HP Ink cartridge

I am doing a project where I need to have an ink cartridge to spew out ink droplets whithout it being connected to the printer. I'd prefer HP cartridges since they're smaller and cheaper. I only need the black to do it.
So what electrodes should I connect to? What voltage/amps? frequency? AC/DC? I am new to electronics. Thank you very much for your responses.

from what I have observed.
the cartridge has 6 rows of electrodes. and 3 colors.. so it would make sense that each row is for 1 color. except that there is a odd number of electrodes, but perhaps 1 of them is ground.?

and some electrodes share a connection (meaning that they're not exclusively connected to a single print hole).

I will be counting the print nozzels next to try to form a theory on the relationship between the electrodes and the nozzels.

I wish someone would know something on this subject.

maybe you could print out a totally yellow, then red, then blue page.

get a voltmeter, and take the part that connects to the ink cartridge and just start measuring the voltages.

first find out which one(s) are ground, then go to town drawing a diagram.

another alternative would be to blindly apply voltage to the connections and see which ones squirt ink :lol:

did u check google for pinout diagram?

also, it would be very helpful to learn how this part of the printing process works.

i didn't even know the correct term for 'pinout diagram'
but i found one on a re-filler site, (you hide some electrodes to fool the printer to thinking it's another cartridge , a new one)

I am going to try contacting the HP tech support to see if they can be of help, although i doubt it.

i don't own a voltimeter.
I wanted to blindly start applying current to the electrodes, but I am not sure of the voltage/amperage or kind (AC/DC), maybe the tech support will halp at least with that.

but i found one on a re-filler site, (you hide some electrodes to fool the printer to thinking it's another cartridge , a new one)

Click to expand...

wut is the purpose of making the printer think there's a new cartridge?

GET A MULTIMETER!!!! its invaluable if even want to kind of get into electronics. if u live in the US, harbor freight is having a sale on them. $3.99, cant beat that! its a digital one. i own that type and it works great.

hmm.. the point of the printer to think there's a new cartridge is 'cause some printers strore 2-3 cartridges in memory to later advise you of the ink level.(in case you didn't mark 'empty' or 'half-empty' on it with a pen yourself). Sometimes even when you re-fill it will still say that you're running low. (happened to me on either HP 1210 or Canon (don't remember).

Multimeter is a great idea, however i dont believe my printer will pront without a cartridge in place. so not sure how it would work? perhaps i'd be able to tell the current and the voltage from it? that would be a start.