......... .................14 

18C0033 (33)........ ..................15 

18C0034 (34)............ ..............14 

18C0035 (35)........ ..................15 

18C0500................................. .14 

18C0510................................ ..15 

18C0520................................ ..15 

18C0690....................... ..............14 

18C0700....................... ..............15 

18C0781 (1)........................ ........15 

18L0032 (82)............... ...............14 

18L0042 (83)............... ...............15 

18L0380.................. ...................14 

18L0390................. ....................15 

18L0500/18L0590............... ........14 

Misc 

Cartridge Top Removal................32 

Check / Correct Overfill...............33 

Color Cartridge Troubleshooting. .28 

General Cartridge Priming...........30 

HP Cartridge Priming......... .........29 

Ink-level Chip Reset Details.........25 

Troubleshooting Table.................35 

Okidata® 

52109301................................ ....16 

52109302................................. ...17 

Olivetti® 

84431........................ .................16 

84433........................ .................16 

Sharp® 

AJ-C50B...................... ................16 

AJ-C50C......................... .............17 

FO-C60B......................... ............14 

UX-22BC........................ .............16 

UX-27CC........................... ..........17 

UX-C70B........................... ..........14 

Sony® 

IJC-B1............................ .............12 

IJC-C1............................. ............11 

Xerox® 

8R12591....................... ..............17 

8R7879......................... ..............16 

8R7880........................... ............17 

8R7881......................... ..............16 

8R7882........................... ............17 

8R7903............................ ...........14 

8R7904............................ ...........15 

Trouble Reading This Manual? 


View the full size color manual & updates online 

(Instructions for cartridges not listed may be available online) 

Note: Many HP cartridges have additional letters following the part number. For example, the C6615 may be marked C6615N, 

C6615AN or C6615DN. All cartridges are compatible, regardless of the extra letters after the part number. 




Recommended Tools 

Hewlett Packard: 51640a/51640c/51640m/51640y (40) 

•51645a/51645c/51645m/51645y (45) 

•51644c/51644m/51644y (44)•51650c/51650m/51650y (50) 

•C6615 (15) Apple: M5658•M5659 (Suffix may vary) 

Remove black tape or plug to 

access the ink fill hole 

1. Read pages 4-5 in the manual for important general information that 

will improve your results. 

Use the tip of 

an empty 

syringe to 

push the ball 

bearing into 

the cartridge. 

After 

refilling is 

complete, 

squeeze the 

sides of the 

cartridge as 

you insert 

the large 

plug into 

the fill hole. 

If your kit includes the cartridge refill clip tool, you may optionally 

follow the instructions under “Refilling with the Clip Tool“ on page 29 

to refill your HP 15 or 45 cartridge. 

2. Before refilling, turn the cartridge upside down and remove the black 

tape (or plug) covering the fill hole. 

3. If this is the first time refilling the cartridge, you will find a stainless 

steel ball bearing in the fill hole as shown in the diagram. Push the ball 

bearing into the cartridge using the tip of an empty syringe (without 

the needle). 

Be very gentle in the following steps when inserting the needle into the 

cartridge. If the ink bag is damaged, the cartridge can no longer be 

used. 

4. Fill the syringe with ink and inject into the fill hole. Repeat until 

bubbles appear at the fill hole. 

5. In order to seal the fill hole, you must firmly squeeze the cartridge 

sides and put a large plug into the hole. (Squeezing the cartridge 

while the plug is inserted creates back pressure that helps stop the ink 

from leaking out when refilling is completed.) 

6. Some ink may drip from the print head. Place the cartridge in a sink or 

pan for 1-2 minutes with the print head down. Gently wipe the print 

head with a paper towel. Hold the cartridge up so the print head is 

down, and look at the print head. If you see any liquid ink, the 

cartridge is not properly pressurized and is leaking. Repeat the 

previous step. 

7. Place the cartridge into your printer and run test/cleaning cycles as 

described in your printer manual. Please read Resetting Ink Levels to 

reset your printer's ink level counters. 

If you followed the instructions carefully but need additional help, 

please visit www.stratitec.com 

Page 8 





Hewlett-Packard: 51641 (41)•C1823 (23)•C3844A (844) 

C3845A (845)•C6578 (78)•C6625 (17) 

Magenta 

Yellow 

Cyan 

1. Read pages 4-5 for important general information that will improve your 

results. 

2. Locate the plugs (actual plug positions may vary) on the top of the cartridge 

and use the screw tool to push the plugs through the refill holes and into the 

cartridge. Leave the plugs in the cartridge. If your cartridge does not have 

plugs, or if you are unable to push the plugs into the cartridge, then drill refill 

holes where indicated at left. 

3. Verify the ink colors in each chamber (see “Use Colors Correctly” on page 5). 

Do NOT rely solely upon cartridge label colors. 

51641 • C1823 

C6578 • C6625 

Black 

Yellow 

Photo 

Cyan 

Photo 

Magenta 

Cyan 

C3845A (845) 

Magenta 

4. Select the color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink. Place tape over the 

remaining refill holes to prevent cross-contamination. TAPE MUST BE 

REMOVED BEFORE CARTRIDGE IS REINSTALLED OR CARTRIDGE WILL 

NOT PRINT. 

5. Carefully insert the needle into the correct refill hole until the needle tip is 

halfway into the foam sponge, then position the cartridge horizontally as 

indicated below, right. 

6. Slowly inject up to 10ml of ink. Injecting ink too quickly may trap air inside the 

cartridge. As you add ink, watch the print head closely. If ink begins to come 

out of the print head or around the refill hole, stop filling, then use the syringe 

to extract 1ml of ink. 

7. Leave the cartridge in the horizontal position as indicated below. Repeat steps 

4-6 to fill each color in the cartridge. 

8. Verify ink flow by pressing the print head against a damp paper towel. Each 

color should leave a solid line on the towel. If some ink colors are not visible, 

follow the cartridge priming instructions on page 29. 

This cartridge is easy to overfill. Check / correct overfilling by following the 

instructions on page 33. 

9. Re-install the cartridge, run cleaning cycles, and print test pages. To reset ink 

levels, please refer to the section on “Resetting Ink Levels” on page 31. If print 

results are unsatisfactory or colors are incorrect, please refer to “Tri-Color 

Cartridge Troubleshooting” on page 28. 

For best results, refill cartridges before they are empty. 

If you followed the instructions carefully but need additional help, please visit 


C3844A (844) 

REFILL 

HOLES MUST 

STAY OPEN. 

REMOVE 

TAPE AFTER 

FILLING. DO 

NOT PLUG 

HOLES. 

Stop filling if 

ink drips from 

print head. 

Position 

cartridge 

as shown 

to inject 

ink. 





HP: C6656 (56)•C6657 (57)•C6658 (58)•C8727 (27)•C8728 (28) 

C8765 (94)•C8766 (95)•C8767 (96)•C9351 (21)•C9352 (22)• 

C9361 (93)•C9362 (92)•C9363 (97)•C9369 (99) 


results. 

2. Remove the sticker from the top of the cartridge to expose the refill holes. 

3. Select the color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink. Place tape over the 

remaining refill holes to reduce the risk of color cross-contamination. 

4. With the cartridge upright, carefully insert the needle into the correct refill 

hole until the needle tip is halfway into the cartridge as indicated at left. 

Refill holes 

5. Slowly inject up to 5ml of ink (2ml for 22 and 93) per chamber if refilling a 

color cartridge, or up to 20ml of ink (5ml for 21 and 92) if refilling a black 

cartridge, into the appropriate refill hole for your cartridge, as indicated 

below. Injecting ink too quickly may trap air inside the cartridge. As you add 

ink, watch the print head closely. If ink begins to come out of the print head or 

around the refill hole, stop filling, then use the syringe to extract 0.5ml of ink. 

6. Refill each color by repeating the above process, making sure to tape over the 

unused refill holes to prevent contamination. 


color should leave a solid line on the towel. If not all ink colors are visible, 

follow the priming instructions on page 30. 



8. Remove any tape covering the refill holes and replace the original sticker. Reinstall 

the cartridge, run cleaning cycles, and print test pages. If print results 

are unsatisfactory or colors are incorrect, please refer to “Tri-Color Cartridge 

Troubleshooting” on page 28. 

Insert needle about 

halfway into the 

cartridge and 

slowly inject ink 

9. Ink levels are estimated by the printer based on the amount of printing that 

has been done. Consequently, the printer may report the cartridge as empty, 

even when completely refilled. Ignore the low ink messages and continue 

printing. 



