Number of refills varies from 5-9.  The sooner you refill once empty, or filling before completely empty will greatly increase number of refills.  Also, those who go through a lot of cartridges often experience more refills since this does not allow sponge time to dry.  It is advised that you top off cartridge when you can to keep sponge moist.

Black: 8CC  / Colors:  6CC each

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT YOU REFILL CARTRIDGE BEFORE COMPLETELY RUNNING OUT OF INK. 
SPONGE MATERIAL MAY DRY IF LEFT WITHOUT INK FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME.


THE REFILL PROCESS

1. Set your cartridge down on a secure level surface with the label of the cartridge facing upwards.  If you have a table vice, securing cartridge top-side up in vice is recommended .  Alternatively a wedge where the cartridge can rest top-side up has been found beneficial in refilling the cartridge.  It allows you to work with the cartridge on an elevated surface where the fill holes are easily accessible.
   
2. We will be filling the cartridge in the same location that it was originally filled from:  The four vent holes at the top of the cartridge.  Take the drill tool included with the kit and enlarge the vent closest to the center of each vent cap. (An enlarged view is show on the lower right).  Repeat the process for all four vent caps / vent holes.
   
3. Apply injector tip to injector by twisting until secure.
   
4. Fill injector to 8 cc for black or 6 cc for any color with desired color ink.
   
5. Insert injector into fill hole and slowly inject the ink.  Inject slowly keeping in mind that you are injecting into a sponge.  It should take approximately 45 seconds to a minute to get all of the ink in.
   
6. If ink begins to come up through the vent hole cease injecting and pull slightly on the plunger so that  a small amount of ink will be drawn into injector.  Usually this little trick will help in retracting any excess ink from the cartridge.  Only pull back a tiny bit (less that 1/4 of a CC usually does the trick.
   
7. Wipe off any residual ink from cartridge body.
   Rinse injector with warm water in between colors.  Rinsing injector is easily done by filling a small cup with warm water.  Insert injector into water and draw plunger in and out seven or eight times.
   
8. Once you have refilled all chambers allow to sit several minutes before putting back into printer carriage.
   

WHAT TO KNOW
Due to nature of the sponge material, it is common that after six to nine refills the sponge begins to deteriorate. There are many factors involved in why the sponge will deteriorate.  How long it takes is partially up to you.  Here are some guidelines to protecting your cartridge and getting the most from it.

1. Refill the cartridge immediately upon running out of ink, or as soon as the ink level becomes low.
   
2. Do not let cartridge sit out of a printer longer than necessary.  Too much air is not beneficial to the sponge material.
   
3. We ca not stress this enough:  The print head mechanism is very delicate.  Dropping or knocking the cartridge print head assembly into something can destroy it completely.  When the cartridge is out of the printer treat it like it is worth 30.00-35.00.  After all, that is the cost if it had to be replaced.
   
4. Expect the inevitable:  Cartridges will eventually cease to work.  Have an extra cartridge on hand.  All printer manufacturers recommend this as well.  It is just good practice to keep a new cartridge available at all times
   
   

PRIMER PAGES
Primer pages can be used to assist in clearing blockage in a print head, or simply for 'priming' the cartridge.  The purpose is to force ink, air and blockage out of the cartridge.
To create primer pages simple follow the instructions below.

1. Black Primer:  Take any painting or draw program and cover the surface of your page with a single large block of black.  The more surface that is covered on the page the better.
   
2. Color Primer Page:  Using a paint or draw program create three blocks down the length of the page as shown in the diagram to the right titled 'Color Primer'.  Each of the block should be in the primary ink jet colors (Cyan, Magenta and Yellow)  Cover as much of the page as you can without overlapping colors.
   
3. Combined Primer Page.  Another Primer page consists of putting all of the colors together on a single sheet along with the black.  Simply follow the instructions above for the color primer, and add in a bar of Black.
   

To Use.  Just print the page!  Print as many pages as is necessary to get the ink flowing properly.

CLOGGED HEADS
If your cartridge has sat out of the printer for an extended period of time and you are uncertain as to whether the cartridge will work due to clogged jets we recommend the following procedure.

1. Wet a paper towel thoroughly (with distilled or filtered water), fold and place in microwave for 20 seconds (just the paper towel--NOT THE CARTRIDGE)
2. Place cartridge print head on paper towel--DO NOT SCRAPE CARTRIDGE ALONG TOWEL)
3. Leave on paper towel for a minute.
4. The hot water will break up caked ink and start the capillary action working again. 
   

After the allotted time, place the cartridge on a dry paper towel or non abrasive absorbent surface to dry the bottom of the cartridge.  You may now attempt to refill or use the cartridge (if ink is in the cartridge).