Why is there toner on my cartridge or within the packaging out of the box?
In many cases, replacement toner reservoirs are filled to full capacity. It is possible for some of the powder to leak out during transport, especially during air shipment which involves air pressure changes. This should have little impact on the cartridges operation and/or machine. Toner can be gently removed with a dry cloth or compressed air canister. Make sure to avoid touching the surface of the imaging drum of a toner cartridge which can damage it and cause printing quality issues.
Why is my new ink or toner cartridge not printing?
First, ensure that all tabs, strips, protective papers and films have been removed from the cartridge, and then reinstall. If this does not resolve the issue, it may be caused by how the cartridge was stored prior to use. Before and after sale, most toner and inkjet cartridges have gone through one or more shipping processes as well as will typically be kept either flat or upside down for weeks or months before being used. This can result in ink or toner settling unevenly or at one end of the cartridge and can affect the ability to directly flow to the print head or drum. Avoid this issue by placing inkjet cartridges in the upright position for two to three hours prior to installation to allow the ink to flow to the proper side of the cartridge and allow the sponge to be saturated with the ink. Toner cartridges should be shaken gently from side to side in the upright position before installation so that the toner powder is distributed evenly throughout the cartridge reservoir.
Why is there streaking or spots on the printouts or the quality poor?
This can often be attributed to particles settling on the imaging drum during manufacturing or shipment and storage. By following similar steps to the previous two troubleshooting tips, gently clean the cartridge with a dry cloth or blow particles from the cartridge with compressed air, taking care not to touch the drum or data chip. Check that all protective strips, seals and papers have been completely removed to ensure they are not obstructing the cartridge from functioning properly. Allow approximately ten to twenty pages of print on a new cartridge before ruling out this common issue. If streaking, spots or poor quality continue and your printer uses a two-part toner/drum setup, it may be time to consider replacing the drum.
Ways to Resolve an Error Message:
Often times error messages are caused by the chip on the cartridge not making direct contact with the printer sensors. Whether your printer is an inkjet or laser machine, open the printer cover where the cartridges are installed and remove the problematic cartridge and firmly reinstall it to ensure it is properly seated and secure, and that the chip is lined up with the printer internal sensor. Close the printer cover and turn off the printer, waiting approximately 30 seconds and then restart your printer.
If the above suggestion does not work for your inkjet printer and your machine uses cartridges with an in internal print head (HP, Lexmark and some Canon) this issue may also be caused by unclean contact points on the cartridge or print head. Open the printer cover where your cartridges are installed and remove the problematic cartridge. You can easily clean the cartridge contacts by using a lint-free cloth. Be careful not to touch the microchip or touch the nozzle with your hand. Before reinstalling the cartridge, turn off your printer then power it down completely by unplugging the machine from its power source and wait for approximately 2-3 minutes. Plug your printer back in and power it up then reinstall your cartridge making sure it is seated correctly, and that it is in its designated slot.
Why does it say my cartridge is empty when I install it?
During the manufacturing process every cartridge is individually inspected, weighed and tested before packaging to ensure that it is filled with the correct amount of ink or toner. An empty error message can often be attributed to a cartridge that is not firmly seated in its designated slot. To troubleshoot this problem, begin by completely removing the cartridge from its port and reinstalling it, ensuring that it snaps into place and is securely in its slot.
Many printers do not actually “read” the amount of ink or toner that is in a cartridge but instead printer software simply estimates what is remaining by remembering the number of pages that were printed from when the previous cartridge was installed. If a new cartridge is installed prior to the printer driver resetting, there is a possibility that the printer may think that the old empty cartridge is still being used. Though some printers will reset automatically, there are models that require a series of steps to reset the counter manually when a new cartridge is installed. To fix the issue, remove the cartridge and then reinstall using the new cartridge option. You may have to refer to your printer’s manual for further instructions. Selecting the new cartridge option will indicate to your printer that a new cartridge has been installed which will then prompt it to reset the page counter.
Why does the cartridge I received look bigger than the one that’s already in my printer?
There are a few possible reasons for this. Is this cartridge of a higher yield capacity than the previous cartridge? Often the cartridge that comes with a printer is a starter, low yield option rather than a replacement high yield cartridge. Occasionally higher yield cartridges will have a slightly different design or may be larger to hold the higher volume of ink or toner. In most cases this will not affect the ability to install or use the high yield cartridges. However, there are some models that are not compatible with all high yield cartridge versions. If you struggle with installing a high yield cartridge refer to your printer’s manual or contact us to ensure that your printer accepts high yield option cartridges.
Often compatible and remanufactured cartridges will look slightly different than the printer-brand cartridge. Because the cartridge is manufactured or remanufactured by a different company, materials used for building, sealing and protecting the cartridge for transit and storage will often be of a different design and/or color. Also, due to copyright protection from the original manufacturer, compatible cartridges might have a slight design difference to avoid infringement on a patented design. Despite any structural difference you may notice, the cartridge will still fit and print a full yield.