Toner Refills Tips
Read these 17 Toner Refills Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Printer Ink tips and hundreds of other topics.
Why should I use a laser toner refill instead of buying a new cartridge?
Conservation has become such a regular practice that the reasons for doing it are often lost by those who do it. For people who don't understand why it is so important to practice conservation by using a laser toner refill instead of buying newly manufactured cartridges, here is a brief explanation that anyone can understand.
First, remember what laser toner cartridges are made of. It takes almost a third of a gallon of oil, yes oil, to make a laser toner cartridge. By buying new cartridges instead of using a laser toner refill, you are unnecessarily using a non renewable natural resource.
Maybe it is easier to think of this is recycling. In essence, by using a laser toner refill, you are recycling your own toner cartridge. Not all recycling takes place in some plant or landfill. You can recycle and conserve at home or at your office by using laser toner refills instead of buying new cartridges when you run out of toner.
Diluting Your Laser Printer Toner
Refilling laser printer toner can get to be expensive. Even if you have the self-refill cartridges, the actual toner refills can run pretty high. If you want to get more life out of your laser printer toner, look into products that you can use to dilute the toner before you refill.
Some of these diluting products can turn one bottle of toner into the equivalent of 10 bottles. They are easy to mix in with you toner refill and will not make you sacrifice any of your print quality. These are available from several manufacturers and can be found easiest on the Internet from ecommerce sites. Don't keep refilling your laser printer toner before you check this stuff out. The cost savings are outstanding.
How do generic toner refill kits work?
Many people save money by purchasing generic toner refill kits for their copiers and printers. These are a great way to save money if you are willing to put in the time to learn how to use them correctly. Most take no more than ten minutes to use and here are a few easy steps to getting the job done.
First, open your machine and expose the cartridge or drum. Carefully, as not to damage the machine, remove the cartridge or drum according to the unit's instructions. Once you have it out, determine if there is an access for using the toner refill kit or whether you will need to create a hole yourself.
From here, you will simply need to use the injector that came with your toner refill kit to inject the toner refill into the cartridge or drum. Once you have filled the cartridge or drum and sealed it back up tightly, carefully re-insert it into the machine and run the system maintenance. You should be back on the printing road with a full tank.
Making Holes with Toner Refill Kits
Not all toner cartridges were made for refilling. Most, however, can easily be adapted for the refilling process with toner refill kits. Some toner refill kits come with the tools that you need to refill any toner cartridge, often including a hole making tool.
The reason for the hole making tool is simple; if your cartridge or drum is not built for refilling, you will need an access hole in which to add toner. These hole making tools are easy to use. They are simply pushed into the cartridge to give you an access that is the perfect size for the injector that came with your toner refill kit. If toner refill kits come with a hole making tool, they will also come with a seal to close the new hole with.
Make sure that you get a toner refill kit that comes with a tightly fitted seal. Too often, a seal fits improperly and leads to leaks inside the machine. If you want to use toner refill kits but your machine isn't made for refills, look for a toner refill kit that has an adapter and the right tools for the job.
Ordering Toner Refills Online
Buying printer supplies can get expensive if you buy from your local office supply store. The key to saving on your printing costs per page is to use toner refills or ink refills, depending on your printer. You can save up to 80% on your costs per page with toner refills and you can save even more by ordering your toner refills online.
Ordering toner refills online is easy. You can save when you buy from online merchants because they don't have the same types of operating costs as your local office supply store. These vendors will pass their low costs on to you when you order. You can save even more still if you order your toner refills in bulk online. Like anything else, you can save big time when you order toner refills in bulk quantities.
With proper storage, there is no reason to not over order and save money in the long run. If you do not have the ability to properly store your toner refills, than you can still save online. Don't over order though without proper storage, or you could be stuck with bad toner in the end. Take a look at our sponsors and other places on the web to save money when you order your toner refills.
Cleaning Spilled Laser Toner
If you tried refilling your laser toner and had a little accident with the powder, don't throw out the pants or shirt quite yet. Although it has some seriously strong stain power, you don't want to wait to get the laser toner off. First, do not rub it in to get the powder off.
