Ink cartridges like other manufactured products have a useful shelf life during which the product is expected to perform at its optimal level. The HP 564 Black Ink, like other inkjet cartridges, has ink whose composition can transform over time. Air can also get into the cartridge and work its way into the ink carrier. Both of these issues lead to the ink being transformed into a sludge rather than liquid resulting in sub-optimal print quality.
For these reasons, and to protect the printer, manufacturers set an expiration date on their cartridges. This typically ranges from 18 – 24 months from the date of manufacture or installation of the printer cartridge. This expiration date is inbuilt into the printer cartridge. And on reaching that date, if there is still ink in such a cartridge the printer will automatically shut down.
For some models of printer, you will be able to override this shutdown by the following instruction on the printer or the computer monitor connected to the printer or by following the printer’s instruction manual. But know this is at the risk of permanently damaging the printer. This override option is typically available for the lower end printers.
Especially useful for bulk purchasers of HP 564 Ink cartridges is knowing there is the option of purchasing the Remanufactured (Compatible) HP 564XL CB321WN CN684WC Black Ink Cartridge, which is currently on a special offer price of $9.99 on 123ink.ca for the 1/Pack. Compared to $20.99 for the Original version. You get the same page yield and ink quality as the HP Original.
And you do not have to choose between damaging your printer (by overriding the shutdown if the ink cartridge expires) or allowing expensive unused ink cartridges go to waste as you would have spent significantly less purchasing the remanufactured version.