(22, 28, 57) Magenta 

(93, 95, 97) Yellow 

(21, 27, 56, 92, 

94, 96) Black 

(58) Photo Magenta 

(99) Black 

(22, 28, 57) Yellow 

(93, 95, 97) Magenta 

(22, 28, 57, 93, 

95, 97) Cyan 

(58) Black 

(99) Photo Magenta 

(58, 99) 

Photo Cyan 

Page 10 





Hewlett-Packard: 51625 (25)•51649 (49)•C1816 (16)•C6634 

(34)•C6635 (35) Apple: M5694 Sony: IJC-C1 

First refill 

requires top 

removal 

(see page 32 

for alternate 

methods) 

Top may detach in 

two different ways 

Apple 

M5694 

HP 25, 34, 35, 49 

Sony 

IJC-C1 


results. 

2. If this is the first refill, the cartridge top must be removed. Some kits may 

include a top removal tool (shown left). Please review “Cartridge Top 

Removal” instructions and “Alternate Removal Methods” on page 32. If you 

need a top removal tool, please see www.stratitec.com. 

3. When removing the top, be careful not to damage the black tab, located 

near the lid, as this is required to securely reinstall the cartridge in the 

printer. 

4. Select the color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink. 

5. With the cartridge upright, carefully insert the needle into the correct 

chamber (as indicated below, left), until the tip of the needle is halfway into 

the foam sponge. Do NOT push the needle all the way to the bottom. 

6. Slowly inject up to 8ml of ink into the appropriate chamber for your 

cartridge. Injecting ink too quickly may trap air inside the cartridge. As you 

add ink, watch the sponge surface closely. The original color of the sponge 

is white. Stop filling as soon as you see the ink start to come up around the 

needle or edges. If possible, do NOT allow the color of the sponge to 

change. If ink appears on the surface of the sponge, stop filling, then use 

the syringe to extract 0.5-1ml of ink. Refill each color by repeating the 

above process, keeping the cartridge upright. 


color should leave a solid line on the towel. If all ink colors are not visible, 

or if one or more colors are faint, follow the priming instructions on page 

30. 

8. Once the cartridge is refilled, tape the cartridge top securely in place. 

Cyan 

Yellow 

Magenta 

HP 

16 

Photo 

Cyan 

Photo Black 

Magenta 

label side label side 

9. Re-install the cartridge, run cleaning cycles, and print test pages. If print 



These cartridges dry out easily when unused, even if filled with ink. As the 

cartridge dries out, the ink in the bottom chambers becomes very thick and 

is almost impossible to remove, even after refilling with fresh ink. For best 

results, don't allow these cartridges to sit unused for long periods of time. 

If you followed the instructions carefully but need additional help, please 

visit www.stratitec.com 





Hewlett Packard: 51626 (26)•51629 (29)•51633 (33)•C6614 (20) 

C6628 (19) Apple: M5693 Sony: IJC-B1 


results. 

2. Place the cartridge on thickly folded paper towels. Ink may begin to drip from 

the cartridge after opening the refill hole and while injecting ink. 

NOT a fill hole 

3. Old cartridges may have a refill hole on the top corner that is sealed by a ball 

bearing. If you have an old cartridge, push the ball bearing into the cartridge. 

Take care not to damage the print head by pressing it too hard against the 

work surface. If your cartridge does not have a refill hole with a ball bearing, 

use a 3mm drill bit to make a refill hole where indicated at left. 

The hole that is located in the center of the cartridge top is NOT a fill hole. 

Inserting any object or fluid into this hole may damage the ballast bags and 

render the cartridge unusable. 

Drill Refill Hole Here 

(Push in ball bearing 

on old cartridges) 

Vent Maze 

Outlet 

Hole 

4. Fill a syringe with the appropriate color of ink and, with the cartridge upright, 

carefully insert the needle into the refill hole and quickly fill the cartridge until 

it is almost full (25-40ml). Expect ink to begin dripping from the bottom. 

5. Once the cartridge is refilled, promptly seal the refill hole with a rubber plug. 

Do not use tape. The seal must be airtight or the cartridge will leak. 

6. Turn the cartridge upside down to expose the vent maze. Attach the small 

priming tip (page 3) onto an empty syringe and put the tip of the syringe into 

the outlet hole of the vent maze. 

7. Pull back on the syringe to withdraw 3-4 ml of air, bubbles and/or ink from the 

cartridge. The pressure in the cartridge should now be properly balanced. 

8. Wipe the cartridge with a damp paper towel. Hold the cartridge in an upright 

position for 30 seconds and look closely at the bottom. If you see ink seeping 

from the print head or vent maze outlet hole, you must verify that the refill 

hole is sealed properly and repeat steps 6 - 8. The process should be repeated 

until the cartridge no longer seeps, indicating that the pressure is equalized. 

Align tip with vent 

maze outlet hole. 

Pull 3-4 ml of air, 

bubbles or ink out. 

9. Verify ink flow by pressing the print head against a damp paper towel. The 

print head should leave a solid black line on the damp towel. If you don't see a 

solid black line, follow the priming instructions on page 30. 

10. Wait approximately 2 minutes, then follow step 8 again as a final check that 

the cartridge is not leaking. Re-install the cartridge, run cleaning cycles, and 

print test pages. 



Page 12 





Hewlett-Packard: C5010AN (14)•C5011AN (14) 


results. 

Black 

Check to verify that your cartridge has not exceeded its expiration date. 

Printers that use the HP14 cartridge are unable to use expired cartridges 

unless the ink-level chip is replaced. See www.stratitec.com for details. 

2. Place the cartridge with the ink outlet(s) facing up, as indicated at left, on a 

flat, ink-resistant surface or on paper towels or absorbent cloth in case of spills 

or leakage. 

3. Select color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink, then carefully remove the 

needle and attach the small priming tip (page 3). 

Magenta 

Yellow 

Cyan 

4. Gently press the priming tip against the appropriate ink outlet, as indicated 

below left, and slowly inject up to 6ml of color ink or up to 23ml of black ink. 

It is important not to dent, mar, or damage the sponge when refilling or the 

cartridge will be unusable. Stop filling when the sponge is full and stops 

absorbing ink quickly. A dry sponge may absorb ink more slowly. 

5. Carefully turn the cartridge to the upright position, using a paper towel or 

absorbent cloth to absorb any ink dripping from the ink outlet. Hold cartridge 

upright until ink no longer drips from the ink outlet. Installing the cartridge 

while ink is still dripping and/or leaking out of the cartridge may damage your 

printer. 




Refill by gently 

pressing the 

small priming 

tip against 

the sponge and 

slowing injecting 

ink. 

7. Most printers that use the HP 14 cartridge must either have the ink-level 

monitor disabled, or have the ink-level chip replaced in order to use refilled 

cartridges. Instructions for disabling the ink counter may be in your printer 

manual. Additional details are online at www.stratitec.com. 

If you disable the ink-level monitor, you MUST NOT let the cartridge run dry. 

A dry cartridge may cause air bubbles to form in the printhead, stopping the 

printhead from working properly. Refill frequently and refill immediately if 

you see a reduction in print quality or one of the colors stops printing. For 

best results, we recommend replacing the ink level chip with a resettable chip 

and using a chip resetter after each refill to reduce the chance of the cartridge 

running dry. 



Ink-level Chip 





Lexmark: 10N0016 (16)•10N0217 (17)•10N500/10N600•18C0032 

(32)•18C0034 (34)•18C0500•18C0690•18L0032 (82)•18L0380 

•18L0500/18L0590 Dell: 7Y743/X0502 (A940/A960)•J5566/R5956 

(922/942/962)•M4640/R5480 (922/942/962)•T0601/K1143 

(J740)•T0529/K1014 (720/920) 

Sharp: UX-C70B•FO-C60B Xerox: 8R7903 


results. 

Enlarge the vent hole 

or remove the label to 

access fill holes 

2. Some cartridges have a hard top, while others have a flat top with a sticker. 

For cartridges with a sticker, simply peel it back to reveal the fill holes. 

Cartridges with a hard top must have a hole drilled in the top of the cartridge 

with a 3mm drill bit. Drill all the way through the plastic top. 

3. Fill a syringe with black ink. With the cartridge upright, carefully insert the 

needle into the refill hole, as indicated below, left, until the needle tip is about 

halfway into cartridge. 

4. Slowly inject ink into the cartridge. Injecting ink too quickly may trap air 

inside the cartridge. Amount of ink needed varies by cartridge and depends on 

how empty the cartridge is before refilling. Fill until ink appears at the fill 

hole, then remove 1ml from the cartridge near the surface of the fill hole. 

Use any of 

these holes 

to fill this 

cartridge 

with black 

ink. 

Insert the 

needle about 

halfway into 



print head should leave a solid black line on the towel. If ink is not visible, 


This cartridge is easy to overfill. After filling, drain excess ink by placing the 

cartridge upside-down in a sink on a thickly folded stack of paper towels. 

When ink stops draining from the cartridge, check / correct any remaining 

overfill condition by following the instructions on page 33. 


results are unsatisfactory, the cartridge may be overfilled. Remove an 

additional 1-2ml of ink and try again. 

