FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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Ink Related
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Q: Why should I refill my own ink cartridges?
Reflling cartridges is a great way to save money and prevent waste. Instead of spending money on pre-filled ink cartridges, use our ink to fill your existing oem or refillable cartridges.
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Q: How do I know if Stratitec Ink will work in my printer?
A: Stratitec ink is a universal product that can be used with any inkjet printer.
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Q: Is Stratitec ink made in the USA?
A: Indeed it is, as are the ink bottles, labels, and shipping boxes.
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Q: Is Stratitec ink harmful if swallowed?
A: FIRST AID PROCEDURES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
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Eye Contact: Flush eyes thoroughly with water. Seek medical attention if irritation persists.
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Skin Contact: For prolonged skin contact, wash contaminated areas with mild soap and water.
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Ingestion: If large quantity ingested, give lukewarm water if victim completely conscious. Induce vomiting. Get medical attention.
Q: What is the shelf life of Stratitec ink?
A: Stratitec ink is best used within 1 year of your purchase date, however if stored in a climate controlled environment, it can still be effective for up to 3 years or more. We have some customers who are still using the ink they purchased 10 years ago with no problems.
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Q: Will Stratitec ink damage my printer?
A: No. our ink is a universal product specifically designed to work with inkjet printers.
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Q: Can I use your universal ink in my Epson Ecotank Supertank, HP DeskJet GT Series, or Canon Pixma G Series printer?
A: Yes. Stratitec sells a universal inkjet ink product that performs well in all inkjet printers, including cartridge-less printers like the Ecotank.
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Q: Is the print quality of your ink the same as the OEM ink? What is "universal ink" anyway?
A: The average user will not be able to tell the difference. It is worth noting, however, that each printer manufacturer has their own patented ink formulation specifically designed for their product, and although universal inks can get very close to matching the OEM quality, there may be some slight differences (typically indiscernible to the average user).
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Q: What is the difference between regular magenta/cyan/black and photo magenta/cyan/black?
A: Some printers require photo magenta, photo cyan, and photo black in addition to regular magenta, cyan, and black. These inks are simply lighter versions of magenta/cyan/black and are meant to improve the color range quality of printed photos.
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Q: Can I use photo magenta, photo cyan, or photo black in place of regular magenta, cyan, or black (or vice versa)?
A: Technically, yes. But the colors on the printed page will be different than what the printer manufacturer intended.
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Q: What is the difference between pigment ink and dye ink?
A: Pigment ink is physically different than dye ink, A pigment-based ink uses solid particles of pigment powder suspended in the ink itself to transfer color. This type of ink is more durable than dye-based inks because it resists fading for longer and doesn't smudge as much when drying... Because of this, it resists fading better and is water resistant. On the flip side, pigment ink takes longer to dry, it costs more, and it cannot produce the rich colors that dye inks produce. This is why some printers will mix pigment cartridges with dye ink cartridges. If your printer has a single black cartridge, it is likely pigment ink. If you have two black cartridges, you have a mix.
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Q: Can I use regular inks (dye based) in place of my pigment ink or vice versa?
A: Technically you can substitute dye inks in your pigment cartridge, and many people do this without an issue, but we still recommend using pigment ink if pigment ink is called for. The reverse is not true, however, as putting pigment ink in your dye ink cartridge can cause clogging problems.
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Q: Why does my printer requires both pigment black and regular black ink?
A: Some printers are designed with the ability to use pigment black for normal printing and the regular black (or photo black or even a mix of colors to make black) when printing to photo paper.
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Q: How do I get ink stains off of my hands?
A: For best results, wash your hands with soap and warm water immediately. Whatever ink did not come off during this initial wash will come off with continued washing.
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Q: How do I get ink stains out of clothing?
A: Immediately rinse the stained area with cold water, and then saturate the item with hair spray or alcohol. Place a white, absorbent cloth or towel under the stain to catch the excess ink. You then need to blot the stain with a clean cloth. Repeat this process until the stain is removed, then launder as usual.
Caution: Some fabrics may be damaged by the hair spray/alcohol solution. If in doubt, test on a hidden area first. Some fabrics may stain immediately and it may not be possible to completely clean them.
Ink Cartridge Related
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Q: Will refilling cartridges void my printer warranty?
A: The answer is no. Printer manufacturers are not allowed to void warranties for customers who refill their cartridges because it is ultimately against trade policy.
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Q: Will downloading a software update to my printer cause refilled cartridges to fail?
A: In some cases, yes it will, especially with HP printers. The computer chips on many refillable cartridge sets are programmed to work with the current software release of your printer at the time of your purchase. The printer market makes most of their money by selling the consumer ink, so of course they will do what they can to deter the end user from purchasing non-OEM ink products. We do not recommend that you install any printer software updates if you are refilling or using refillable inkjet cartridges, however, owners of Epson, Brother, and Canon printers have a much lower risk level than HP owners when it comes to installing updates.
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Q: How do I refill my OEM cartridges?
Most OEM cartridges can be refilled using our ink. It can be as easy as finding the hole in your cartridge, injecting the ink using our tools then sealing up the hole. A quick web search will help you locate instructions on your specific printer/cartridge model or contact us if you need additional info. We do not currently have instructions for all makes & models but we'll do our best to help. Or if you have refillable cartridges from our old site or from another vendor you can keep refilling them using Stratitec ink.
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