Tonerovernight

RM1-1088 Paper Tray Conspiracy

2010-10-31T15:52:00.000-07:00

Hewlett Packard has made some great equipment but has also made some; well I’ll just say it “Crap”! This article is with reference to the Paper tray PN RM1-1088 that is used in the LaserJet 4200, 4300, 4250 and 4350. They have also elected to use the same defective part on their new 4515 series. Hewlett Packard should recall each paper tray or at least the paper back stop and come up with a replacement part so we don’t have to buy the whole tray because one part of the tray breaks. I’m pretty sure they will not. If you try to buy this part of the tray you are out of luck. You must buy the whole tray and it is expensive, averaging a hundred dollars.

Problem: The paper back stop has a molding flaw and you can see it in a new tray. There is a place on the back stop that has a weak spot. If you look carefully it looks like a crack. The weight of the paper puts strain on that point of the tray and will break right in this area every time. If you fill your tray with 500 sheets, (this is what it is designed for) the paper is very heavy and when the end-user pushes it in hard (and you know they do) Snap there it goes! Then you will get either a 43.1, 60.xx or 13.1 error code because the tray is not set to the proper size and it causes confusion in the programming of the printer.

Solution: I do have a preventative measure. Setting the tray to the size you need and applying tape to the back stop before it breaks. The two problems with this is that you can’t adjust the size and it’s kind of rinky-dink. I hope HP will come up with replacement parts for this tray. Do you think they designed the tray purposely knowing that they will break so they could make a killing selling their replacement trays? Why do you think that they do not have a replacement part for the back stop? Why are they continuing to use the same defective back stop in their latest laser printers? They had a chance to change it just like they changed the fuser drive on the 4250 to a nice beefy drive gear system on the LaserJet 4515. I can’t understand it. If you have a solution or work around let me know. I am open for suggestions.

Office Rage!

2010-10-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Hewlett Packard 8150 Laser Printer; review

2010-10-07T21:58:00.000-07:00

LaserJet 8150

Article Review
The purpose of this review is not to give you the specifications but to give consumers and owners real life information and expectations of the machine. This will let you know what to expect in the service life of the printer and hopefully save you time, money and aggravation.

The 8150 is definitely Hewlett Packard’s workhorse. It steadily pumps out the prints at 32 pages per minute and is a very dependable machine if properly maintained. This machine has evolved from the 5SI, 8000, 8100 to the present 8150. The problems are basically the same and you can use the same trouble-shooting procedures on all of the above models. If I needed a printer to run thousands of pages per month this is the machine I would get. I don’t believe you can get 8150s new any more, so I would get a refurbished unit. These are excellent because the cost per page is very low. The toner is extremely reasonable especially using compatible toner cartridges and refurbished fuser assemblies.

Known Issues

Problem: Error 13.01, jamming from Tray 2, 3 & 4

Solution: Replace Feed Rollers. Tray 2, 3 & 4 Feed/Separation Roller
This is the most common solution in any printer that’s jamming. The roller tread wears out like the tread on your car wears and can’t pull the paper in.

Note: There are two feed/separation rollers and 1 Pre-feed roller per tray

Problem: Error 13.01 jamming at the registration roller

Solution: Replace Feed Paper Feed Assembly

Note: this should be replaced if after you change the feed rollers it still jamming.

Problem: Streaking, ghosting, double imaging, black marks

Solution: Replace the Fuser Assembly.

Note: First confirm the toner cartridge is not the problem.
Here is a way to test it if you do not have a spare toner cartridge.

*Put a sheet of paper in tray 1.
*Run a configuration page with your hand on the power switch.
*When the page reaches midway, turn the power off. You may have to do this a couple more times to get the timing correct.
*Now that you have stopped the paper midway, carefully remove the cartridge and the paper from the machine. Inspect it to see if the problem exists before it reached the fuser. If it does then it is in the cartridge. If it does not, then you have a bad fuser assembly.

Problem: Error 50.xx

Solution: Replace the Fuser Assembly

Note: It is also possible for the problem to be the Low Voltage Power Supply. If you have a spare fuser you can test it. If you don’t have a fuser there is a way you can test the fuser with a multi-meter.

Problem: Image Registration shifting, cutting of part of the page, intermittent

Solution: Registration Clutch/Assembly

These are the problems that I have encountered most often. If you have had others let us know. We are here to assist you in repairing it yourself plus to share it all with others. The 8150 really is a good machine.

The Pros-It’s dependable, high quality prints, high speed 32ppm, low cost for toner per page.

The Cons-Takes up a lot of space, can’t purchase new any longer.

3M Service Vacuum Review

2010-10-03T20:34:00.000-07:00

Need a service vacuum? Here is the Best!

I have only owned three of these in my career of 26 years as a copier/ printer technician. The first I used for five years and I changed employers and gave it back. The second vacuum I had was stolen and the third I still have and use today. I have never had any major problems with it. They are virtually bullet proof. The latches will eventually break and I ordered the replacements and the hose will get a hole in it and I ordered it. I never had a motor go out but I'm sure they do. The filters I have been using are a generic brand that fit good and I haven't had any issues with those either.

The bottom line is that if your in business or thinking about going into a business where you need to suck up toner or small particle sizes this is a must have. I knew another tech that tried an off brand and the motor burnt up within six months and they were a lot louder which is not what you want in an office building.

My Rating on a scale from 1-10

I give it a 10 and a Thumbs Up!

Hewlett Packard P3005 Laser Printer; review

2010-10-02T00:47:00.000-07:00

The P3005 is relatively a new machine with the production release date of October 2006.
The engine design is also slightly different from previous models. As you will see the P3005 is Hewlett Packard’s big mistake. This unit is riddled with issues, problems and updates. You may want to think twice before getting involved with this printer. If you already own one and haven’t had any trouble yet, consider yourself lucky. I think with a little thought, money and Do-It-Yourself attitude you can make this machine perform well.

Known Issues:

Problem: Grinding; loud grinding and gear noise from fuser / exit area.
Addendum; I found this service note on another blog. HP may pay to have this problem fixed for free; P3005 Service Note

Solution: Replace the Fuser Drive Gears (Gear Kit) and replace the Fuser Assembly. The lower roller bushing in the fuser wears which causes the drive gears to not mesh. Then the gears that drive the fuser get worn and stripped, causing severe gear noise.
Note: There is a gear kit you can purchase that has new lower bushings and all of the gears in one kit for a reasonable price. This kit will save you big bucks because the fuser assembly is very expensive!

Problem: Error 13.01, Jamming tray 2

Solution: Several possible solutions

a.) Clean or replace the Pick-Up Roller and Separation Pad.
Note: The roller builds up with paper dust making it very slick causing Jamming.

b.) Replace broken paper tray.
Note: The paper tray length guide brakes and the printer thinks it has a different size causing jamming.

c.) Configure correct paper size in paper handling menu.

Problem: Error 49.xx / RFU LOAD ERROR/ Blank display/ unresponsive display / printer locks up / loosing network connection errors, can’t ping.
Solution: Update Firmware / Replace Formatter.

Closing Remarks:
The P3005 was a disaster for Hewlett Packard. Many loyal HP customers were lost because of the issues surrounding this printer. Hewlett Packard needs to step up to the plate. They had a reputation as the work horse of the printer industry but have failed to maintain that reputation with this model.

The P3005 really works well when it’s operating as intended, though it rarely does. If they would have done more pre-release testing and fixed the flaws before they stuck it out to market this damage to their reputation would not have happened. I have read many threads and reviews on this model from end-users that were very unhappy. If you are a Do-It-Yourselfer and have had any of these issues on the P3005 printer let us know. I mean it when I say “Give us your Experience and Expertise. We can all Gain from it!

Do-It Yourself: Spicy Dill Pickles!

2010-09-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

Make your own Spicy Dill Pickles. Store bought pickles are ok but these are so good you won't believe it!

Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2: More Amazing Clones of Famous Dishes from America's Favorite Restaurant Chains

Pickling Cucumbers

Big Pot or Kettle and Jar Holder

Mason Jars and lids

2 Quarts Water

1 Quart White Vinegar

1/2 Cup Salt

Dried Red Chili Peppers

Garlic

Put Cucumbers in a water bath and leave overnight in the refrigerator
Boil water, salt and vinegar
Place dill, garlic and peppers in bottom of jars.
Pack cucumbers in jars whole or cut in halves. Tightly packed.
Pour vinegar/salt solution over cucumbers. (Leave a little room 1/4" to 1/2 " from top.
Place seal lids on jars and screw on ring and leave slightly loose.
Place jars in a boiling water bath. (Big Kettle) Use a jar holder so you don't burn yourself.
Boil for 10 minutes leave lids loose and they will seal on their own.
Store in a cool dark place for a week, (7 days)
Eat and enjoy! Crunch Crunch!

Note: The longer they are stored the better they get. I've stored them for 2 years. They must be

completely sealed or they will become spoiled

Do-It-Yourself! Repair anything and feel good about it

2010-09-23T21:36:00.000-07:00

DIYER

I never really had a lot of money, so when things broke I found ways of fixing them myself. My clutch went out in my transmission so I got the manual and stabbed it in. My VHS drive belt broke so I found the belt and installed it myself. There have been so many times that things like this have happened I wouldn’t have enough room on this site to write about them. I am what you call a Do-It-Yourselfer or DIYER for short. And I’m not the only one. I know you’re out there. Fixing things, making things work, a Jack of all trades.

By trade I repair office equipment. I have associates that get mad at me when I help those who desire to be a DIYER on office equipment and I asked them, "why?" They told me that the DIYER is taking money away from them. I said that the amount of persons that will Do-It-Themselves, is so small that it’s not enough to worry about. I am not sure how many people in the World are Do-It Yourself types. Those that try to repair things on their own, but I would say about 10% of all people fall into that catagory.
I respect people that do it. Therefore I have this blog. Sure I would love to sell you Toner or Parts, but I also get a kick out of helping a fellow DIYer. Believe me there are plenty of them that have helped me. Disclaimer: I do know my limits and I think that is important because sometimes it can cost more when you mess with something that is over your head.

Other people will actually try and stop you and discourage you. I guess that is human nature. Here"s a real example: About 15 years ago for what ever reason I wanted to make my own Dill Pickles. I can't believe how many people told me that I couldn't do it! They told me that it would get me sick or I would kill somebody. My Mom and my Wife are the two that encouraged me. In fact my Mom gave me the recipe for bread and butter pickles. I may post that recipe in a future blog. I did make the pickles and they turned out fantastic. I grew the cucumbers and the fresh dill and canned about 50 jars of Dill Pickles and gave them out for Christmas!
I named them "Bill's Dills" : )
To conclude this blog I ask the question,
What drives people to be “Do-It Yourself People?”

Try and save money
Because someone told them they couldn’t (many times this is why I did it)
The challenge of it.

What ever it is my hat is off to you. You have my respect. I am available to you if you have a copier, fax machine or printer that you need some direction or tips on. Just post a comment and be sure to let me know if you don’t want me to post your question because I review all comments before they go live.

Remember
If someone Says...”You Can’t Fix That!” Tell them “Yes I can because I’m a Do-It Yourselfer!”

El Pollo Loco Chicken Recipe

2010-09-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I found on the web. It's really good but I am still going to go to El Pollo Loco because I love their chicken. If your BBQ chicken is dry or bland use this recipe, it works and is delicious, trust me! Ive tried a few different recipes for BBQ chicken but this is now my secret recipe (don't tell anyone) Don't skip using the Cumin as it is the flavoring that sets it off!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I have!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup corn oil
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, finely minced
2−3 drops yellow food coloring
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 chicken, 2−1/2 to 3 pounds, halved
Combine oil, butter, onion, garlic, food coloring, cumin, lemon And orange juices in a large shallow pan.
Add chicken halves,what ever chicken you have
Turning to coat well.
Cover and marinate several hours, or overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade, and then cook over medium coals on Barbecue grill, or in a broiler 4 inches under source of heat, Until browned on both sides and meat is done, turning and basting Frequently, about 25 minutes.
Cut chicken halves into pieces.
Serve with beans and rice, corn Or flour tortillas, and fresh salsa.

