Canon TS3722 (PG-275/CL-276) Refill Kit Color Looks Green: Is the Kit Wrong, or Is My Cartridge Leaking?

Question: I ordered a refill kit for a Canon TS3722 (black PG-275 and color CL-276). The black refill worked great, but when I tried refilling the color cartridge, I noticed the ink colors didn't match what I expected. The top looks red, the lower left looks green, and the lower right looks yellow. My kit came with blue (cyan), red (magenta), and yellow-no green. When I used a toothpick to check the chambers, the top was red, and the bottom two were green and yellow. What am I supposed to do? Is this the wrong kit for my printer?

Answer: 

No-you did order the correct ink kit. What you're seeing is almost always caused by an internal ink crossover (leak/migration) inside the color cartridge, not the wrong colors being included in the kit.

Why you're seeing "green" when your kit doesn't include green

Canon tri-color cartridges (like the CL-276) contain three inks:

• Cyan (blue)

• Magenta (red)

• Yellow

There is no green ink chamber in that cartridge.

Green appears when cyan and yellow mix. So if you're dipping a toothpick and seeing green, it typically means:

• Cyan has leaked into yellow, or

• Yellow has leaked into cyan, or

• The sponge area is so saturated/contaminated that the colors are blending before they can separate cleanly.

That's why a "green" reading is actually a symptom: cyan + yellow = green.

Most likely cause: internal contamination or chamber crossover

Here are the most common ways this happens:

1) Overfilling or filling too quickly

If too much ink is pushed in (or pushed in too fast), pressure can force ink through sponge pathways and cause cross-contamination between chambers.

2) Cartridge sponge is flooded or unevenly saturated

Tri-color cartridges rely on a sponge/ink-holding structure. If one side is more saturated than another, ink can migrate and mix.

3) Prior use / heat / age

If the cartridge has been used heavily, ran very low, dried, or is older, the internal structure can degrade and allow ink to wander more easily.

What to do next (practical options)

Below are your realistic options, from most "saveable" to most "reliable."

Option A: Try to stabilize the cartridge (best attempt to recover)

1. Stop adding ink for now. More ink usually makes crossover worse.

2. Blot the printhead/nozzle plate (the bottom) on a folded paper towel:

   • Press lightly for a couple seconds, lift, repeat.

   • You should see three distinct color areas over time (cyan/magenta/yellow). If it's turquoise/greenish smeared everywhere, it's contaminated.

3. Let the cartridge rest nozzle-down on a barely damp paper towel for 10-20 minutes (not soaking wet-just slightly damp).

   • This can sometimes help wicking normalize and reduce the mixed "green" dominance.

4. Reinstall and run a nozzle check (or cleaning cycle) from the printer utility.

   • If colors gradually separate over a few checks, you may have recovered it.

Option B: If color remains wrong, replace the color cartridge (most dependable)

If the cartridge is internally contaminated enough, it may never return to accurate color. In that case, the most time-effective fix is simply:

• Replace the CL-276 color cartridge,

• Then refill more conservatively next time.

Option C: Prevent it next time (so it doesn't repeat)

• Fill slowly, in small amounts.

• Don't "top off" aggressively-tri-color cartridges have limited tolerance for overfill.

• If you're uncertain which chamber is which, use a toothpick test before injecting:

  • Cyan should look blue/teal

  • Magenta is red/pink

  • Yellow is yellow

• If one chamber looks "off," pause and avoid injecting until the chamber identity is clear.

About printer error codes

In your description, you didn't mention any printer error codes (for example, Canon messages like "Ink has run out," "Cartridge cannot be recognized," or "Support Code" numbers). Based on what you shared, this looks like a color contamination issue rather than an electronic recognition error. If your printer does display a specific Support Code or cartridge error after reinstalling, be sure to include the exact code in your next message-those codes matter because they point to different causes (recognition chip issues, incorrect seating, air in the ink path, etc.).

Addressing printer issues can be tricky because most problems are hands-on and depend on what's physically happening inside the cartridge and printhead. Because of that, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility: Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to high demand, it's first-come, first-served, and it may take a few weeks before we can get your printer in for drop-off. We can service either a complete printer or specific parts, with clear steps on how to proceed. That said, we understand our rates aren't the cheapest-so we strongly encourage self-help through online research. A great place to start is YouTube, especially our channel homepage: BCH Technologies on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). To find the most relevant videos quickly, use the search icon near the "About" area on the right side of the menu-since we've posted videos over many years, it's difficult to remember every single one offhand, and YouTube search is the fastest way to pinpoint the exact topic. It may also recommend helpful videos from other creators that match your issue.

Thanks again for your message and for supporting BCH Technologies. If you decide to reply with any printer Support Code/error code you're seeing (if any), and whether your prints are coming out with a color cast (like everything looking greenish), that will help narrow down what's happening.