HP 950, 950XL, 951, & 951XL Refilled Ink Cartridge Usage – HP Officejet, OJ Pro & MFP Printers: 

Your ink refiller (i.e. Costco, Fry’s Electronics, Best Buy Canada or University bookstore) should have installed a new replacement chip (green in color) onto the refilled cartridge(s) – see pictures below.  If the chip is missing then return to your refiller for replacement chip installation.

However, if your refill service does not include a new replacement chip (i.e. only the original HP chip is visible – see photo above) as part of the ink refill service, then click button below for alternative refilled cartridge usage instructions.

 

 

New Replacement Chip Installed, but error messages are displayed:

NORMAL ALERTS:

HP 950/951 ink cartridges which have new replacement chips attached to base of cartridge do provide ink level tracking but will give one simple nuisance message (i.e. “Non-genuine ink cartridge installed”, etc.) following initial cartridge installation. You may simply clear the message by pressing Ok.

 

ABNORMAL ALERTS:

If the error message “One or more cartridges may be missing or damaged”, “Ink Cartridge Failure”, “Cartridge Damaged”, or “The following cartridges are not intended for use in this Printer”etc. is displayed then either the chip has poor connectivity with the printer (i.e. possible ink residue on chip contacts – thoroughly clean chip’s surfaces with a damp towel) or the chip has been incorrectly placed onto the cartridge.  “Missing or Damaged” alerts can also be caused by an incorrect chip version installation (i.e. Standard chip vs. XL chip).

 

If the chip appears to be in the wrong spot, misaligned or is skewed slightly, please return the cartridge to your ink refiller for inspection and possible chip replacement.

 

If you observe the error message “Older Generation Cartridge”, and you have a newer HP Officejet Pro printer model, you may require a NEW version of the smart chip…refer to picture below. Return to your refiller and request NEW chip installation.

 

 

NOTE: In rare cases, “Damaged Cartridge” error conditions may be caused by a bent or broken pin on the PRINTHEAD assembly (or electrical contacts are dirty on the PRINTHEAD assembly) – especially if the same error occurs following the installation of a brand new HP ink cartridge.

 

Poor Print Quality Problems

If poor print quality or missing colors are observed in printed output it is suggested to activate the ‘Clean Printhead’ routine from the TOOLS menu 2 or 3 times in a row.  Verify print performance by activating the ‘Print Quality Report’ – small color blocks should be printed.

If the poor print quality issue cannot be corrected, then the PRINTHEAD may need to be removed from the printer and cleaned*.  Clean electrical contacts on PRINTHEAD assembly if ink residue is observed – refer to printer user manual for instructions, as available.

REFERENCE: HP Officejet PRO 8600 Printhead Removal & Replacement Procedure:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&docname=c02871867

 

You may also need to either:

1) Activate a Deep Clean (i.e. level 2 or 3).

2) Flush the PRINTHEAD with warm water for several minutes to remove clogs (if removable).*

3) Test the electrical performance of the PRINTHEAD by running ‘Tap 43’ diagnostics.

 

Refer to Printhead Diagnostics and Failures for more information or HP.com for additional support information.

 

 

*Depending on printer model, the PRINTHEAD might not be removable – check printer’s user guide.

 

 

NOTE 1: As the ink cartridge runs out of ink from printing usage, an ink low sensor (each cartridge has an ink out sensor at base of cartridge) will prevent the printer from printing to prevent printer damage. At this point the cartridge will need to be refilled again.

 

NOTE 2: Set-Up cartridges may be refilled.

 

“Printer Failure” or “Alignment Failure” Error Message: 

As the electronics in the ink cartridge and the printer communicate with each other, sometimes the printer will incorrectly identify an ink cartridge as unrecognized or non-functional. Following ink refill, if the ink cartridge(s) is not initially recognized, then the check cartridge to printhead connectivity (remove and reseat all 4 ink cartridges).

If the problem persists then verify the cartridge’s smart chip is present (see photo below) and ensure gold contacts are thoroughly clean with no visible damage to chip surfaces. No ink residue should be visible on gold contacts – thoroughly clean with lint free towel and isopropyl alcohol as necessary.

 

 

How an Inkjet Printhead Works (4, 5 & 6 Ink Cartridge Printers):

 

Printhead Life

The built-in PRINTHEAD will eventually fail over time with usage and age (may or may not be replaceable depending on printer model – see User Manual)

 

 

Advanced Printer Diagnostics

To view advanced diagnostics tests for your HP printer, click here:

 

NOTE: A compatible/clone or re-branded ink cartridge can be problematic; the embedded smart chip may not provide reliable printer-cartridge connectivity once installed. Compatible/clone cartridges are typically purchased on-line or at select retailers (i.e  sold under a different label than the regular HP cartridge packaging) and is essentially a “clone” of the HP original/genuine ink cartridge (if cartridge is original/genuine then the HP logo will be displayed on the side label of the ink cartridge). For the best refilling experience, only use HP original/genuine ink tanks. NOTE: Most retailer & university ink refill services will NOT refill non-genuine HP 950, 951, 950XL, or 951XL ink tanks.