Let me know what you think!

Cleaning the Scanner on HP Laser Printers;4000/4050

2010-09-13T20:52:00.000-07:00

LaserJet-4000/4050 Scanner
This article shows how to clean the scanner on the Hewlett Packard 4000 series Laser Printers.

This procedure needs to be done when the machine is in a dirty environment and the dust builds up on the mirror inside the scanner. Toner seems to be drifting into the scanner on the HP LJ-4250 printers more often lately. I have had five machines in one week do this. It may be bad toner cartridges? Some people have told me to use a Q-tip and reach up through the scanner slit area, but I don’t see how you could do an accurate job, so I have outlined the procedure the way that I do it.

Tools needed:
#2 Phillips head screw driver, Needle nose pliers, and small flat blade screw driver, Q-tip.

Estimated Time of repair:
60 minutes first time 30 minutes subsequent

Symptoms of a dirty scanner:
Light prints even after you have tried a new toner cartridge. Mostly shows itself as light prints on one side of prints or streaks or wide blank lines. HP LJ-4250: Blank streak down the middle of page. Note:This procedure is basically the same for the Following LaserJet Models:
4000, 4050, 4100, 4200, 4300, 4250, 4350

Getting to the Scanner:Turn the power off and remove the power cord. Remove the right rear side cover. Push the cover toward the rear and it will slide out. Open the top cover and remove the toner cartridge. Remove the toner cartridge drive arm. Remove the Toner Cartridge Drive Arm by using needle-nose pliers to pinch the pin from its hinge on the Top Cover. Remove the four screws holding the Top Cover (two are behind the Rear Output Bin, near the top, and two are on top of the printer under the Top Cover). Squeeze the right front side of the Top Cover to remove it. It may be necessary to use a small flat-blade screwdriver to release the tab inside the small hole. Holding the output assembly in place (located toward the rear of the printer), remove the Top Cover. Disconnect the wiring connector(s).

Remove output assembly:
Facing the rear, pull up brass arm on the left side straight up. Pry the white tab on the right side and pull the output assembly up and out. Caution: Be careful of the sensor flag. When reinstalling make sure it rotates freely.

Removing the Scanner Cover:
Carefully remove the wiring connectors. Remove the cover of the scanner by removing the screws and using a small flat blade screwdriver to release the latches. Carefully remove the cover.

Cleaning the Mirror:
The only mirror you will be cleaning is the one that shines directly on to the drum in the toner cartridge. This mirror is at an angle. You need to clean the mirror from below. Use a Q-tip to clean it. Make sure you clean the edges really good. Reinstall everything in reverse order.

FREE DOWNLOAD HP LJ-4000/4050 Printer Guide

2010-09-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

Download Tucker's Guide to the HP LJ-4000/4050 Printer

TUCKER’S Guide to Laser Printers
© Copyright 2009 Tucker’s Guide to Laser Printers, All Rights Reserved

This Guide covers the Laser Jet 4000/4050 Printer
LaserJet 4000, 4000T, 4000N, 4000TN, 4050, 4050T, 4050N, 4050TN series

●Problem/Solution Troubleshooting

● Printing Information Pages

● Error Codes/ Self Diagnostics

● Quick Reference Parts List

● Fuser Film Replacement Procedure

● HP LaserJet 4000/4050 Service Guide

● Cleaning the Scanner

● Lots of Must Have Information

Download Tucker's Guide to the HP LJ-4000/4050 Printer NOW!

HEWLETT PACKARD LASERJET 4000:review

2010-09-12T17:52:00.000-07:00

Note: The 4050 is the same machine with very minor differences. Buy a 4050 if you have a choice.

Known issuesProblem: Multi Feeding in Tray 1This is a very common problem but is easy to repair if it has the new style separation pad. This model has been out since 1997 so it probably has had this updated. Just snap in the new pad and viola it won’t pull in more than one page or “multi-feed anymore!”

After you have tried replacing tray 1 Pickup Roller P/N RG5-3718 and Separation Pad P/N RG5-5281 and you are still having problems.
Solution: Replace P/N RG5-2655 Tray 1 Pickup Assembly

Problem: Errors 13.01, Jamming from Tray 2, 3 & 4
This is the most common solution to jamming in any printer that’s jamming. The roller tread wears out like the tread on your car wears and can’t pull the paper in.

Solution: Replace Feed Rollers. Tray 2, 3 & 4
Feed/Separation Roller P/N RF5-1885
Note: There are two rollers to replace per tray

Problem: Several possible reasonsa.) Paper folded under in the middle of paper the width of the Feed/Separation roller.
b.) Buzzing noise when pulling from tray.
c.) Rollers are slick with little to no tread left.
d.) Intermittent jamming in the exit on large print jobs can actually be caused by worn feed rollers intermittently not pulling from paper tray.

Solution: Replace Feed Rollers. Tray 2, 3 & 4
Feed/Separation Roller P/N RF5-1885
Note: There are two rollers to replace per tray

Problem: Jamming from Tray 2 and 3 - 13.01, 13.02
Multi-feeding (pulling more than one sheet at a time)

Solution: Replace Feed and Separation rollers P/N RF5-1885,
Replace Separation Clutch P/N RB1-8974
If you have replaced paper tray feed and separation rollers and it is still has a buzzing noise when pulling from the paper tray replace separation clutch.
b.) Multi-feeding can be caused by a bad clutch.

Problem: 41.3 errorsCaused by a broken paper tray or a paper tray that is not adjusted to the correct size. You can buy a new tray, or get some packing tape and set the size and tape it down. There are also some paper tray repair kits out there but I have not yet tried them.
*Also it can be a paper size board the switches get dirty and do not function correctly.

Fuser Assembly
The yield on the fuser and maintenance interval is 200,000 Pages
Problem: Error 50.xx
Solution: Replace the Fuser P/N RG5-2661

Problem: Lines running down the length of the page/streaks/print rubs off, wrinkled prints, creased paper

Solution: Replace the Fuser Assembly, (110V) P/N RG5-2661
Tip: A common problem is lines on the edge of the page. Rub it with your hand and you will feel the print rubbing off. This is a quick way to determine a fuser problem.

Light Prints Caused by a Dirty Scanner
I noticed that in some instances the scanner will get some toner that will drift into the scanner causing blank sections or real faint sections on the print. This is not too common but it happens.

Solution: Clean the main mirror inside the scanner and viola good prints again.

Specifications
LaserJet 4000
Release Date: November 1997
Speed: 17 pages per minute ( ppm)
Resolution: Max DPI 1200
Memory :Standard 4MB Memory Max 100MB
Duty Cycle: 65,000 pgs/month
Maintenance Interval :200,000 pages
Paper Trays
●100-sheet Tray 1 (3 by 5 - legal)
● 500-sheet Tray 2 (HP LaserJet 4000/ 4000 N (letter, legal)
● 250-sheet Trays 2 and 3 T Models (letter, legal)
● Optional Universal 500-sheet Tray (letter, legal)
Weight 4000/4000 N printers: 39.27 lb
4000 T/4000 TN printers: 45.66 lb

Authors Closing Remarks:This is a great machine some have called it a “Work Horse.” It has a small footprint but in today’s market it is a little slow (17ppm), but will keep on going as long as you maintain it. It does have some weak areas but I have to say that it is a dependable printer. I have seen some that had 1 million prints and are still going strong. I believe that quality service makes all the difference. I can tell when someone has just been throwing a maintenance kit in and when they have been well maintained. Keep it clean. Have a technician clean and vacuum your equipment at consistent intervals, replace the needed parts and maintenance items and they will run forever.

Copier Care 101

2010-09-06T13:52:00.000-07:00

Reliable copying is a basic need of the office. By following some of these suggestions, you will enhance the reliability of your machine by minimizing down time and maximizing the return on your investment.

•Key Operator
Assign a key operator to your copier. The key operator must be able to handle simple problems and identify any break downs requiring service . When you have a consistent problem , notify your service department. Also, try and have patience. It will do you and the service company a world of good.

•Location
Carefully choose the location of your copier. Avoid situating the machine where it is likely to be jarred. You should avoid extremes in temperature, exposure to direct sunlight, open windows, air conditioners or heater units.

•Toner
Heed the "add toner" indicator. When the toner in the machine is depleted, copy quality will degenerate. You might also damage the developer material inside the machine if you continue to use the machine. It is a good idea to have at least 1 extra bottle or container of toner at all times. Have the key operator call as soon as the last toner is used thereby avoiding costly down time.

•Paper Clips and Staples
Do not put staples or paper clips on top of or near the copier. Serious damage can occur such as a scratched drum or electrical short when one of these finds its way inside the machine. Keep beverages and other liquids away from the copier.

•Paper Jams
Approach paper jams with care. Do not use any tool or sharp object inside machine. Store paper in a dry area, humidity can cause paper jams and copy quality problems. Remove any damaged paper or dog-eared pieces before installation. Carefully fan the paper before installing it in the paper Cassette.

•Cleaning The Glass
Frequently clean the platen glass. Use glass cleaner but if you have a automatic document feeder it is recommended that you use an anti-static cleaner. (Brillianize ) can be bought at a hardware store.

SHOP TONEROVERNIGHT WITH CONFIDENCE! High Quality Compatible HP Laser Printer Toner and Maintenance Kits!

HEWLETT PACKARD LASERJET 4250; review

2010-09-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

The purpose of this review is not to give you the specifications but to give consumers and owners real life information and expectations of the machine. This will let you know what to expect in the service life of the printer and hopefully save you time, money and aggravation. I have a small list of specs listed and if you need the full listing you can easily google that information. HP P2035 LaserJet Printer Monochrome

Known Issues
Swing Plate AssemblyThe main design flaw is the gears that drive the fuser assembly. This is known as the Swing Plate Assembly RM1-0043. These gears wear out along with the fuser gear RM1-1091. The sign that these are beginning to fail is the noise. It will begin growling and if you don’t catch it in time they will become stripped. These are not easily replaced because to get to the screws that hold the gear assembly you must first remove the low voltage power supply and many other parts of the machine. Note: It may be necessary to replace the Main drive assembly (LJ 4250/4350) RM1-1066 because the gear that contacts the swing plate gears might also be worn. If you don’t replace this if it is worn out, you will be replacing the swing plate again very soon.
HP LaserJet P4015N Monochrome Laser Printer

13.01 ErrorsA 13.01 error message indicates a page is jammed in the tray 2, 3, or 4.
● The media did not arrive at the pre-feed sensor (PS102) within the specified time.
● 13.01 indicates that the media did not arrive at the top-of-page sensor (PS103) within the specified time.
● Common language: The paper isn’t feeding out of the paper tray

13.01 Error, Feed Rollers
The feed roller material is a definite improvement from past models. They are using a spongy type roller that lasts much longer than previous laser models. The Rollers, RM1-0037 will still not quite make it to 225,000 pages so keep them in stock. The sign you will need to replace the rollers are 13.01 error codes.

13.01 Continued
Jamming and or blank pages.
This is another issue the 4250 has that will not happen until the printer has aged or has run over several thousand pages. The feed solenoid RK2-0276 needs replacement. It is not that the solenoid has gone bad but that the foam that is designed to damper the solenoid latch as it engages is bad. It gets old and sticky and causes jamming and also creates some unusual problems such as blank pages following a printed page. This is because it is sticking and allowing the clutch to continue driving when it is not supposed to. I have tried removing the foam but that doesn’t work. I guess you could replace the foam but I have just replaced the solenoid and that cured the problem.

13.01 Continued
Jamming At Tray
Another issue I have seen is that after I replaced the feed rollers in tray 2 it still jams. If you get a flashlight and pull the dust cover off and the duplex assembly if equipped, you can get a good view of the feed process from the rear of machine. I noticed that the pre-feed roller wasn’t turning but the feed roller was. This was because the feed mechanism was very dirty and built up with dirt and grease. It wasn’t allowing the gears to mesh. If the mechanism is not free to swivel the gears won’t touch or mesh and you will not get any pre-feed so it will jam. This is an intermittent problem so it was a hard one to find.

