How to change the cartridge in the printer, get it out and insert back

The more often you use your printing device, the sooner you face such a problem, as a replacement for an empty cartridge. The first signs of that, that the cartridge is running low, may occur before, as the device refuses to print the document. Modern manufacturers are reinsured, and technology suggests replacing consumables a little earlier, than it empties permanently: usually, there is still a few percent of working ink in stock. This is done for that, so that the replacement does not come as a surprise and does not paralyze the work of the office. How to change the cartridge in the printer, to continue printing bright, saturated pages?

How to determine, that the cartridge needs to be replaced

Consider the signs, at which it is better to take care of purchase of a new cartridge for replacement.

1. The print tone becomes less saturated, faded.
2. Not the whole page is printed, some letters may be lost, the effect of "unprinted corners" is present.
   
3. "Replace cartridge" appears on the printer display (It does not mean, that you need to do it right now, but now the device can refuse to print at almost any time).
4. The appearance of the effect of "light stripes", well known to all, who deals with printers (this is the most common and true sign of it, that the cartridge is time to replace).
   

There are two types of cartridges - chip and non-chip. Those, who has in their equipment a chip more expensive to maintain, but also more technological. Example, such a device informs the owner about it, that consumables are time to replace. Unchipped cartridges are equipped with conventional ones, budget options for office equipment, and here the owner will have to calculate the life of the printer. However, Experienced users are able to determine the degree of completeness of the cartridge literally "by eye", based on the amount of printed material.

Cartridge with chip

Choose a cartridge wisely

Before replacing the cartridge in the printer, should be determined, what he is. Outwardly it is a plastic box, inside which is a fixed amount of working ink. It is this boxing (or cassette) commonly called a cartridge. Being placed in a printer, the cartridge allows you to continue printing.

Importantly: each cartridge has a label, thanks to which you can easily buy a new one, just by recording it or taking a photo.

Almost every major manufacturer of printing equipment has analogues of consumables, which are produced by third-party companies (most often it happens without a license and even with the consent of the parent company). The question of reliability and resourcefulness of such consumables remains open, but they are resorted to quite often, when you need to change the toner quickly.

The most important indicator for the cartridge is its life. It is important to understand, that any of the parameters specified in the characteristics are averaged. Simply put, it all depends, how full the page is. Most cartridge manufacturers specify a resource based on 5% filling one page. But 5% filling, and, let's say, one printed page of text is not the same thing. Further calculations are based on this figure (which may differ quantitatively in different manufacturers).

Ordinary budget printer or MFP, running on ink:

• single color cartridge can print approximately 90-95 pages., although the manufacturer indicates 120-130 pages;
• colored cartridges about 35-45 Photo, the manufacturer gives a figure 60.

Printer with color cartridge

Medium laser printer or MFP:

• monochrome from 900 pages. up to 1400 pages.

The printer comes with a test cartridge, it comes to demonstrate the capabilities of technology and, usually, less than half full.

Non-original consumables have less resource. You can safely reduce the capacity of non-original consumables 15-20 percent and get the approximate number of pages, for which it is enough. But do not forget, that each individual cartridge and toner is unique, there are cases, when non-original spare parts last even longer, although this happens much less often.

Chip cartridges have software, capable of artificially limiting their functionality to protect against refueling. The chip counts the number of printed pages and counts the spent ink. This is something to keep in mind when choosing consumables (original or non-original). If, if such a chip is provided in the cartridge, and in not original it will not be, compatibility issues may occur.

Genuine HP cartridge

Using non-original consumables, you cannot claim a full warranty, some of its points do not apply, if the entire printer is not genuine. Is it worth the slight savings, to waive warranty conditions, to decide the user.

Remove the used cartridge

so, printer writes, running out of ink - obviously, that the cartridge needs to be replaced. Of course, it is not recommended to open the device without basic dexterity and superficial knowledge of the printing equipment device. If you do not have time to thoroughly study the printer, we offer to use the basic algorithm of actions.

1. To begin with, it is best to remove and set aside all the jewelry (rings, bracelets), to avoid injury.
2. Unplug the appliance.
3. Then remove the printer cover. This is done quickly and easily, each device has a special notch, or tongue, for which this cover can be hooked up. If you have a laser printer, then you should do it carefully, because the heat setting can stay hot. Cartridge, usually, rests on several (more often 2-4) clamps-clamps, which are easily chipped or discarded.
   
4. After, as clamps discarded, it is necessary to carefully pull the plastic case on itself, to take it out. If the cartridge does not move, try to change direction a little, as if shaking it, but only went down, not much. If the translational movements did not lead to a positive result, and the cartridge is jammed, it is better to contact the service center, because there is a risk of damaging the device, if you continue to try to remove the toner yourself.
   
