Dell A920 Ink Refills

Question

God knows this is a huge Faux Pas... however I am truely interested in knowing if anyone has gotten lucky with certain ink refill kits or using other cartridges for the A920 Printer. I have been a huge supporter of Dell for some time now. I refer all my personal clients to them, however this ink cartridge thing is somewhat 'Microsoftesque' and I don't like it. I also wasn't sure if there are any other places to question this, so feel free to point me in that direction as well. Thanks for your time. :)

william_the_sco · Answer

There are no other ink carts which fit or work with Dell printers. I have refilled my ink carts dozens of times and have printed thousands of pages and hundreds of 8 x 10 color photos per month, all perfect. I use I-Print or Universal inkjet black and color refill kits. They each list for $19.99, I buy mine for $7.99 at various discount stores (Big Lots, etc). If the carts start clogging and can't be cleared with hot water soak, I will replace with new. With my 922 extended ink carts, I get about 500 black pages and varying amounts of color photos per refill, depending on page content and printer settings.

Bladez · Answer

Thanks. I appreciate the info. I'll have to try some of the local stores around me for some refill kits.

As for the Universal Inkjet one, I assume you are using their kit for the Lexmark or no? I couldn't find references to Dell on their site. I don't remember the similar Lexmark model for the A920...

As for I-Print, I have been searching Google with not too much luck. Any ideas on a website link?

I'm new to the refill thing, so I assume you need to purchase the correct refill kit for the printer or no?

I appreciate the info. :)

Message Edited by Bladez on 02-22-2005 11:50 AM

william_the_sco · Answer

Most of the refill kits will work with most brand printers. The instructions for most printers are in a booklet with each kit. It can be a little messy to refill if you are not careful. I can refill both carts in 5 minutes with no mess on my 922. The refill kits I buy for $7.99 each will refill my empty carts 3 times. Saving a total of $75.00 for each cart ($150.00 for both back and color). Each kit mentioned contains 3 25 ml bottles of ink. My carts are 25 ml capacity. Capacity on various model printers run from 15 ml to 40 ml.

Lilsheepck · Answer

Refill kits are NOT limited to a particuclar brand of printer.  I've been using the IMS refill kit found at Costco (& on line for less) for under $17 w/ enough ink to refill black cartridges for at least five years; the kit also contains color ink and even photo inks.  Refilled my first black cartridge monthly for 10 months.  2nd cartridge gave me fits frankly; had to wipe tip w/ damp papertowel just about daily.  Its tips clogged within the first month or so after refilling so don't know what went wrong; 3rd cartridge now in use so will see what happens.  Hopefully you know who didn't figure out a way to screw us up!  Got ink all over my hands first few times but can refill now very cleanly; just work over 8 or so layers of newspaper to keep ink off furniture surfaces, etc.  To view past discussions re this topic you might type in key words in the search box found at the top of the page.   I'm using the a920 dell printer, by the way.  Message Edited by Lilsheepck on 02-24-2005 09:35 AM

whitwersen · Answer

Hi. Our 940 ran out of B&W ink. Miffed to find out we had to buy Dell's cartridge we just refilled the existing one. But now it won't print B&W even with the cartridge refilled with black ink. It will however print in color. The color cartridge is the original one from when we got this machine last March so we haven't had to refill it.

We uninstalled then reinstalled the printer etc. and still no B&W printing....EXCEPT when we print a Test page. HELP!!!

Katie

william_the_sco · Answer

Remove the color ink cartridge from the printer. Leave the black ink cart. in. Then tell the printer to print a black ink printed page. The printer program will tell you that the black ink is out or low. And do you want to proceed trying the black cart. Tell it yes. After printing several black ink pages, re-install the color cart. Everything should print ok after that, even after refilling carts many times. I have refilled my 922 carts dozens of times. P.S. The printer popup will always say low or out of ink. Disregard their message.

