Types

• There are three Hewlett-Packard products that carry the HP 3180 designation--the HP 3180 Fax for small and medium business, the HP Photosmart 3180 and the HP C3180A Designjet 200 Printer. All three use both black and tri-color to produce printed pages, though they use different cartridge models. Refilling the cartridges of all three is possible, though the Designjet may be more difficult due to the platform's age.
  
  

Function

• The HP Fax 3180 model uses cartridges that carry the newer HP model designation HP 21 and HP 22 for black and tri-color, respectively. Both cartridges are similar enough to be refilled one of two ways. The first is through a refilling service at office supply stores, drug stores or other retail stores; the other is through a self-service syringe package available through mail order or online.
  
  

Identification

• The HP PhotoSmart 3180 ink cartridge uses the HP 92 and HP 93 designation for black and tri-color, respectively. Like the cartridges for the 3180 Fax, the PhotoSmart's cartridges are easily refillable both by refilling machines and by self-service injections.
  
  

Warning

• The HP C3180A Designjet is an older model of printer that no longer is produced by Hewlett-Packard. Still, its cartridge number is 51640A for the black cartridge and 51650CMY for the color cartridge. It is unclear whether the current refilling machines are configured to handle the older Hewlett-Packard cartridges, though it may still be possible to refill them using the self-administered syringe method.
  
  

Effects

• Refilling older ink cartridges can have unintended effects, however. A small percentage of cartridges cease to be operational during their regular service. It is difficult to ascertain whether this is true about a particular cartridge until after it has been refilled. At that point the cartridge may either not work at all or may not regulate ink properly. In either case, the cartridge must be replaced by a new one.
  Still, refilling an ink cartridge can save significant amounts of money over time. Typically, the refilling services at office supply stores and other retailer charge about $10 to refill a black cartridge and slightly more for tri-color cartridges. Refill kits used at home are even cheaper, averaging around $1 per refill, though inexperienced consumers may encounter some trouble refilling their cartridges.