41.3 errorsCaused by a broken paper tray or a paper tray that is not adjusted to the correct size. You can buy a new tray, or get some packing tape and set the size and tape it down. There are also some paper tray repair kits out there but I have not yet tried them.

Printing Very Slow
Here is another paper tray issue. The paper tray may be set to custom. There is a small blue lever on the side of the paper tray. Always set this to standard for maximum speed.

Fuser Assembly
The yield on the fuser is 225K, but it is rare that you will get that. The film is made out of a durable material so that it doesn’t rip like the predecessor LJ-4200 series. The problem is the coating on the film wears out, usually in the center and causes a black smudge across the page.

Light Prints Caused by a Dirty Scanner
I noticed that in some instances the scanner will get some toner that will drift into the scanner causing blank sections or real faint sections on the print. This is not too common but it happens. Clean the main mirror inside the scanner and viola good prints again.

Specifications
HP LaserJet 4250

Manufacturer: HP
Printer Type: Laser, Black and White
Print Speed: 45 pages/min Letter Size (8.5 in x 11 in)
Connectivity: USB, Parallel internal and external jet direct cards. Depending on model
Max Resolution: (B&W) 1200 dpi x 1200 dpi.

Printer Features
Optional duplex , Finisher, Large Capacity Tray
Processor 460 MHz .RAM
RAM Installed (Max) 48 MB / 512 MB (max).

Media SizesLegal, Letter, Statement, Envelope
Total Media Capacity 600 sheets (Base Model)
Duty Cycle
Monthly Duty Cycle 200000 pages
Service & Support 1 year warranty

Closing Remarks:
This is a great machine. It has a small footprint and is very fast. It does have some weak areas but I have to say that it is a dependable printer. I have seen some That had 2 million prints and are still going. I believe that quality service makes all the difference. I can tell when someone has just been throwing a maintenance kit in and when they have been well maintained. Keep it clean. Have a technician clean and vacuum your equipment at consistent intervals, replace the needed parts and maintenance items and they will run forever.

HP Color LaserJet 3600n Printer ( Q5987A#ABA )

Printer Reviews on Steroids!

2010-09-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

I will be writing a series of reviews on HP Laser Printers. These aren’t your normal reviews. No specs. No pricing. I’m not trying to sell you a printer. No just an honest review of the good and the bad of each machine. What to expect in repairs for the end-user and some help for the technician and the Do-it-Yourselfer. Really it won't be much of a series if Bloggers like you don't post your comments and experience. It won't be as fun either. Leave a comment and a link to your website and lets make this series come to life!

Really any machine that you will buy will have specific problems, nay characteristic weak points that will eventually reveal themselves if you push the machine hard enough. Though I am partial to HP I will try and be a straight shooter. The first in our series will be the Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4250. So, stay with me and I will bring you the real scoop on these printers.

Trouble With Tray 1 HP Printers

2010-08-19T21:03:00.000-07:00

There are several issues with tray 1 on HP laser printers, but this problem in particular I get the most. The customer says the printer is prompting them to load paper in tray 1, when they don't want to use tray

1. You have to get up and go over to the printer and press go or on-line to print the job to get it to print. The first thing I have to ask is "Does it happen only on specific jobs?"

The first thing you must look at is the paper settings in the specific program you are using. Also check your driver settings. If all looks good on that side there are settings on the printer that you can configure. They are really quite simple to configure but if you don't have the information it will drive you nuts.

Paper size and type:

Make sure your paper size and type on your driver is the same as the printer is configured to. If you want to check this you can print a configuration page and that will tell you if there is a mismatch.

Press [Menu] until the Information menu appears.

Press [Item] until the Print Configuration Page mode appears.

Press [Select] Prints Page

Press the SELECT button to open the menus. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Information Menu then press the SELECT button. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Print Configuration Page and then press the SELECT button.

Now that you have printed a configuration page you can check the sizes. If the tray says it is a different size that what is loaded you may have the tray adjustment guides out of position. There also could be a size detection lever on the tray that is broken. Assuming all is set properly it may be in the printer configuration.

When your printer says to load paper in tray one it could be that someone configured it wrong or it somehow reverted to the wrong configuration.

All Hewlett Packard laser printer paper handling menus are very similar. There are basically two different types. The older model configurations and the newer model configurations.

Older Models such as HP LJ-4000, 4050, 4100, 5SI, 8000, 8100, 8150 and more.

On this type of menu when the machine is asking for tray 1 you have tray 1 set as a cassette. What ever size it was set up for is not there and it is calling for it. If you would like to change this so that it only pulls from tray 1 when you put paper in tray 1, set it as follows.

To change control-panel setting so paper only pulls when paper is in the tray

1 Press [Menu] until the Paper Handling menu appears.

2 Press [Item] until the Tray 1 mode appears.

3 Press [-- Value +] until First appears.

4 Press [Select] to save the selection. An asterisk (*) appears next

to the selection in the display, indicating that it is now the default.

***Example*** TRAY 1 MODE= *FIRST

Newer models such as HP LJ-4200, 4250, 4350 and more

EXCLUSIVELY: Sets the printer to pull paper only from the tray that you selected and not from another tray, even if the tray you selected is empty.

To change control-panel Tray Behavior setting

Press the SELECT button to open the menus. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Configure Device then press the SELECT button. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the System Setup and then press the SELECT button.

Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to Tray Behavior setting, and then press the SELECT button.

Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the USE REQUESTED TRAY setting then press the SELECT button. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the EXCLUSIVELY setting and then press the SELECT button. An asterisk (*) appears next to the selection on the display, indicating that it is now the default.

Next use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Manual Feed Prompt setting then press the SELECT button. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Unless Loaded setting and then press the SELECT button. An asterisk (*) appears next to the selection on the display, indicating that it is now the default.

Paper Handling Menu, Tray 1 Size and Tray 1 Type = *ANY

To change control-panel Tray 1 Size setting

Press the SELECT button to open the menus. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Paper Handling Menu then press the SELECT button. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Tray 1 Size and then press the SELECT button.

Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to *ANY setting, and then press the SELECT button. An asterisk (*) appears next to the

selection on the display, indicating that it is now the default.

***Example *** Tray 1 Size = *ANY

To change control-panel Tray 1 Type setting

Press the SELECT button to open the menus. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Paper Handling Menu then press the SELECT button. Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to the Tray 1 Type and then press the SELECT button.

Use the UP ARROW button or the DOWN ARROW button to scroll to *ANY setting, and then press the SELECT button. An asterisk (*) appears next to the

selection on the display, indicating that it is now the default.

***Example *** Tray 1 Type = *ANY

This should solve the issue of tray 1 prompting you to load paper. Just remember if you choose tray 1 in your driver or from the desk top it may still prompt you so double check the jobs that caused this and make sure you're selecting the proper cassette.

Trouble with Tray One, part 2

2010-08-12T23:10:00.000-07:00

Changing Size/Type Prompt to *Do Not Display

Does EU have to press Check/Select Button to continue printing?

Does EU say that the printer is asking them to load paper in Tray 1?

Does EU say the paper jams until they press the Check/Select button? (They think it is a paper jam but it not.)

Does printer get 41.3 errors?

Machines Affected
HP 2400 series, P3005, 4250, 4350 many other HP devices.
(HP 4200, 4300 does not have menu available)

Whenever you pull the paper tray out or load the paper in tray 2, 3 or 4 this “Size/Type Prompt” will pop up and ask you to select the appropriate size and type of paper. End Users will unintentionally change the size in the paper tray and now the printer will prompt them to insert the proper size and type of paper.

From the factory default is set to “Size/Type Prompt (*Display)” We want it to default to “Size/Type Prompt (*Do Not Display)”

Note: If you reset (restore to factory defaults) the printer it will revert to “Size/Type Prompt” (Display)

To change Size/Type Prompt to “*Do Not Display”

1 Press (SELECT button) or the MENU button to open the menus.

2 Use (UP ARROW button) or (DOWN ARROW button) to scroll to (Configure Device) then Press (SELECT button)

3 Use (UP ARROW button) or (DOWN ARROW button) to scroll to (System Setup) and then Press (SELECT button)
4 Use (UP ARROW button) or (DOWN ARROW button) to scroll to (Tray Behavior) and then Press (SELECT button)
5 Use (UP ARROW button) or (DOWN ARROW button) to scroll to (Size/Type Prompt) and then Press (SELECT button)
6 Use (UP ARROW button) or (DOWN ARROW button) to select (*Do Not Display)

An asterisk (*) appears next to the selection on the display, indicating that it is now the default.

Press the PAUSE/RESUME button or the MENU button to close the menu.

This can be done remotely by using HP Web JetAdmin

Fix Your Copier With Google!

2010-04-28T20:20:00.000-07:00

Many problems with office equipment are universal. Each machine has its own quirks and flaws. With so much information on the World Wide Web, chances are that the solution to the problem with your copier, printer or most other office equipment will be waiting for you to find with the click of a mouse. If I have a problem that I can’t figure out or I need to know what an error code is or even a part number, I use google to find it. Google is my search engine of choice but any good search engine will do the trick. The keywords that you use to search for this information are the keys to success.

Here is an example of a problem that I had the other day. I was working on a Ricoh Fax 3310 fax machine that had a SC 544 error code. I just googled “SC 544 error” and Google came up with several results and they all were pointing to the fuser assembly. I tested the fuser and replaced the thermistor. This model won’t just reset itself even if you fix the problem and unplug it. You must use a reset procedure. I then googled “Ricoh fax 3310 reset” and again I had many results and I found the entire reset procedure. Normally I have all the service guides for each machine, but I was without my laptop and rather than go back to the office I just googled it.

Key words are very important. If you are searching for a part, using the part number as your keyword will help you come up with more accurate results. So, if I need a drum unit for a Ricoh fax 3310, use “Ricoh, fax, 3310, drum for the key words. You will have many results, but to increase the results look through those results and find the part number, “411113” then use it as a keyword.

If you’re not that mechanically inclined you can also use the web to find out important information. To see if your repair technician is in the ballpark with their estimate. Are their repairs or even their diagnosis correct? You don’t have to be a repair person to look these things up it’s so simple. Many times I’ve searched using just the make, model and error code and presto I have my answer and you can do the same. The internet is a wonderful thing!

Author: Bill Tucker

http://www.tonerovernight.com/

How to Buy the Right Copier

2009-01-10T12:20:00.000-08:00

These days’ saving a buck is even more important than ever. Although purchasing a new copier might not be the place to skimp. Doing a little research can save you money and help you choose a copier that will last you much longer. This article will help buyers to choose the right copier for the right application.

Definitions
Business class copiers-Not sold in office club stores. Sold by knowledgeable and reputable dealers. Designed for higher volumes and dependability.

Office club copiers & personal copiers -Sold in office club stores i.e. Office Depot, Office Max and Costco… For personal and low volume customers.

●Cost of Equipment
The cost of a copier can be quite expensive. Just shopping for price and buying one on cost alone can be misleading and can end up being more expensive in the long run. This is especially true if you make thousands of copies per month. You could be paying three times the amount of the price of the copier in toner and supply costs. It doesn’t matter If you are buying one for a business or for personal use. The first thing you should do is research the cost per copy.

●Volume and Cost per Copy
When purchasing a copier you must first research your monthly copy volume. This is the first step in choosing which copier is right for you. One easy way to determine this is to think of how many reams of paper you use per month. Each ream is 500 sheets. Just multiply that by the amount of reams that you use and you have a fairly accurate assessment of your “copies per month.” The reason you must know this is because it helps you determine you’re “cost per copy.” This is how much it will cost you every time you press the copy button. Now, you take the price of the toner and divide that into the estimated yield and you have your cost per copy. Example: The toner cost is $100.00 and the yield is 10,000 copies. Your cost per copy is .01 cents per copy. Office club type copier supplies are almost always more expensive than a business class type copier.