Bladez · Answer

OK I have refilled the cartridge, however it is still printing a blank page. I tried running the cartridge under HOT water, and I still get nothing. Any suggestions?

whitwersen · Answer

OK tried that (thanx) but still spits out a blank page with nothing printed.   I should have mentioned that we were printing black after refilling the cartridge last week.  Then all of a sudden couldn't print black.  We've declogged the cartridge nossles.  The only thing we haven't tried is replacing the USB cable as our new computer desk, the wheel, was sitting on the cable on the carpet.  But still it was printing fine after the refill and after our new desk was in place.   DELL helpline says order the Dell cartridge and if that doesn't work then they will send us a new printer which of course will come with new cartridges too.  Maybe we'll try a new cable, what the heck, what's another $20.   Any other ideas??  THanks!   Katie

william_the_sco · Answer

I doubt if it is either the USB cable(which you can buy for $1-4 at Big Lots and other discount stores) or the printer. It is probably a clogged black ink cart. Try soaking the cart in 1/2 inch of hot water for 1/2 hour. If you get any black ink printing out after that then it is only a clogged ink cart. Then try soaking again. By the way, the cleaning cycle in the printer menu will not unclog ink nozzles.

Lilsheepck · Answer

'New' refururbished printers do NOT come w/ cartridges - at least mine did not!  When soaking the cartridge nozzles soak in hot TAP water; running hot tap water over cartriddge probablly will not really do it.  The IMS support line suggested that the 20-30 minute soaking was necessary to dilute something in the  original dell ink cartridge.   Occasionally I have had to use some cartridge cleaner - also included in the IMS kit mentioned previously - in order to get clogged nozzles working even after a hot water soak.  A small crumpled piece of aluminum foil under the back edge of the cartridge will lower the nozzles into the cleaner requiring use of less cleaner.

bigowensjazz · Answer

Hi Lilsheepck,

Can you advise? Would you know which Lexmark printer is compatible with my A940? I want to replace my ink cartridges with something other than Dell. I simply refuse to be ripped off. I will NEVER purchase another Dell printer.

I have been refilling my black cartridge since the printer was virtually new, June 2003. I think it's worn out now. I want to replace the color cartridge too.

Thanks for you many contributions!

william_the_sco · Answer

Only Dell carts work in Dell printers. Dell had them made that way.

bigowensjazz · Answer

Have you PERSONALLY tried other cartridges such as Lexmark?

http://www.4inkjet.com carries Dell Remanufactured Color and Black ink cartridges with a 1 year warranty 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Have you tried these?

Lilsheepck · Answer

bigowensjazz - william_tells_the_truth based upon personal experience. I have chosen to believe many who have been unsuccessful over the past year with Lexmark cartridges (unless they break off the tab in the top of the cartridge clamp). The latest nifty idea I have not tried is swapping the top of a dell cartridge for the Lexmark; I still think that refilling a Dell cartridge is by far the cheapest way to go especially if you can get an inexpensive refill kit such as the IMS Refill Kit from Costco or on the web. This is vast;y cheaper than even the methods suggested by 'william'. Guess I would suggest the refill route until the Dell (Lexmark) printer gives up for good . You can also refill the color cartridge w/ the kit mentioned above. You just have to carefully pry off the colored plastic top; I check which hole is what color by using a wooden tooth pick. I use the a920 printer.

william_the_sco · Answer

I have personally tried Lexmark ink carts in my Dell 922. They don't fit, although some on this forum have suggested breaking off the tops of the lexmark carts so they fit or breaking the cartridge holder in the Dell printer so the lexmarks fit. But I'll pass on both of those suggestions. 4inkjet co. only carries refilled toner carts for Dell laser printers. They only have refill kits for Dell inkjet printers. I already refill with locally purchased Universal and i-Print brand kits. I don't know of anyone who has found refilled Dell carts.

Printers

Dell A920 Ink Refills

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