A look inside the HP 93 tri-color (color) inkjet printer cartridge
We crack one open and have a look around.
HP 93 c9361wn retail price:
Inside the HP 93 c9361wn ink cartridge:
HP 93 tri-color (color) ink cartridge with lid on (c9361w)
Specifications:
- Color : Tri-Color (all 3 colors in one cartridge)
- Part Number : c9361wn – HP 93+
- Ink Type : Pigment ink
- Page Yield : 220 pages*
- Storage temperature : 59 to 95° F
- Estimated Ink Volume : 5ml
- Retail Price : $14.99
- Street Price : $14.49
*that 220 page estimate is from HP and based on 5% coverage (see what 5% coverage looks like) – printer manufacturer estimates are not very realistic in our experience – figure about half that for everyday printing.
+often paired with HP black cartridge HP 92 C9362wn
Cartridge specifications here on HP’s website.
Page yield info here – (had to dig)
Used in these printers:
- HP Deskjet 5440 Printer series
- HP Deskjet 6500 Printer series
- HP Deskjet 6940/6980 Printer series
- HP Deskjet 6988 Printer series
- HP Deskjet D4100 Printer series
- HP Officejet 6300 All-in-One series
- HP Photosmart 7800 Printer series
- HP Photosmart D5060 Printer series
- HP Photosmart D5100 Printer series
- HP Photosmart 2570 All-in-One series
- HP Photosmart C3100 All-in-One series
- HP Photosmart C4100 All-in-One series
- HP Photosmart Pro B8350 Printer series
- HP PSC 1500 All-in-One series
HP 93 c9361w tri-color (color) ink cartridge – “cracked open.”
The HP 93 tri-color, or color, inkjet printer cartridge. This cartridge has three (3) different chambers for cyan, magenta, and yellow inks. Can be easily refilled once or twice, and maybe more (your mileage will vary), however compatibles and re-manufactured cartridges can be found – the issue is finding a good quality compatible or re-manufactured cartridge.
The top is glued on very tightly…
We used a dremel to get it off – there could could be an easier way. If simply refilling the cartridge, there is no reason to crack open the physical cartridge – there are holes in the lid, which are covered by the cartridge label. Looks like yellow in the top, magenta to the left, and cyan to the right.
Pay a discount price, get a half full cartridge…
Three shrunken chambers within chambers with matching tiny sponges. Hewlett Packard (HP) really sticks it to customers with this cartridge. Cannot ever be completely “full” due to smaller sponges, and chambers within chambers.
What about refilling?
Sure, or you can buy replacement carts for $10-$20 depending on your model. Generics are cheap, but if you want really cheap, think about getting rid of the printer and upgrading to a CIS friendly printer from Epson.
Contact! – Contact!
These solder points, or contacts help make up the print head – cannot be reset without additional hardware. Printers that use these types of cartridges do not have an internal print head – rather the print head is located on the cartridges themselves. If print quality declines to the point where the cartridge is no longer usable, simply try another cartridge (it’s like getting a new printer). If your cartridge cannot be recognized, try cleaning the contacts with a damp q-tip before tossing the cartridge – it may take a few attempts, so try 2-3 cleanings.
If any of the contacts become dirty or damaged, the cartridge will simply not function.
The Print Head:
The print head on the HP 93 tri-color ink cartridge. Notice the three (3) individual nozzle trails.
This photo turned out great - can almost see the holes where the ink exits the cartridge. HP 93 c9361wn ink cartridge.
If your print head gets clogged (no matter the cartridge type), remember to try and dab the cartridge on a damp paper towel to soften up the possibly dried ink. Let it sit for a few minutes before putting back in printer. The longer a printer sits without usage, the more likely there will be a clog.
Conclusion:
As you can see from the above pictures, the HP 93 tri-color (color) inkjet printer cartridge does not contain very much ink. If printing more than 100 – 200 pages per quarter, it would be wise to avoid printers that use this cartridge. Hewlett Packard tries to trick their own customers with a deceptively low cartridge price ($23.99) without also mentioning that more than half the cartridge is empty. This cartridge contains a measly 5ml of ink, and will run out quickly – there are better options out there.
If you are stuck with using this cartridge – look here for the best pricing.
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