- Before you rub, try to blow or shake the laser toner from the spilled area. Rubbing toner in will only make the problem much worse.
- Next, if you have residual dust that you cannot shake or blow off, carefully use an ink remover. Apply the remover to the affected area and let sit.
- After a few seconds, scrub the laser toner with an abrasive sponge or scrub brush.
- Wash in a washing machine on light. Be sure to keep other garments out of the machine while running, just in case you missed a piece of toner.
This should get the laser toner stain off without permanent damage. Look for ink removers at your local hardware store and ask if they will work with powdered ink such as laser toner.
A Few Tips For Refilling Laser Toner
Refilling your own laser toner cartridge can save you a lot of money when it comes to printing costs. This little project is not the easiest and can take a few times to get down perfectly. Because of the chemicals in toner as well as the stain possibilities involved, here are a few things to take note of if you are trying to refill your laser toner.
- Wear rubber gloves. Most laser toner refill kits will come with a pair. They are included for a reason, so put them on!
- Tools. The toner refills are sealed pretty tightly, so you will want to have a pair of needle-nose pliers handy to pry the opening off.
- Mix. Newer laser toner is thicker than older toner, so you can now purchase products that are safe to use to dilute the toner. Toner Save is a great product for this and can give you far more life out of a bottle of toner.
- Location, Location, Location. Do not attempt to refill your laser toner in any areas of your home or office that you do not want to stain. A sink is recommended and you should stick to the bathroom to avoid getting the toner near your kitchen.
Filling laser toner is a risky proposition, but if you take these few tips into account and your job will be a little easier.
Using a Toner Refill Won't Make the Cartridge Last Forever
So you have done the smart thing and have been using a toner refill kit to keep your printer or copier running full steam. Toner refill kits are a great way to save money and protect the environment, but don't fall into this trap. Too many people end up with major copier malfunctions because of toner leaks. This happens in many instances because the toner cartridges were not replaced for a long time. Even if you use toner refills, you still need to buy a new cartridge every once in a while.
Most toner refill makers recommend no more than three consecutive refills with the same toner cartridge. Using the same cartridge beyond the manufacturer's recommendation could mean nullifying any warranty that you have. The wear on a cartridge when using toner refills builds up and can lead to cracks or leaks in the plastic casing. Don't let this happen to you. Keep an extra cartridge handy and follow the manufacturer's instructions for how many uses before changing.
Dealing With Low Toner Messages After Refilling Printer Toner
Occasionally, you might find that after refilling printer toner, you still get a message that you have low toner. Obviously, this shouldn't be the case if you don't have an empty toner cartridge. What sometimes happens is the printer doesn't have notification that it needs to restart its toner calculation. Regardless of whether you're installing a cartridge after refilling printer toner or you're installing a new original manufacturer toner cartridge, you need to make sure your laser printer is getting the correct reading. The laser printer reads a chip to verify the toner level. If your refill cartridge lacks this element, you can still bypass the default system to get your laser printer to read the original chip. For specific instructions on circumventing the low toner message, consult your laser printer manual.
Four Reasons You Should Choose A Reputable Toner Refill
Although you do save on the bottom line when it comes to using toner refill as opposed to an original manufacturer toner, it does pay to choose your source wisely. Going with the cheapest source doesn't save you money in the short-term or long run when you end up with a toner refill that causes you problems. Here are four reasons why you should choose a reputable toner refill.
1. If the toner refill is defective, you could ruin the control board on your laser printer.
2. You could end up with a jammed cartridge with repair costs that are more than the price of getting a new printer if you don't use a reputable toner refill.
3. You may start to have faulty fuser problems with your laser printer if you use a poor quality toner refill.
4. You could end up spending more anyway because the toner refill doesn't give you satisfactory prints and you need to replace the toner with a better product.
How To Refill Your Toner With A Toner Kit
Feel comfortable replacing the ink on your laserjet on your own? If so, you can purchase a toner refill kit to replace the ink on your existing toner cartridge. The process can be surprisingly straightforward if you do it step-by-step. Here's a typical scenario for refilling your toner with a toner kit.