●Service and Repair, Service contracts
Most copier service companies, (not affiliated with office clubs) will not provide you an onsite service contract on an office club copier. This is because they don’t sell them. Office club stores will normally offer extended warranties but coverage may not be complete. For example they might not cover the toner or they won’t cover on-site service. I have had customers call me and tell me that they had to ship the machine off to have it repaired and that they didn’t even get the same machine back afterward. They received a replacement machine.
Many times a business class copier service contract that covers parts, service, and toner and supplies (everything except paper) is less expensive then the toner costs on a personal copier.

●Automatic Document Feeder and Feed Systems
Document Feeders
An automatic document feeder is the feeder that automatically feeds your original documents one at a time so you don’t have to stand there and lift the lid each time you have a stack of originals to be copied. Not all document feeders are created equally. There are many different mechanisms that feed, separate and eject the originals on all of the makes and models of copiers. Business type copiers have much better mechanisms than personal copiers. When you are in business and you make lots of copies and sets of copies it is frustrating when you can not count on this feature to work dependably.
The most common problems are multi-feeding and jamming. Multi-feeding is when the feeder pulls in more than one at a time. Most of the time the copier will not let you know this happened. It will not show a jam and you may not realize it did this until you are in the middle of your very important meeting and you have some missing pages. Paper jamming is another problem where it doesn’t pull the paper through correctly and jams. This is also very frustrating.
Feed Systems
Feed systems are the rollers and mechanisms that pull in your copy paper to make copies. Paper jams are the most frustrating thing that a person can have with a copier. Office club type copiers have inferior systems that feed the paper in and as you make larger copier runs the dependability is much less than a business type copier. I am speaking of my experience of over twenty years in the industry with copiers on both document feeders and feed systems but there are exceptions and some personal copiers work just fine.

●Quality and Longevity
Quality of the copies being made has really improved over the years especially since the digital evolution. There really is not much difference in copy quality. I have seen personal copiers that have just as good resolution and copy quality as a very expensive business copier. But, when it comes to the quality of manufacturing, sturdiness and just plain quality of the equipment you can see a big difference.
Business type copiers are built to last. It really depends on your copy volume as to how long each machine will last. Business copiers are built to last the monthly duty cycles that the manufacturer has designated. Though sometimes I feel that they over estimate these amounts. There are applications where a personal copier will need to be replaced in only one year next to a business type copier that will last seven to ten years, really!

Conclusion
Buying a copier can be expensive, but buying the wrong copier can be a waste of money. By doing your research ahead of time you can save money and use your copier for many years with few problems. Finding a dependable company to service your machine is just as important as buying the right machine.

Author
Bill Tucker is the president of Advanced Office Machines who is an independent copier dealer located in Fresno, California. AOM sells Ricoh and Lanier color and black and white copiers in most of Fresno County. If you are located in this area and are in the process of purchasing a new or refurbished copier or multi-function machine give him a call at 559-222-2255 or e-mail Bill@tonerovernight.com.
You can also visit his on-line store for copier, printer and fax supplies at http://www.tonerovernight.com/

Service Guides One of THE Most Important Tools

2007-07-04T03:13:00.000-07:00

This article is about the importance of using service guides while repairing any type of electrical mechanical device.

The main type of work I do is repairing Hewlett Packard laser printers. It really doesn’t matter which type of machine that you repair, it is always a good idea to have a service manual handy. I work on the same equipment almost daily but I will always need to reference a service manual at any point in time.

I remember being in a customer’s office and reading the service guide for an adjustment I was performing. I wasn’t aware of it but the customer had called into the office to complain that I didn’t know what I was doing, just because I was reading the service manual. I still don’t know what was up with that customer but to me I would be more worried if the technician didn’t have a service manual than if he just did everything by the seat of his pants. Now, I just go outside to look up what I need because of that one incident. Why some people feel that you don’t know what you are doing if you use a service manual is beyond me.

Manuals are very useful and here are some practical uses. Tear down and disassembly, finding part numbers, adjustment procedures, precise measurements, supply yield information, error codes/self diagnostics and more.

If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a service manual for a particular machine I feel your pain. The cost is minimal especially compared to the extra time spent doing the job incorrectly and then having to redo it again. Invest in some guides and skim through them. I guarantee you that you will find something of value and it will help with what ever you work on. I have saved myself hours of work just from the disassembly procedures.

For this article I will be posting many Hewlett Packard Laser Printer Service and Parts Guides on my website all free for download in PDF form. Follow the link at the end of this article. I hope this helps, Good Luck!

SHOP TONEROVERNIGHT WITH CONFIDENCE! The Highest Quality HP Laser Printer Toner and Maintenance Kits!

The Evolution of Thermal to Plain Paper Fax Machines

2007-06-13T22:20:00.000-07:00

Fax machines have gone through some changes but most would agree that the biggest change has been the change from thermal paper to plain paper.

About fifteen years ago, businesses were leasing thermal fax machines that were priced at $1,500.00 to $2,500.00. Now you can buy a plain paper fax machine for under $150.00. Times sure have changed.

Thermal fax machines were the ones with the long roll of paper and each fax would be cut to the size that is transmitted. You could make some cool banners with those things because you could set them to not cut and it would continue to spit out the paper! They were pretty much bullet proof. The major problem was the paper. It would curl and you had a hard time working with it. If it was exposed to the sun or heat it would turn a dark black and all of the information was lost. They were very economical compared to laser or ink jet fax machines. The only supply that you were required to purchase was rolls of paper.

At the time of transformation most people didn’t rush out and buy plain paper faxes. They waited until either there fax machines went on the blink or the prices came down quite a bit. Up until five years ago you could still find a few still chugging away but now I believe they have completely vanished.
Plain paper faxes now have saturated the market and the prices have dropped so low that anyone can afford one. With rebates you may even get one for free. The only problem may be that you may not be able to afford the supplies that go into them. Laser, inkjet, and thermal transfer rolls are the options that you have. The cost per page varies but believe me when I say that the money is not in selling machines, it is in selling supplies. You can shop smart though and look at the cost per page. This is the price of the toner or supply divided by the supply yield. Spending a little more on the machine for a lower CPP can save you a bundle of money.

Some of the younger people that read this probably can’t even imagine ever using thermal roll fax machines but remember, times change and they change fast.
What does the future hold for the fax machine of the future? Technology doesn’t stand still, so let’s wait and see!

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for a large selection of fax machine “inkjet and laser toner cartridges” –TonerOvernight.com

HP Laser Printers versus HP Inkjet Printers

2007-06-02T02:18:00.000-07:00

Using the right printer for the right job is the key to effective print management.

These two different types of printers achieve the same thing. They both print, but they go about it in a very different manner. There are major differences in the engines that drive them and the work they are required to do.

Laser printers are designed to be used in a heavy work load environment. The cost per print is much less expensive compared to Inkjet models. Laser printers use a dry mono-component toner cartridge and a laser that shoots the image onto a drum inside the toner cartridge.

Inkjet printers are designed for a different work load. They are designed more for a work station such as an individual’s desk or for low volume type work. The toner or ink is quite expensive. Most are slow, so using them in a high volume application would drive a person crazy waiting for a hundred page report. Let me say something about the cost of Inkjet cartridges. I read an article that said that Inkjet cartridges are more expensive per weight than imported Russian Caviar. Inkjets use a liquid ink that is sprayed onto the paper. They all have a scanner rail that goes back and forth, carrying the Ink cartridges distributing the ink.

I read a post that several people commented on. They said that Hewlett Packard has really gone down hill lately with the quality of their printers. They were commenting on the HP LaserJet 4, a very popular laser printer of the past. It is about ten to years old, but it is a very dependable printer. I still use one in my office!

They were comparing it to several new HP Inkjet Printers. These are completely different machines for completely different applications. If you want to compare this machine to another HP product use the HP laser jet 4250. You really can’t compare these either. The memory, speed and options are made for the latest printing applications. Remember that the HP LJ- 4 was built around 386 computers. By the way, my HP LJ-4 works great with XP.

The price of Inkjet printers is driven by consumers that want something cheap. You get what you pay for. It is the market that creates cheap Inkjet printers. They do work well, but if they break they are not designed to repair. They are known as disposable printers. Not all Inkjet printers are disposable printers. The Inkjet is really progressing and will continue to fill more of the market place. Speed has been an issue but now they have designed some that keep up with the speed of laser printers. HP color Inkjets also make terrific color prints. Even a person with a limited budget can make great presentations, photos and flyers.

When you purchase a printer, you should always consider the type of application that it will be used for. Don’t buy an Inkjet when you’re going to be printing hundreds of reports. Don’t buy a laser printer if you print two or three jobs a day. If you look at cost per print and monthly volume you can’t go wrong. Hewlett Packard printers are some of the best you can buy, but you need to use them in the proper application.

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Fax Machines, Top Four Problems and How to Fix Them

2007-05-25T00:18:00.000-07:00

If you have a problem with your fax machine, chances are it’s one that I mention in this article. Find the solution, read on…

There are many makes and models of fax machines, but they all have certain problems that come up that are easy to fix. I have listed four common problems and will explain the problem and the solution for each. I charge for this so this is a valuable article for anyone who has a fax machine. Keep it filed so you can retrieve it for another time or use it now to repair an existing problem.

Multi-feeding through the automatic document feeder
This is when you put a stack of papers into the automatic document feeder (ADF) and it pulls more than one in at a time. This is called multi-feeding. Most ADF’s have an item that separates the paper called a separation pad. This wears out after some use and needs to be replaced. Open the ADF cover and shine a flashlight up into this area. If it is worn out replace it. You can call the manufacturer and speak with the parts department for a replacement ADF separation pad. Replace it and you will have your ADF working good again. While you are repairing this you should also clean or replace the ADF feed roller. See “Not pulling in originals.” A little modification I have done many times is flipping the pad over. Some models you can do this and actually get double the life on the pad.

Not pulling in originals
This is when your originals don’t pull in the papers when you insert them into the ADF. You can use WD-40 to clean this roller. Take a strong cotton cloth that will not tear and saturate it with WD-40. Clean the roller well all the way around the surface and then take the dry part and make sure you get all the cleaner off of the roller. You will probably notice that the rag is very dirty and black from the ink, dirt and toner being removed from the roller. The roller should pick up the paper much better now. If not you will need to replace the roller with a new one. Use the steps above and order an ADF feed roller or a feed roller kit. A feed roller kit normally consists of a pre-feed roller, feed roller and a separation pad. Replacing this kit will make it feed like new.

Lines sending faxes or using the copy feature
This is when the faxes that you send or transmit have lines or streaks on them. This is often caused by something on the slit glass of the fax machine scanner. To test it, make a copy on your fax machine. Is there a line? If yes, print a journal. If there is only a line when you copy and no line when you print a journal, the problem is the slit glass. You will need to clean the slit glass. Lift up the ADF cover and shine a flashlight inside. Look for a small “one inch” by “eleven inch” glass. Inspect it for whiteout, ink or foreign matter stuck to it. Remove the stain by first scrapping it with your finger nail and remove as much as you can. Then use an alcohol swab to remove the rest.

Keeps ringing but never answers or receives faxes
If your fax machine keeps ringing without answering it probably has the auto answer function turned off. Look in your owners manual on how to turn on auto receive. If you don’t have an operator’s manual it is often located directly on the operation panel. Set it for “on” and test it.

My service business receives many calls for each of these problems. We make an attempt to try and explain to the customer on how to fix it themselves, but some people just want to see a technician. That’s where I come in, and make an easy dollar. If you want to save money, you can by fixing it yourself and use the money you saved to take a friend out to dinner instead!

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for a large selection of fax machine “inkjet and laser toner cartridges” –TonerOvernight.com

Printer Fuser Units – New Versus Refurbished

2007-05-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Laser printer supplies and replacement parts prices can be very expensive, so to save us money some very resourceful people have come up with an alternative to buying new fusers.

Fuser Units
A fuser unit is the part in a laser printer that creates pressure and heat to fuse toner to the paper. Not all of the parts go bad in the whole assembly when they wear out. The main part that wears out is the upper heat roller or the heat sleeve. The coating wears off and causes the toner to not fuse properly. There are replacement rollers and sleeves on the market that you can replace and turn a non-functional fuser into a good working one.

