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Cleaning and Maintaining Your Printer
Buying Printer Cartridges Online
Discount Printer Cartridges
Discount Printer Cartridges - Reducing Your Business Costs
Whether you are buying printing supplies for your home office or personal use, or even large business, discount printer cartridges help you in cutting your printing costs. In these tough economic times, every business must take financially prudent measures that will help it remain viable. Discount printer cartridges present one of the best cost cutting measures that can help see your business through this difficult period. Knowing where to get quality discount ink cartridges is the first and most important step.
With thousands of online stores and companies offering discount printer cartridges, it is extremely difficult to tell who is selling quality products. You need to ensure that you source your discount ink cartridges from company that is a reputable and reliable. This means that they deliver quality products, have a wide range of options in terms of brands, sizes, models, quantities and prices, they offer excellent customer care and are honest in their operations.
Once you have found the right supplier, everything else will be much easier for you as the company you are working with will guide you on how to acquire quality discount printer cartridges. They will recommend the best discount ink cartridges for your printers and help you with any challenges you may face such as replacing the cartridge. When working with professional suppliers, you get lots of free advice and information on best practices as well as help with common printer problems. This helps save you time and money while reducing unfavorable occurrences that may cause you stress.
While there are a number of people who may want to dismiss discount printer cartridges as being of lower quality, a reliable supplier can deliver products that perform as well as those that cost three or four times more. Those who have had problems with discount ink cartridges are usually business owners who are dealing with shady suppliers. A company that is serious about providing discount printer cartridges will not let you suffer the inconvenience of poor quality.
With so many excellent benefits to be gained from the use of discount ink cartridges, you need to make the financially prudent decision that saves you time and money. You need not pay more when the discount printer cartridges you buy will make you printouts that are as good as any other. Start taking advantage of discount printer cartridges, and you will be amazed at how much time and money you can actually save!
How to Fix a Paper Jam
How to Fix a Paper Jam in your Printer
Those of us who use our printers on a regular basis have all most probably experienced a paper jam. It is pretty much an inevitable occurrence and it usually happens at the most inconvenient time.
Below are the steps you'll want to follow when this type of incident occurs.
1. Turn off the printer.
2. Inspect the feed tray where the blank paper feeds into the printer. If the problem sheet or torn pieces of paper are visible manually remove them.
3. Inspect the feed tray the printed paper feeds onto. If the problem sheet or torn pieces of paper are visible manually remove them.
4. Remove all of the paper trays and any paper that may be stuck between the tray and the printer. If the problem sheet or torn pieces of paper are visible manually remove them.
5. Open the printer door that allows access to the printers ink cartridges or toner cartridges and look for any visible paper which appears out of place. If the problem sheet or torn pieces of paper are visible manually remove them.
6. Turn the printer back on. If you continue to receive a paper jam error repeat all five of the above steps again.
* To manually remove paper try pulling on the sheet of paper with both hands whilst also being careful not to tear the paper when pulling. If you are not able to get a decent grip at both edges of the paper you may need to manually rotate the gears which feed the paper through the printer.
If a paper jam error persists and you cannot see any pieces of torn paper that are stuck in the printer it is highly likely that your printer is experiencing software or hardware issues. If this is the case remove all associated drivers and programs for that specific printer from your computer and reload the printer using the appropriate software.
How to prevent a printer paper jam
As mentioned previously it is inevitable that you will encounter at least one paper jam during the life of the printer. However, if you are encountering frequent paper jams the below steps may help prevent the paper jams from reoccurring.
1. Do not fill the paper tray to capacity. If you are experiencing frequent paper jams reduce the amount of paper in the feed tray.
2. Ensure the paper tray which feeds the paper into the printer is properly aligned and the slider used to hold the paper is not too tight to the edge but relatively snug. Many printers have sliders which are designed to feed different types and sizes of paper into the printer. If the slider is too tight or not properly aligned it can cause paper jams.
3. Use standard office paper. Folded paper, paper with labels, and specialty paper such as hardbound paper can often cause paper jams. If you are not sure which paper you should use please refer to the printer manufacturers’ documentation which will recommend the appropriate paper compatible with your printer.
