Problem With The Pilot Con 40

[jarr]

I've just gotten my con 40 and when I tried filling it up in my pilot custom grandee, the ink doesn't fill up the whole converter. It only goes up to around 3/5. I've tried removing the converter from the pen and filling it up directly, but that only fills up around 1/5. Is anyone experiencing the same problem?

Right now I've filled it up with a syringe, but I hope to find a better solution for this.

[Aelie]

Fill the converter through the pen and completely empty it to get as much air as you can out from the ink intake channel and other pen parts. Then fill the pen normally. But please be aware that you won't be able to fill the converter 100% even then.

 

One typically doesn't notice this with CON-50 because as you fill up the converter, the pocket of air is hidden behind the metal part of the converter. Since CON-40 is completely transparent, that pocket isn't hidden anymore.

[Pickwick]

If you've only just received it, It usually needs 2-3 continuous fills to release the air inside the pen. Either hold the pen in the ink and fill, then empty, or fill, then lift the pen from the ink, empty and you might see bubbles emerge. Keep doing this until you see no more bubbles emerging If that doesn't work, you might try flushing the pen through with water.

 

If no success with the above then it means you are drawing air into the converter along with the ink.

[Algester]

no this really happens to the CON-40 if one disects why basically the air gap in the converter when the piston is fully engaged is still quite large as its not fully "eating" the feed connector essentially making way for the fill to have quite a lot of air to fix this well... gravity might help? Visconti's ink pot... essentially its not "powerful" enough to suck the ink thats already in the saturated feed

Edited September 19, 2016 by Algester

[jarr]

thanks for the suggestions and answers! i've already tried filling and refilling the pen multiple times while submerged in the ink to no avail

i think i'll just have to live with a half full converter from now on xD

[Algester]

you can get max fill first you need to drain the ink thats already in the feed either by usage (I can say by experience it works)

or probably draining the converter half way then fill it back up

[sova]

i've already tried filling and refilling the pen multiple times while submerged in the ink to no avail

I have the same problem with con-40! I don't understand what the reason of this trouble.

[Pactagon]

Even with the air pocket you're still getting .6ml, which is the same as the con-50 on a regular fill according to my measurements. If you want to get a 100% fill, you fill the converter with the piston around 3/4 of the way retracted, flip the pen upside down, retract the piston fully to suck the ink out of the feed, give the converter a small tap if needed to get the ink to the piston side, slowly extend the piston to remove the air in the converter until the ink peeks out of the feed, put the pen back in the ink, and retract the piston completely. It sounds tedious but it really isn't. The reason the air pocket is there is because of the gap created by the plastic that opens cartridges. There is a smaller air gap in the con-50 because the agitator occupies that space and creates enough capillary action to draw ink into that space, but the con-40 has a single seal piston which is hollow so the extra space allows it to still get the same fill with a larger air bubble. Also, with the filling method I described above, the con-50 only gets .7ml while the con-40 gets .8ml.

[bizhe]

Put the pen nib up in a cup for a couple hours with cap on, then push air out carefully, then fill.

[Earthdawn]

I just syringe filled my con-40

 

I wanted to use it as I like the look but mine was nothing but a headache that held the same as the con-50 .... and the con-50 was easy to take apart to clean and it fills with ease to a full fill without any special techniques.

 

But everyones mileage may vary. I just know I was and am disappointed in the con-40.

[LizEF]

I also think the CON-40 doesn't fill as well as the CON-50. Also, ink gets stuck between the clear plastic and the metal cone-frame-thing that keeps the balls from coming out. In an effort to dry one out more quickly, I did discover something useful and fun, however: using a can of compressed air, it will force the ink out from between the metal and plastic (having a little water in there helps); and if you do it just right, those balls will form a little corkscrew shape inside the converter and make a nice whirring noise as they spin. Don't blame me if you use up the entire can of air while being amused at the effect...

[Pactagon]

I also think the CON-40 doesn't fill as well as the CON-50. Also, ink gets stuck between the clear plastic and the metal cone-frame-thing that keeps the balls from coming out. In an effort to dry one out more quickly, I did discover something useful and fun, however: using a can of compressed air, it will force the ink out from between the metal and plastic (having a little water in there helps); and if you do it just right, those balls will form a little corkscrew shape inside the converter and make a nice whirring noise as they spin. Don't blame me if you use up the entire can of air while being amused at the effect...

 

 

The metal thing can be pulled out. Just be careful not to loose the small agitators. I almost did.

Edited October 30, 2016 by Pactagon