Rebuilding fuser assemblies is not a new thing. Copier technicians have been doing it for years since the first office copier was created. When the fuser wears on any copier they replace certain parts some of which are, the upper heat roller, lower heat roller, bearings, picker fingers, thermistors, drive gears and more. The printer industry has a different approach in that they replace everything as an assembly. People are accustomed to this and when they need a replacement fuser they opt for a new one many times. I believe it is a mind set. A copier service person would look at it as a waste of money. Why buy a new one when you can buy the replacement parts for a fraction of the cost and install them and make it as good as new. You must be cautious when purchasing replacement parts because there are some replacement parts that are sub par, so finding a good parts source is imperative.

Refurbished Fusers

Pros
Cost much less than a new assembly.

Cons
Higher defect rate if you don’t find a quality manufacturer.

New Original Fusers

Pros
You know for sure that what you are getting is as good as there is.

Cons
Cost is much higher than a refurbished fuser. These too can be defective out of the box.

I have replaced many fusers and believe that using refurbished fusers is the way to go. It will not harm the machine and I have seen refurbished fusers last longer than new fusers. You will save money and don’t forget about the recycling aspect. There could be tons of old fuser cores in the land fills if it wasn’t for refurbished fusers. The pros out way the cons when it comes to refurbished fuser units. It is critical that you find quality refurbished fusers with a good warranty and you will save a lot of money while helping keep our landfills from filling up with old fuser units.

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Service Contracts - Part III, Laser Printers

2007-05-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

If you are shopping for a Laser Printer you may need a service contract to go along with it. In this article you will learn the ins and the outs of service contracts, read on…

Welcome to the final part of our three part series on service contracts. This article covers service contracts on laser printers. Laser printer maintenance contracts are similar to copier service contracts. Most laser printer service contracts are billed by cost per print. It is essentially the same thing as cost per copy. Each time you print a page the internal meter clicks. On a printer you can get the page count or meter reading by printing a configuration page. Then, each month or quarter an invoice is generated by multiplying the cost per page by the total prints made. The cost per page is determined by monthly volume, age of machine and environment. Environment plays a big part because if it is in a dirty environment it will need possibly twice as much service than a machine in a clean environment.

Service contracts are really similar to an insurance policy. They may or may not save you money. The good part is that your costs are fixed, so you will know how much per year you will spend instead of hoping it won’t break down too much or have a serious or really expensive part break. There are many ways of paying for a service contract. It depends on the way you and your company would like to be billed. Most service companies offer monthly, quarterly and annual billing.

Total Cost Management
There is an explosion of service companies providing this way of tracking all of the costs associated with your copiers and printers. It is called “Total Cost Management.” Most if not all copiers, MFP’s and printers can be monitored on your network with revolutionary print management software. You are able to track your total pages or copies. You can monitor toner low warnings, error codes, paper jams, and everything associated with your machine. This software can help you calculate how much you are paying for the total ownership of all of your equipment. This is very helpful when purchasing new equipment. The software will help you figure all the costs of your equipment, toner, parts, supplies and service.

Coverage
Understanding what is covered and what is not covered is very important to find out before you purchase a service contract. Does the contract include supplies? Some supply items are toner and maintenance kits. Find out what hours the service company is available and days of the week that they operate. Which holidays do they take off? What is their response time? Most service contracts do not cover abuse or neglect. So be cautious with those paper clips and staples as they can cause an expensive repair and it probably won’t be covered. Get all of this in writing then there will not be any surprises.

Which Type of Contract?
Choose an all inclusive service contract that covers everything such as parts, labor, maintenance kits and supplies. Or choose a contract that only covers parts and labor.

Color Laser Printers
Service contracts on full color laser printers are essentially the same except that you will be paying for a color print or a black and white print. Pricing varies, but you will be paying about 9-10 times more per print for color than for black and white. If you have ever purchased toner for a color printer you know that color toner is more expensive.

Conclusion
This concludes our article series on service contracts for Copiers, Fax machines and Laser Printers. My purpose for writing this series was to help shed some light on shopping for service contracts for companies that have never purchased one or are in the process of purchasing a service contract. Each service company will have different options but for the most part they all bill their maintenance contracts as described in my series.

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Service Contracts - Part II, Fax Machines

2007-04-28T01:04:00.000-07:00

If you are shopping for a new fax machine you may need a service contract to go along with it. In this article you will learn the ins and the outs of service contracts, read on…

Welcome to Part II of our three part series on service contracts. This article covers service contracts on high volume laser fax machines. Service contracts on high volume fax machines are much different than service contracts on a copy machines.

The difference is that fax machines are not billed by cost per copy. If you read my previous article “Service Contracts on Copiers,” then you know that cost per copy means that you are billed each time you make a copy. Fax machine service contracts are billed differently.

Understanding what is covered and what is not covered is very important to find out before you purchase a service contract on your fax machine. Most fax machine service contracts are billed annually and the supplies are normally not covered. Many service contracts do not include toner, drums or heat rollers. Many service companies will sell you supplies at a discounted rate as long as you are continuing to keep your machine on contract. They also may add an additional charge to cover circuit boards.

You can also purchase a “cleaning only contract.” You can purchase two or three cleanings or service calls per year in advance at a discounted rate. This way you keep your machine clean and if you run into trouble and you need to place a service call you will save money.

I always recommend installing a high quality surge protector on all copiers, fax machines and laser printers. This will protect your machine from power surges that could destroy your machine. Some surge protector companies have a guarantee that covers your machine if their surge protector does protect your machine against a high voltage surge.

Service contracts are similar to an insurance policy. They may or may not save you money. Many companies do not purchase service contracts on fax machines because they don’t cover everything as copier contracts do. They service their machine(s) on a per call basis. You will have to decide for yourself or your company if you will purchase a service contract for your fax machine.

Look for my next article in this series. “Service Contracts - Part III, Laser Printers.”

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Service Contracts - Part I, Copiers

2007-04-21T02:12:00.000-07:00

If you are shopping for a new copier, fax machine or laser printer you may need a service contract to go along with it. In this article you will learn the ins and the outs of service contracts, read on…

Welcome to our three part series on service contracts. Service contracts can vary for copiers, fax machines and laser printers, so in this series I will cover them individually in three separate articles. Just for clarification the type of machines that I am covering in these articles are the commercial types. Inkjet copiers, inkjet fax machines and inkjet printers are not covered in this article. The need for contracts on equipment such as these may not be cost effective. The equipment that I believe you should cover on a service contract are high volume copy machines that are designed to make thousands of copies, prints or faxes per month.

Service contracts are similar to an insurance policy. They may or may not save you money. Your costs are fixed so you will know how much per year you will spend instead of hoping that it won’t break down too much or have a serious or expensive repair during the year. There are many ways of paying for a service contract. Most service companies will bill you monthly, quarterly or annually.

If you choose to be billed monthly, your service company will call at the end of each month and gather your meter reading. Then they will multiply the amount of copies by your cost per copy. Some copiers can also be equipped with a device that can send in the meter reading automatically each month and eliminate this part of the procedure. If you don’t make many copies I would choose an annual or a quarterly billing. This is because most service companies charge a monthly billing minimum and you might end up paying more. Another reason to choose quarterly or annually would be the job of having to write a check each month and deal with getting the meter readings. On an annual contract make sure that you keep an eye on how many copies you produce or you will be paying for copies that you don’t use or you may have to renew too soon.

Cost per copy
Cost per copy is the most common way of determining the price for service contracts. Each time you make a copy the meter clicks just like the odometer on your car. Many shoppers buy their machine according to the price of the cost per copy, since the service contract costs can often exceed the price of the copier. An average cost per copy is around 1.5 cents per copy. This could be lower or higher depending upon some variables. •How many copies you make per month. •What type and age of machine that is being covered. •Environment plays a part because if it is in a dirty environment it will need twice as much service than a machine that is in a clean environment.

Figuring copies per month or per year
Determining the amount of copies per month is the most important information you will need when shopping for a service contract. If you have an existing copier that has been on a contract for awhile then this will be easy. Just look at your history. You need to also take in account for any slow downs or increases in copying that your company is experiencing. If you do not have a history there is a way of estimating. If you know how many reams of paper that you use per month you can multiply by 500 because there are 500 sheets of paper in a ream of paper. This will get you in the ball park.

Coverage
Understanding what is covered and what is not covered is very important to find out before you purchase a service contract. Many service contracts do not cover Staples, Paper and document feeder belts and there may be some others so check with your service provider. Does the contract include supplies? Some supply items are toner, developer, heat rollers and drums. Find out what the hours they are available and days of the week that they operate. Which holidays do they take off? What is the response time? Is their four hour response time more expensive than their next day service? Most service contracts do not cover abuse or neglect. So be cautious with those paper clips and staples as they can cause an expensive repair and it probably won’t be covered. Get all of this in writing then there will not be any surprises.

Accessories
Some companies charge extra for each individual accessory. Such as, an automatic document feeder, finisher, and large capacity cassettes. Some may still be charging a flat rate for each unit but I don’t see this too often.

Scanning
We live in a new age and with digital copiers you can now scan to your computers. Using the scanner puts wear and tear on the automatic document feeder but the parts in the copier are not being used. Digital copier machines can count scan only images so there may be an additional cost for this. I know that service companies in our industry are kind of scratching their heads on this one because it may be hard to charge for this type of service.

Color Copiers
Service contracts for full color copiers and MFP’s are essentially the same as black and white service contracts except that you will be paying for a color copy or a black and white copy. Some average pricing will be around 1.5cents per copy for black and white and 10 cents per copy for color. If you have ever purchased toner for a color unit you know that color toner is always more expensive.

Connectivity
Most service companies will set up your newly installed copier to your network free of charge. You should always have your IT person on-site at the time of installation so they can answer questions about your particular network. Installing drivers and connecting equipment to your network is fairly easy depending on your system. Existing network problems or additions will most likely not be covered on the copier service contract unless you make an agreement with your service company ahead of time. Most network issues can be handled with your Computer specialist anyway.

You will have to decide for yourself or your company if you will purchase a service contract for your copy machine. Many companies do pretty well without one. They always have the machine serviced and parts and supplies replaced as needed. The only problem is when you have a circuit board or a time consuming problem to repair. This can sometimes cost you a hefty amount of money and a service contract can really pay off. Remember a service contract is like an insurance policy. It can create peace of mind and you will know in advance what your costs will be.

Look for my next article in this series. “Service Contracts - Part II, Fax Machines.”

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Anatomy of a Maintenance Kit

2007-04-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

Maintenance kits are a vital part of keeping your equipment running in tip top condition. This article shows the reasons why you should install the maintenance kit when it is called for on a regular basis.

Many businesses purchase a maintenance kit and they don’t quite understand why they need one or what there purpose is. I will explain the purpose, definition and results of installing and not installing the maintenance kit at recommended intervals in laser printers and copier machines.

Definition
An assembly of Consumable parts and supplies that are replaced at regular intervals in many types of office equipment. Copier and Laser Printer are most likely to have a kit that needs to be replaced.

Common Replacement Items
•Fuser assembly- heat and pressure
•Feed and PU Rollers
•Transfer rollers
•Corona wires
•Cleaning felts
•Grids
•Filters
•Sep pads

Purpose
Maintenance kits keep your machine running at optimum performance. Toner yields decrease while machine is not running at optimum. Your copy and print quality may be affected. Fuser wear will cause toner to not be fused as it passes through the fuser assembly. Double imaging and streaking is the print defect. By replacing your maintenance kit when the perform maintenance light is on, it help prevent or eliminate down time. Feed rollers wear out and cause mis-feeding and many other problems will be avoided.

Installation
Just replacing the items of a maintenance kit is not enough. You must first clean the machine inside and out. Vacuuming the paper dust and toner out of the inside of the machine is critical. These contaminates can find their way in to the photoconductor area and cause premature drum blade wear. This exhibits itself as streaking, double imaging and ghosting. Cleaning toner and paper dust in the paper path with a cloth will help make sure toner does not build up and create jamming. This is especially true on the fuser guide.