4. Do not mix the paper. If you need to change the actual grade or size of paper being used remove all other paper currently in the printer before inserting the new paper.
5. Examine the printer for any problem sheets or torn pieces of paper or anything else for that matter which should not be in the printer and remove it.
Today’s printers have been engineered to such a degree that a small particle of dirt can be the difference between trouble free printing or the constant frustration of reoccurring paper jams.
Buying Printer Cartridges Online
Risk and Reward when buying Printer Cartridges Online
Everyone needs printer supplies for business, school or for personal use at home. Though printers have generally got cheaper, the prices of ink cartridges have steadily increased in recent years and to try and save money when purchasing ink people are rapidly turning to the internet and websites who offer printer cartridges online at discounted prices compared to what is available in the traditional bricks and mortar stores.
The rewards when buying printer cartridges online?
There are so many different printer manufacturers’ with various types of printer cartridges to choose from, no matter which printer cartridge you require, you are bound to find it somewhere online, particularly if they have a large range with the majority of inks available at their website.
When you go into a traditional store, their inventory is usually quite limited. They generally do not carry all brands and what they do have in stock is in limited quantity. For this reason, you may have to travel from store to store which means you will have to worry about parking, change for the meters, parking inspectors and in some instances making the 2.45pm shuttle run to pick up the kids from school. Who has time for this? It can be an absolute hassle, so it is certainly understandable that most time savvy people are now turning to the internet to buy their printer cartridges online.
When you shop with your fingertips and computer you can not only save time but also save money by finding compatible or refurbished printer cartridges online. This type of product is not only cheaper but also environmentally friendly which, if you are concerned about the environment and future of our planet, it can be considered a wise choice.
On many websites you can also buy in bulk and save with quantity discounts. This is a fantastic option if you are purchasing for a business that has many printers and prints high volume. These types of discounts can save serious money in the short and long term and can be the difference between posting a profit or loss come tax time.
While buying printer cartridges online is more convenient, saving you time, money and being delivered direct to your door, it will be hard to mount a case against consumers choosing this option for their printing consumables.
The risks when buying printer cartridges online?
There can also be risks and disadvantages related to buying printer cartridges online.
You may experience a case where what you ordered does not match what you received. The wrong item may have been picked up at the time of packing so once you receive it and the ensuing phone calls this error requires, followed by the repackaging and hassle of sending the items back are a hassle we would all prefer to avoid.
When looking for printer cartridges online, just because a product is perceived as being at a low price does not necessarily mean that you are receiving a high quality product at a discounted price. It may well be an inferior item. The opposite also applies. A higher priced product does not mean you are getting the best product available. It is like many things sometimes it is perception alone which is enough to sway a consumer in either direction.
Before you buy, compare prices across the internet and always determine if what you are buying is compatible with the printer you own. Most sellers provide specifications to help you choose which one is right for you.
You must also determine the type of printer cartridges that will best suit your purpose. You can buy refurbished ones, genuine OEM or compatible printer cartridges online. Some websites specialize in just one type while others make every possible option available to allow their customers that choice.
The most important factor for many people in this current economic climate when it comes to selection is the price. The genuine OEM type of printer cartridge is generally far more expensive than the compatible type and as mentioned previously because of this price discrepancy the perception is that the genuine OEM product is superior in quality but I can honestly say that from my own experience this is simply not the case.
When you do compare, make sure they fall into the same classification. It is false economy to buy a cheaper ink or printer cartridge online if you do not receive a similar print quality or page count as the more expensive genuine OEM.
In addition to price, you should also compare the quality of printer cartridges the website is offering online. Without this comparison, you may not be getting the best deal on the market. Check shipping rates and take these into account prior to purchasing but more importantly check out the guarantee the website has on its items.
This guarantee will say a lot about the quality of their printer cartridges online and how much faith the seller has in their products.
Life Is For Learning
Questions Frequently Asked About Ink and Toner Cartridges
With over 10 years remanufacturing inkjet and toner cartridges if I was paid a dollar for the two most frequently asked questions I am continually asked on a daily basis I would not be here writing this article but currently lounging on a beach in the Bahamas' sipping Pina Coladas perusing the Forbes Top Ten List of Billionaires to see if I had made the cut.
