Is it worth putting ink in Brother LC51 and Epson T124 cartridges?

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Sep 3, 2017
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I have a Brother MFC-240C and Epson WF-435 and with the brother the ink appears dried out as the printer isn't printing and keeps telling me the cartridges are empty when I try to print even from the reports printout feature on the printer itself and the Epson also tells me ink empty and ignores print commands. Are these supposed to work if I refill them? I jist don't want to fill them up to find they need to be reset or something.
 
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Jul 11, 2020
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I can't speak to your 240C - the Brother printers I have are the Inkvestment ones with the front-loading cartridges. However I do have an Epson WF-7720 with the T252 cartridges that are very similar to yours. I use refillable cartridges. You can get refillable cartridges with auto-reset chips, but I have found they are very fussy and hard to use. Sometimes the chips don't make perfect contact, and the printer complains about them, you have to pull it out, clean the contacts, and get it back in just right. And they have to be purged just right to use the first time, and hold so little ink I am constantly refilling them. I would recommend finding an Epson printer that you can get a chipless firmware mod for before trying to us refillable cartridges with it. Or, better yet, get a Brother printer with a front-loading cartridge where the printer pumps the ink from it into an internal reservoir - like the MFC-J5845/5945/6545/6945 printers. You can put refillable cartridges in those printers and it's rock-solid stable.

It is better to plan your printer around your refill solution than to try and shoehorn a bad refill solution into an existing printer. You will save money and end up with far fewer grey hairs in the long run.
 
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Messages
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I can't speak to your 240C - the Brother printers I have are the Inkvestment ones with the front-loading cartridges. However I do have an Epson WF-7720 with the T252 cartridges that are very similar to yours. I use refillable cartridges. You can get refillable cartridges with auto-reset chips, but I have found they are very fussy and hard to use. Sometimes the chips don't make perfect contact, and the printer complains about them, you have to pull it out, clean the contacts, and get it back in just right. And they have to be purged just right to use the first time, and hold so little ink I am constantly refilling them. I would recommend finding an Epson printer that you can get a chipless firmware mod for before trying to us refillable cartridges with it. Or, better yet, get a Brother printer with a front-loading cartridge where the printer pumps the ink from it into an internal reservoir - like the MFC-J5845/5945/6545/6945 printers. You can put refillable cartridges in those printers and it's rock-solid stable.

It is better to plan your printer around your refill solution than to try and shoehorn a bad refill solution into an existing printer. You will save money and end up with far fewer grey hairs in the long run.
I'm not even using refillable cartridges. Just the oem ones Im wondering if they can refilled. Maybe if it's before the chip registers empty?
 
Joined
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Messages
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Im wondering if they can refilled
I haven't tried with T124 cartridges. Most of the Epson small cartridges are very similar, though. They register as being "out" two ways. By chip, and by an optical sensor at the bottom. Even when the chip reads out, you can still draw ink from the cartridge until the sensor shows empty, at least for a while. That only works for so long, though.

You can refill them, but the printer will only draw for so long after the chip reads empty. You need a chip resetter, which are available for that cartridge. Just always make sure you keep the cartridge topped up, because if it physically runs dry and the optical sensor is tripped, the printer will fry the chip and no resetting will work on it any more.
 
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Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Messages
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I haven't tried with T124 cartridges. Most of the Epson small cartridges are very similar, though. They register as being "out" two ways. By chip, and by an optical sensor at the bottom. Even when the chip reads out, you can still draw ink from the cartridge until the sensor shows empty, at least for a while. That only works for so long, though.

You can refill them, but the printer will only draw for so long after the chip reads empty. You need a chip resetter, which are available for that cartridge. Just always make sure you keep the cartridge topped up, because if it physically runs dry and the optical sensor is tripped, the printer will fry the chip and no resetting will work on it any more.
Thanks
 
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Messages
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I haven't tried with T124 cartridges. Most of the Epson small cartridges are very similar, though. They register as being "out" two ways. By chip, and by an optical sensor at the bottom. Even when the chip reads out, you can still draw ink from the cartridge until the sensor shows empty, at least for a while. That only works for so long, though.

You can refill them, but the printer will only draw for so long after the chip reads empty. You need a chip resetter, which are available for that cartridge. Just always make sure you keep the cartridge topped up, because if it physically runs dry and the optical sensor is tripped, the printer will fry the chip and no resetting will work on it any more.
What about this magenta. It's in a WF-4734. I wonder if you could just print with the available ones somehow. I only have my phone atm though. So this cartridge is pooped? Any ink would be wasted? Not to ask the question again but would this be a general rule or where might you be able to revive a dead one. I have all kinds. I sell these. I think I've revived some hp. Maybe not, but I have a few I just refilling.
 

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Joined
Jul 11, 2020
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Once you get the replace message, the cartridge is usually beyond saving, especially on that printer. That printer uses T802 cartridges which have encrypted page counts on the chips. There are no auto-reset chips available for that printer.

Your method of just trying to refill and print from Epson cartridges is getting less and less possible. Each generation of Epson printers is using more restrictive cartridge chips. The only real solution is to use a chipless firmware, which is available for that printer.

My Epson WF-7720 is the last Epson I will buy because I really hate the way they are moving with their ink.
 
Joined
Apr 11, 2022
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This is a difficult question to answer. There are a few factors to consider when purchasing ink cartridges. The cost of the ink is one factor to consider. Another factor to consider is the kind of cartridge. Do you want anorthometric or lumbar ink? Or do you want the ink to flow out from the top or bottom of the cartridge? Finally, it depends on your needs - on single pages or high-volume pages. If you need anorthometric ink, the cost is more than imparting ink into the cartridge for a long period of time. There are some almirahors that offer single pages with off-white ink without any blemish, but it is far from affordable for most people.
 
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May 29, 2022
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What might be said about this fuchsia. It's in a WF-4734. I keep thinking about whether you could simply print with the accessible ones some way or another. However, I just have my telephone ATM. So this cartridge is crapped? Any ink could be squandered? Not to pose the inquiry once more yet would this be a generic rule or where could you have the option to restore a dead one. I have numerous sorts. I sell these. I think I've resuscitated some hp. Perhaps not, yet I have a couple of I simply topping off.
 

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