For best results, refill cartridges before they are empty. 



Empty Chamber 

Lexmark 10N0217 (17) 

Sharp UX-C70B 

Some Cartridges contain an empty 

chamber, as shown. 

This chamber may accidentally fill with ink. 

To correct this, do not remove the lid. Drill a 

hole directly above the empty chamber, 

completely drain the chamber of ink, and 

plug the hole with the small rubber plug. 

Drill, drain 

and plug here 

If excess ink remains in this chamber, the 

used cartridge may seem full when it is not. 

Page 14 





Pry the lid off with a 

small screwdriver 

here. 

Lexmark: 10N0026 (26)•10N0227 (27)•10N0510/10N610 

18C0031 (31)•18C0033 (33)•18C0035 (35)•18C0510•18C0520 

18C0700•18C0781 (1)•18L0042 (83)• 18L0390 Dell: 7Y745/X0504 

(A940/A960) J5567/R5974 (922/942/962)•J4844/K5553 

(922/942/962) M4646/R5482 (922/942/962)•T0530/K1017 

(720/920) •T0602/K1145 (J740) Xerox: 8R7904 

1. Read pages 4-5 for important information that will improve your results. 

Drill holes 

in the top 

to access 

chambers. 

Peel the 

label 

back to 

access 

fill 

holes. 

2. Before refilling, the label or top should be removed or holes must be drilled. 

Verify the ink colors in each chamber (see “Use Colors Correctly” on page 5), 

then select the first color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink. Place tape 

over the remaining refill holes to prevent cross-contamination. 

3. With the cartridge upright, carefully insert the needle into the correct refill 

hole until the needle tip is about halfway into the cartridge. 

4. Slowly inject ink into the chamber of the chosen ink color. Injecting ink too 

quickly may trap air inside the cartridge. Amount of ink needed varies by 

cartridge and depends on how empty the cartridge is before refilling. Fill until 

ink appears at the fill hole, then remove 1ml. 

5. Refill each color by repeating the above process, making sure to tape over the 

unused refill holes to prevent cross-contamination. 






7. Once the cartridge is refilled, remove any tape covering the refill holes. If you 

removed the top, tape the cartridge top securely back into position. 






Lex 26/27 • Dell T0530 

Lex 1/33/35/83 • Dell T0602 

7Y745/M4646/J5567 

Xerox 8R7904 

Peel off the label, or drill 

through the top above the 

holes as shown to access 

the ink chambers. 

Remove tape when done. 

Do not overfill. 

Magenta 

Cyan 

Yellow 

Color locations may vary 

Always check color 

by inserting a toothpick 

before injecting ink. 

Yellow 

Cyan 

Magenta 

Photo Magenta 

Photo Cyan 

Black 

Yellow 

Magenta 

Cyan 

Lex 31 

Dell J4844 





Lexmark: 13400HC•1361400•13620HC•1380620• 

1381400•1382050•17G0050 (50)•16G0055 (55)•12A1970 

(70)•15M2971 (71)•12A1975 (75) Compaq: 180845-001 

180847-001•203428-001•337709-001• 337714-001•203428-001 

Brother: IN-700•LC11-BK Okidata: 52109301 Xerox: 8R7879 

8R7881 Sharp: AJ-C50B•UX-22BC Olivetti: 84431•84433 

Enlarge refill hole 

Remove Plug 


results. 

2. Enlarge the small hole on the top of the cartridge with the included screw tool 

or remove the plug. 

3. Select the color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink. With the cartridge 

upright, carefully insert the needle into the refill hole until the needle tip is 

halfway into the foam sponge. 

4. Slowly inject ink into the cartridge. As you add ink, watch the print head 

closely. If ink begins to come out of the print head or around the refill hole, 

stop filling. Amount of ink needed varies by cartridge and depends on how 

empty the cartridge is before refilling. Fill until ink comes out the fill hole, then 

remove 1ml. 




This cartridge is easy to overfill because you cannot see the internal sponge. 

Overfilling can cause this cartridge to print poorly, not print at all, print only 

on part of the page, or stop printing after the printer sits idle for a day or two. 

Check / correct overfilling by withdrawing a few ml of ink, or following the 



results are unsatisfactory, the cartridge may be overfilled. Remove 2-4ml of ink 

and try again. 

Do not attempt to print with this cartridge when it is empty as this could 

damage the print head. For best results, refill cartridges before they are 

empty. 

Cartridge is easy to 

overfill. See page 33 

for help. 



Page 16 





Lexmark: 12A1980 (80)•12A1985 (85)•12A1990 (90)•1361760 

13619HC•1380619•1382060•15M0120 (20)•15M0125 (25) 

16G0065 (65)•17G0060 (60) Okidata: 52109302 

Compaq: 180844-001•180846-001•180848-001•337710-001 

337711-001•337715-001 Brother: IN-710C•LC11-CL 

Xerox: 8R12591•8R7880•8R7882 Sharp: AJ-C50C•UX-27CC 

1. Read pages 4-5 for important general information that will greatly improve 

your results. 

2. If this is the first refill, the cartridge top must be removed. Some kits may 

include a top removal tool (shown left). Please review top removal methods on 

page 32. Be careful not to damage the black tab, located near the lid. If you 

need a top removal tool, please see www.stratitec.com. 


upright, carefully insert the needle into the correct chamber, as indicated 

below, left, until the needle tip is halfway into the foam sponge. 

4. Slowly inject ink into the chamber of the chosen ink color. Injecting ink too 

quickly may trap air inside the cartridge. Amount of ink needed varies by 

cartridge and depends on how empty the cartridge is before refilling. As you 

add ink, watch the sponge surface closely. If ink appears around the needle or 

up the sides of the sponge, stop filling. Use the syringe to extract 0.5-1ml of 

ink to reduce overfilling. Refill each color by repeating the above process, 

keeping the cartridge upright. 




Glue 

Seam 

Some kits may include 

a top removal tool, as 

shown. When using the 

tool, the top may crack 

as indicated above, or 

at glue seam. Either 

result will allow access 

to the refill holes. For 

top removal methods 

with or without the tool, 

see page 32. 

6. Once the cartridge is refilled, tape the cartridge top securely in place. 




Do not attempt to print with this cartridge when it is empty as this could 

damage the print head. For best results, refill cartridges before they are 

empty. 



Cyan 

Yellow 

Magenta 

Photo 

Cyan 

Black 

Photo 

Magenta 

Standard Colors 

Photo 12A1990 (90), 1361760 





Canon: BC-30/BC-30e•BC-31/BC-31e•BC-33e•BCI-3Bk/BCI- 

3eBk•BCI-3C/BCI-3eC•BCI-3M/BCI-3eM•BCI-3Y/BCI-3eY•BCI- 

3PC/3PM•BCI-5Bk•BCI-5C/BCI-5M/BCI-5Y•BCI-6Bk•BCI-6C/BCI- 

6M/BCI-6Y•BCI-6PC/BCI-6PM•BCI-8Bk•BCI-8C/BCI-8M/BCI- 

8Y•BJI-201Bk(HC)•BJI-201C/BJI-201M/BJI-201Y•CLI-8BK•CLI- 

8C•CLI-8M•CLI-8Y•CLI-8PC•CLI-8PM•PGI-5 

Apple: M1949•M1950•M1951•M1952•M3822•M3852 

Drill refill 

hole using a 

3mm bit 

within the 

marked 

section. 

Use a small 

rubber plug 

to seal the 

hole after 

filling. 


your results. 

2. Press and hold the ink outlet hole against the rubber sealing pad, maintaining 

pressure against the sealing pad to minimize leaking as you refill. If your kit 

does not include the rubber sealing pad, you may optionally use high quality 

black electrical tape. (If you do not seal the ink outlet, ink will drip from the 

ink outlet hole until the refill hole is sealed with a plug.) 

3. Use the included 3mm drill bit to drill a hole where indicated at left. Be sure 

that the refill hole is clean and smooth, as the small plug must create an 

airtight seal once the cartridge is refilled. 

4. Inject the appropriate color of ink into the ink reservoir until it is full. Wait 15- 

30 seconds for the ink to saturate the sponge. Add additional ink, if necessary, 

to fill the ink reservoir. 

Sponge 

chamber 

Ink 

reservoir 

5. Seal the refill hole with a small plug. If the seal is not airtight, the cartridge 

will leak. If you did not use the included 3mm drill bit, if the plug does not seal 

properly, or if the cartridge continues to leak, use hot glue to seal the refill 

hole. Do NOT use tape as it will not provide a proper permanent seal. 

6. After you remove the tape or rubber sealing pad from the ink outlet, a few 

drops of ink SHOULD drip from the cartridge. If you don't get any drips, hold 

the cartridge over paper towels and carefully remove the plug from the seal 

hole until the ink outlet begins to drip, then quickly repeat step 5. 