But alas in all this time not one of my customers, when prompted, has ever been willing to hand over a tiny gold coin upon receipt of my invaluable answers to these two most commonly asked questions featured below.
1. How many times can I refill an inkjet or toner cartridge?
2. Can I use the same ink or toner when refilling different types of cartridges?
As stated, because not one customer has ever been forthcoming and the Pina Coladas in the Bahamas' is obviously but a pipedream I will share with you for FREE the answers to these two imponderables hoping that at the very least if I am asked again tomorrow and no doubt ten times going forward on a daily basis, my response ie. setting myself on fire and jumping out of a two storey window will become self explanatory.
Hmm…
The honest answer to "How many times can I refill an inkjet or toner cartridge?" is "How long is a piece of string?" and to put it very simply the answer to "Can I use the same ink or toner when refilling different types of cartridges?" is "No".
Admittedly these answers are not the most inspiring nor could they possibly be considered satisfying or sustaining but are honest and universal responses to the specific enquiries about the specific subject matter and are 100% true in these instances.
Once again I must explain that I am now sharing this information for FREE because previously normal and content customers upon receipt of these pearls of wisdom from me and after being prompted to pay up for my retirement to the Bahamas' have not accepted these answers graciously and to witness the look of shock and awe on their faces followed by a lightning quick exit from my premises, never to be seen of or heard from again, was not what I had hoped or planned for and I am simply dumbfounded by it.
I do have deep sympathy for these formerly good people though and am quite forgiving by nature. I am now willing to give them another chance because in recent days upon receiving reliable information from reliable sources my bewilderment has dissipated and been replaced with the nourishing reality that some of these long gone patrons have been spotted in the awkward aisles of Officeworks leaning on the bubble-wrap with their crook back and wobbly knees with that same glazed look still in their eyes listening intently to ill informed junior executive sales assistant's relaying the nonsense that ink is just ink and toner is just toner and because junior executive sales assistant's Facebook page needs updating it does not matter how much the customer wishes to pay for what printer or even which ink the customer needs for their old printer because junior executive sales assistant's lives are too short to be wasted on such trivial matters.
It has now become painfully obvious to me that the very reason these lost souls were so reluctant to pay me that one tiny dollar for my pearls of wisdom was because they needed that one dollar coin as change for their meters to park in Officeworks car-parks and if I had have asked for a Ten Dollar note instead I may have had better luck.
The Bahamas' is back on. I will keep you informed.
Save Money
Save Money by Conserving Ink and Paper
Whether you are printing photos, text or just printing something off the net to show friends or family the settings on your printer will determine the quality of print and therefore determine the longevity of the ink cartridges within. Prior to clicking the print button consumers need to consider what quality of print will be sufficient for the documents intended purpose.
If you do not mind constantly replacing ink cartridges I do not mind providing them to you, but if you would prefer to conserve your printer ink and stretch your dollar further there are a few things you can do.
Only print what you require. Instead of printing reams of information directly from a web site, copy and paste the information you really need into a word document avoiding the unnecessary printing of images and extra text which will soak up your cash and the printer cartridge’s ink in no time.
Print in draft mode when printing standard text. If the document is not going to be viewed and dissected over its print quality the “draft mode” is the easiest and most efficient setting to not only preserve ink but will also increase your printers printing speed. When you need to revert back to a presentation quality document then it is just as easy to revert back to "normal mode" or "best mode" for a better quality print.
Remove Colour from the equation by printing in grayscale. In many cases some inkjet printers will use the colour cartridges to print black even if the black cartridge has not run out. Since black inkjet cartridges tend to be much cheaper than colour inkjet cartridges, by selecting “grayscale” in your printer’s settings this will prevent any chance of this happening.
Printing on both sides of the paper. As we speak there are trillions and trillions of A4 sheets of paper currently being deposited into office bins and ending up in landfill with only one side having been printed upon. If you are simply printing text or images, for your eyes only, printing on the reverse side of paper will save thousands over a lifetime.
And finally for the biggest saving of all buy compatible or remanufactured ink cartridges from a reputable supplier like Greengage Printer Supplies. Our products are second to none at competitive prices, with no compromise on quality, ultimately saving our customers up to 70% on their printing consumables.
