Refilling Canon and EcoTank Printers with Dye Ink

Q: Can I use BCH dye ink to refill the Canon PGI-280XL/CLI-281 5 Color Pack for my Pixma TS9521C, and are the dye inks interchangeable with those used in Canon EcoTank printers?

A: First off, thank you for reaching out to us. We at BCH Technologies are immensely grateful for your interest and support, especially regarding our YouTube channel. Your engagement is vital for enhancing our technical knowledge and offerings.

Yes, for a Canon system that utilizes a 5-ink setup, the larger black cartridge is typically filled with pigment-based ink, whereas the smaller one uses dye-based ink. However, it's perfectly fine to use dye ink in place of pigment ink. We offer a six-pack dye ink for Canon (standard 600 ml 4-color refill ink for Canon), which is suitable for both the large (pigment) and small (dye) black cartridges. This flexibility also extends to Canon EcoTank printers, where the same dye ink can be utilized, proving the interchangeability of dye inks across different printer models and types.

When it comes to selecting between pigment and dye inks, the choice is generally dependent on your specific needs. Pigment inks are known for their durability and resistance to fading, making them ideal for prints that will be exposed to the elements or need to last a long time without fading. On the other hand, dye inks offer vibrant colors and are cost-effective, making them a great choice for everyday printing and photographs that will be displayed indoors. It's important to note that while printers are designed to operate with either type of ink, the cleaning cycles may differ. Pigment ink printers typically initiate cleaning cycles more frequently to prevent clogging, a factor to consider if you're deciding between the two types of ink.

Should I use pigment ink or dye ink in my printer? I am afraid that I make the wrong choice.

The chances are: you can't make a wrong choice because the printer can use either dye or pigment ink. However, the printer's programmed cleaning frequency differs between a dye ink printer and a pigment printer. Pigment printers clean themselves more often than dye printers. Therefore, you can always use dye ink a pigment printer. In this way, the printer over-clean itself and is less likely to clog. If you use pigment ink in a dye printer, I suggest adding some manual cleanings in between the automatic cleaning. For example, Artisan 1430 is a dye printer, but many print shops use pigment ink to print T-shirts.

What's the difference between pigment and dye ink?

Therefore, I suggest using dye ink because 1) dye inks are cheaper 2) we can unclog dye ink quickly. If a pigment clogs, it is almost always permanent. Dye ink was (emphasis on WAS) a terrible choice to print double-sided documents, but recent improvements fixed the problem. Also, you can ignore the argument that dye ink is less UV-resistant nor waterproof. How often do you put a print under direct sunlight or soak in water? Dye ink can handle day-to-day printing very well. What if you spill coffee on the dye ink prints? The dye ink won't run unless you keep it wet for hours and hours. Unless you print a lot of outdoor stuff and have to hang it in the rain, dye ink is king. I suggest these inks:

• Epson https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-epson-kd600x-ce/
• HP: https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-hp-kd600x-ch/
• Canon: https://bchtechnologies.com/standard-600-ml-4-color-refill-ink-for-all-printers-kd600x-cu/

If you want to dig deeper, we have an article to illustrate the differences between pigment and dye ink here:

1. Compare: https://support.bchtechnologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/200555919
2. Why dye ink's printouts look better: https://support.bchtechnologies.com/hc/en-us/articles/200677489

Is it safe to switch ink types? Can I mix pigment ink and dye ink?

Switching from dye ink to dye ink is not an issue. So we will focus on pigment-pigment, pigment-dye, dye-pigment. You may hear that you shouldn't mix dye ink and pigment ink. It is true. It would be best if you didn't use the combination for an extended period. The reason is dye ink and pigment ink has different base solutions. Pigments need a chemical matrix to suspend in the liquid. Once you break the matrix, the pigment particles will slowly conjugate and form clogs. Therefore, you should use up the old ink as much as possible before switching. After the switching, you want to print enough pages to flush out the old ink. The mixture is not always lethal. For example, Epson's OEM "DuraBrite pigment ink" is a mixture of dye and pigment, so does many Versatile brand HP inks. It's all about the ratio and base solution.

You are less likely to encounter clogging at the initial switch. This is because the OEM inks are a very tolerant base usually. So you are less likely to have a clog if you put a 3rd party ink to replace OEM ink. But, then, every third-party manufacturer will have their base. If you have a manufacturer whose base is not as tolerant as OEM or BCH's base, you may have a problem, and no matter if you switch from pigment to pigment, pigment to dye, or dye to pigment. Therefore, switching between third-party inks is always a gamble. Once you find an ink you like, stay with it.

Since you know the mechanisms for the clogging, you can prevent it by adding a similar base to the printer, diluting the colorant, then flushing them out before the switching. So we have two products: clear dye base and clear pigment base.

• DYE BASE https://bchtechnologies.com/universal-dye-ink-bas...
• PIGMENT BASE https://bchtechnologies.com/universal-pigment-ink...

Again, this method may be overkill because, most likely, you will have no problem switching the ink types.

A quick summary is:

1. You can use dye ink in a pigment printer. You can select any of BCH's dye ink sets for pigment printers.
2. You cannot use pigment ink in a dye printer (unless you clean it manually & regularly)
3. If you choose pigment ink, you also need to check to see if the pigment ink is compatible with your model because different manufacturers have different bases. Dye ink doesn't have this problem.
4. When you decide to switch the ink types, make sure to use up the remaining ink as much as possible. You can mix up to 20% of different types of inks without the risk of clogging.

Addressing printer issues can indeed be complex, with solutions varying widely depending on the specific problem at hand. For example, a seemingly simple clog might require detailed unclogging instructions, while a printer that has been idle may need a thorough service of its ink system. The infamous "paper jam" error is notoriously broad, with countless potential causes, often becoming an inside joke among office workers. As such, we're unable to offer remote troubleshooting, advice, or support for printer repairs. We do, however, provide an in-person evaluation and repair service at our local diagnostic facility (BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service). Due to high demand, our services operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take some time before we can attend to your printer. Our goal is to either repair the entire printer or specific parts, with detailed guidance available for both mail-in and local drop-off options. While we strive to offer competitive rates, we understand they may not be the most affordable for everyone. As such, we recommend exploring self-help options through online research or visiting our YouTube channel for a wealth of informative videos.

Thank you again for your inquiry and support. Your curiosity and willingness to learn more about maintaining your printer's performance and ink management are what drive us to share our knowledge and expertise.