7. Let the cartridge sit for 10-20 seconds until it is no longer dripping ink. Give 

the sponge chamber a light squeeze for a final drip to balance the pressure. If 

the cartridge continually drips ink, refer to step 5 to seal the refill hole. 

Ink outlet 

To prevent excess drips 

while filling, press and 

hold the ink outlet 

against the rubber 

sealing pad. As an 

alternate, use black 

electrical tape. 

8. Once the cartridge is filled and no longer dripping ink, re-install the cartridge, 

run cleaning cycles, and print test pages. NEVER install a dripping or leaking 

cartridge in your printer. 

9. Some printers may not be able to tell that the CLI-8 and PGI-5 type cartridges 

are full again after reinstalling them in the printer. If so, you may need to 

either press the button on the printer until the error light goes out, or use the 

printer driver option to continue printing. If you do this, be sure to keep the 

cartridges refilled BEFORE they run empty. 

For best results, do not leave empty or refilled cartridges out of the printer 

unless tightly sealed in a heavy plastic bag. 



Page 18 





Canon: BC-20•BC-23•BX-20 Apple: M3240 


your results. 

Remove 

this plug 

from the 

fill hole 

using the 

screw tool 

2. These cartridges have a plug on the top of the cartridge that must be removed 

as indicated at left. Press the included screw tool into the plug and turn 

clockwise until the tool is secured in the plug and you are able to pull the plug 

out. Keep the plug for reinserting into the cartridge fill hole. 

Although not required, we recommend using an accurate scale, such as a 

postal scale, to measure the cartridge mass. See pages 34-35 for estimated 

cartridge mass/volume for various cartridges. 


upright, carefully insert the needle into the refill hole until the needle tip is 

halfway into the foam sponge. 

4. Slowly inject ink. As you add ink, watch the print head closely. If ink begins to 

come out of the print head or around the refill hole, stop filling, then use the 

syringe to extract 1ml of ink. 

5. Reinsert the plug into the fill hole. 




7. Re-install the cartridge, run cleaning cycles, and print test pages. 

These cartridges are easy to overfill. Check / correct overfilling by following 

the instructions on page 33. 

Replace the plug after 

refilling. If the screw tool 

is still attached to the 

plug, rotate the screw 

tool counter-clockwise to 

remove it from the plug. 

For best results, refill cartridges before they are empty. Empty ink cartridges 

should be refilled promptly, as cartridges that are old or dry may not refill 

successfully. If necessary, refilled cartridges may be stored in a sealed plastic 

bag. 



Press the print head 

against a paper towel to 

verify the ink flow. 





Canon: BCI-10•BCI-11•BCI-15•BCI-21•BCI-24 

Apple: M3329•M3330•M3908•M3909•M3910•M3911•M3912 


your results. 

2. To reduce the risk of ink contamination, we recommend removal of the 

cartridge top on color cartridges that have separate tops. Please review the 

cartridge top “Alternate Removal Methods” on page 32. 

BCI-21,24 COLOR 

ONLY: Remove top of 

cartridge. See page 32. 

Press small priming 

tip gently against ink 

outlet and slowly 

inject ink. Stop when 

ink comes out the 

bottom. 

3. Place the cartridge with the ink outlet(s) facing up, as shown below at left, on 

a flat, ink-resistant surface or on paper towels or absorbent cloth in case of 

spills or leakage. 

4. Select color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink, then carefully remove the 

needle and attach the small priming tip (page 3). 

5. Gently press the priming tip against the ink outlet on the cartridge as 

indicated at left and slowly inject up to 5ml of color ink or up to 12ml of black 

ink. It is important not to dent, mar, or damage the sponge when refilling or 

the cartridge will be unusable. Stop filling when the sponge is full and stops 

absorbing ink quickly. A dry sponge may absorb ink more slowly. 

6. Carefully turn the cartridge to the upright position, using a paper towel or 

absorbent cloth to absorb any ink dripping from the ink outlet. Hold cartridge 

upright until ink no longer drips from the ink outlet. Installing the cartridge 

while ink is still dripping and/or running out of the cartridge may damage your 

printer. 

7. Tape the cartridge top securely in place, re-install the cartridge, run cleaning 

cycles, and print test pages. Most Canon printers will automatically reset ink 

levels. 

For best results, refill your cartridge regularly. In some cases, the sponge may 

not absorb ink immediately. After refilling, allow 1-2 hours (12 hours for very 

dry sponges) for the sponge to absorb the ink. 

The BCI-21 cartridges contain more absorbent sponge material than the BCI- 

24 and may provide better results, with longer time between refills. 



Inject carefully. Do 

NOT allow ink to 

enter any of the other 

colors. 

If you overflow, 

immediately wipe 

away any excess ink. 

Black 

Black 

Color 

Yellow 

Magenta 

Cyan Magenta Yellow 

Yellow Cyan 

Magenta Cyan 

BCI-11 BCI-21/24 BCI-15 

Color location varies. Check cartridge before refilling. 

Page 20 





Canon: BC-01•BC-02•BX-2•BC-05•BC-06 

Apple: M4609•M8041•M8049•M8052 Brother: IN10 

Read pages 4-5 for important general information that will greatly improve your 

results. 

Black Cartridges: BC-01, BC-02, BX-2, M8041, M8049, M8052, IN10 

1. These cartridges have a plug on the side of the cartridge that must be removed 

as indicated at left. Press the included screw tool into the plug and turn 

clockwise until the tool is secured in the plug and you are able to pull the plug 

out. Keep the plug for reinserting into the cartridge fill hole. 

2. Fill a syringe with black ink. With the cartridge upright, carefully insert the 

needle into the refill hole until the needle tip is halfway into the foam sponge. 

Remove this plug 

from the fill hole 

using the screw tool 

3. Slowly inject up to 20ml of ink. As you add ink, watch the print head closely. 

If ink begins to come out of the print head or around the refill hole, stop filling, 

then use the syringe to extract 1ml of ink. 

4. Reinsert the plug into the fill hole. If the plug is badly damaged you may 

optionally insert a large rubber plug. Continue with the instructions and 

cautions under “Black and Color Cartridges” below. 

Color Cartridges: BC-05, BC-06 and M4609 

1. The color cartridge has three plugs located on the side of the cartridge (one 

for each color) as indicated at left. Each plug is removed by pressing the 

included screw tool into the plug and turning clockwise until the tool is 

secured in the plug and you are able to pull the plug out. Keep the plug for 

reinserting into the cartridge fill hole. 

Only remove one plug at a time when refilling to avoid color contamination. 

Yellow 

Magenta 

Cyan 

Set the cartridge on 

folded paper towels to 

drain any overfilled ink. 

2. Always check the color of the ink in the chamber you are about to fill. After 

you have verified the ink color, slowly inject up to 5ml of the appropriate color 

of ink into the refill hole. The amount of ink remaining in each color may be 

different, depending on your printing. Refill until full, then remove 0.5 ml. 

3. Set the cartridge on thickly folded paper towels with the vent holes facing 

down for about 5 minutes to drain any overfilled ink. Reinsert each plug into 

the fill hole and repeat procedure with any remaining colors. 

Black and Color Cartridges 

Verify ink flow by pressing the print head against a damp paper towel. Each color 

should leave a solid line on the towel. If ink is not visible, follow the priming 


These cartridges are easy to overfill. Check / correct overfilling by following 

the instructions on page 33. 

For best results, refill cartridges before they are empty. Empty ink cartridges 

should be refilled promptly, as cartridges that are old or dry may not refill 

successfully. Store refilled cartridges in a tightly sealed plastic bag. 







Brother: LC41BK/C/Y 


your results. Note: Refilling the LC41M is not recommended. 

Use a 

syringe 

without a 

locking 

tip. 

2. Fill a syringe without a locking tip with 25ml of black ink (for the LC41BK) or 

20ml of color ink (for the LC41C or LC42Y). If your kit does not include a 

syringe without a locking tip (as shown at left), please visit 

www.stratitec.com. 

3. Remove the needle from the syringe. 

Ink Exit 

Hole 

Pressure 

Release 

Button 

4. Place the cartridge on a flat, ink proof surface, with the bottom facing up, as 

shown. 

5. Push the tip of the syringe into the ink exit hole and tilt the syringe to the side. 

Pull back on the syringe and tilt/rotate the syringe until air flows into the 

syringe easily. 

6. Pull the syringe back until 3-4 ml of air from the cartridge bubbles up through 

the ink. A slight vacuum will form in the cartridge. Then, push on the syringe 

slightly to inject 3-4 ml of ink. Repeat this step 5-10 times to “pump” the air 

out of the cartridge and replace it with ink. 

7. When the refill process is complete, the syringe will be filled with air but the 

plunger will be in the starting location. Pull back one last time on the plunger 

to pull a few extra ml of air out of the cartridge and then pull the syringe out 

of the ink exit hole 

Do not bump or press the pressure release button during or after filling. 

