Printer FAQs

What should I know before I call ? The printer make and model number is essential - HP Laserjet is not enough information, HP LaserJet 5Si is. Description of the problem It doesn't print for instance while being true, does not adequately describe the problem. A better description of the problem might be "Our printer doesn't print because the paper jams as it is being picked up" 1. Does the printer indicate an error message either on the display or a light pattern? 2. Do you hear strange sounds, grinding noises, squeals etc.? 3. Do you hear the motor(s) turning? 4. Do you get paper jams when paper enters the machine, exits the machine or inside the machine? The more information you provide the better we can help.

I have a small dot or spot on my printed page In printers equipped with toner cartridges, 90%+ of the imaging comes from the toner cartridge. A quick first troubleshooting attempt is to change the toner cartridge. Even if all you have is an old cartridge, try replacing the suspect cartridge to see if the defect goes away or changes. Repetitive defects in the direction of the paper feed indicate a problem with a roller. The spacing between defects can help isolate the cause and is important information to have available during the troubleshooting process.

I am getting an error code on my HP printer - what does it mean? Error codes are typically displayed with a screen message or a light pattern - blinking, steady, or flashing. The paper out and paper jam lights are flashing and the printer won't print. Beginning with the Hewlett Packard Laserjet IIIsi, the higher volume HP monochrome printers have had maintenance schedules. At a Predetermined page count, a message will appear on the LCD screen which says something like "Perform Printer Maintenance". What does this mean? Is my printer about to stop? What should I do? Don't panic, this message indicates that installation of a maintenance kit is recommended. Based on usage patterns and extensive testing, it has been determined that at the present page count for your machine, a maintenance kit should be installed. This will insure optimum performance of your printer. It does not mean that your printer is going to stop after you print the next page! What is a maintenance kit? A typical laser printer maintenance kit contains paper pickup rollers, paper feed/separation rollers, a transfer roller, and the fuser assembly. Paper Pickup or feed/separation roller: Used to pickup and feed the paper and subject to mechanical wear and oxidation. The rubber compound used to manufacture these critical parts is important and we suggest use of original equipment parts here since the manufacturer has invested heavily in determining the best material to use. Our kits contain only original equipment feed and separation rollers. Transfer Roller: The black/gray sponge like roller which runs the width of the paper path and is positioned just below the toner cartridge. During the printing process, this roller is electrically charged and as the paper passes between this roller and the drum in the toner cartridge, the toner from the drum is transferred to the paper. It is subject to mechanical wear and degradation of it's ability to hold a uniform charge. It also accumulates paper dust and can be contaminated with finger oils if touched. Fuser Assembly: This is the assembly which uses heat and pressure to "fuse" or melt the toner into the fibers of the paper or media. Because of the heat and pressure this assembly is subject to mechanical wear. The heating element is also subject to electrical failure. Plastic gears can degrade over time and continuous exposure to the high temperatures and eventually fail. Installation of a maintenance kit involves replacement of the parts listed above and any needed cleanup of toner and paper dust as well as inspection of other high wear items. These kits are designed to be user replaceable, and many users choose to replace their own maintenance kits and save the expense of a service call. We offer maintenance kits for Hewlett Packard and Lexmark printers with installation instructions. Exchange kits contain a remanufactured fuser assembly, transfer roller, pickup rollers, separation pad and parts needed to perform the printer maintenance function on the selected printer. On kits with core charges, the fuser assembly must be returned within 15 days to receive core credit. * Interval is the number of pages between installation of the maintenance kit parts. This is based on the manufacturers recommendation. On some machines, a message appears on the display to indicate that maintenance is required. You can continue to use the printer, but for optimum performance it is recommenced that the maintenance kit be installed. Once the maintenance kit is installed you can reset the display message with the instructions included. On printers with intervals marked N/A, the manufacturer does not provide a recommended page count between maintenance kits.

What Does The Fuser Assembly Do, And Does It Need Periodic Replacement? The fuser assembly is located at the back of your printer. After toner has been deposited on the paper, the fuser (which gets very hot) melts the toner so that it adheres permanently to the paper. If the fuser is not cleaned properly and regularly, it could need to be replaced as early as 35,000 prints. Dirt and debris can damage the fuser by scoring its surface. If you notice a ring around the roller, it may be time to replace the mechanism. Should I Adjust My Density Control Setting? If your printer is too dark or too light, you may be able to correct the problem by adjusting the print density control inside your printer. You might also want to pint at low density to conserve toner. Open your printer and look for a numbered dial, usually located on the left side. The lower the number on the print density adjustment dial, the darker your print will be (and the more toner you'll use). A setting of “1" will print the darkest while “9" will give you the lightest copy. For Series 4 and up printers, the print density setting is a software adjustment; check your user manual for instructions or give us a call if you need further help. What Is The Difference Between A New Toner Cartridge And A Remanufactured One? If you buy remanufactured toner cartridges from us, you won't notice any difference in print quality compared to the output of new cartridges. When we recycle cartridges, we replace more than half of their internal parts with new parts, reusing only those long-life components that are in good condition. Many new OEM (original equipment manufacturer) cartridges, such as Hewlett-Packards, are also built from new and used parts. What you will notice is a difference in price; our remanufactured cartridges cost up to 40 percent less than OEM cartridges. Over time, you'll achieve substantial savings with remanufactured cartridges, while maintaining high-quality print output. Will Using A Remanufactured Toner Cartridge Void My Printer's Warranty? No. According to all printer manufacturers, using a remanufactured toner cartridge will not affect coverage under the printer's warranty. When Should I Consider Adding More Memory To My Printer? If your printer isn't printing as fast as its rated engine speed, adding more memory can help close the gap. You'll also need to add more memory if you frequently receive “memory overload" messages when trying to print documents. Those messages indicate that your documents are too complex, sending more data to your printer at one time than your printer's memory can handle. When Should I Consider Upgrading My Printer? As good as your printer may be, there will come a time when upgrading makes sense. For one thing, printers do wear out eventually, getting to a point where the cost of repairs approaches the cost of a new machine. You may even want to upgrade before your printer's useful life has come to an end. No matter how much memory you add to your printer, it will never print faster than its rated engine speed. If you or your staff frequently has to wait for the volume of pages you need to produce, then upgrading to a faster printer would contribute to the efficiency of your operations. As your business changes, you may develop printing needs that your current printer simply can't handle color, high resolution, odd paper sizes, full-bleed capability, etc. That's when it's time to upgrade.

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