Inkjet Printer Repair

HP DeskJet/Officejet

Collect the following HP cartridges

• color #23: from 700 series, 810-835, 880-895
• color #78: from 900 series
• black #15: from 810-825, 840-845, 920/940
• black #45: from 700 series, many 800 series and most 900 series (not 920/940)
• all 27,28,56,57,58 and 90 series cartridges from more recent printers

Suggested printers to refurbish

• flatbed all-in-ones (printer,scanner,copier) that take the above cartridges
• large-format (11x17) printers that take the above cartridges
• put #15/#78 cartridges in the 940 printer
• put #45/#78 cartridges in the 930-935 and 950+ printers (start with highest number)
• put #45/#23 cartridges in the 895 printers
• put 20/50/90 series cartridges in newer printers

Lexmark Model X5250, includes a scanner and copier

• Black Cartridge, part #32, refillable - YES
• Color Cartridge, part #33, refillable - Unknown
• Linux Drivers - Unknown
• Windows Drivers - Yes

Tools needed

• Lotsa rags to clean cartridge nozzles and printers
• water bottle to wet clean rags for cleaning cartridges
• Simple Green cleaner for printer cases
• #T10 torx bit for many HP inkjet printers
• printer test machine with USB and parallel printer cables (and internet connection)
• cheap plastic ziploc bags to put empty cartridges in for a given printer
• known good cartriges (in special cartridge holders) to test printers with
• extra labels to price the printer and mark the cartridge ziploc bags

Cleaning Inkjet Cartridges

• Wet a CLEAN rag with a spot of water
• With the wide face of your thumb under the wet area, rub the cartridge printhead over the top of the rag until all colors of ink flow out'
• You can tap the printhead against the rag lightly to encourage the ink to come out
• Move to dry area of the rag and drag the printhead over the rag on top of your thumb to make sure all colors are flowing freely
• store cartridge in holder or in printer in "capped" position

Performing HP diagnostic "tap" sequences

Hold down the power button when the printer is on and press the button next to power either 1, 4 or 8 times, then release the power button. 1-tap is a simple demo page. 4-tap is often a diagnostic page. 8-tap is often a nozzle pattern or larger diagnostic

Refurbish Process

• Get one of the suggested printers, open the lid and check for broken parts or spilled ink
• Clean off the horizontal thin plastic encoder strip with water and power the printer on
• Insert good cartridges and run "tap" sequences to verify operation (run a copy for All-in-ones)
• For the 900 series of printers, most will print an alignment page as soon as you reinsert any cartridge and close the door. Check all colors.
• Look up the printer model at www.hp.com or www.inksell.com to get the cartridge number, if needed
• Print a test page from the PC over USB
• If good, clean off the outside case with Simple Green, assign a price for the store.
• Replace good cartridges with empty or partially filled ones and power down the printer so the cartridges get locked inside
• Put the printer in the store or on the "for-the-store" shelf