Fill to 25ml (black) or 

20ml (color). You will 

need the remaining space 

in the syringe for air 

during the refill process. 


results are unsatisfactory, be sure the cartridge is reinserted completely and 

correctly. 

These cartridges do not need to be refilled before they are empty. 



First, pull back 

on the syringe 

until 3-4 ml of 

air bubbles are 

pulled into the 

syringe. 

Then release (and 

gently push) an 

equal amount (3-4 

ml) of ink into the 

cartridge. 

Pull back and 

push in 

repeatedly until 

all the ink is in 


Notice that the 

plunger of the 

syringe is in the 

starting position 

when finished. 

Push the tip into the ink 

exit hole and tilt the 

syringe as shown. 

Repeat until all the ink 

is in the cartridge. 

Page 22 





*Ink-level chip 

Epson: S020034•S020036•S020047•S020049•S020089•S020093 

S020097•S020108•S020138•S020187•S020189•S020191 

S020193•T001•T003•T005•T007*•T008*•T009*•T013•T014 

• T015*•T016*•T017*•T018*•T019•T020•T026*•T027*•T028* 

•T029*•T036*•T037*•T038*•T039*•T040*•T041* 

Cartridges marked with a “*” have an ink-level chip that must be reset to use 

the cartridge after refilling. For instructions, see page 25. 

Use a 

syringe 

without a 

locking 

tip. 


your results. 

2. Verify the ink color in each chamber before filling (see “Use Colors Correctly” 

on page 5). Do NOT rely solely upon cartridge label or diagram colors. The 

diagrams below show the colors in the chamber as seen from the top. 

3. Fill a syringe (without a locking tip if included) with ink. Remove air bubbles 

by pushing all the ink and air in the syringe back into the bottle and 

withdrawing ink again. 

Ink Outlets 

Stop filling when ink 

comes out the vent 

hole on the top. 

4. Have paper towels ready to absorb excess ink. If using a syringe without a 

locking tip, prepare for a few drips of ink, then remove the needle from the 

syringe and set the needle aside and put the tip of the syringe into the ink 

outlet for the color you are refilling, as shown. If using a syringe with locking 

tip, insert needle into the fill hole on the top of the cartridge (not shown). 

Slowly inject ink, gently tapping the cartridge after every few ml to help air 

bubbles escape. Injecting ink too quickly may stop you from filling the 

cartridge completely. As you add ink, watch the top vent holes closely. When 

ink begins to come out of the vent hole, stop filling but leave the syringe in 

place. Extract 1-2 ml of ink to remove air from the ink outlet and to reduce 

overfilling. Remove the syringe and clean away excess ink with paper towels. 

5. Wash and dry the needle and syringe. Refill each color by repeating steps 2-4. 

Place the filled cartridge on thickly folded paper towels and allow to sit for 2-3 

minutes with the ink outlet down, then 2-3 minutes with the ink outlets up. 

Some ink may drip from the ink outlet and/or vent holes during this process. 

6. Follow chip resetting instructions, if needed, and re-install the cartridge. Run 

cleaning and test cycles. The best print quality is usually obtained after letting 

the printer sit idle with the refilled cartridges installed for 4-24 hours, then 

running cleaning cycles again. 



EPSON 

EPSON 

EPSON 

EPSON 

EPSON 

Fill by injecting ink into 

the ink outlet. Air and 

bubbles may come out 

the top of the cartridge. 

When finished filling, 

withdraw 1-2 ml to 

remove air and reduce 

overfilling. 

Black 

All 

Black 

Cartridges 

Cyan 

Magenta 

Yellow 

Yellow 

Magenta 

T005•T014 

T018•T020 

T029•T037 

T039•T041 

S020191 

S020089 

S020036 

S020049 • S020097 

S020138 

S020193 • T001 

T008 • T009 

T016 • T027 

www.stratitec.com Page 23 

Cyan 

Black 

Cyan 

Yellow 

Magenta 

Cyan 

Magenta 

Photo 

Cyan 

Yellow 

Photo 

Magenta




Epson: T0431*•T0441*•T0442*•T0443*•T0444* 

T0481*•T0482*•T0483*•T0484*•T0485*•T0486* 

T0601*•T0602*•T0603*•T0604* 

Ink Exit Hole 

Ink Fill Hole 

Cartridges marked with a “*” have an ink-level chip that must be reset to 

use the cartridge after refilling. For instructions, see page 25. 

1. Read pages 4-5 for important information that will improve your results. 

2. Use a needle or screw tool to puncture the plastic film over the ink fill hole. 

3. Fill the large syringe with exactly 20ml of ink, remove the needle and attach 

a small priming tip. To make filling easier, we recommend trimming 3mm 

(1/8 inch) from the small end of the priming tip. 

First, pull back 

firmly on the 

plunger of the 

syringe to pull 

air out of the 

cartridge. 

Then, release 

and gently push 

an equal 

amount of ink 

into the 

cartridge. 

Repeat as 

needed. 

Push the tip 

into the ink fill 

hole. Keep a 

tight seal. 

Hold the 

syringe 

down 

with a 

finger. 

Notice 

that the 

plunger 

of the 

syringe 

is in the 

starting 

position 

when 

finished. 

Hold the cartridge steady. Use 

a clamp to help keep the 

cartridge upright, if available. 

4. Set the cartridge upright, as shown, and push the syringe tip into the ink fill 

hole until it makes a tight seal as shown. Maintain the seal while refilling. 

5. Carefully note the starting position of the plunger in the syringe. Pull firmly 

on the syringe plunger to withdraw air from the cartridge, then allow the 

plunger to go back to the starting position, filling the cartridge with ink. 

Repeat, pulling back quickly and firmly until you are unable to draw any 

additional air bubbles out of the cartridge. 

6. Carefully remove the syringe from the fill hole, tip the syringe up, cover the 

priming tip with wadded paper towels and eject the air from the syringe. 

7. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all the air is withdrawn from the cartridge. If the 

cartridge is empty, it will hold 15-16ml, leaving 4-5ml in the syringe. (The 

T0431extra large black holds 35-37ml, and will require a syringe refill.) 

8. Top off the cartridge by putting a needle on the syringe and injecting into 

the fill hole until totally full. This cartridge cannot be overfilled. 

9. Wipe excess ink from the fill hole and seal with an extra large* rubber 

plug. Extra large plugs are only included in kits that list these cartridges as 

compatible on the package. If you need extra large plugs, they are available 

for purchase at www.stratitec.com. 

DO NOT use the regular large plug, silver tape dots, or tape. An improper 

seal may allow ink to leak after replacing the cartridge in the printer. 

10. When completed, the cartridge should weigh 40-43g (~1.5oz). The 

T0431extra large black should weigh 67-69g (~2.5oz). Although not 

required, we recommend using an accurate scale, such as a postal scale, to 

weigh the cartridge after filling. If the cartridge is not at full weight, it is 

not full, and will run out before the printer expects it to. If you cannot get to 

the full weight, refill the cartridge again when your printer driver reports 

ink levels below 25% to prevent the cartridge from running completely dry. 

Seal the fill hole with an 

extra large* rubber plug. 

The printer should be able to print again immediately, or after 1-2 cleaning 

cycles. If not, place the cartridge with the ink exit hole facing down and 

withdraw a few ml of ink from the ink exit hole by inserting the tip of the 

large syringe and pulling back. Be sure to fill the cartridge again, or it will 

run out of ink before the printer expects it to. 



Page 24 




Epson: Ink-level Chip Reset Details and Instructions 

Many Epson brand cartridges use ink-level chips that disable the cartridge 

when a pre-determined number of droplets are printed. To refill and use a 

cartridge with an ink-level chip, a chip reset device must be used. For more 

information, please visit www.stratitec.com. 

Epson Chip Reset Device Instructions: 

Chip Reset Device 

1. Most cartridges can be reset with a standard device (shown). Some large 

format cartridges require a special large format reset device (not shown). 

2. If you have a tall and thin cartridge (see below), prepare the reset device to fit 

your cartridge by installing a plastic guide. 

3. Align your cartridge with the chip reset device. The pins on the reset device 

must align exactly with the contacts on the ink-level chip on the cartridge. 

Epson Ink-level Chip 

Standard Cartridges 

4. After a few seconds, the LED light should begin flashing red. If the reset is 

successful, the light will turn green after 3-4 seconds. 

If the light does not flash, you have not made contact with the ink-level chip. 

Try pressing the reset device against the cartridge again, and with the 

cartridge and the reset device pressed together, move the reset device slightly 

back and forth, or up and down, to get a good contact with the chip. 

If the LED light turns solid red, it means that the reset could not complete 

successfully. This may be because the chip is damaged, it is not an original 

Epson chip, or is a chip that is not resettable. 

