Terms from popular brands
Today, cartridges are produced by companies from different countries, and each manufacturer can set its own rules of use and shelf life.
Users most often give preference to cartridges from the same manufacturer whose printing device they use.
Some users purchase several identical cartridges at once and refill them with tinting powder as needed.
HP (Hewlett Packard) puts a code on the packaging containing information about the year and month of production.
a 30-month period for using the cartridge from the encrypted date. Inkjet cartridges are accompanied by information about the end date of use.
Xerox brand guarantees 3-year operation of both powder and ink cartridges.
Cartridge components
Inkjet printer cartridges
Laser cartridges consist of several parts:
- toner (special powder that forms an image on paper);
- waste toner bin;
- cartridge body;
- photodrum (element with a photosensitive coating);
- cleaning blades (used to remove excess toner from the drum).
Inkjet cartridges are designed differently and are refilled with special ink:
- print head (the mechanism used to transfer ink to paper);
- ink tank;
- plate with contacts;
- cartridge body.
Please note: the recommended temperature for storing cartridges is from 0º to 25ºC.
Laser storage conditions
The manufacturer allows 24 to 36 months to use a new powder toner cartridge inside. Important for laser printer toners :
- humidity level no more than 50-60% (usual office or residential conditions);
- ambient temperature from +4 to +35°C;
- darkened place of residence (closet, pantry);
- no shocks or sudden temperature changes.
Thermal paste also has an expiration date. Read about it in our article.
From the moment the protective shell is opened, the expiration time countdown starts, regardless of whether the cartridge is in use or not.
As a rule, there are no problems with the body, but the toner begins to absorb moisture , and the photodrum begins to exhibit photosensitivity, which affects the performance characteristics of the cartridges.
When unpacked, cartridges last no more than one year.
How long do laser cartridges last?
Laser printer cartridge
Being in its original packaging, the toner is reliably protected from environmental influences, and its shelf life increases significantly.
An important criterion is compliance with the temperature regime. The temperature should not rise above 25ºC.
If the cartridge packaging is opened or damaged, it is not recommended to store it in damp areas. There is a possibility that the toner will absorb moisture. In this case, the print will be pale and uneven.
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Another element of the cartridge is subject to additional danger - the photodrum. Humid air does not have such a detrimental effect on this part as it does on the toner, but in general it can contribute to its destruction. The most common problem is the detachment of the magnetic layer from the aluminum drum.
Another danger that a photocell is exposed to is bright light. When exposed to direct sunlight, there is a possibility of it becoming overexposed. Outwardly, such “damage” cannot be noticed, but during printing it will appear as a white hollow on the sheet, due to poor adhesion of the toner in this place.
Please note: you should not throw away cartridges after their expiration date; some companies buy them at a discount.
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Rules for keeping inkjet
Such cartridges are more demanding on environmental conditions; the following are important for them :
- contents in packaging from the manufacturer ;
- the temperature range narrows to +15-25°C;
- absence of heating devices nearby.
During what period you can return the goods to the store, read here.
When the temperature rises, the paint for refilling may dry out, and when it decreases, it may lose its quality.
When packaged, cartridges are stored from two to four to five years . Effective operation of an opened cartridge is possible for six months.
Refilling the cartridge and how profitable it is
Do you really have to throw away a cartridge when it runs out of toner? Manufacturers of printers and original consumables for them do not encourage multiple refills, because cartridges remain one of the main sources of their income.
However, reusing replaceable cartridges is still possible, which is what a huge number of printer owners use, thus saving 50-80% of the cost of a new cartridge on consumables.
A refilled cartridge has a resource that is only slightly inferior to a new one if the following conditions are met:
- the procedure was carried out professionally, in compliance with all rules and precautions;
- the cartridge was filled with high-quality compatible toner;
- All cartridge parts are in good condition.
In a specialized workshop they show a test page demonstrating the capabilities of the refilled cartridge.
Toner shelf life
In powder form, the toner remains shelf life for several years, but it is important that it is not opened and stored in a cool, dark place. exactly one year to use it .
The ink retains its characteristics for the period stated by the manufacturer. Original paint bottles most often indicate a period of two to three years .
When packaged in jars, a sticker is usually attached indicating the end date of use (at least two years).