Cleaning mirrors, glass and slit glass
Dirty mirrors can cause back grounding. A dirty platen glass can have spots or smudges on it and a copier will copy this on to your pages. Keeping the slit glass clean can prevent lines on the copies. I have an entire article on this subject entitled, “Why are there Lines on my Copies and How to get rid of them.”

Other items to clean
•Cleaning all rubber rollers that are not replaced with the maintenance kit.

•Clean all corona blocks and corona assemblies. By cleaning corona assemblies consistently you will keep them from arching.

Skipping the Installation interval
Some think they are saving money if they skip a Maintenance kit at recommended interval. You may get buy with it but you will sooner or later pay the price. Your machine will go down at the most inopportune time. The equipment will slowly deteriorate and will become less than what it should be. Think of it as a car. When things start going bad and you skip replacing them eventually it gets out of hand and it becomes junk. This is loss of your investment.

Where to get maintenance kits
Buy far the best place to purchase maintenance kits would be from your own service provider. My point is that you should have your machine cleaned at the time you replace the kit.

Question
Can I install it myself? Yes, but you really should spend the time and give it a good cleaning. You could purchase a 3m vacuum. I advise never to blow your machine out with canned air, unless you strip off all of the covers and assemblies. The reason is that you never know what you are blowing on to a circuit board. By blowing it out the toner and dust will go into the bearings and gears and cause unnecessary wear and damage.

Example of a Laser Printer Kit
Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4000 Printer Maintenance Kit
Replaced every 200,000 pages
Equivalent Part Numbers: C4118-69003, C4118-67909, C4118-69001, C4118-69001, C4118A, C4118-67902 C4118-67909-BU
LJ 4000/N, 4000T/TN, 4050/N/se, 4050T/TN LaserJet 4000 series Maintenance kit (120V) - Includes (new) 120VAC fusing assembly, transfer roller, six pickup/separation rollers, MP Tray/Tray 1 pickup roller, vinyl gloves, and instruction guide

Example of Copier Maintenance Kit
Toshiba 6570 Digital Plain Paper Copier
Periodical Maintenance every 400,000 copies
Drum Blade, Drum Separation Claw, Fur Brush, Drum Ozone Filter. Charger wire, Charger wire cleaner, Grid, Developer material, Toner filter, Upper heat roller (Teflon roller), Lower heat roller (rubber roller), Upper separation claw, Lower separation claw, Cleaning roller 1, Cleaning roller 2, Cleaning roller 3, Cleaning roller 4, Transfer belt, Transfer belt, power supply roller, LCF pick-up roller, LCF feed roller, LCF separation roller.

I recommend replacing maintenance kits at recommended intervals, but I also agree with others that the interval may be longer or shorter that the OEM recommends. If you follow this pattern of cleaning and installation I believe you will save money and down time, which of course the old saying is true, “Time is Money!”

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.
Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Compatible versus Genuine Toner Cartridges

2007-04-06T19:26:00.000-07:00

How do refilled toner cartridges stack up to the original brand? Here are the pros and cons for both.

Compatible means that the toner cartridge can be used in your specific equipment and also that it is not the Genuine Brand. Refilling toner cartridges is big business in the US and the world. Many companies choose to purchase the compatible version instead of the Original Equipment Manufacturer, OEM. Compatible can also mean completely brand new but generic.
In the beginning of refill cartridges there were not many options. Toner and internal replacement parts were not readily available, so the quality was not as high as one would like. In the recent years all that has changed. One of the most important components that should be replaced is the drum and the drum blade. These were designed to only last the life of the toner being used from the cartridge. If you were to reuse the original drum it would cause many print defects such as light print, marks and several other image defects. The drum blade would also create streaking and line type image defects. Think of the drum blade as a windshield wiper. When it wears out certain areas are not being cleaned and it makes it hard to see through the window! In the same way certain areas are not being wiped off and you then have lines on the printed pages. We now have access to not only drums and blades but many other components that wear out and need to be replaced inside the toner cartridge. When selecting a company that refills or sells compatible toner cartridges, I would make sure that they do in fact replace the drum and drum blade, or it will not last and you will have wasted your time and money on something that was supposed to save you money in the first place.

False assumptions: OEMs never fail
Having been in this business for over twenty years it seems that most people believe that if it is the original (OEM) toner cartridge that it will never fail. This is just not true. I have seen many OEM cartridges fail. Some from defect and some from customer induced causes. Here is a list of causes induced by customer neglect or error. Staples paper clips, paper dust, stickyback labels and placing the cartridge down on an unsafe position causing damage to drum.

False Assumptions: Refills always leak
Here again we have an assumption that is just not true. In my experience, the number one cause for a leaking cartridge is paper or labels stuck up inside the drum area. This is caused by using inferior labels or dog-eared paper. There are some refilled cartridges that have not been refurbished in a correct manner. Inside the cartridge is a part that is called a recovery blade. It is a thin Mylar that does exactly what it is named for. It recovers the excess toner and keeps it in the waste toner tank. If the recovery blade is old and warped, toner will fall down into the paper path and some how end up on your brand new shirt. Ever since then you swore to never use these darn refills any more!

If you run across a toner cartridge and the price is unbelievably low it may be because the company that refilled it didn’t replace all of the components that we mentioned earlier. Try and stay away from these kind of deals if you can help it. In this industry there are standards. One question to ask is if they are an ISO 9001 facility. An ISO 9001 facility has the highest standards and you can trust that they install all major components and are put together the right way. This is important, next time you are purchasing toner cartridges just ask them if they are. If they look at you kind of strange or if there is a long pause and they don’t know what you are talking about, stay away from buying from them. There may be some good rechargers out there that are not ISO 9001 but for the most part this will help weed out the bad ones.

Pros and Cons of Compatible and Genuine Toner Cartridges

Compatible Pros: Cost, the average savings can be 50% to 70% from OEM retail prices. If you make several thousand prints, this can really add up. Recycling benefits our world because it reduces the amount that we put in our landfills.
Compatible Cons: You will have to make sure you buy quality compatibles or you may get a bad cartridge.

OEM Pros: Consistency, toner yields, new parts, knowing were it came from and that it was created by the OEM.
OEM Cons: Cost, toner cartridges can be much more expensive.

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.
Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

The Creation of the Copier

2007-04-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

It hasn't always been so easy to make copies. We now can just walk up to a photocopier machine and press the print button and we instantly receive perfectly replicated copies of our original. Just forty seven years ago the copy machine was a pen and some sheets of carbon paper. Instead of pushing a button you had to write and write and then write some more! Just before the 60's this was a reality and carbon paper was a big seller. Chester Carlson, a patent attorney knew how much of a pain it was to continue rewriting everything by hand because Carlson had arthritis. Carlson had an idea of designing a machine that would automatically make copies, so he didn't have to do all of that copying by hand.

Think about doing your job without a copier. You probably will have a hard time imagining it. Did you know that most manufacturers didn't think that a copier would be of much use? Chester tried for years to get people to catch his vision but nobody was interested. Between 1939 and 1944, Carlson got the thumbs down by many corporations, including IBM, Kodak, General Electric, and RCA.

In 1937 Chester invented a process called electrophotography. They renamed it Xerography in 1938. He figured out that if the image of an original document was projected onto a photoconductive surface, current would flow only in the areas where the light shined on it. The first copy was made with a sulfur coating on a zinc plate. He took a glass microscope slide and wrote on it 10-22-38 ASTORIA with ink. He then pulled down the shade to darken the room. He built an electrostatic charge buy rubbing the sulfur surface with a handkerchief. Then the slide was placed on the surface and a light was shined on it for few seconds. He then sprinkled lycopodium powder on the sulfur coating. Gently blowing on the surface, the loose powder blew off and all that was left was the inscription, 10-22-38 ASTORIA. 10-22-38 is the date that the first photocopy was made. Astoria was the location.

The Birth of Xerox The company that decided to take a chance on Carlson's dream was the Haloid Company. Haloid was a photo-paper manufacturer in New York. Guess what they came to be known as? Yes, the Xerox Corporation. In 1960 the first office copier was produced. It was the Xerox model 914. It was the first office copier that could make copies on plain paper.

Being a copier repairman for over twenty years I have seen the good copiers with the bad copiers. I began working on copiers in 1983. The copiers that I began working with were messy and they would not last long in between servicing. The prices for the machines were very high especially for higher volume copiers. There were some interesting ways of transporting the paper through the machine like the Sharp SF-740. It grabbed the paper with two gripper devices that were driven with chains. This machine fused the toner to the paper with a toaster oven type device.

Some people may even remember having to pour toner into the copier from a bottle. But today's copiers have a cartridge system that works well. They keep most of the toner inside the copier, not on you best pair of slacks or your dress. They have rollers for fusing the toner to the paper and have very sophisticated paper feed and transport systems that help reduce jamming problems. Digital copiers are now on the market. Now you can not only copy, but print, scan and even fax with them. Perhaps the most revolutionary change in the industry is the full color copier. The sales of full color copiers have really started to explode. There are a lot of new and exciting products being introduced and the quality is really quite good. We have come along way from Carlson's '10-22-38 ASTORIA. I just can't help to think what the future will bring us. What will the copier of the year 2020 look like?

Chestor F. Carlson (1906-1968). Chester F. Carlson was born on February 8, 1906 in city of Seattle. His father was a barber and they came to live in San Bernardino, California. He was a bright young man and was curious of how things worked. Carlson's mom died when he was seventeen years old. They say that Carlson donated $100 million to charity before he passed away in 1968.

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.
Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

hp laser printer comes with free mouse!

2007-04-01T01:18:00.000-07:00

I stumbled across this picture of a mouse in an HP Toner Cartridge. I thought you'd get a kick out of it!

Here's the link http://technabob.com/blog/2006/12/09/hp-laser-printer-comes-with-free-mouse/

2007-03-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Installing HP Maintenance Kits the Right Way

There is always a right way and a wrong way with anything that you do. Installing a maintenance kit in your HP Laser printer is one of them.

HP maintenance kits can be simple to install but many people are missing the service part of the installation. Just installing the kit will keep you up and running, but there is much more involved than just slapping in the components. A maintenance kit normally consists of a fuser assembly, transfer roller, and feed rollers. When replacing the items in the maintenance kit there are other service procedures that need to be accomplished as well. There are many different models of HP Laser Printers. I have combined all of them together for this article and may speak broadly on the specific issues or procedures I list.

First, you will need to vacuum out the residual paper and toner dust. This dust can find its way into the drum and fuser and cause undue wear on the drum and drum blade inside the toner cartridge. It can also cause wear on the fuser film or rollers in the fuser assembly. It is important to vacuum it all out. Remove all of the components listed.
Fuser assembly, paper trays, feed rollers, toner cartridge, and the transfer roller. Locate the jam area before the transfer roller. There is normally a green handle to lift it up. If you make many prints you will see a great deal of paper dust under this area. Also, when you pull out the transfer roller, there will be toner and paper dust there also. Make sure you vacuum out the paper dust inside the paper trays. Remove the paper from the tray and you will not have any trouble finding paper dust. Some laser printers have a circulation fan that has a filter. These will get completely clogged with dust and can overheat the inside of the machine. This can cause many problems especially with the toner cartridge. Look for vents on the side of the machine.
Warning: Do not use canned air! This will just blow the contaminates into circuit boards, bearings, and other components.

The next thing to do would be to wipe out the inside with a good towel. You can’t get all of the toner and dust off with a vacuum. Toner tends to build up if not cleaned and it will eventually cause many problems. Make sure you clean the entire paper path good.
Warning: There may be a sensor lever that sticks up and you could break one while cleaning it if you are not careful.

Not all of the paper feed rollers are provided in a standard maintenance kit. There are rollers that do not require replacement most of the time and they are known as the pre- feed rollers. Pre-feed rollers are the rollers that push the paper into the feed rollers. They don’t wear as much but they do require cleaning. You can clean the rollers with WD-40. Just saturate the cloth and go over the tread of the roller really good. Then go back over them with the dry part of the cloth and remove any residual cleaner.