Align the chip reset 

device with the 

cartridge 

Never reset the ink-level chip without also refilling the cartridge completely. 

Doing this will tell the printer that the cartridge is full, and may cause the 

cartridge and printer to run completely out of ink, making it difficult to get the 

printer working correctly again. 

Tall and Thin Cartridges 

Press the reset 

device against the 

cartridge so the 

pins on the reset 

device align with 

the metal contacts 

on the ink-level 

chip, and the light 

blinks red, then 

turns solid green. 

Tab 

Position as shown, 

align the tab, and 

push the guide 

onto the reset 

device. 

Tall, thin cartridges are 

easier to reset if you use 

a cartridge guide. 

Press the reset 

device against 

the cartridge 

until the light 

blinks red then 

turns green. 





Brother: LC02BK/C/Y/M•LC04BK/C/Y/M•LC21BK/C/Y/M 

LC31BK/C/Y/M 


your results. 

2. Tightly seal the ink outlet on the bottom of the cartridge with tape. 

Tape over the ink 

outlet on the 

cartridge bottom 

Release 

clip with 

screw 

driver 

3. Use a small screw driver to pry the lid from the cartridge as indicated at left. 

The lid is easy to remove once you have released the clip. 

4. Study the photos at left carefully, and note the positions of the three holes 

under the stickers on the top of the cartridge. Remove the stickers to expose 

the refill and vent holes. 

5. Select the color to be refilled and fill a syringe with ink. Insert the needle into 

the refill hole and push the tip of the needle down through the fill chamber 

toward the bottom of the cartridge. 

6. Slowly inject ink into the cartridge until it rises up to the refill hole, and then 

carefully withdraw the needle from the cartridge. 

7. Attach the small rubber priming tip to an empty syringe and slowly force air 

into the fill hole (as shown in the image, below left) until most of the ink in the 

chamber beneath the refill hole is pushed into the sponge. Stop when the ink 

nears the bottom of the chamber. Do NOT push all of the ink into the sponge, 

as air may become trapped in the cartridge. 

Refill hole 

Vent holes 

8. Repeat steps 5-7 until the sponge is saturated with ink but before the ink 

reaches the vent hole. The ventilation chamber (located below the vent holes) 

should remain empty. Be sure that the cartridge is filled with ink to the top of 

the refill hole. 

Fill until ink reaches 

the refill hole. 

Stop here 

Then 

fill again 

This 

side 

must 

stay 

empty 

Carefully 

push ink 

into the 

sponge. 

9. Carefully wipe the area around the refill and vent holes until the cartridge is 

dry, then apply an included adhesive tape dot or use high-quality black 

electrical tape to form an airtight seal over each opening. 

10. Remove the tape covering the ink outlet on the bottom of the cartridge. 

11. Ink may drip or seep from the ink outlet as the cartridge pressure equalizes. 

This may take some time if the cartridge is overfilled. If the outlet dripping 

drains all the fluid in the refill chamber, the refill and/or vent hole are not 

properly sealed and you should restart the procedure from the beginning, 

being sure to seal the refill and vent holes fully. 

12. When you have verified that the refill and vent holes are sealed properly, 

reinstall the cartridge, run cleaning cycles, and print test pages. If your printer 

indicates that the cartridge is empty after refilling, check to ensure that the 

ink level in the refill chamber reaches the refill hole. 

13. If you have followed the instructions carefully but need additional help, please 

review pages 34-35. 

If your printer indicates that the cartridge is still empty after refilling, make 

sure the ink fills the left chamber up to the refill hole. 



Page 26 




More instructions are available at www.stratitec.com 

Refilling instructions and/or additional information and requirements for the 

following cartridges are available at www.stratitec.com: 

Hewlett Packard: 

C4836 (11)**•C4837 (11)**•C4838 (11)** 

C4841 (10)**•C4842 (10)**•C4843 (10)**•C4844 (10)** 

C9359 (59)•C9368 (100) 

Canon: 

BC-60•BCI-61•BCI-61e• BCI-62•BCI-62e•BCI-6R•BCI-6G 

CL-40•CL-41•PG-40•PG-41 

Epson: 

S020062 (K)•S020118 (K)•S020122 (Y)•S020126 (M)•S020130 (C) 

S020143 (M)•S020147 (C) 

T480 (T480011)•T481 (T481011)•T482 (T482011)•T483 (T483011) 

T484 (T484011)•T485 (T485011) 

Other/New: 

Additional or updated instructions, troubleshooting guides, and manuals are 

available on our website. 

* Ink is compatible with these cartridges, but they may require an ink-level chip reset to 

print. See the instructions for the cartridge, or page 25 for details. 

** These cartridges may require a third party replacement chip and resetter. See page 31 

for details. 




Tri-color Cartridge Troubleshooting: 

Unsatisfactory print results or incorrect colors with color HP, Lexmark, 

Compaq, Dell, or other similar multi-color cartridges: 

1. Ink contamination will cause the printer to produce off-color output. 

2. Contamination usually occurs when one or more colors have been 

overfilled and can occur even if overfilling was not obvious. The overfilled 

color forms a small ink drop on the print head. The sponges containing the 

other colors wick the overfilled color up into their chambers. This causes 

the overfilled color to combine with and contaminate other colors. 

Figure 1: Example test page 

created in OpenOffice.org's 

Draw program. You will find a 

link to download this test 

document on our web site. 

Alternately, if you already have 

a drawing or graphics program 

on your system, make your own 

test page using black, cyan, 

magenta, and yellow bars. 

3. In some cases, contamination can be caused by failure to sufficiently wash 

the needle and syringe or by accidentally injecting the wrong color. The 

procedure below may not resolve color contamination due to these errors. 

If this is the cause of your color contamination, please follow the cartridge 

priming procedures on pages 29 and/or 30 to purge your cartridge, then 

refill the cartridge again, using the appropriate instructions. Repeat as 

needed. 

4. To resolve ink contamination caused by overfilling, download the color 

test page from www.stratitec.com. This test page uses the color 

management capabilities of a free software package called 

OpenOffice.org. OpenOffice.org is compatible with virtually all modern 

operating systems. 

5. Print the test image repeatedly until the colors print properly. The number 

of prints required depends upon the degree of contamination. If you have 

trouble only with a specific color, you may wish to expand the bar for that 

color and/or remove the bars of color that are working correctly to save 

ink. 

The OpenOffice.org Draw application is used for this color page because it 

is easy to use and allows “pure” colors to be printed. You can create a 

similar test page in any available drawing or graphics program, but your 

color purity may vary. 

HP Printer Maintenance Codes 

Make/Model 

Series 

Task 

Performed 

Sequence 

Code 

Sequence Description 

(Hold down the Power button and..) 

HP / 9XX / 8XX Light Clean 20 Tap Tap Cancel twice 

HP / 9XX / 8XX Intermediate 21 Tap Tap Cancel twice, then Resume once 

HP / 9XX / 8XX Prime 22 Tap Tap Cancel twice, then Resume twice 

HP / 9XX Self Test 84 Tap Tap Cancel 8 times, then Resume 4 times 

HP / 9XX / 8XX Status Page 41 Tap Tap Cancel 4 times, then Resume once 

HP / 8XX Self Test 4 Tap Tap Resume 4 times 

HP / 6XX / e20 Pen Clean 7 Tap Tap Resume 7 times 

Page 28 




HP Cartridge 

Clip Tool 

Preparing to Use the Clip Tool 

6. Place the ink cartridge in the cartridge refill clip by placing the print head 

against the flat surface of the rubber tip and squeezing the cartridge into 

the clip with gentle pressure toward the center of the cartridge until it 

snaps into place. Do not force the top of the cartridge down once it is 

clipped. There should be a small gap visible. 

7. Ensure that the print head is aligned with the refill hole in the rubber tip 

and that it fits flush against the base of the clip. If necessary, adjust the 

cartridge position by removing and reinserting the cartridge. 

Ensure that the 

seal is tight 

Inject ink 

slowly!! 

Leave a 

gap as 

shown to 

help 

ensure the 

head is 

properly 

aligned 

Note: 

syringe tip 

styles may 

vary. 

Always use 

a syringe 

with a 

locking tip. 

Syringe styles may vary. Always use a syringe with a locking tip, as shown, 

when using the cartridge refill clip. 

Refilling with the Clip Tool 

CAREFULLY follow the instructions below. It is important to hold both the 

syringe and the cartridge securely while refilling. DO NOT attempt to inject 

ink too quickly. Excess pressure may break the seal or cause the syringe to 

separate from the rubber tip, resulting in dripping or spraying ink! 

1. Attach a needle to a clean syringe, fill the syringe with ink and then 

carefully remove the needle. Attach the locking tip of the syringe to the 

rubber tip on the refill clip, and SLOWLY inject ink into the cartridge 

through the print head. 

