How to Refill a Kodak Ink Cartridge
By Chris Moore
Replacing ink cartridges for a Kodak printer can be annoying and sometimes costly. Refilling an old cartridge with new ink, whether it’s a basic black or color cartridge or even one for a photo printer, can save you time and expense. Buying a refill kit will save you the time it takes you to continually go to the store to purchase new cartridges and could save hundreds of dollars because one kit will enable you to refill a cartridge several times.
Step 1
Open the cartridge to reach the ink chamber within. For color and photo cartridges, just remove the lid with a sharp knife. Insert it where the black and colored plastic meet and find the three fill holes. On black cartridges, make a hole with a heated pin, or drill on top of the cartridge where the letter “K” is.
Step 2
Check the chambers in a color/photo cartridge to determine which color ink is in which chamber. Insert a different toothpick or pin into each chamber to draw out yellow, cyan or magenta ink.
Step 3
Fill a plastic syringe with enough ink in the color you are refilling. A black ink cartridge should need 10 to 15 milliliters. A color or photo cartridge takes 5 milliliters of each color.
Step 4
Insert the syringe needle into the cartridge, sending the tip down to the bottom. The chamber contains a sponge, so you will need a small bit of force to push it in.
Step 5
Inject the ink into the cartridge. Unlike other brands of cartridges, you want to saturate the sponge with ink in a Kodak cartridge. Depress the syringe plunger slowly until you can see the ink begin to surface on top of the sponge.
Step 6
Wash all ink residue out of the syringe after you’ve refilled one shade of ink. If you intend to refill another color immediately, first dry the syringe.
Step 7
Replace the lid on a color or photo cartridge. Apply a strip of tape to the spot where you first removed the lid to secure it. You don’t need to seal a hole you drilled in a black cartridge.
Step 8
Leave the cartridge standing in a secure spot overnight. This helps the ink settle within the cartridge for even printing once the cartridge is back in the printer.
References
Tips
- Protect the surface you are using from spills by spreading out old rags or paper towels.
Writer Bio
Chris Moore has been contributing to eHow since 2007 and is a member of the DFW Writers' Workshop. He received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Texas-Arlington.