- Purchase a toner kit that comes with formulated toners, instructions and a pouring spout.
- Use a soldering iron to create a hole in the toner or remove the plug that comes with the toner cartridge.
- Attach the funnel of the pouring spout to your toner bottle and pour it into the hole.
- Plug the hole back into the toner cartridge.
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act And Refilling Toners
If you plan on using refilling toners for your printer, it's understandable if you are concerned about voiding out your warranty. However, you have legal protection against the printer manufacturer from voiding out your warranty simply because you choose refilling toners as your solution to expensive cartridge replacements. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prevents a printer manufacturer from revoking the warranty because of a refilled cartridge or a remanufactured one. Depending on where you purchase your remanufactured cartridge or where you refill your toner, certain reputable shops will actually give you a warranty that is comparable to what you would get with a new toner cartridge, so you'll be covered regardless.
Three Reasons Why Your Toner Cartridge May Have Printing Problems
If you've refilled your toner cartridge, but for some reason, the printer is not working, there could be a few different reasons why. Here are three reasons why your toner cartridge may not be printing properly:
1. You've filled your toner cartridge one too many times. Eventually, every toner cartridge has outlived its usefulness and you'll see banding, gaps or splotches on your printouts.
2. You may have a low toner cartridge. When the toner is about to run out, you'll see faded print in the middle of your paper.
3. The seal on the toner is causing problems and needs removal via scissors. If the seal is causing the problem, you'll see a faded print along the margins.
Troubleshooting Leaks On Your Toner Cartridges
Although refilling your toner cartridges is usually a pretty straightforward task, sometimes, you encounter some difficulties with getting everything to run smoothly. Occasionally, people who purchase a toner refill kit will find that their toner cartridges leak after a refill. When toner cartridges leak, the cause is typically due to an improper seal in the unit. Air enters the cartridge and causes the leakage of toner.
If you're experiencing leaks, you can take a few simple steps to remedy the problem on your toner cartridges and get your printer to work without any difficulties. Although it may be tempting to use tape, do not use this to seal the hole. Instead, use a tapping screw and some nail polish to seal the hole. You can likely use an 8/32 tapping screw. After sealing the hole, you should be able to refill your cartridge several times.
Four Cost-Saving Alternatives To Toner Refills
If you're wary of the quality and reputation of ink refill shops, you may wonder if there are other ways to save money on your printer ink. These days, the competition of less expensive toner refills available to the general public is making major printer manufacturers come up with some creative ways to offer their own discounts. Here are some ways to save that are alternatives to toner refills.
- Buy toner in bulk for a lower per unit cost.
- Print in draft mode to save your toner ink.
- Recycle your toner ink cartridges to the manufacturer for a discount. Major printer manufacturers, such as Lexmark and Dell, offer the discount.
- Schools and local charities in some areas have collection bins for old toner ink cartridges and will pay a small fee for receiving them.
Laws And Refilling Toner
Online stores that sell toner refill kits and brick and mortar stores that provide a service for refilling toner are popping up across the country and in developed nations around the world. Although it appears many of the major manufacturers are fighting this trend through lawsuits, there has been legislation in place that protects the consumer's right to refilling toner or purchasing toner kits.
One example involves the Lexmark suit against North Carolina third party providers of refilling toner. In the suit, Lexmark accused Static Control Components of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. A bill in North Carolina came out recently giving its residents the right to legally refill toner or use toner kits, though the bill didn't directly address the issues surrounding the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
Toner Refills Goes To The Government
Toner refills are big business. Customers can often save 50 percent off of the retail price of manufacturer toner cartridges through toner refills. The U.S. government seems to know that, too. Office Depot is the only company to supply ink and toner cartridges to government offices. Part of the agreement includes supplying toner from big name brands like Lexmark, HP and IBM. But the government isn't just sticking to name brand inks and toners. The government is actually encouraging the purchase of toner refills as opposed to the name brand inks in the interest of saving money. But just because government offices are interested in saving money doesn't mean they're compromising on quality. If the toner refills or inks end up creating sub par prints or have a shorter lifespan, they plan on having Office Depot replace the cartridges.
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| Linda Handiak |