2. As you inject ink, make certain that the syringe and cartridge remain 

securely attached. Refill the syringe as needed. Inject ink until the cartridge 

is full, usually 25 to 40ml. 

3. Balance the pressure in the cartridge by rotating the cartridge clip until the 

print head and syringe are upright and slowly withdrawing the plunger until 

air and approximately 3ml of liquid ink is drawn into the syringe. 

4. Remove the cartridge from the refill clip and clean the print head with a 

damp paper towel. Hold the cartridge upright for 30 seconds and watch the 

printhead for seeping or dripping ink. 

HP Cartridge Priming 

Cartridges that have run completely dry may not print properly when refilled. 

Priming the cartridge using the instructions below may correct this problem. For 

best results, always refill cartridges before they are empty. 

1. Attach the locking tip of a clean syringe to the rubber tip on the refill clip. 

2. Once you are sure that the seal is tight, position the cartridge as shown, and 

pull back on the plunger until ink begins to flow into the syringe. Never push 

ink back into a multi-color cartridge. 

Warning: 

Never 

push ink 

back into 

a multicolor 

cartridge. 

3. Remove the cartridge from the refill clip and clean the print head and 

contacts with a damp paper towel. 




5. If prints are still streaky, use the large and/or small priming tip as described 

on page 30. 




General Cartridge Priming 

1. Priming tools are provided in the refill kit. Begin by attaching a small or 

large priming tip to a clean, dry syringe. 

Small and large 

priming tips. These 

can be trimmed to fit 

your cartridge. 

Pull back on 

the syringe to 

prime the 

cartridge. 

Seal must be airtight. 

Trim if necessary. 

2. The large priming tip is for priming an entire print head. To use it, you must 

press the large end to the outlets on your print head, forming an airtight 

seal. Pull back on the syringe to apply suction to the print head until ink or 

ink bubbles appear in the syringe. If you cannot establish an airtight seal, 

you may need to trim the priming tip to better fit the size of your print 

head. Be sure to trim the tip evenly, or the tip may not seal properly. 

3. If you are priming a color cartridge, visually inspect the color of the ink in 

the syringe. This may indicate which colors are flowing through the print 

head properly. When primed properly, ink will flow into the syringe easily. 

If you cannot get any ink to pull into the syringe, the cartridge may be 

dried out. Try soaking the print head in warm distilled water for several 

hours, then prime again. 

4. Wipe the print head with a damp paper towel and examine the nozzles (the 

tiny holes on the print head). Press the print head to a damp paper towel, 

and then to a dry one and examine the uniformity. The printhead should be 

clean and the nozzles should uniformly release ink. 

5. The small suction tip is for priming individual nozzles. It is used in much the 

same way as the larger tip, but it is designed to target specific nozzles that 

need to be primed. 

6. Press the tip lightly over the clogged nozzles and draw the syringe. You 

should feel some resistance or see ink flow if you are making a good seal 

with the surface. If you see the wrong color of ink, then you may be missing 

the targeted nozzle. Adjust the position of the syringe and try again. You 

may trim the small priming tip if you need to cover a larger area. Be sure to 

trim the tip evenly, or the tip may not seal well. 

7. After you have finished, clean the head and contacts with a damp paper 

towel. Place the cartridge into your printer and run test/cleaning cycles as 

described in your printer manual. 

Use the small priming 

tip for small print 

heads or specific colors 

or nozzles. Seal must 

be air tight. Trim tip if 

necessary. 

The small priming tip may also be used in conjunction with a rubber square 

to remove air from a cartridge so more ink can be injected. Use a large 

syringe about half full of ink to start. Temporarily seal any extra holes in 

the color chamber you want to fill with rubber plugs or tape. Start by 

pulling back on the syringe to extract air from the cartridge. Then, when 

you gently push back down on the syringe, ink will enter the cartridge. 

Repeat this cycle 5-10 times until no more air can be extracted from the 

cartridge. When completed, prime the cartridge again with the priming tip 

as described above. 

Page 30 




Resetting Ink levels 

Many printers or print drivers use droplet or page counters to track ink usage. In most cases it is NOT 

necessary to reset the page/droplet counter. In some cases, however, this can be a useful tool for 

determining when a cartridge should be refilled. Printing with an empty cartridge can damage a print head, 

so low ink warnings can help prolong printhead life if the cartridge is promptly refilled. If you cannot or do 

not reset the ink-counter, be sure to refill frequently to ensure your cartridge does not run dry. 

Reset procedures can differ for each printer model and/or printer driver, so always check documentation 

and manuals provided with your printer or printer driver before attempting any reset method. Some 

manufacturers may include instructions on how to reset or override these counters from the printer or 

within the driver software. 

Listed below are various methods that may be used by the manufacturer to track ink usage. 

Self-Resetting Printers: 

Some printers use a combination of counters and sensors. When properly filled and returned to the printer, 

these cartridges will read as full. Some Canon and Brother printers behave this way. 

Menu/LCD Reset: 

Some multifunction printers will ask if the printer cartridge is new every time it is replaced in the printer 

carriage. When you choose “new,” the printer will reset the droplet counters and treat this cartridge as 

new. Some do not detect when the cartridge has been replaced, but have a menu option for replacing the 

cartridge. Always read the your printer manual before removing the cartridge to determine the proper 

method. 

Driver Reset: 

The drivers that came with your printer may have a tool under the maintenance tab (if using Windows) for 

setting your cartridges as new. Your printer or driver manual will have information in the section for 

changing printer cartridges. 

Cartridge Memory: 

Some printers (including many HP models) have a “memory” that recalls the last few cartridges of each 

model used in the printer. Procedures exist for some of these printers that attempt to rotate the current 

cartridge ID out of the printer memory. Sometimes old cartridges can be used in this rotation procedure 

once they have exceeded their useful life cycle. 

Many such printers allow you to continue printing with a used cartridge until the cartridge fails despite 

annoying warning messages. These counters are more like an odometer than a gas gauge and may not reset 

until you replace the cartridge. Printing with an empty cartridge can damage a cartridge's print head, so be 

careful to refill before the cartridge is empty in order to prolong the life of your cartridge. 

Chip Reset: 

A few HP cartridges (such as the HP 10/11) will have a separate print head and require a replacement chip 

and resetter specific to the cartridge. You may wish to perform an Internet search for your cartridge 

model(s) and color(s) to find the specific chip and resetter required for your cartridge. 

Alternate Instructions: 

Many unverified instructions for resetting or overriding cartridges may be available online as new 

cartridges and procedures are developed. Stratitec, Inc. does not support or guarantee such procedures. 

For further information on this subject, please contact our Customer Solution Center. 




Cartridge Top Removal 

Be careful not to damage the metal contacts located on the back of your 

cartridge when using any tools to remove the cartridge top. 

Cartridge opening tool, 

included with some kits. 

Push-bar 

Plastic Spacer 

for use with HP cartridges 

Turn handle 

clockwise to 

apply 

pressure 

1. Some kits may include a cartridge opening tool. The cartridge opening tool 

is designed for specific HP and Lexmark color cartridges. If you need a top 

removal tool, please see www.stratitec.com. 

2. Prepare the tool by turning the handle counter-clockwise to ensure that the 

push-bar is out of the way. 

3. If removing the top from an HP cartridge, fit the plastic spacer into the tool 

(see photo at left). 

4. Insert the cartridge into the tool so that the push-bar aligns with the top of 

the cartridge, as shown in the photos. The edges of the cartridge top should 

slide snugly into the grooves in the tool. 

5. Turn the handle of the tool clockwise to apply pressure to the cartridge top. 

Continue turning the handle firmly until the top cracks or pops loose. Turn 

the handle counter-clockwise to loosen the push-bar and remove the 

cartridge. 

6. Use a flat screwdriver or pliers if necessary to completely remove the top 

from the cartridge. Use tools with care to avoid damaging the sensors on 

the back of the cartridge. 

Alternate Removal Methods (see photos, below) 

If your kit does not include a cartridge opening tool, or if the cartridge opening 

tool does not work for your cartridge, you may try to carefully remove the top 

of the cartridge using channel-lock pliers or a small screwdriver. Use care to 

prevent damage to the metal contacts located on the back of the cartridge. 

Carefully 

score the 

corners 

and then 

along the 

seam of 

the 

cartridge. 

If the top is difficult to remove, use the included 3mm drill bit to make a hole 

above each ink chamber instead of removing the top. Refer to the color location 

diagrams included with the specific instructions for your cartridge, and drill 

straight down to the sponge for each color chamber. Be very careful to avoid 

overfilling, as ink can overflow into other color chambers under the lid. 

It may be helpful to carefully score the seam of the cartridge top. WARNING: 

Use extreme caution if you choose to use a knife to score the seam of the 

cartridge. Keep the refill kit and tools, such as knives, out of reach of children. 

