Refilling ink cartridges is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to keep your printer running smoothly. Let’s take a closer look at how to fill Brother ink cartridges efficiently.
I. Preparing for Refilling
1. Gather Necessary Supplies and Tools
First, you need to prepare these important items:
Ink bottles(Black/Cyan/Magenta/Yellow), hand drill, syringes, long blunt needles, gloves, paper towels, lighters, and liquid glue or hot glue.
2. Create a Conducive Workspace
Next, you need a workspace. Find a clean work space so you can comfortably perform the refilling process without any distractions.
3. Some Operational Notes
Make sure the ink you are refilling is compatible with your printer model.
Wear gloves to protect your skin from direct contact with the ink, as it can be difficult to remove.
Use minimal pressure when drilling to avoid damaging internal components.
Keep away from flammable materials when heating and use clamps if necessary.
Remember to reset the Brother ink cartridge chip after refilling.
II. Step-by-Step Instructions for Brother Cartridge Ink Refill Process
Refilling the ink cartridges for your Brother printer is an easy task with the right tools and techniques.
Step 1. Disassemble Ink Cartridge
Turn off the Brother printer and open the front cover.
Take out the empty ink cartridge and place it on a clean, flat surface.
Look closely at the cartridge to identify the points where the casings are connected or clamped together(usually by visible clips or tabs).
Then gently pry open the cartridge case with a hand drill.
Step 2. Make a Hole
Determine where to fill the hole. It should be located where it will not interfere with the cartridge's functionality, usually on the top or side of the cartridge.
Use a hand drill to gently drill a small hole in the selected location. Then use a lighter to heat a long, blunt needle until it reaches the proper temperature.
Carefully guide the heated needle over the hole, allowing it to melt through the cartridge material. When the long blunt needle slides smoothly in and out of the hole, a hole is ready to be filled with ink.
Step 3. Refill the Cartridge
Open the Brother printer cartridge ink bottle and use a clean syringe to absorb some ink.
Insert the syringe needle into the fill hole created previously. You then need to inject the ink into the cartridge slowly and steadily, maintaining a controlled flow to prevent overflow.
Once the ink is full, let the cartridge sit for a few minutes to allow the ink to settle and be absorbed properly by the cartridge reservoir.
Step 4. Seal the Hole and Reassemble the Cartridge
Use liquid glue or hot glue to securely seal the filling hole. Try turning the cartridge upside down a few times to check if it seals perfectly.
Wait 5 minutes for the glue to dry completely, then attach the cartridge shells together.
Gently press the shells together to hold them in place. Make sure all clips or tabs are properly engaged to prevent the cartridge from falling apart.
In this way, an ink cartridge is successfully filled. If you want to fill multiple cartridges, repeat the above steps.
Watch the video below to learn about Brother ink cartridge refilling.
III. Brother Ink Cartridge Chip Reset
When we refill the cartridge, we need to reset the chip, which is equivalent to a drum count reset for Brother toner cartridges. The ink cartridge chip communicates with the Brother printer to monitor ink levels. Putting the ink cartridges directly back into the printer may result in inaccurate ink level readings or error messages.
For Brother cartridges, we generally use cartridge chip resetters. It is a tool specifically designed to reset the chip on the cartridge. The device automatically resets the memory on the cartridge chip, allowing the printer to recognize it as full of ink. Search for the corresponding printer model, you can find it on Amazon. A chip resetter can help you reset your chip approximately 50-100 times, depending on the vendor's settings.
How to perform a Brother cartridge chip reset?
Align the resetter with the chip contacts on the cartridge and hold for 10 seconds. The chip resetter will flash red light at first until after resetting the chip, it will show green light.
Once you have finished resetting the chip, install the refilled Brother cartridge back into the printer. Check the ink level on the printer, it should show full.
IV. Which Brother Cartridges are Refillable?
|
Printer Ink Cartridge |
Brother Printers |
|
Brother LC103 |
Brother DCP-J152W Brother MFC-J245 Brother MFC-J285DW Brother MFC-J4310DW Brother MFC-J4410DW Brother MFC-J450DW Brother MFC-J4510DW Brother MFC-J4510N Brother MFC-J4610DW Brother MFC-J470DW Brother MFC-J4710DW Brother MFC-J475DW Brother MFC-J650DW |
|
Brother MFC-J491DW Brother MFC-J497DW Brother MFC-J690DW Brother MFC-J895DW |
|
|
Brother LC3033 |
Brother MFC-J995DW Brother MFC-J995DW XL Brother MFC-J815DW XL Brother MFC-J805DW Brother MFC-J805DW XL |
|
Brother MFC-J1010DW Brother MFC-J1012DW Brother MFC-J1170DW |
|
|
Brother LC404 |
Brother MFC-J1205W Brother MFC-J1205W XL Brother MFC-J1215W |
|
Brother MFC-J4335DW Brother MFC-J4335DW XL Brother MFC-J4340DW Brother MFC-J4345DW Brother MFC-J4345DW XL Brother MFC-J4535DW Brother MFC-J4535DW XL Brother MFC-J4540DW Brother MFC-J4540DW XL Brother MFC-J5855DW Brother MFC-J5955DW Brother MFC-J6555DW Brother MFC-J6955DW |
Note that some of the above products such as LC401 and LC406 may not have chip resetters on the market. You can purchase their compatible ink cartridges to help you continue using your printer.
V. Troubleshooting Common Issues
Spills and leaks when injecting ink: Use a paper towel to quickly wipe up any spills or leaks.
Air bubbles in the cartridge after refilling: Remove them by gently tapping the cartridge on the surface to encourage the release of air. Or, try using a syringe to extract air bubbles from the cartridge.
Print quality deteriorates after refilling: Perform printhead cleaning through the printer screen or computer software.
By following the steps on our blog, we are confident that you can successfully use your cartridges again.
VI. Buy Compatible Ink Cartridges
If refilling ink cartridges is troublesome for you, you may wish to purchase compatible ink cartridges.
First, compatible cartridges are prefilled and ready to install in the printer, saving time and effort compared to the refilling process. Second, premium compatible ink cartridges deliver reliable print quality that's comparable to original cartridges. It's also very cheap, which can save you a lot on printing costs.
As a supplier of compatible ink & toner cartridges for more than ten years, True Image always provide you with high-quality compatible ink cartridges at affordable prices. We also offer a wide range of compatible Brother laser toner cartridges like Brother TN-227, Brother HL-L3210CW toner, Brother HL-L3230CDW toner, Brother HL-L3290CDW toner and Brother MFC-L3710CW toner at discounted prices. Shop today and enjoy huge savings at True Image!