Warning: Never use alcohol when cleaning feed rollers. Alcohol will dry out the tread and ruin them!
Install all of the maintenance kit components. Be careful not to damage the fuser assembly while unpacking. There are some fragile sensor arms and other components that break easy on most of them. When you are done with installing all of the parts, you should clean the outside covers. This is important to me because I want it to look good when I am done. You can use 409 because it really cleans covers well and is easy to get and it is inexpensive. Follow the procedure for resetting the Perform Maintenance Display. Print out a test from your work station and you are finally done. If you follow these steps each time you change your maintenance kit you will see a big difference in quality and performance of your HP Laser Printer.

About the Author:
Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Need help repairing your HP Laser Printer? Click Here!

Toner Cartridges, Can We Recycle Better?

2007-03-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

Printer Toner Cartridges create over 1.9 billion pounds of non-biodegradable waste. But when you buy a recycled toner cartridge you are helping save the planet, right? Well, yes and no. Certain popular cartridges are still being thrown into the landfills. Why?

There is an overabundance of certain popular virgin cartridges available. Virgin cartridges are empty toner cartridges that have never been recycled. Remanufactured toner cartridges using virgin cartridges cost less to remanufacture. This is because some of the components can be used another cycle. The drum and drum blade should always be replaced, but the other components are just fine to leave in most of the time. These components are marginal at best the third time around so the best thing to do is to replace them to lower the defect rate. Items such as the recovery blade, developer mag roller, developer drum spacers, seals and bearings can cost the manufacturer more money so they opt to use the virgin cartridges. It is a matter of simple economics.

I had a bunch of empty toner cartridges sitting in my garage but they had already been recycled. I wanted to get rid of them, so I called many different manufacturers in and out of my area. They all told me they didn’t have any use for them. They said that they only had a value if they were virgin cartridges. I still wanted to get rid of the cartridges in my garage but I wasn’t having any luck. Then I came across a company that helps you start a fund raiser by recycling toner cartridges and cell phones. Here is how it works. You save up all of the old toner cartridges and cell phones you can, then box them up. They give you free return shipping tags, you send them off and then wait till they send you a check! The prices are set for each cartridge and cell phone. I don’t think you could get rich from this but it is a great fund raiser. Our fund raiser is to send kids to camp. If you are interested in the fund raiser I am talking about the company is called “CC Cash.” Go to their website for details. http://www.cccashusa.com/. Set up is free of charge. They also make it easy by giving you boxes, flyers and posters for your fund raiser. It’s a great way to recycle. I asked them how much they would give me for the empties I had. They said they could not give me any money but that I could ship them free of charge and they will be recycled.

Here is a way we can make recycling toner cartridges better. I believe millions of cartridges could be recycled if we would just take the time to find a home for them. It is easy to just toss them in the trash can. Yes, I have done it and maybe you have too. But you could start collecting different types of toner cartridges and send them back regardless if they give money for them. Just send them back. This could make a difference if just a few of us did it. We can do better at recycling toner cartridges and lowering the amount of non-biodegradable waste that goes into our landfills. We may be able to make some money while we are at it!

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Is Your Fax Machine Worth Fixing?

2007-03-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

Each person has to make an educated decision and decide if they should repair their fax machine or have it replaced when it goes on the blink. First, there is the service charge to consider and don’t forget about replacement parts. There are certain parts in a fax machine that can actually cost more money than the machine does. I would never fix a machine in this case.

Some people simply get used to their fax machine and don’t want to make a change. If it is an inexpensive model, I would look for a new fax. I may consider repairing it if the cost of the replacement value exceeds the service charge rate and it does not need any parts. Regular parts that wear out are the paper feed rollers and the separation pad in the automatic document feeder. These are common replacement parts and rage from $25.00 to $150.00 depending on the manufacturer.

Rank your fax:
Here is a ranking system that I came up with to help you decide for yourself if you should fix it or ditch it.

a.) Box Store Low-End Fax Machines:
Ranking: Low price, replace, never repair
$50.00 - $150.00

b.) Box Store High-End Fax Machines:
Ranking: Medium to High price, repair but
consider the price of parts
$200.00 - $600.00

c.) Business Model Fax Machines:
Ranking: High price, repair and
replace parts
$600 - $2000.00

a.) Box Store Fax Machines:
Ranking: Low priced, consider replacing.
Box Store fax machines are fax machines that you purchase at large retail outlet stores. They are very inexpensive to purchase and most are designed for the average home user. I have seen plain paper fax machines that sold for $89.00 and with a $50.00 rebate your total purchase price was $39.00. They forget to mention the toner was about seven cents per page. I have customers calling me just about every day asking me if I can repair their fax machine. When I tell them my on-site labor rate they quickly end the phone call. The only solution for these is to box it up and send it back to the manufacturer. Then you have to wait two or three weeks and when it comes back it’s not even the same machine you sent in. These should last you about a year if you’re lucky. They are designed to be disposable.

b.) Box Store High end:
Ranking: Medium to High consider repairing.
These machines can actually be pretty good and work well. If you want to repair this type machine, I would go ahead as long as the parts and labor does not exceed half of the price of the machine. When buying a machine like this you need to study and check out the toner costs to find one that is the lowest cost per page. A high toner cost can add up especially if you are receiving a lot of pages. This could pay the extra cost of a business model within one year. To get a good one I believe luck has a lot to do with it. My customers like to ask me which one of these are the best but I hate to say because I don’t sell this level of machine. There’s too much at stake for me and my company’s name. You see I have sold some of them and they did not work out too well. I have decided to only sell the upper end machines and have never been sorry about it. If you want me to name some brands here they are. Brother, HP and Sharp have always had decent equipment, but even these have lemons.

c.) Business Model Fax Machines:
Ranking: Definitely Repair this model, with a view exceptions.
High volume fax machines are a bit like copiers. They are designed for medium to heavy usage. You should definitely keep these machines running. The only exception would be if a circuit board goes out. The circuit board could cost as much as new machine. You could consider having the circuit board repaired for about half the cost. The costs for these machines are much more but the cost per print is much lower. The cost per page for toner is about one and a half cents per page. They are designed to last many years. The average pro series should last you five to seven years. If you asked me which brand was the best fax, I would have to say Ricoh. Ricoh are very dependable machines.

Conclusion:
I have been in the office machine repair business for over twenty years. Fourteen of those years I have owned and operated my own business selling and servicing copiers, fax machines and printers. Ten years ago, one third of my repair business was repairing fax machines. Now if I service or repair more than one fax a month it is unusual. This is definitly do to the drop in the price in equipment. I also am an honest business person and I am always up front with each and every customer and potential customer. It is not just about another sale. It is about educating the customer.

About the Author:
Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Quick Fix for Paper Feed Problems on Copiers, Fax and Printers

2007-03-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

So you need ten sets of a fifty page document for this mornings meeting. It’s 8:30AM and your meeting is at 9:00AM. You begin with your project and the copier jams. You clear the jam but it keeps jamming! It’s not pulling in the paper. Sure you can call the repair person, but you need the copies now! There’s nothing you can do, or is there?

All office equipment that feeds paper has a component inside that pulls the paper out of the paper tray and into the machine. Most are made out of rubber and just like the tires on your car they wear out. When a roller is worn and dirty they will cause paper jams. The purpose of this article is to show you how you can clean or rejuvenate the rollers long enough for you to complete your job and have your repair person come out and fix it properly.

Alternative solutions
When your machine is jamming, first locate where the paper is jamming. Which paper tray? Is it tray 1 or tray 2? Also which size is jamming? On machines that have more than one paper tray you can switch paper trays and then you can skip cleaning the rollers. Make sure when you change cassettes that the copier registers the correct size. The machine will think it is a different size and it will jam. The sensors are set for a specific timing and it will know the difference in length from letter size and legal size. I also would try using the bypass tray or manual feed tray if so equipped. This will get you up and running quicker than cleaning the rollers.

Determining if the rollers are the problem:
If you need the specific tray to be functional we will get busy with the repair.
First make a single copy in the tray that is jamming. By doing this you are determining where the paper is jamming. If it is jamming in the exit for instance, you have another problem. If it is jamming in the center of the machine, again it is a different problem. But if it jams at the cassette or paper tray area the next step is removing the paper tray. Shine your flashlight into the paper feed area and see if there are any pieces of paper torn off inside or something blocking the paper path. Now that you have ruled out a blocked paper path, you can clean the feed roller(s).

Tools Required:
Flashlight, strong cotton towel (so it will not rip off in the machine), WD-40 or Rubber roller rejuvenator.
Note: Never use alcohol to clean rollers. It dries out the tread and the remaining tread will get ripped off and then it still will not feed. Use WD-40 it works great!

Cleaning the rollers:
Shine your flashlight into the paper feed area and locate the rubber rollers that feed the paper in. Grab your towel and saturate it with cleaning fluid. This can be WD-40 or your favorite roller rejuvenator. Start by cleaning the roller and spinning it all the way around not missing any of the surfaces of the roller. Then go over it again with the dry part of the towel. As I said there are many different types. Some have a set of three rollers. One Pre-feed roller, this pushes the paper into the other rollers. One feed roller and one separation roller. Others have a half moon style. These are harder to clean because they have a clutch system that keeps it at home position when not feeding.

WARNING: If you try and turn these to clean them you will damage the clutch mechanism! There are two ways you can clean these types. First you can actuate the clutch by pushing down on the solenoid or release lever. This sometimes can be hard to get to. You can also start the copy process and shut off the machine exactly when the feed roller engages. This takes some patience and practice but it is better than damaging the clutch. Once you get it where you can clean the roller repeat the procedure above.

Some alternatives to replacing feed rollers:
There is a material called feed roller tape. I have used it when I didn’t have the right roller in my car stock. It works with some styles mainly half moon styles. Just peel off the adhesive and wrap it around the worn roller surface. They also have some that stretch over the old rollers. I have never used this but I have been told it will get you up and running. On old copiers or printers that you can no longer get parts for you can apply clear silicon on the feed surface and let it dry twenty four hours. It works but I am inclined to use the real thing. You can also use generic rollers manufactured for almost all equipment. I have mixed feeling about these because I have had to go back and change them again later. For the best repair I use genuine OEM feed rollers. They are still inexpensive and they will last you longer and you will have fewer headaches.

Feed Rollers
There are many types of rollers and feed systems. Here are some common feed rollers with their part numbers. Rollers will normally come in a maintenance kit but they may need to be replaced approximately half way through the maintenance kit cycle.

HP LJ-4000 laser printer
Feed Rollers
RG5-2651-000CN x 2
Note: These are very easily replaced. Just unsnap them and replace them with the new roller.

Toshiba E-Studio 350/450 Photocopier
Paper Feed Rollers
44201807000 x2, 4400669910
these take a little more work. First you need to remove the paper feed assembly and then you can get to the clips that hold them on.

I hope this has helped you complete your print or copy job. Please remember that this article is just a quick fix and not a long term solution. Be sure and call your repair person to fix it correctly.

About the Author:
Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Solving Image Problems on HP Laser Printers

2007-03-10T15:14:00.000-08:00

There are several image related problems that can occur. If you want to save money and repair it yourself this article is for you. Read about the most common image related problems that HP Laser Printers have and how to resolve them.

Here are a few examples of image related problems:

Blank, Solid Black, Streaks, Double Images, Specks, Lines, Light Print, Dark Print, Blurred Image, Flaking / Rubs off

Cartridges: Most of these problems are related to the toner cartridge. If you don’t have another cartridge to test it you can diagnose the problem another way. Put a sheet of paper in tray 1. Run a configuration page with your hand on the power switch. When the page reaches midway, turn the power off. You may have to do this a couple more times to get the timing correct. Now that you have stopped the paper midway, carefully remove the cartridge and the paper from the machine. Inspect it to see if the problem exists before it reached the fuser. If it does then it is in the cartridge, or possibly it could be in the Laser or scanner assembly. If it does not, then you have a bad fuser assembly. Remove the fuser and inspect it.

