Can Canon PG-745 and CL-746 Cartridges Be Converted for Hassle-Free Refilling?

Question

I watched your video, "Unlock the Secret to Hassle-Free Canon Cartridge Refills!" Can I use the same spongeless-cartridge modification method with Canon PG-745 black and CL-746 color ink cartridges?

Answer

Yes, the Canon PG-745 and CL-746 cartridges generally belong to the same regional cartridge family as the PG-245 and CL-246 cartridges shown in many North American tutorials. Canon frequently assigns different cartridge prefixes to comparable cartridge designs sold in different regions. The PG cartridge is the black cartridge, while the CL cartridge contains cyan, magenta, and yellow ink in separate internal chambers.

The commonly encountered regional model numbers in this cartridge family include:

• PG-145 and CL-146 - Central and South America

• PG-245 and CL-246 - North America

• PG-345 and CL-346 - Japan

• PG-445 and CL-446 - Russia and certain nearby markets

• PG-545 and CL-546 - Europe

• PG-645 and CL-646 - parts of Asia and Oceania

• PG-745 and CL-746 - Southeast Asia and India

• PG-845 and CL-846 - China

• PG-945 and CL-946 - South Korea

Because the PG-745 and CL-746 use a cartridge design related to the PG-245 and CL-246 family, the same general spongeless-conversion concept may be applicable. Our Canon spongeless-cartridge modification kit [https://bchtechnologies.com/products/modification-kit-for-making-spongeless-cartridge-with-canon-pg-210-cl-211-pg-240-cl-241-pg-245-cl-246-pg-243-cl-244-as-rfc-cb2?_pos=1&_sid=028e499bf&_ss=r] is designed around several Canon integrated-printhead cartridge families, including PG-210/CL-211, PG-240/CL-241, PG-243/CL-244, and PG-245/CL-246.

However, we recommend inspecting your particular PG-745 and CL-746 cartridges before beginning the modification. Although regional cartridge numbers may refer to substantially similar products, Canon can introduce small structural differences, manufacturing revisions, or variations between standard-yield and XL cartridges. Check the cartridge shell, internal chamber arrangement, printhead position, contact layout, and lid shape against the cartridges demonstrated in the video.

The PG-745 black cartridge should have one main ink chamber. The CL-746 color cartridge is more complicated because it contains three separate ink chambers. During any refill or spongeless conversion, the cyan, magenta, and yellow chambers must remain isolated. Allowing the colors to mix inside the cartridge can permanently contaminate the ink and produce incorrect colors.

Before modifying a color cartridge, identify each chamber accurately. Do not assume that the chamber positions are identical to every other Canon model simply because the cartridges look similar externally. The safest approach is to compare the PG-745 and CL-746 directly with the cartridge layout shown in the video and confirm the location of each chamber before drilling, cutting, sealing, or inserting components.

A spongeless conversion removes or bypasses the original absorbent material so more of the cartridge's internal volume can be used as an ink reservoir. This can make repeated refilling more convenient, but it also changes how ink pressure and airflow are controlled. The cartridge must remain properly vented while preventing uncontrolled ink flow. An incorrect vent, a poor seal, or excessive internal pressure can cause leaking, dripping nozzles, ink starvation, cross-contamination, or poor print quality.

The condition of the original cartridge is equally important. These Canon cartridges have the printhead built directly into the cartridge. A modification kit can change the ink-storage system, but it cannot repair a damaged printhead, failed electrical contacts, burned nozzles, or a cartridge that the printer can no longer recognize.

For the best chance of success, begin with an original Canon cartridge that is still electronically recognized and capable of printing. A cartridge with severely dried nozzles or damaged electronics may continue to malfunction even after it has been refilled or converted.

After refilling, the printer may continue to report that the cartridge is empty or low. This does not necessarily mean the refill failed. Many Canon printers estimate ink usage electronically and cannot detect the actual amount of ink added to a used cartridge. Depending on the printer model, you may need to acknowledge the warning or hold the printer's Stop, Resume, or Cancel button for several seconds to disable ink-level monitoring for that cartridge.

Disabling ink monitoring does not reset the cartridge chip or restore the displayed ink level. It normally allows printing to continue while placing responsibility on the user to monitor the cartridge manually. Do not allow a converted cartridge to run completely dry because the ink also helps cool the integrated printhead during operation. Printing without sufficient ink can overheat and permanently damage the nozzles.

We also recommend testing the converted cartridge over a protected work surface before installing it in the printer. Confirm that the cartridge is not leaking from the printhead, refill opening, vent, or seams. After installation, print a nozzle check rather than immediately running several cleaning cycles. Repeated cleaning consumes a considerable amount of ink and may worsen an airflow or sealing problem without addressing its actual cause.

Therefore, the practical answer is that the PG-745 and CL-746 are regional relatives of the PG-245 and CL-246 cartridge family, and the same general modification technique may work. Nevertheless, you should compare the physical construction of your cartridges with the demonstrated models before proceeding. The printer model itself should also be considered, since recognition behavior and ink-monitoring prompts can vary between Canon printers.

Addressing printer and cartridge problems can be complicated because many diagnoses and repairs require direct, hands-on inspection. For this reason, we are unable to provide individualized remote troubleshooting, repair instructions, or ongoing technical support for a specific printer.

We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local printer diagnostic facility [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]. Because demand is high, services are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take several weeks before an appointment or drop-off opening becomes available. Our repair options cover either complete printers or certain individual components, with instructions provided on the service page. We also recognize that professional repair may not be the most economical choice for every situation.

For that reason, we strongly encourage self-directed research when appropriate. You can begin with YouTube or visit the homepage of our BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. On the channel page, use the search icon near the "About" section to search for your cartridge number, printer model, error message, or symptom.

We receive dozens of questions each day asking whether we have a video about a particular topic. Since we have produced printer-related videos for more than nine years, it is difficult to remember every video by title. Using YouTube's channel-search feature is usually the fastest way to locate relevant BCH content. YouTube may also recommend helpful videos from other creators that address the same cartridge or printer.

Thank you again for watching our video and taking the time to contact us. We sincerely appreciate your support of BCH Technologies and hope this information helps you determine whether the PG-745 and CL-746 cartridges are suitable for your planned refill modification.