THIS IS AN INK CARTRIDGE WITH THE PRINT HEAD INTEGRATED.

The tri-color Dell M4646 is dye based ink.

Not Recognizing

 

Verify you have the correct cartridge for your specific model printer.

 

The ink levels may NOT read correctly.  These cartridges may read low or empty.  With Dell printers this should not stop the printer from being able to print.  You may get a message stating the cartridge is empty or a previously used cartridge has been installed.  If so, please follow the instructions listed below.  If the “Complete-A-Print” box is left checked the printer will use the color cartridge to make black instead of using the black cartridge.

 

There may be a piece of tape present on the cartridge that covers the print head and some of the contacts.  Make sure this piece of tape has been removed if it’s present.

Using a coffee filter or a lint-free cloth gently wipe the gold/copper connection points found on the side of the cartridge.  Sometimes if dried ink, finger print oil, or some of the tape residue stays on the contacts it can cause the cartridge not to recognize.

 

Not Fitting

 

There’s a protective clip on the outside of the cartridge which must be removed.  If the cartridge looks too big the protective clip probably has not been removed.  The clip will just snap off the cartridge.

Make sure you are installing the black into the black slot in the printer and the color into the color slot.  Dell printers can often have completely different black and color cartridges as well as the ability to run a photo cartridge in place of the black.  The cartridges have tabs on the top which will only allow the cartridge to fit into the correct slot.  The black or photo cartridge will install into the left slot and the tri-color cartridge will install into the right slot.

Print Quality Issues

 

The print head is located on the bottom of the cartridge.  Do NOT touch the print head with your fingers.  Verify the piece of tape has been removed.

 

Take a warm damp paper towel or coffee filter and blot the cartridge with the print heads facing down onto the paper towel to remove the dried ink on the print head. Then, taking a DRY paper towel or coffee filter, hold the cartridge down against the paper towel for 2-3 minutes. A dry paper towel will wick the ink out. Do not wipe the print head as this may cause damage.

 

The Dell printers that use these cartridges do have a print head cleaning option.  This is accessed through the computer rather than the printer.  To run a cleaning;

1. Load plain paper.

2. In Windows XP, click Start→Control Panel→Printers and Other Hardware→Printers and Faxes.

3. Right-click the appropriate Dell Printer icon.

4. Click Printing Preferences.

The Printing Preferences dialog box opens.

5. Click the Maintenance tab.

6. Click Clean Print Cartridges.

7. If the print quality has not improved, click Print Again.

8. Print your document again to verify the improved print quality.

 

 

Click on the YouTube video below to see a video on performing the paper towel method