(For most PC users the information above can be administered by accessing your printer’s settings Click Start => Control Panel => Printers and then by right clicking on the intended printer and select “Printer Properties”.)
Cleaning and Maintaining Your Printer
How to Prevent your Printer from Having an Off Day
Many of you would be amazed that the root cause, nine times out of ten, of a printer malfunction is preventable, and as in life itself, prevention is always better and more often than not cheaper than the cure.
Printers these days have been engineered to such a point where the slightest speck of errant dust can be the hairs breadth difference between smooth operation and professional documents or sayonara to the skip bin.
With that in mind and noting that the current cost of most high performing office machines now exceeds New Zealand’s GDP, a few small but invaluable procedures could save your pocket, your business and your sanity far more than the 5 minutes of precious time it will take to service that old faithful printer.
Inkjet Printers
Some tools required when cleaning an inkjet printer, laser printer and cartridge etc. are a micro-fibre cloth, paper towel, cotton balls, cotton buds, isopropyl alcohol and an air compressor.
Below are a few steps to ensure your Inkjet Printers smooth operation and longevity.
1. Do not allow your printer to entirely run out of ink. In some inkjet printers the ink is also the lubricant for the print head.
2. Regularly check print-head nozzles. For Windows Users this can be done by clicking Start => Control Panel => Printers and then by right-clicking on your printer and selecting “Printer Properties”. Select the Maintenance Tab and click “Nozzle Check” If any nozzles are blocked perform a cleaning procedure.
3. At least once a week clean print head. For Windows Users this can be done by clicking Start => Control Panel => Printers and then by right-clicking on your printer and selecting “Printer Properties”. Select the Maintenance Tab and click “Cleaning”
4. At least once a month align print head. For Windows Users this can be done by clicking Start => Control Panel => Printers and then by right-clicking on your printer and selecting “Printer Properties”. Select the Maintenance Tab and click “Print head Alignment”
5. At least once a month remove the ink cartridges entirely from the printer and manually inspect the internal working components. Some inkjet printers require the power to be on to remove the ink cartridges and make sure the printers power source has been turned off upon completion.
6. Now you have removed the cartridges be careful not to touch the metal components if yours is a cartridge which has the print head built into it. Wipe the excess ink from the print head of the cartridge by pushing the ink side down firmly onto some paper towel. Once cleaned place in a secure place until ready to be reinstalled.
7. Some printer heads can also be removed entirely and cleaned with paper towel and isopropyl alcohol. If this is not the case, where the cartridges dock you will see excess ink and fine particle paper dust. Use a cotton bud dipped in isopropyl alcohol to remove as much of this as possible.
8. With the printer still open check for paper fragments, ink, dust and any other fine particles that do not belong there.
9. Use a dry micro-fibre cloth to carefully wipe the other accumulated ink, dust etc from inside the printer. Do not use paper towel for this procedure. If you have access to compressed air a gentle clean can do a great job clearing the fine particle dust inaccessible with a cloth.
10. Once you are satisfied with the internal clean it will not hurt to also give the external casing a thorough wipe down with a micro-fibre cloth and compressed air if available.
11. Finally there is one more piece of advice as far as inkjet printers go and it is also quite controversial. DO NOT TURN THE PRINTER OFF IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO.
Printers generally use minimal electricity and by leaving the printer on it is able to cycle the ink at the appropriate intervals preventing the print heads from clogging.
Also when you first turn on an inkjet printer it usually performs a clean which not only wastes ink but this excess ink will be absorbed by waste pads beneath the printer and once full will cost more to repair than it will to replace the entire printer.
If you absolutely must turn the printer off do so from the power button. The printer will go through a shutdown phase clearing the residual ink and closing the heads to mitigate the chance of clogging. Turning a printer off at the power point bypasses this important procedure.
Laser Printers
Each specific laser printer includes an instruction manual and a section on how to clean and maintain and should be followed at all times. However there are some procedures which are generally universal and can be applied to most laser printers when in the process of cleaning.
