Fullmark

FAQ

Inkjet Cartridges

General questions

  1. What does OEM mean?
  2. What are "remanufactured cartridges"?
  3. What are compatible cartridges?
  4. How much money will I save by using Fullmark cartridges?
  5. How long will it take to load a cartridge?
  6. What is the warranty period for Fullmark cartridges?
  7. Will using a Fullmark cartridge damage my printer?
  8. Are Fullmark cartridges as good as OEM cartridges?
  9. How do I know which cartridge to buy for my printer?
  10. Why do manufacturers make cartridge-based laser printers, plain paper fax machines and small office photocopiers with expensive cartridges?
  11. What is the most difficult part in using Fullmark cartridges?

Maintenance

  1. What is the proper way to handle inkjet cartridges?
  2. What should I do if the print head is clogged with ink residue in the nozzles?
  3. How do I get the most out of a cleaning cycle for Epson printers?
  4. How do I prevent my print head from premature "burn out"?
  5. General troubleshooting guides for certain printers

General questions

1. What does OEM mean?

OEM is the abbreviation for Original Equipment Manufacturer and refers to companies such as Hewlett Packard (HP), Canon, Compaq, Lexmark and Brother that actually manufacture your printer.

2. What are "remanufactured cartridges"?

Remanufactured cartridges utilise the OEM cartridge shells over and over again. In other words, remanufactured cartridges are recycled OEM cartridges.

3. What are compatible cartridges?

Compatible cartridges are non-OEM cartridges. These are new cartridges, not recycled. They are manufactured by a third party factory adhering to strict ISO specifications. At Fullmark, each printer cartridge is carefully researched, manufactured and tested. New compatible cartridges are added to Fullmark's range of products on a regular basis and usually there is no difference or degradation in the print quality.

4. How much money will I save by using Fullmark cartridges?

The savings vary, but a compatible cartridge is approximately one-third of the cost of a new OEM cartridge.

5. How long will it take to load a cartridge?

The package comes with illustrated instructions and diagrams. More importantly, loading a compatible cartridge is very similar to loading an OEM cartridge.

6. What is the warranty period for Fullmark cartridges?

The warranty period for Fullmark cartridges is one year from the date of purchase.

7. Will using a Fullmark cartridge damage my printer?

No. Fullmark guarantees that its cartridges will perform as well as the OEM supplies under similar conditions.

8. Are Fullmark cartridges as good as OEM cartridges?

Fullmark’s cartridges are developed only after extensive research and development to give you absolute assurance that they are of the highest quality. Fullmark is a certified company for ISO 9002 and ISO 14001.

9. How do I know which cartridge to buy for my printer?

You can browse our full range of products or search for a specific printer or cartridge.

10. Why do manufacturers make cartridge-based laser printers, plain paper fax machines and small office photocopiers with expensive cartridges?

If you buy a pair of black and color cartridges for certain models of printers, you may realise that the price of these two cartridges is very close to the price of a printer. Most manufacturers do not earn a profit from printers, but from cartridges.

11. What is the most difficult part in using Fullmark cartridges?

The biggest challenge thus far is convincing the average customer to give it a try! Most customers do not realize that using a Fullmark cartridge is very similar to using an OEM cartridge until they attempt to do so. If you are new to using compatible cartridges, be confident, try it and save with Fullmark cartridges.

Maintenance

1. What is the proper way to handle inkjet cartridges?

Do not leave the inkjet cartridge outside the printer as the ink will dry and clog the print head nozzles.

2. What should I do if the print head is clogged with ink residue in the nozzles?

Prepare a dish of warm water about ¼" deep. Immerse the print head (not the air vent) in the water for 10 to 15 minutes. Wipe the water off with a soft tissue or cotton swab before installing it back in the printer.

3. How do I get the most out of a cleaning cycle for Epson printers?

Disclaimer: This tip is generic. It is suggested for Epson printers but works on all the printers. Do not run more than three back-to-back cleaning cycles. Give the cartridge a chance to let some ink flow in between cleaning cycles. Print three or four pages of a colour pattern or a colour-balanced image after running three cleaning cycles. If the print out still does not look good, run another three cleaning cycles, then three or four pages of a colour pattern. Repeat the process until you have regained good print quality. This will purge air bubbles or foamy ink that a cleaning cycle may not clear.

4. How do I prevent my print head from premature "burn out"?

The print head is like a light bulb. It can last a long time but sometimes, it fails prematurely.  This is why the print head has a limited life in terms of how many times they can be used with the cartridge. When there is a no-ink situation and the resistors overheat, the life of the print head is diminished.

5. General troubleshooting guides for certain printers

All printers

Problem Cause Remedy
My cartridge won't fit into my printer. You bought the wrong cartridge. Verify that you have the correct inkjet cartridge for your printer.
After loading the cartridge, my printer does not react. The power cable or printer cable may not be connected properly. Check that the power cable or printer cable are connected properly and firmly.

Epson printers

Problem Cause Remedy
After installation, white streaks or blank print outs appear. Protective tape has not been removed. Remove the tape and reload the cartridge.
  Rubber seal on the cartridge has not been punctured and the ink cannot flow properly to the print head. Follow the printer manual to remove the print head unit. Close the clamp until it snaps into place with a solid "click".
  Printer charging cycle not completed. Perform the cleaning cycles a few times to pump the ink through to the print head.
"Ink out" light blinks when a new cartridge is loaded. The printer "ink out" sensor did not recover in time to function normally after reloading. Turn off the printer, wait 15 seconds, then turn it back on again. If the "ink out" light is still on, remove the cartridge and reload it just ONE TIME. DO NOT remove and reload the cartridge repeatedly because the sensor for the "ink out" light may be affected and will not reflect the actual life of the cartridge.

HP and Canon printers

Problem Cause Remedy
"Does not recognize cartridge" error message appears. The electrical contacts on the cartridge or printer are dirty. Clean the contacts with alcohol or a light household degreaser using a folded paper towel, and try again. DO NOT pull up the edges of the electrical contacts. Circular motions work best.