Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
> To see the post, just do a google search for "Dell 720". You'll also
> find a couple useful links too.
This isn`t a lot of use on its own - you could have re-posted the article
I believe you are referring to, as follows:
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> Hi could someone tell me the equivelant Lexmark cartridges I need to buy for
> the Dell 720 printer and if they need modified in any way.
Dell 720 takes the same Dell cartridges as the Dell A920 but is
physically simailar to Lexmark Z600 series, particularly Z605.
According to my Argos catalogue, Z605 takes Black 10N0016 & 10N00217
and Colour 10N0026 & 10N0227.
(-217 & -227 are 'Moderate Use' cartridges, which to my jaundiced eye
mans that Lexmark will sell you about half the ink for 2/3 the cost so
that when it dries up in the cartridge though disuse you won't suffer
so much 'sticker shock' replacing it - they should refill ok, though.)
Dell and Lexmark cartridges seem to be identical apart from the top,
which prevents one supplier's cartridge fitting the other's printer.
Both Dell & Lexmatk cartridges have a 'wedge of cheese' moulding on
the top cover and only the sloping front part of this seems to be
required for cartridge registration - a sprung slider pushes it back.
The rear part is used to 'customise' the cartridge to a supplier.
It seems possible to transplant a Dell top or cut a Lexmark one
but at the expense of repeated labour and increased ink evaporation
from the 'ventilated' cartridges.
Better to modify the printer - but entirely at your own risk ;-)
If you look in the Dell Owner's Manual book you will see the _Lexmark_
cartridge illustrated(!): it has a rectagular cutout at the top rear
and there is a corresponding fore-and-aft tab underneath the
printer's cartridge retaining cap.
If you look on the Dell _printer_ you will see a slanting cutoff
of the right rear corner and a corresponding _angled_ tab inside
the retaining cap. (On the black cartridge the function of this
tab can be seen through a slot in the closed cover. It doesn't
seem to touch the cartridge or be providing any registration
for the nozzles.)
So: a few moment's work with a hobby knife to score, break off
and scrape away this tiny tab and your printer is ambidextrous!
This seems worth trying if the printer cost you less than £10
(after allowing the value of cables) in Dell's offer.
BTW, as others have mentioned, the supplied cartridges are 'trial'
(that should read 'a trial') and don't have much (any?) ink in.
Jettec ink has been recommended. (Jettec ink and cartridges are in a
BOGOF at my local Wilkinsons but stocks are fluctuating - you can't
GOF if they only have one :-( I didn't see any Jettec Z600 series
cartridges at all, but the ink refill kits seem to have been selling
and being restocked.)
I used the black and it worked ok, though I'm not convinced that
Jettec have the surface tension quite right, so don't overfill
- you can always add some more later. My cartridge dribbled a bit
until I ran off several test pages.
To print a test page hold down the printer power button while you
power on at the MAINS socket. Kill the power to stop it. You don't
need to have the printer connected to a computer.
A correct test page should have a black nozzle test in a bordered
table and full-width stripes of black and colour.
If the table borders or the stripes don't print fully the cartridge
may be drying out - refill it NOW before you burn out the nozzles!
If you don't print colour much, you might prolong the life of the
colour cartridge by re-sealing the nozzles (you did keep the tape,
didn't you?) it and wrapping it in a sandwich bag but it will
probably dry up and die eventually if it isn't used regularly and
refilled as needed. I suppose a few drops of cartridge flush might
extend the life of an under-used cartridge - after all, it must be
copmatible with the inks since you can't get it all out after a
flush, but I haven't tried this.
Len Warner
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