The Brother MFC-230C printer, which uses LC-51 ink cartridges, is a multifunction machine with copying, printing and faxing capabilities. Refilling Brother's ink cartridges offers a cost-effective alternative to purchasing ink from the \manufacturer; however, according to Brother, refilling cartridges yourself could damage your printer, interfere with print quality and void your printer warranty. Do-it-yourself ink cartridge refill kits, available for purchase online, use an injector to squirt ink into the empty cartridge.
Step 1
Don disposable gloves. Cover your work surface with newspapers or paper towels. Unscrew ink bottle lid and pierce the top with a needle. Add the dispensing tip, making sure it's screwed on tightly. Cut the label of the ink cartridge at the joint between the top and bottom of the cartridge case. Pry apart the two halves of the cartridge using a wrench or screwdriver, wiggling the casing until the halves pop apart.
Step 2
Pierce the cartridge top with the needle. Using the syringe included with the filling kit, remove the tip and push 15 milliliters of black ink into the cartridge; releasing the ink very slowly. Hold the dispenser upside down to allow the ink to drip into the cartridge. According to FreeInk4Life, this process takes 15 minutes for both black and colored inks.
Step 3
Apply a small piece of aluminum tape over the filling hole. Fit the cartridge shell back together. Affix a piece of aluminum tape over each side of the casing to hold it together. Avoid bumping the pressure release button.
Step 4
Insert the cartridge into your printer. FreeInk4Life recommends that you run one to three cleaning cycles or print two test pages to ensure you filled the ink cartridge properly. Before you fill a second cartridge, rinse the dispenser tip until the water runs clear.
Tips and Warnings
- Another method of refilling Brother LC-51 cartridges is to follow step 1, then drill a small hole in the top of the cartridge through the rubber stopper. Insert the needle into the hole, being careful not to pierce or bump the cartridge. Release the syringe containing ink and allow it to drip into the ink bag for 15 minutes, then seal the hole with a small screw. Follow steps 3 and 4 to complete the process.
Things You'll Need
- Disposable gloves
- Newspaper or paper towels
- Ink cartridge refill kit, which should include a needle top, cutting blade, dispenser tip and black, cyan, magenta or yellow inks
- Drill, hand wrench or screwdriver
- Flat aluminum tape
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