KM-5035 add toner message

[AnthonyH]

Hi, I've just recently begun servicing Kyocera machines and have run into a problem with a persistent add toner message on a 5035. The display stated it needed toner so the customer put a new cartridge in, but, after a series of clicks, the message stayed on. I went out to look at the copier and verified that the toner gear is rotating when the toner solenoid releases, but the solenoid only cycles in roughly two second intervals and does not stay on any longer than that. It will click on and off this way for a few minutes before giving up and showing the add toner message again. I am unfamiliar with the correct operation of the toner solenoid in these models and was hoping someone here would have some ideas. The toner cartridge seems fine and does add toner to the DV unit when turned by hand. Has anyone had a toner solenoid go bad like this? Or can a faulty toner sensor in the DV unit make the toner solenoid click on and off too quickly? Thanks for any help you can give.

[dogsbody]

not a solenoid but the coupling gear. It has a flat edge on it which gets a little bit worn, it turns on the shaft just that little bit too much and gets stuck. When the new toner is inserted the gear will be pushed back on the shaft but the spring is not strong enough to push it out to the end of the shaft and engage the toner cartridge. So you hear the solenoid click and turn but still it says to add toner. This doesn't happen too often but isn't uncommon in my experience. The bigest pain is that the Control Board has to come off to get to the gears which turns a 5 minute job into an hour job.

[AnthonyH]

Thanks for the reply. So, in your experience, when the coupling gear gets worn, it will cause the solenoid to click in two second intervals? Most of my copier repair experience is centered around Ricohs, so the Kyocera's toner-adding method is a bit different. The worst part of all of this is that the customer also has an FS-9520 doing the same thing, so I'll have to tear into two machines and endure the "we should just get you an office here" comments twice Thanks again.

[welshman]

hi

just thought before you do all that check that the toner cartridge is not for the older models they wont work in the new machines even though they look the same the gears are different and they will always say add toner

check the toner box to see what machines you can use it in you cant use 5030 toner in a 5050 either kyoceras way making you buy there toner

regards

[AnthonyH]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by welshman
	hi just thought before you do all that check that the toner cartridge is not for the older models they wont work in the new machines even though they look the same the gears are different and they will always say add toner check the toner box to see what machines you can use it in you cant use 5030 toner in a 5050 either kyoceras way making you buy there toner regards

That is an interesting thought since the KM-5035 and FS-9520 use toners that look very similar. I am pretty certain they have the correct toner in them, but I'll have to check again before tearing them apart. The solenoid will click repeatedly with no toner installed and the appropriate switches defeated, though, so I'm having a hard time thinking it has something to do with the cartridge itself, but it wouldn't be the first time I've missed something that should have been obvious regarding a copier repair. Thanks.

[leroyal]

Try the developer aging simulation.

[aodtech]

Coincidentally, does the bypass work? I've seen something similar happen to a 2530. Remove the rear cover and check to see if everything is rotating that is supposed to. The teeth of a drive belt in the lower right corner (horizontal) get frayed and get stuck on the gears causing the other gears not to rotate. You'll hear the solenoid, but it stays on for a long time and eventually gives up and throws "Add Toner To Resume Copying". Replace the belt and make sure all of the gears you can see are rotating. It solved my problem.

[kyoceradude]

Pretty simple to check. The toner for the FS-9520 has a lable on the top that reads TK-70. That is only for the printer. Just had a customer do the same thing last week.

[blackcat4866]

Yep. I believe the actual toner is the same, the cartidges may even look the same, but the drive coupler is different. I don't have my class notes in front of me, but if memory serves, the 5035 coupler is different from the 5050 coupler, which is different from the 9520 coupler. Also different Kyocera to Copystar (same issue).

[Copydoc Ric]

I recently had this same problem. I changed the drive belts and this resolved the problem.