Some tools required when cleaning an inkjet printer, laser printer and cartridge etc. are a micro-fibre cloth, paper towel, cotton balls, cotton buds, isopropyl alcohol and an air compressor.
Never attempt to clean your laser printer while the power is still on and ensure machine has cooled down before proceeding.
Below are a few steps to ensure your Laser Printers smooth operation and longevity.
1. Before cleaning gently remove the toner cartridges from machine and carefully wipe with a dry micro-fibre cloth and place aside.
2. Remove paper trays and wipe these and paper tray bay clean with a dry micro-fibre cloth.
3. Clean empty cartridge compartment with dry micro-fibre cloth taking particular care not to damage any wires or sharp edges that are exposed. (Corona Wires etc.)
4. Dampen a cotton bud with isopropyl alcohol and clean the Corona Wire by gently running it along the top and underside being careful not to apply any pressure.
5. Clean the transfer roller and fuser assembly with a dry micro-fibre cloth. Be careful not to touch the transfer roller with your fingers as oil from your skin may damage it.
6. If you have access to compressed air now is the time to apply a low gentle flow which will clear the fine particle dust inaccessible with a cloth.
7. Once you are satisfied with the internal clean reinstall the toner cartridges.
8. Clean the external casing with a slightly dampened micro-fibre cloth and compressed air if available.
9. With compressed air and a dry micro-fibre cloth clean paper feed rollers which can be accessed from the rear and once complete reinstall paper tray.
10. Finally perform a test print to ensure all is well.
Printer Hard Drives
Printers Have Hard Drives Too
Have you sold, traded or thrown out an unused printer in the last few years? If so, it is possible you may also have provided the perfect opportunity for someone to access your personal or business information secretly stored on the machines hard drive.
An American CBS News investigation showed that the hard drives in copiers built since 2002 store document images that can be retrieved and printed later, after the machine has changed hands. While copiers pose the greatest risk, it appears that some printers work the same way, storing the documents that you have scanned and copied. A well used machine could possibly hold hundreds or thousands of private documents and images.
There is no database available that informs consumers whether their particular printer has an internal hard drive or not. We recommend examining the User Manual for the exact printer model specifications and if that does not bring clarity, contact the OEM Manufacturer directly to find out whether the printer includes a hard drive or any other form of storage that is able to retain data when it is turned off and disposed of.
If your printer does have a hard drive, you have three basic options for clearing the machine before passing it on to someone else. In some cases, you may be able to physically remove and destroy the hard drive, making the information totally inaccessible. Or the safer option of the three is to find Data Erasure Software that will format the hard drive, ensuring all sensitive documents and images are removed.
Considering the methods above and with both having obvious and tedious downsides, the fastest and cheapest course of action could well be my old favourite, the sledgehammer approach. And as always, in the case of printers and printer cartridges when choosing methods of disposal, not an exceptionally great result for the environment, but in this instance this particular method could go one of two ways.
It has the potential to provide a great cardio workout for yourself saving you on gym fees, mirror horror and will no doubt release all that pent up stress etc. advancing your health beyond your wife's expectations but sadly, could also turn nasty and be detrimental to human life itself, including your own. Why you ask?
Because sledgehammers are heavy things, and unless you have experience in "sledge hammering printers" like I do or have a degree in Physical Education it can leave your co-workers calling for the paramedics on your behalf.
It is also a commonly known fact that those witnessing fellow office workers wielding heavy sledgehammers swinging them in a threatening manner around their heads in a circular motion at their workplace are a dominant precursor to cardiac arrest or even worse, "Stress Leave."
So for those amongst us who were not lucky enough to be born fully ripped or fully informed about such matters to understand the gravity of such an event I have no hesitation in therefore recommending option two.
Data Erasure Software is readily available online, with an array of versions sometimes Commercial sometimes FREEWARE with methods and know-how to prevent your private documents and images from falling in to the wrong hands. Well worth the price when FREE.
And finally, when you are deciding on your next printer purchase find out whether the printer you are considering has a hard drive or not. You may not necessarily need one, but if you do, make sure it can be easily erased when you decide to upgrade the next time around. One sledgehammer episode every five years is probably one too many and far more than our local state hospitals can currently handle.