5. When the cartridge is removed, carefully place it on the paper, residues of undried ink may remain on the surface (paints). If you are dirty, better wipe your hands, so as not to contaminate clothing and surrounding objects.
   

Importantly: inkjet printers should not be left without a cartridge for a long time, because the printing element may dry out, and this threatens to disable the device. So, the best option would be a "hot swap", when an empty cartridge is refilled, and in its place is immediately installed full.

The scheme may differ slightly from one manufacturer to another. Let's say, in some brands of inkjet printers, the top cover of the scanner must be discarded, and in lasers it is not necessary to do it, just discard the tray and remove the empty cartridge. This operation looks a bit more complicated in a dot matrix printer, but only at first glance. It is not much more difficult to remove the tape on the drum, than the cartridge (toner), however, it's worth doing, only if you are confident.

Once you have performed a similar operation yourself, you will understand the principle itself. As a result, you, probably, you can perform this procedure on almost any model of printing equipment, because there are no fundamental differences here.

Reinstall the cartridge

Install the cartridge in the reverse order.

1. Do not connect the device to the mains, until your cartridge is installed.
2. Make sure, that the new cartridge is clean.
3. Carefully insert it into the empty compartment, that without pushing at the same time by force. If the boxing itself is stuck and does not pass, don't try to shove it, it is better to pull out completely and try again.
   
4. Lock all catches and check the fasteners.
   
5. Close the lid.
6. Plug in the appliance.
7. After connecting the appliance to the mains, wait, while the printer recognizes a new consumable, and "replace toner" will not disappear from the display.

There may be problems with the latter, if non-original consumables are used. In such cases, it is recommended that you reset the device itself, enter combinations (each model has its own), but even that may not help. However, this inscription itself often does not affect the operation of the device, which continues to print properly even with the words "replace toner".

If the printer refuses to print even with the refilled cartridge installed, it is best to contact a service center.

Do not attempt to correct a complex technical problem yourself, this can lead to serious damage, in addition, you may be injured, scratch on sharp edges.

Toner replacement is fast, there is nothing complicated in it, but emergency situations can always arise. Experts recommend changing consumables not independently, in most cases, the departure of a specialist saves a lot of time, a, eventually, and funds. In some cases, it is more convenient to pay for the service, than to decide, what to do with a bunch of documents, standing in line for printing at the printer, who is paralyzed due to incompetent actions of the employee.

We are printing a test page

You need to print a test page, to check that all the settings of your printing device are up to date. If there is any malfunction, or the new cartridge is defective, testing will help detect them in order to quickly eliminate them. In the case of color printers, the test page helps determine color gradations, what is needed before professional use, example, in the printing house (photo printing, etc.). Another important aspect in favor of a printed page is the full name of the device, displayed on the sheet (useful, if you do not remember the markings for ordering consumables) and software version.

To print a test page, we need the printer itself and the PC with the OS installed (best suited windows).

1. On the desktop, click "Start" (window with the OS logo in later editions), then follow the "control panel". In it we find "printers and faxes" and click the left mouse button. Partition names may vary slightly depending on your operating system version (7,8.1, 10). All devices are displayed in the open section, connected to this PC.
   
2. Choose the printer we need (if there are several, find the one you need) and right-click on it. In the menu, look for "properties" and press again.
3. In the "properties" find the tab "General" and select it, then find the "trial print". Importantly, to keep the printer plugged in all this time. If the device has not been used for a long time, then he will need from 15 to 40 seconds of them, to prepare the print. Subsequent pages will print faster. It is not possible to specify test page settings, they are specified by the manufacturer by default and contain comprehensive information about your device. Different manufacturers set different parameters, so don't be surprised, if you see different test pages on different devices.
   
4. When printing is complete, you need to pull out the finished page and determine the quality. It should show graphics, text inserts, color spectrum (if your printer is color). No mistakes are made, uneven overlap of colors or halftones. If somewhere the text is stretched in the press badly, then this is a reason to contact the service. The inkjet printer does not allow any ink stains.
   

   Color printing test page

5. After, how the device will end, it will prompt you to save the settings. If the settings are completely satisfied, then click "ok", if not, then go to troubleshooting (debugging the system), but first it is recommended to print the test page again, sometimes, especially after prolonged stagnation, the printer may not give the correct information. Defects may disappear when reopened.

Page printing is the same for all printer models, be it Epson, Canon, HP or Samsung, because it is done through a computer OS.

You do not need to make any additional settings in the printer, print a test page by default, and if it is not printed - this is a serious reason for diagnosis. It is always possible to return to the print settings, set by default. If you are no longer satisfied with certain settings, just reset them to "factory". This can be done, going to the branded application (program) manufacturer, or in the OS itself in the "printers and faxes" section.

Replacing the cartridge takes a little time, but only on condition, what do you know, what and where to remove, discard and remove. If you are not confident in your abilities, the best solution is to seek professional help.