HP Desingjet 430 question

[jper34]

Hi Folks,
Just had a new customer insisitted on dropping off this plotter to replace drive belt, which I've done maybe a dozen over the years, but usually in customers office where its connected. SO I replaced belt, seems o.k. my question is, do I have to have this connected to a computer to get it to work? Can it be used as a standalone copier?
After initial rotation, carriage goes home position o.k,etc, then 3 leds steadily light up (cart, data and media), I can hit cancel and they go out, except for the media light(orange). If I load paper, it wont feed paper, or will "form feed" key work. Any help appreciated...I just dont have too much experience with these old but trusty plotter..

Jaime
I.C.S.

[Kiran Otter]

Hi Folks,
Just had a new customer insisitted on dropping off this plotter to replace drive belt, which I've done maybe a dozen over the years, but usually in customers office where its connected. SO I replaced belt, seems o.k. my question is, do I have to have this connected to a computer to get it to work? Can it be used as a standalone copier?
After initial rotation, carriage goes home position o.k,etc, then 3 leds steadily light up (cart, data and media), I can hit cancel and they go out, except for the media light(orange). If I load paper, it wont feed paper, or will "form feed" key work. Any help appreciated...I just dont have too much experience with these old but trusty plotter..

Jaime
I.C.S.

Remove the ink cartridges, and turn the printer on, see if you get the same error. If you do, press the cancel button once, and let me know what lights are on and/or flashing. If only the media light is on, make sure the top cover switch (in the right hand cover) isn't stuck.

Yes, you can run the printer without it connected to a computer. Pressing the SETUP and CANCEL buttons together prints a test page.

You can download the service manual from LPS Computer. https://www.lpscomputer.com/collecti...8ca-parts-page

Kiran

[jper34]

Remove the ink cartridges, and turn the printer on, see if you get the same error. If you do, press the cancel button once, and let me know what lights are on and/or flashing. If only the media light is on, make sure the top cover switch (in the right hand cover) isn't stuck.

Yes, you can run the printer without it connected to a computer. Pressing the SETUP and CANCEL buttons together prints a test page.

You can download the service manual from LPS Computer. https://www.lpscomputer.com/collecti...8ca-parts-page

Kiran

Kiran,
same error message, all3 lights are lit, I did check top switch, seems o.k.
i press cancel switch once and only the "media"light is lit(steady orange), and leds to the right side(ready,align media, and load media) are steady green

[Kiran Otter]

Kiran,
same error message, all3 lights are lit, I did check top switch, seems o.k.
i press cancel switch once and only the "media"light is lit(steady orange), and leds to the right side(ready,align media, and load media) are steady green

When you turn the printer on, does it spend a lonnnng time hunting for the encoder mark on the left end of the platen? This is because the line sensor in the carriage can't see it. It's either dirty (rare) or you have a bad carriage assembly, and/or a bad trailing cable.

It also won't load paper because the line sensor can't find the edges of the paper.

Try reseating that tiny ribbon cable where it plugs in on the carriage PCA from the line sensor. Be extremely careful with it.

If that doesn't do it, I'd replace the carriage and the trailing cable. Which will likely cost more than the printer is worth. $169 for the carriage and $138 for the cable from LPS.. for example. Might find them on ebay cheaper. Might find an entire 430/450C cheaper.

Kiran

[jper34]

When you turn the printer on, does it spend a lonnnng time hunting for the encoder mark on the left end of the platen? This is because the line sensor in the carriage can't see it. It's either dirty (rare) or you have a bad carriage assembly, and/or a bad trailing cable.

It also won't load paper because the line sensor can't find the edges of the paper.

Try reseating that tiny ribbon cable where it plugs in on the carriage PCA from the line sensor. Be extremely careful with it.

If that doesn't do it, I'd replace the carriage and the trailing cable. Which will likely cost more than the printer is worth. $169 for the carriage and $138 for the cable from LPS.. for example. Might find them on ebay cheaper. Might find an entire 430/450C cheaper.

Kiran

Hi Kiran,
I had cust. return this plotter, as I wasnt sure if it needed to be connected to computer..but as you say no, it doesnt..Im trying to figure out if its something I did wrong, as I mention,
carriage goes to the right, then back to left(home pos.) then is bucks like 4 or 5 times, while this is going on, platen it turning incremental, and finally stops, then error leds light up. I checked photo interrupter on carriage to be sure bar code cable is breaking photo interr., looks good. is there anything on ink-well box that could cause trouble..? I tried to run plotter without ink-well on, to check that it wasnt binding the carriage up, or slowing down..
once again trying to think if I didnt re-assemble properly..I appreciate your input...Thanks !

Jaime
I.C.S.

[jper34]

Hi Kiran,
I had cust. return this plotter, as I wasnt sure if it needed to be connected to computer..but as you say no, it doesnt..Im trying to figure out if its something I did wrong, as I mention,
carriage goes to the right, then back to left(home pos.) then is bucks like 4 or 5 times, while this is going on, platen it turning incremental, and finally stops, then error leds light up. I checked photo interrupter on carriage to be sure bar code cable is breaking photo interr., looks good. is there anything on ink-well box that could cause trouble..? I tried to run plotter without ink-well on, to check that it wasnt binding the carriage up, or slowing down..
once again trying to think if I didnt re-assemble properly..I appreciate your input...Thanks !

Jaime
I.C.S.

you can also see the red led light up, on the line sensor during power up..

[Kiran Otter]

Ok, so you turn it on, and the carriage travels right and then left, THEN it should move to the right end of the platen, the line sensor should be ON (red LED), and it will search for the white marker on the end of the platen. If it doesn't find it, it will move slightly, and spin the platen again, and do this several times until it fails and gives the error.

Is this what it's doing?

Again, it's a bad line sensor, or carriage, or trailing cable. In my experience, you're better off replacing the entire carriage but I have seen people selling just the line sensor. I've tried swapping line sensors and it turned out to be the carriage PCA.

Kiran

[jper34]

Ok, so you turn it on, and the carriage travels right and then left, THEN it should move to the right end of the platen, the line sensor should be ON (red LED), and it will search for the white marker on the end of the platen. If it doesn't find it, it will move slightly, and spin the platen again, and do this several times until it fails and gives the error.

Is this what it's doing?

Again, it's a bad line sensor, or carriage, or trailing cable. In my experience, you're better off replacing the entire carriage but I have seen people selling just the line sensor. I've tried swapping line sensors and it turned out to be the carriage PCA.

Kiran

Oh..i wasnt sure but is it possible the white line on platen is not visible, i will clean platen, just seems coincidental a sensor goes, ir carriage at same time, when i eeplace drive belt, qccording to customer, it was running fone , just that belt was shredded..but ill try cleaning platen, an worst comes to worst, i see carriage and trail cable on ebay pretty cheap..thanks !!