printforless smartcart users, question for you.

[Denvers Dawgs]

I just bought the smartcarts for my epson r200 from printforless, and have a few questions:

1. How much ink do I inject into the cart, there were no instructions with them.
2. Is it ok if there is air at the top of the carts?
3. Do you clean the syringes after each use?

Thanks for any help you can provide....

[Denvers Dawgs]

So no one is using the Printforless smart carts for the epson r200?

[juststarting]

The first time you have to fill both sides. Put the rubber plug back into the wicking side only, from then on you fill just the tank side. They are semi-transparent, so you can see how full they are when filling but I have a paper towel handy and after the ink overfills just slightly, I suck just a little ink back into the syringe, and wipe the top of the cart. I refill whenever I think the tank side is low, because you want to keep air from reaching that small little filler tube on top beween the two tanks. If the tank side does run dry, then I fill both sides to get the vacuum back between the two tanks (I think even if a little air gets into he tube, the wicking side vacuum will draw ink from the tank side). You should always be able to see that tiny ribbon of ink between the two tanks on the top of the cartridge--if not then the tank side is empty.

A vinyl glove is also handy--no matter how carful you are without a glove--rainbow fingers.

[Denvers Dawgs]

Do I keep both rubber plugs in when I am printing? Or do I need to remove the plug on the tank side everytime I want to print?

[juststarting]

Only the wicking side gets a plug, the tank side is left open to vent (allowing the ink to travel up through the filler tube). I even thought they shipped with only 1 rubber plug per cart now to avoid the confusion they had years ago.

[Denvers Dawgs]

Hmmm....I never really counted the plugs, just noticed the two holes per cart. There probably are only 6 plugs. So plug the wicking(spounge) side and keep open the tank, gotcha....thanks a lot.

[Denvers Dawgs]

Now do yuo clean the syringes after every use? Also when refilling the carts to you take them out of the printer or leave them in? And do you remove the plug from the sponge side when refilling?

[highvolumeJP]

Don't bother with sponge cartridges they require much more ink during initial fill and eventually the sponge becomes brittle and you have to change it - Get yourself one of those empty, non sponge refillable cartridges.

Put the plug back on the filling hole only and leave the venting open or you will get nasty surprises.

Yes I do clean my syringes after each use. If your chips are not the auto reset kind you will have to remove them from your printer. If you have the auto reset type carts you can refill while in the cartridges, make sure your particular set specifies whether you can or not!