Cartridge problems are the most common cause of image related problems. I find more problems with remanufactured cartridges because the manufacturer is not replacing certain major components that cause the defects. Make sure they replace the drum. Also, look for companies that are ISO 9002/14001 certified and STMC certified. This will help weed out the undesirable cartridges. To be honest, I have seen a lot of OEM cartridges fail. Cartridges fail for several reasons, such as foreign objects getting up into the cartridge causing lines, streaks and leaking. This can be resolved by being careful not to remove staple or paper clips in and around machine. You should also have your machine cleaned. Vacuuming all of the paper and toner dust can help decrease this. Remember to only use a service vacuum that can handle the tiny particle size of toner.

Printing a Configuration page: You will always need to print a configuration page, and here are some reasons.

Image quality test, Page count, Serial number of machine, Configuration of printer, The last few errors, Jet Direct print server card is installed, Many others…

Here are a few directions on how to print out a configuration page.
If you don’t see your model scroll through the menu on your printer and it should be easy to find.

HP LJ-4000/4050/4100
1 Press [Menu] until INFORMATION MENU appears.
2 Press [Item] until PRINT CONFIGURATION appears.
3 Press [Select] to print the Configuration Page.

HP LJ-4200/4250/4300/4350
1 Press (SELECT button) or the MENU button to open the menus.
2 Use (UP ARROW button) or (DOWN ARROW button) to scroll to INFORMATION, and then press the Check button (Select)
3 Use or to scroll to PRINT CONFIGURATION, and then press the check button.

HP LJ-8000/8100/8150
1 Press MENU until INFORMATION MENU appears.
2 Press ITEM until PRINT CONFIGURATION appears.
3 Press SELECT to print the configuration pages.

Image problems caused by the Fuser Assembly: Symptoms are, toner not fusing, streaking, double imaging.

Note: The 4200 series had a problem with the film getting ripped. You will see strands of plastic pieces coming out of the exit area. It will cause as an image defect, streaking and double imaging.

Diagnose: You can diagnose it by running a configuration page. Rub on the print. Is it flakey? Does the print rub off easy? If it does, it is probably the fuser. Remove and inspect it. You can inspect the film or roller. If you see any damage replacement is necessary.

Note: Most fusers on HP Laser Printers are very easy to remove. If you need instructions on how to remove and install them, I have maintenance kit installation procedures on my website on the front page. Look under customer menus.

Solution – The fuser is replaced as an assembly. Remove and replace Fuser Assembly

WARNING! Let the Fuser Assembly cool before disassembly.

Regarding Light Prints:
If you have replaced your cartridge and you still have light prints or if you have light print over the entire page, you may have economy mode on. Go to quality menu and turn off. I would also try the transfer roller. This is also easy to replace, look in Maintenance kit installation procedure.

One last thing: If you have tried all of the above, there could be another problem. This procedure can be difficult for the average person to repair. It is cleaning the scanner or laser unit. If you are in a very dusty environment the mirror inside this assembly may be dirty. When the mirrors accumulate dust on them the image defect is light prints. I go into detail on cleaning the HP LJ-4000 scanner on another article I have. If you would like, you can go to my website in my article section and check it out.

I hope this article has helped you save some of your hard earned money. There really is no reason to spend money when you can just clean it yourself!

About the Author:
Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Why are there Lines on my Copies?

2007-03-03T13:32:00.000-08:00

Why are there Lines on my Copies (And How to Get Rid of Them!)
Have you ever made a copy and noticed that there are lines running down the length of the page? This article is about identifying image defects or lines that a Key-Operator (Person responsible for the equipment.) can fix on their own and lines that need a repair person to fix. You wouldn’t want to spend $75.00 to $150.00 for a technician to come out to just clean your glass, would you? No, I didn’t think so.

Slit Glass
With the age of Multi-Functional Printers, (MFP’s) comes new problems. Fax Machines, Digital Copiers and MFP’s all have one thing in common. They all have an item on them known as the “Slit Glass.” Each machine that uses a slit glass as a way to scan images will eventually get dirty and cause lines on copies along with transmitted faxes. These machines don’t scan the same way that older or analog copiers do. Analog copiers use the entire glass with mirrors to get the image to the Photoconductor. Digital copiers use the slit glass. It passes along this small area and uses mirrors that direct it to the CCD unit. The CCD unit then converts the analog information into digital information. When using the Document Feeder or Processor the original only passes over the slit glass. It does not get copied from glass where you lay down your original.

How to Determine if the Slit Glass is the Problem.
On Copiers, MFP’s and Fax Machines you can quickly diagnose if the slit glass is the problem.

Copiers:
First make a copy on the glass. If there are no lines showing, then make a copy through the Document Feeder or Processor. If there are lines on the copy then more than likely it is the Slit Glass causing the problem. I say more than likely because there are occasions where this may not be true.

Fax Machines and MFP’s:
First print a journal or a function list. To print these refer to your Operators Manual. If you don’t have a line, make a copy through the Document Feeder or Processor. If there are lines then your problem is the slit glass.

Digital Copiers and MFPs
This type of slit glass is easy to spot. Just lift the Document Feeder up and look for the small rectangular glass around 1 inch by 12 inches. Look at it carefully. If there is anything stuck on it, this will cause a line. The Image defect will look like a small pin sized line all the way across the page, although I’ve seen larger even 1 inch wide. The most common substance that I have found stuck to the glass is white-out. This happens because they don’t let it dry well before running it through the feeder. When it dries on the glass it doesn’t come off easily. Another issue is blobs of ink, again this is because of not allowing enough time for it to dry. Being impatient actually will cost you more time in the long run.

Cleaning the Slit Glass.
Cleaning the slit glass is easy but you need to pay close attention and be sure that you have removed all of it. Take your finger nail and scrape off as much as you can. Get a cotton towel and saturate it with alcohol. I also recommend using an alcohol swab. These come in little sealed pouches and are inexpensive and easy to find. Let the spot soak for a minute and this will loosen up the white out. Glass cleaner does not remove it as good as alcohol. There is something about alcohol that breaks down the white out. Next, go over it with a lint free cotton towel soaked with glass cleaner, and then dry it off to eliminate streaks. Never spray the liquid on to the glass because some of it may find its way inside the machine.

Fax Machines.
The slit glass on a fax machine may be a bit harder to get to. The document feeder or processor is normally under the control panel. Lift up the panel and shine a flash light on to the small slit glass. It is about 1 inch by 12 inches in diameter. Use the same technique to clean it.

You Cleaned the Slit- Glass but the Line is Still There.
Some times the blob of white out is really stuck on the slit glass. I have a procedure that is fool proof in finding where the spot is, because sometimes it is so small that you can’t see it. First, get the copy that has the line on it. Hold it directly and evenly on the slit glass. Look carefully and see if you can follow the line to the glass. This is where the spot is. One thing about this procedure. You must check it both ways. Turn the original 180 degrees and inspect it again because the image is reversed because of the lens. Now that you have found the spot you may have to use a solvent to get that spot off. These can be stubborn and difficult to remove. You can try WD-40. My technicians use a solvent called D-Ink (Coopers). D-Ink is very expensive but it works well. If you still have the line on your copies then you have another problem.

Calling for Service
Call a qualified repair person to come out and take a look. I recommend using a local independent repair company. Look them up in your Yellow Pages. I recommend an Independent because they usually are a smaller company and they will give you more personalized service. I hate those crazy phone systems, being stuck in a loop when trying to call for service. Most of the time they also have more experience and you won’t be paying for over- inflated hourly rates of an authorized dealer or huge corporation.

Other Line Problems
If you followed my tests and you have a line both copying from the glass and using the Document Feeder then you have another problem. I believe that it is always a good idea to have a good technician ready to call, but why spend money when it is something so simple anyone could do it. Here is a list of probable causes. Many things could be wrong so I am not going to go in too much in detail.

Possible Causes / Lines

Laser Printers, Laser and LED Fax Machines
Toner cartridge, Charge roller, paper or object stuck inside blocking the scanner, transfer roller, optics, and corona wire. Note: You can clean these but if you don’t know what you are doing you can damage something.

Inkjet Printers and Fax machines
Print head, Ink cartridge, dirty optics, paper or object stuck up inside machine blocking the print-head or optics.

Copier and MFP’s
Toner cartridge, Charge roller, paper or object stuck inside blocking the scanner, transfer roller, corona wire, and dirty optics. Note: You can clean these but if you don’t know what you are doing you may damage something.

I hope this article has helped you save some of your hard earned money. There really is no reason to spend money when you can just clean it yourself!

About the Author:
Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

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Don't Cry Over Spilt Toner!

2007-03-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a toner spill?

This article will give you some ways to clean up and prevent toner spills.

Toner Spills, Clean Up and Prevention

Nothing is more aggravating then pulling the tab off of a toner cartridge and having it spill everywhere! In this article, you will learn what to do after a toner spill and what not to do. Also, we talk about prevention. This is really the object of the lesson. Preventing toner spills.

Using the Chicopee Stretch and Dust Towel
These amazing yellow towels have a multitude of uses and can be used over and over again. Just stretch it and wipe up the toner spill. Use it to clean dust off of your copier, fax machine or printer, even your computer screen. Note: I am not trying to sell these towels, they just work so well! You can use a regular cotton towel if you would like.

Investment
When a business buys a piece of equipment it is an investment. This investment should be cared for and maintained and it will give you many years of trouble-free use. In addition to having a qualified technician perform preventative maintenance on your equipment, I believe that the customer can play a key role in helping a machine run smooth and have a more trouble-free existence. Keeping your equipment clean on the outside and the inside can go a long way in doing this.

Big Spills
Big spills may require that you call your service repair person. Some people try to vacuum the spill up but I warn against this. This is because of the small particle size of the toner. This will just blow through a standard vacuum bag and really cause a mess. A good technician carries a 3m vacuum designed for the small powder and traps it in the filter.

Toner Spills

Toner on the cover
If you spill a small amount of toner on your cover and you think it’s a bit much for your Towel then I would do this. Get a piece of paper and use it like a dust pan. Use a small brush and you can just sweep it on to the paper and fold it up and throw it away in a trash can with a good liner. Afterward clean the rest with your towel.

Clean up the spill with a good towel

Toner on your clothes
If you get some toner on your clothes, don’t panic! DO NOT use any type of liquid to try and wipe it off. This will only make it smear and ruin your clothes. First, get your towel and hit the stain like you used to hit people with your towel at camp. Wipe the rest with a clean dry cloth and when you get home, throw it in the washer. The stain will come out.

On the Carpet
If you get a small amount on the carpet go ahead and use your standard vacuum cleaner. This small amount won’t hurt anything.

Inside your Machine
Use your towel to clean the paper path inside of your machine. Be careful not to break a sensor lever. You should use a flashlight to see if there are any that stick up. If you break one of these then you will need to call a repair person. Cleaning the inside is a good preventative measure. In a laser printer, paper dust and contaminates will get caught up inside the toner cartridge and lesson the life of the drum blade. This causes streaks and other problems.

Prevention

Opening Toner
This is when a lot of spills occur. The manufacturers of all toners recommend that you shake it well before installation. (I am not saying not to shake it. In fact if you don’t shake it on some models it is possible that you might break the augers inside of the cartridge.) This loosens up the toner so that it flows well into your machine, but it also causes the toner to expand. When you release the tab (Only on some models) the toner will shoot out. Next time try to hold the cartridge over the trash can with a good liner. Then if any shoots out it will be in the trash can.

Remove toner with a towel underneath.
Another spill I see a lot of is toner spilt on the front cover of copiers and other office equipment. What I recommend is putting your towel down on your cover where the spill occurs. This is likely right under the area that the toner slides in. Then, after you’re done, take the towel away and it’s nice and clean. Something about toner, if you leave it on covers and don’t clean it, it then gets embedded in the cover because of the heat of the machine. The toner actually fuses to the cover and you can’t get it off.

Conclusion
Just taking a little preventative action can really keep your machine looking and running like new.

About the Author:
Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.
http://www.tonerovernight.com/