Category : Printer Utilities
Archive   : INKJET20.ZIP
Filename : INKJET.FLU

These tips are for those who are interested in using
a color other than black in the original low-capacity
inkjet cartridge (HP 51608A).

Unlike its PaintJet cousin, the DeskJet, DeskJet
Plus, and DeskJet 500 use only a black ink cartridge. Up
until the introduction of the DeskJet 500C, color was not
available on a DeskJet series printer. The 500C was the
first DeskJet that allowed you to print with colors. If
you do not own a 500C, however, printing with colors is
still a possibility.

Obviously, the first thing that must be done is to
remove as much black ink residue from your empty 51608A
ink cartridge as possible. The removal process involves
flushing a cartridge that has been filled with distilled
water. Hence, these tips have been placed in the "Flush
ink cartridge" category in the "DeskJet Survival Kit"
Main Menu.

Buy yourself a jug of distilled water, and then fill
your EMPTY inkjet cartridge with the water (tap water is
not recommended due to the chemical contents of drinking
water). Insert the cartridge into your printer, and
start the "DeskJet Survival Kit" program. From the
program, select the "3) Flush ink cartridge" option, and
choose "2) Heavy flush" which will produce a solid color
printout. Insert 40 pages of scrap 8.5" x 11" paper (you
do recycle your paper, don't you?). I use the back side
of used copier paper I bring home from the office. Run
the flush program for approximately 6 pages of output.
Stop the process, remove the cartridge, refill it again
with distilled water, reinsert the cartridge, and use the
heavy flush option again from the program. Repeat this
cycle until you have printed 36 sheets of output. You
should notice that the output color becomes lighter and
lighter. It may take three refills of distilled water
until you get clear output. When you are satisfied that
all the black has been removed, refill the cartridge with
a colored ink. Once refilled with your new color, you
still should flush the cartridge for 6-10 pages until a
deep color appears.

Yellow is the hardest color to prepare an empty
cartridge for, but it can be done. Personally, I prefer
using an empty HP51626A high capacity cartridge for color
ink refills, but for those who find refilling the high
capacity cartridge too tricky, these tips have been
provided.