Canon PG-275 and CL-276 Cartridges Refilled But Printing Blank Pages? Here's What to Do

Question:
I refilled the Canon PG-275 and CL-276 cartridges (including XL versions), and the ink appears to flow through the cartridge. However, when I reinstall them in my printer, nothing prints on the page-even after running several deep cleaning cycles. What could be wrong, and how can I fix it?

Answer:

1. Air Bubbles Blocking Ink Flow

After refilling, one of the most common causes of blank pages is air trapped inside the cartridge's sponge chamber. This air pocket prevents the ink from reaching the printhead nozzles.

To fix this, follow these steps:

• Remove the cartridge from the printer.

• Hold it over a paper towel with the printhead facing downward.

• Gently tap the cartridge on the towel until you see a few ink spots appear. This means the ink is reaching the printhead.

• Reinstall the cartridge and run one normal cleaning cycle (not deep cleaning).

If no ink spots appear even after tapping, the sponge inside might be overfilled or still full of air. You can try gently drawing a small amount of ink through the printhead using a syringe and a soft rubber adapter. Be careful not to apply too much suction, as that can damage the nozzles.

2. Clogged Printhead Nozzles

Even if the cartridge has ink, dried ink inside the nozzles can block flow. The deep cleaning function helps, but if you've already done it five times with no improvement, it's time for manual cleaning.

Here's how to clean the cartridge manually:

1. Remove the cartridge from the printer.

2. Soak just the printhead (the metal portion at the bottom) in a shallow dish of printhead cleaning solution or warm distilled water for about 10-15 minutes.

3. Gently blot the printhead on a lint-free paper towel to remove excess liquid.

4. Let it air dry completely before reinstalling it into the printer.

This should dissolve dried ink residue that's blocking the nozzles.

3. Cartridge Electrical Contacts

If the printer isn't communicating with the cartridge properly, it might think the nozzles are inactive. Take a soft, dry cloth or cotton swab and clean the gold contact pads on the back of the cartridge and the matching contacts inside the printer. Any dirt, dried ink, or oil can interfere with electrical signals, preventing proper ink ejection.

4. Printer's Ink Monitor Still Disabled

Canon's ink tracking system sometimes disables ink flow when it believes a cartridge is empty, even if it has been refilled. You may need to disable the ink monitor again:

• Insert the cartridge back into the printer.

• When the printer shows a warning such as "Ink level cannot be detected", press and hold the Stop/Reset button (the red triangle in a circle) for 5-10 seconds.

• The printer should acknowledge the cartridge and allow printing.

This step tells the printer to ignore the ink level sensor and rely purely on mechanical ink delivery.

5. Internal Printhead or Logic Board Issues

If you've done all of the above and the printer still prints blank pages, the issue may lie beyond the cartridges. In rare cases, the printer's internal printhead driver circuit or logic board can malfunction-especially after frequent refills or exposure to electrical surges. In that case, testing the cartridges in another compatible Canon printer can help confirm whether the issue lies in the printer or the cartridges themselves.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so it might take a few weeks before we can get your printer dropped off. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. Having created videos for over nine years, it's challenging to recall each one individually, but YouTube's search feature will help you find tutorials specific to your issue.

Thank you again for reaching out and for being part of the BCH Technologies community. Your patience and engagement mean a lot to us, and we hope these steps help get your Canon printer back in working order.