Alternate Methods 

Page 32 




Check / Correct Overfill 

It's easy to overfill some cartridges, especially multi-chambered color 

cartridges with opaque plastic. Many popular cartridges, such as the HP 

17/23/25/78 and 28/57/58/95/97/99/100 types, Lexmark 20/65/80/90 and 

26/83/31/33/35 types, Canon BCI-21/24 and most older Epson types are 

constructed in this manner. 

In multi-chambered cartridges, colors are used at different rates, and there is 

no way to tell how much ink remains in any given chamber. This makes it easy 

to overfill at least one color. It is very important to carefully check for and 

correct any possible overfill condition. 

Epson and Canon: 

1. Epson and most Canon color cartridges do not have built-in print heads. 

(For older Canon cartridges with built-in heads, please follow the HP and 

Lexmark instructions below.) 

2. After filling, let the cartridge sit upright on a thickly folded stack of paper 

towels for 5 minutes. This allows ink to soak into the internal sponge and 

excess ink to drain from the bottom of the cartridge. 

3. Flip the cartridge upside-down and place it on a thickly-folded stack of 

paper towels for 5-10 minutes to allow any excess ink to drain into the 

towels. 

4. Repeat with fresh paper towels until no more ink drains from the cartridge. 

Use paper towels to absorb 

excess ink from Canon and 

Epson cartridges 

Use the refill clip to pull 

excess ink from large HP 

cartridges 

HP, Lexmark, Compaq, Dell, etc.: 

1. These cartridges contain a built-in print head. After filling the cartridge, 

wipe the print head with a damp paper towel. Ink from each color in the 

cartridge should soak into the paper towel. If all the ink colors do not 

appear on the paper towel, the print head may be clogged, making it hard 

to detect an overfill condition for the clogged color. When the clog clears, 

excess ink may flow out quickly and contaminate other colors. 

2. Use the cartridge refill clip for large HP cartridges (see page 29) and the 

large priming tip for all others. Once you are sure that the seal is tight, 

draw from the cartridge until ink begins to flow into the syringe. Never 

push ink back into a color cartridge. 

3. After you have finished, wipe the print head and contacts with a damp 

paper towel. 

4. Place the cartridge into your printer and run test/cleaning cycles as 

described in your printer manual. 

Use the large priming tip 

to remove excess ink from 

HP, Lexmark, Compaq, Dell 

or similar cartridges 




Cartridge Estimated Mass / Volume 

Many cartridges have an optimum mass (weight) 

when properly filled. Filling cartridges to their 

optimum mass helps ensure consistent and highquality 

results. 

Use a small lab or postal scale, to measure your 

cartridge mass. Use the tables listed here to 

determine the recommended mass of your refilled 

cartridge and fill to that level. 

Follow these tips for weighing a cartridge to 

determine its mass: 

• Remove any tape, packaging or storage clips 

before measuring the cartridge mass/volume. 

• Keep the scale on an even, solid surface to 

generate the most accurate measurements. 

• Be sure to zero your scale before you place the 

cartridge for measurement. 

• Check that cartridge is not dripping or leaking 

ink before placing it on a scale. If you get ink on 

your scale, wipe it off immediately with a damp 

paper towel. You may need to zero your scale 

again. 

Hewlett-Packard 

Model Alias Full Mass 

51626 26 60g (2.11oz) 

51629 29 60g (2.11oz) 

51633 33 60g (2.11oz) 

51645a 45 110g (3.86oz) 

51640a 40 110g (3.86oz) 

51640c 40 110g (3.86oz) 

51640m 40 110g (3.86oz) 

51640y 40 110g (3.86oz) 

51644c 44 110g (3.86oz) 

51644m 44 110g (3.86oz) 

51644y 44 110g (3.86oz) 

C6614a 20 49g (1.72oz) 

C6615a 15 110g (3.86oz) 

C6656a 56 47g (1.65oz) 

C8727a 27 43g (1.51oz) 

C9368 100 44.8g (1.57oz) 

Lexmark 


1380620 65g (2.28oz) 

10N0016 16 36g (1.26oz) 

12A1970 70 65g (2.28oz) 

13400HC 400HC 65g (2.28oz) 

13620HC 620HC 65g (2.28oz) 

17G0050 50 65g (2.28oz) 

18L0032 82 42.3g (1.49oz) 

Model 

BC-01 

BC-02 

BC-20 

BC-23 

BCI-10 

BCI-11 

BCI-15 

BCI-21 

Canon 

Full Mass 

60g (2.11oz) 

60g (2.11oz) 

85g (2.99oz) 

85g (2.99oz) 

13g (0.46oz) 

5.5g (0.19oz) 

9.2g (0.32oz) 

23.8g (0.84oz) 

You may wish to estimate the amount of ink required to refill your cartridge by subtracting the mass of the 

empty cartridge from the estimated full mass. Use this value when filling the syringe with ink. 

The difference in grams will be approximately equal to (≈) the difference in milliliters of ink. 

For additional help and resources, please visit www.stratitec.com 

Page 34 




Cartridge Estimated Mass / Volume 

Epson 


S020118 183g (6.43oz) 

S020189 42.5g (1.49oz) 

T026201 T026 32.3g (1.14oz) 

T028201 T028 35.7g (1.25oz) 

T040120 T040 34.7g (1.22oz) 

T043120 T0431 67.1g (2.36oz) 

T044120 T0441 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T044220 T0442 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T044320 T0443 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T044420 T0444 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T048120 T0481 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T048220 T0482 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T048320 T0483 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T048420 T0484 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T048520 T0485 40.5g (1.42oz) 

T048620 T0486 40.5g (1.42oz) 

Brother 

Model Full Mass 

LC41CMY 34g (1.19oz) 

LC41BK 46g (1.62oz) 

Troubleshooting Table 

Problem Cause Solution(s) 

Cracked or wrinkled prints 

Prints have scattered droplets 

Black and white photos have 

color tint 

Drips of ink on paper when 

printing 

Paper quality low or paper setting 

incorrect 

Slightly-overfilled cartridge: ink 

droplets not forming properly 

Color balance not perfectly 

matched 

Overfilled cartridge: ink pooling 

on print head 

Use high-quality paper 

Try another paper brand/type 

Print solid pages of black and/or color 

to clear overfill condition 

Use software to add counter-tint before 

printing 

Use syringe to remove excess ink 

Streaky prints Clogged nozzles Prime the cartridge or print head 

Allow printer to sit overnight 

Ink stains Spilled ink Wash with soap and water. 

Fades from skin in a few days. 

For additional help and resources, please visit www.stratitec.com 




Limited Product Warranty 

STRATITEC warrants to the original purchaser of this inkjet refill kit that this kit shall be free of 

defects in assembly, or workmanship, and will repair, or replace, at its option, any defective 

product free of charge (the "Limited Product Warranty"), subject to the conditions, limitations 

and exclusions set forth herein. 

Conditions and limitations applicable to the Limited Product Warranty are as follows. All costs of 

shipping the STRATITEC inkjet refill kit and any equipment to and from STRATITEC shall be 

borne solely by the purchaser. STRATITEC'S LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO REPLACEMENT OR 

REIMBURSEMENT OF THIS STRATITEC PRODUCT. 

Disclaimer of other Warranties and Limitation of Remedies. The Limited Product 

Warranty is the only warranty made by STRATITEC. EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY 

REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THERE ARE NO OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR 

IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OR CONDITION OF QUALITY, 

MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, and such implied 

warranties, if any, are limited in duration to twenty-four (24) months from the date of 

original purchase. IN NO EVENT SHALL STRATITEC BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL, 

SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL OR MULTIPLE DAMAGES SUCH AS , 

BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOST BUSINESS OR PROFITS ARISING OUT OF SALE OR USE 

OF ANY STRATITEC INKJET REFILL KIT, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF 

SUCH DAMAGES. 

Sales within the United States and Canada. The limited Product Warranty is made only to 

original purchasers who accept delivery of the Stratitec Inkjet Refill Kit within the United States 

or Canada. SOME STATES IN THE UNITED STATES AND SOME JURISDICTIONS IN 

CANADA DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY 

LASTS, THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND/OR THE LIMITATION OF 

REMEDIES, INCLUDING EXCLUSION OF INCIDENTAL AND CONSEQUENTIAL 

DAMAGES, IN CONSUMER TRANSACTIONS, IN WHICH CASE THE DISCLAIMER OF 

OTHER WARRANTIES AND LIMITATION OF REMEDIES STATED IN THE PRECEDING 

PARAGRAPH DO NOT APPLY TO YOU. For example, if you are an individual and purchased 

this STRATITEC Inkjet Refill Kit in the State of Kansas, you have rights based on implied 

warranties and none of the limitations and disclaimers set forth in the preceding paragraph 

apply to you. 

Stratitec, Inc. 

Wichita, KS 

Page 36

Inkjet Refill Instruction Manual - Stratitec

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