The printing liquid can be pigmented or water-based; the water-based one lasts longer (4-5 years), however, once you start using it, in both cases, no more than six months are allowed for use.
Ink in bottles is stored only at room temperature and only in the dark .
Is it possible to return books to the store? Read this article.
What do popular manufacturers say?
Users choose in different ways which manufacturer of cartridges to use: some buy every time the first thing they get from a printer suitable for their brand, others try to purchase consumables from the exact company that made the printer itself .
Cost-conscious users use several cartridges of the same brand, changing the toning powder, and still notice a difference in print quality.
Different manufacturers have different service life and expiration dates for cartridges for the same type of removable device.
HP
Manufacturer Hewlett Packard marks powder removers on the packaging by indicating a code on one of the sides at the bottom left, the first digit of which indicates the year of manufacture, and the second character behind the letter of the alphabet (starting with A) hides the serial number of the month.
The expiration date ends 30 months from the encrypted date.
On inkjet refills, the HP manufacturer indicates on the back of the cardboard packaging the end date of use, after which the use of an ink remover is not recommended.
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Xerox
Toner from the xerox brand contains the release date on the end of the package in the form of an ink imprint of a stamp (or on the hologram itself, if there is no stamp), and the shelf life is 36 months. Therefore, after these months, counting from the date on the package, the powder is unusable.
Ink removers are marked using the same system.
It is important to understand how to decipher an ink stamp or numbers on a paper sticker on a package: there are 8 digits in total, the first four are the year of manufacture, the next 2 digits are the month, and the last are the day.
Epson
On the cardboard packaging of Epson inkjet cartridges they always indicate the production date ; the Japanese have taken the simplest route and clearly write the month and year in a 5-digit format, but not of release, but of end use. For example, the numbers 09.2017 indicate that paint cannot be used longer than this date.
As for powder reserves , Epson does not bother to put any dates on the packaging containers in these cases.
If you insert a freshly purchased cartridge into the printer slot and print a test page, then all the information you need regarding the expiration date can be read on this page.
Canon
Canon cartridges are marked in different ways. In some cases, on the cardboard for laser cartridges, the production date is stamped on the back left bottom , then the end date of operation will occur in 36 months , in other cases the “use before” date is immediately indicated, that is, the expiration date expires on this day.
Canon inkjet cartridges are not coded in any way for service life, but practice shows that 24 months. They can withstand storage without problems.
What does prolonged downtime lead to?
This is an extremely undesirable phenomenon, as a result of which the liquid contents on the print head may simply dry out , and the liquid contained in the container will become noticeably thicker, greatly complicating its further use.
The cartridge for laser printing devices is more durable , but it does not last forever.
Over time, the powder will caking and form lumps, and the photoconductor may become overexposed . This immediately affects the quality of the print, which becomes uneven, with obvious differences in the color density of parts of the text and drawings.
For printing official documents, such low quality is simply unacceptable.
Alternatively, you can clean the cartridge and replace the drum at a service center.
However, these measures will not significantly extend the life of laser cartridges.
Determining expiration dates for HP inkjet printer cartridges
The packaging of cartridges for inkjet printers consists of a box - a cardboard base and a cartridge. The inscription “install before” must be written on the back of the base. Locally, this inscription is located in the lower right corner, in the same place where the country of manufacture of this consumable is indicated. Only use before the specified period guarantees the required print quality and correct ink consumption in the cartridge.
Samsung and Xerox printers
In principle, despite the fact that the printers are different, their cartridges are similar, so their resource is similar. The official resource of the cartridge is approximately two and a half thousand pages. After refilling Samsung cartridges, white streaks may appear when printing, but the amount of printed paper will also increase. But if a master refilled the cartridge, then he can eliminate this drawback, and then the ink will be enough for about 2500 pages.
But not only do you need to refill the cartridge, but the photo drum also wears out; depending on the quality of the paper, it can last from 7.5 thousand sheets to 15 thousand sheets, but if we take the average figure, then it’s ten thousand. A sign of wear on the photodrum is black spots that form on the edge, which over time turn into solid stripes. It is possible to restore a cartridge of this brand, but in principle this is not a profitable business, since it is expensive, but the result will still not be good, it is better to buy a new one.
