To order ink, toner and supplies for you printer, please call 1-877-453-3640 or online www.bestinsupplies.com

Lexmark 12A1990 Photo Cartridge

and others from Compaq, Lexmark, and Xerox

Refill Instructions

Step 1) Put the cartridge on some paper towels in an area where you can tolerate a spill.

Step 2) We must remove the top. Two methods:

  1. Gently clamp the cartridge bottom in a vise or similar device. Grab the top with a large wrench or set of pliers and crack off the top. This will likely break some plastic, but this is generally cosmetic damage.
  2. Lay the cartridge on a solid surface and put the edge of a sharp knife at the intersection of the black and colored plastic. Hit it sharply with a hammer. Then pull off the top.

Step 3) Keeping the cartridge on paper towels, take a syringe bottle and fill it 1/10 to 1/8 full of ink -- about 3-5 ml -- for filling each chamber.

Blot off immediately any hanging drops of ink that come out of the printhead. Otherwise, this ink may migrate back up into a more empty chamber and cause cross-color contamination.

Step 4) Insert the needle fully into the appropriate hole. Inject the ink very S-L-O-W-L-Y and watch until the sponge is saturated. (Some colors will not be empty, so don't expect the sponge to absorb the entire amount.

Step 5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other two colors with different syringes.

Step 6) Put the top back on and tape down in place.

Step 7) Set above a paper towel for an hour as a drip precaution. Expect a few drips. It is important that the paper towel not touch the cartridge during this step, since the towel will draw out the ink.

Step 8) For best results, let sit overnight before using.

To order ink, toner and supplies for you printer, please call 1-877-453-3640 or online www.bestinsupplies.com