strange toner loading problem

**cleardata** · 06-09-2013

hi to all,

model is aficio 3045. with less than a hundred copies it shows the add toner message though the bottle is still almost full. i open and closed the front cover but what i see is the drawing of the machine with a message of add toner. i turned the machine off and on then opened and closed machine then loading toner appeared then the machine is ready. after about a hundred copies again the add toner message appears again the same problems again and again. i can only make the machine load toner properly if i turn it off and on.

what i did so far:
replaced front cover switch
replaced toner hopper with bottle from good unit and cleaned the hopper and mylars are good.
replaced the dev unit and it has new developer
took out the drum unit cover and cheated the switch to see if the toner is being supplied from the hopper to the dev. unit meaning the bottle motor is ok since i saw toner dropping from PCU to dev unit.
replaced power supply

problems still not solved.
could it be an iob problem or how come that i have to turn the machine off and on for it to actually load toner and show toner loading?

please help.
thank you.

**Iowatech** · 06-09-2013

Check again if the developer unit is in good shape, if the developer mixers aren't rotating because the unit isn't seated correctly it will give you false out of toner messages. Also, make sure the toner path through the PCU is OK, too. Including the toner recycling auger.
If you are going to change the IOB, you should replace the toner bottle drive motor too, otherwise a bad motor will wreck the new board.
The toner for the 35/45 CPM machines has changed rather drastically over time, so make sure you are using the correct toner. The bottles the different toners come in are different enough that a wrong toner bottle won't work, making the machine show out of toner while the bottle is full.

**cleardata** · 06-09-2013

Originally Posted by Iowatech

Check again if the developer unit is in good shape, if the developer mixers aren't rotating because the unit isn't seated correctly it will give you false out of toner messages. Also, make sure the toner path through the PCU is OK, too. Including the toner recycling auger.
If you are going to change the IOB, you should replace the toner bottle drive motor too, otherwise a bad motor will wreck the new board.
The toner for the 35/45 CPM machines has changed rather drastically over time, so make sure you are using the correct toner. The bottles the different toners come in are different enough that a wrong toner bottle won't work, making the machine show out of toner while the bottle is full.

thank you iowatech.
yes the developing unit is in good shape and the toner path from PCU to dev unit is ok.
toner and bottle are correct.
i will try replacing both IOB and toner motor.
do you think the IOB is causing this problem?

**Exok** · 06-09-2013

In my experience on this model, most often the problem is caused by the toner hopper. On many machines I've serviced with a false add toner message, the problem was that the mechanism on the toner hopper that grabs the cap and pulls it open on the toner bottle is the cause. Check to see if this piece opens up all the way before inserting the toner bottle. I've had to take this apart and bend the 4 fingers back so that when reinstalled, they open fully so that the part on the toner bottle cap can now be grabbed and the cap pulled open. There are also 4 small mylars that can break off causing the unit to clog but I think you mentioned that you already checked them.

**vargue** · 06-09-2013

i encountered this thread in af-2045 toner signal detect every 10 papers and sc450 appeard and every thing all right .developer tank was sluggish. roll magnatic make overload on development motor then. it's stop,. swap with another developer tank.

**johnyb** · 06-09-2013

Originally Posted by Exok

In my experience on this model, most often the problem is caused by the toner hopper. On many machines I've serviced with a false add toner message, the problem was that the mechanism on the toner hopper that grabs the cap and pulls it open on the toner bottle is the cause. Check to see if this piece opens up all the way before inserting the toner bottle. I've had to take this apart and bend the 4 fingers back so that when reinstalled, they open fully so that the part on the toner bottle cap can now be grabbed and the cap pulled open. There are also 4 small mylars that can break off causing the unit to clog but I think you mentioned that you already checked them.

Also within the toner hopper there are plastic mylars that come off so the toner wont agitate correctly and drop into the dev unit, it may be worth checking that they are sill intact.

**cleardata** · 06-10-2013

thank you for your replies.

mylar is good.
developer in good shape and mixes well.
hopper is good.
bottle is correct.
toner bottle motor is good.

what i did today:
replaced IOB
replaced toner bottle motor together with IOB

after a few hundred copies add toner appeared then i open and close the front cover but the "LOADING TONER" message does not appear.
i took out the toner bottle and held the toner bottle motor if it turns and cheated the front cover but the bottle motor does not turn, naturally because loading toner does not appear.
i turned off and on the machine then open and close the front cover and "loading toner" appeared.
i checked if the bottle motor is strong enough to turn the bottle and yes it's good.

my question is how come that when add toner appears, i have to turn off and on the machine for it load toner or for it to display the "LOADING TONER" message? if i will not turn it off, the machine will not load toner when i open and close the front cover.

in short, replacing the IOB and toner bottle motor did not solve the problem.

hoping for your help.
please help.
thank you.

**Bantams** · 06-10-2013

There was a faulty batch of Toner with these machines make sure you are not using one of the faulty toners theres a bulletin about it somewhere you have to vac out the entire PCU unit and re dev the machine if you have used the faulty toners.

**Jomama46** · 06-10-2013

Wow, less than 100 copies. Probably frozen from non-use since it was discontinued in 2005.
But you can open the right door and remove the pcu, then turn on the bottle motor and ensure the bottle is turning. Also remove the hopper and bottle, turn the bottle in the hopper (with the value open) and ensure toner is coming out.