Total Count stuck?

**nathansipe** · 04-11-2013

I have an MX-M350N in the field that has been working great. It was brought to my attention by our billing department that something was wrong with the counts. Here are the last 5 counts. Why it took so long, I don't know.

Dec 2012 339,735
Jan 2013 339,588
Feb 2013 339,442
March 2013 339,976

April 2013 339,724

The customer was running about 20K per month on it until December. I know the customer is running the machine like normal. Basically, since December the total count is stuck on 339,000 but the last 3 digits of the count are going from 000 to 999 then back to zero but the 339 never goes to 340,000. Anyone ever seen this?

I'm going there tomorrow morning to print a 22-6 and see if the machine has kept a count somewhere in its memory. I'm going to do enough prints to get it to go from 339,999 to 339,000 so I can see with my own eyes. Then I'll probably call Sharp.

**blackcat4866** · 04-12-2013

My first guess would be that the enduser has not been turning in valid counter readings. Yes, I'd have to go see for myself. 22-6 is a great place to look for a valid total count if indeed it is staying within the 339,000-339,999 window.

The MCU PWB is the most logical choice if indeed the proof is the way you've described it.

In 25 years I've only seen counter problems less than 6 times. 4 of 6 we're mechanical counters that had been inexpertly backed up. I've seen one mechanical counter that just had enough the second full time around (1,999,999 copies, the meter displayed: 999,999). And the last one had some sort of grounding problem causing the mechanical counter to flip backwards occasionally. I've never seen a virtual counter miscount.
=^..^=

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**copyguy1** · 04-12-2013

My question would be how are these counts taken if its from the print out are they giving the total count or just the prints or copies. you could hold the copiy key and see what that value is, the counts are store in different sp[ots. You may want to flash the frimware.

**bilyahn** · 04-12-2013

Print out a 23-2 list also. Would be interesting to see if the jam codes have the same copy counts. If this is like most MXM350's you should have a fair sampling of jams with dates and copy counts. Be very interested in what you find.

Good luck.

Bil

**nathansipe** · 04-12-2013

They were giving us the total count by pressing and holding the copy button and they have like this for a couple years on all their machines. I had them print a total count sheet and it also said 339K.

I went this morning and made 600 copies to see if the machine would go from 339,999 to 340,000. And it did. I got it up to 340,150 then I rebooted the machine and it went back to 339,406. I ran another 50 and rebooted. It again came up with 339,406. So every night when they turn the machine off, the counts get reset to 339,406.

I did not print a 22-3 because I didn't read your post until I got back, but I did print a 22-6 before and after the reboot.

As it turns out, when the machine is rebooted it changes all counters back to whatever count they were at for the 339,406 count. The total count, maint counters, dev/drum rotations, tray counters all get reset to whatever they were when the machine was at 339,406.

I even took a video for the other techs and my supervisors to believe it. We switched out the machine for now. My first step is firmware, then possibly main board, but I thought the counts were kept on the Eprom. So if the Eprom is not remembering the correct data after reboot then I have real issues.

**Akitu** · 04-12-2013

Sounds like you've got your problem nailed. Back up the EEPROM data to the HDD with sim 56-1 before doing any replacements.

**nathansipe** · 04-12-2013

What will backing it up to the HDD with 56-1 do? I thought EEPROMs had to be burned with an EEPROM writer? Sorry, but I haven't had many EEPROMs go bad. Please fill me in.

**Akitu** · 04-12-2013

Originally Posted by nathansipe

What will backing it up to the HDD with 56-1 do? I thought EEPROMs had to be burned with an EEPROM writer? Sorry, but I haven't had many EEPROMs go bad. Please fill me in.

More of a failsafe than anything. I haven't had any EEPROMs go bad myself, but I've always been told to back up the data regardless.