When to write a machine off?

[vincent64]

When do you write a machine off?
After floods, getting turned over in a truck, fell off a loading dock, ect.
Post some of your moments when you wrote one off.
I have had several, being though 2 hurricanes down here, they were due to water damage, and one they moved the machine, cleared off part of the celling that fell in on it, and started to use it, I get the call, making bad copies, take a look at it, and I see this big brown stain on the drum, took some asking, but I found out what happened, stain was from water leaking in through the tar and gravel roof.

[gwaddle]

Re: When to write a machine off?

We had one that went through a tornado which destroyed about half the town where it was located including the building it was in about two years ago. Brought the copier into the shop, vacuumed and blew the dust out of it, fired it up and it ran like a champ. Took it to the customer's branch office and they are still using it. Sharp MXM 283. Still like those machines.

We did have a color machine fall off the lift gate of the truck. It died.

[blackcat4866]

Re: When to write a machine off?

I was sent out to get two HP Designjet 500's contract ready. My first clue that this was not going to be possible was the fact that they were 9 years old. The second clue was that they had been stored in a barn for the last 5 years, and had 2" of bat guano on them. =^..^=

[Tonerbomb]

Re: When to write a machine off?

If it got WET, it's done!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If it got dumped in a truck, It's done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even with insurance paid repair it will not go on contract for any service!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The insurance man wants to pay a fixed amount once and have you put it back on maintenance and live with the after effects!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Iowatech]

Re: When to write a machine off?

Advice from the rumor mill has told me that manufacturers of business machines are required by law to support their products for seven years (at least in the U.S., anyway). So, while that could be a bunch of stupid nonsense, I do try to suggest that people consider budgeting for a new machine if I come across one that old in the field.
As far as machines I had a hand in writing off, I had a service call on a machine that got water damaged from a fire next door. It was in the middle of winter, and while the power was on the gas service was not and as such there was no heat in that building. So the machine was full of ice, and while it would have made for a fascinating find for archaeologists exploring the Arctic regions of Earth, it was quite done as far as copying was concerned.
That actually irritated me too, as it was a 3M 516, which was one of my favorite machines from back in the day.

[NeoMatrix]

Re: When to write a machine off?

There are many signs an flags for writing off a machine or even parts in a machine.
Damages which amounts to over half the replacement machine or item value is a good sign for writing it off.
We've had brand new machines ,still sitting in the box, written off because of outside damage to the package.
Mind you, one new MPC5000 still in the create was dropped off the back of the delivery truck by a forklift, giving enough damage to be written off new.

Some of the usual write-off flags.
o Pest infestation
o Water
o Fire
o Fusion
o Transport
o Drops
o Falls
o Vandalism
o Theft
o Chemical/Industrial spills
o Dust (mining areas)
o OEM Specifications Breach (Eg.Wrong Toner)
o
o
o Boat anchor(kidding... )

[ZOOTECH]

Re: When to write a machine off?

There are many signs an flags for writing off a machine or even parts in a machine.
Damages which amounts to over half the replacement machine or item value is a good sign for writing it off.
We've had brand new machines ,still sitting in the box, written off because of outside damage to the package.
Mind you, one new MPC5000 still in the create was dropped off the back of the delivery truck by a forklift, giving enough damage to be written off new.

Some of the usual write-off flags.
o Pest infestation
o Water
o Fire
o Fusion
o Transport
o Drops
o Falls
o Vandalism
o Theft
o Chemical/Industrial spills
o Dust (mining areas)
o OEM Specifications Breach (Eg.Wrong Toner)
o
o
o Boat anchor(kidding... )

Does human urination fall into any of your categories?

[allan]

Re: When to write a machine off?

I had a RICOH MP6500 that worked well after 2 weeks outside in the rain.
And a KM C364e that had survived a flood. ? I have seen the effect even a small drop will do to a C364e. You can forget about it. it will take out 2 weeks to straighten the thing out.

The only machine i wrote off was a panasonic Workio 2310. firmware update failed due to my fellow tech pulling the network cable in the middle of the procedure.

[Blizzoo]

Re: When to write a machine off?

Hm, I still have some Minolta analog who don't wanna die.
I wrote off many printers and old copiers due to lack of parts, expensive parts and rats/kitchen bugs damage.

[theengel]

Re: When to write a machine off?

Any time you can buy the machine at Staples for $250.

[JrTech]

Re: When to write a machine off?

Good morning to all. Reading these I had to put my 2 cents in. About 8 years ago around Christmas time we got a call for poor print quality and maintenance on a desktop machine Xerox M20. So pack up the car heading out to a "routine" call. We arrive at the call to see the platen is shattered and we ask the obvious questions to gather background as I am always up for a good chuckle. No one says anything and shys away. We replaced the platen glass and now the scanner will not move freely across the bars. Decide to bring it to the shop and replace the scanner assy and to our surprise the scanner continues to get hung up/slowed down in one part on the process so we order the the entire platen assy. When we took it back after a week of scratching our heads, multiple people looking at it, I struck up a conversation with an employee at the location only to find out what really happened. It turns out they had a Christmas party and after quite a few drinks they dared the "new employee" to take a picture of her ass on the copier. When she sat on the copier they forced the DADF beyond its range and they heard a loud pop and glass shattered. Luckily she was not injured but I still think about it to this day when I see a big girl at the receptionist desk around Christmas time.
Another quick one. Boss man wanted tech to load up junk copiers to take to recycle facility. In the morning he did not make his "new install" due to customer. Tech loads all the machines into the box truck and heads over to facility. Now traditionally we open the back of the truck, put it in reverse, gun it and slam on the brakes to easily unload the machines. Well he forgot that the new machine was in the back and did not think anything about it. Went on another call, had lunch came back to the office and boss man asks about the new machine delivery. When they went back there was nothing left of the machine so we could recognize any part of the machine as material is scooped up as soon as you drop it off. He walked away with $62.00 for recycling. Not sure what boss man did for insurance

[NeoMatrix]

Re: When to write a machine off?

Does human urination fall into any of your categories?

Using the table as a scale,I guess it's would slide somewhere in between vandalism an a useful boat anchor. Urine being salt water, I would reason that the operator thought it would be okay to pee over the machine to test it first for use in saltwater as a possible boat anchor...

I've seen plenty of mice and rat pee over PCB's, I've never really uncounted human defecation in a machine though.

Sigh!...but there is always a first time for everything.

[fixthecopier]

Re: When to write a machine off?

When tech support says "Um, I don't know what to tell you, it sounds like you covered it all". That was my response yesterday from Konica. Customer wasn't ready to make a change, so I regrouped my thoughts and went back today and made it run.

[kingarthur]

Re: When to write a machine off?

I've written off a few...but only 1 straight out of the box, unpacked a Bizhub C224 not long after delivery, noticed it was "wet" inside & seemed to be a lot of condensation, checked the packaging there was no visible signs of water, spoke to our storeman, "oh yes"...he said..."it's just come off of the refrigerated truck"......spoke to konicaminolta...they sent a replacement...

[Gar the pilot]

Re: When to write a machine off?

We got in a new KM 300i and the box had a small distortion. But inside the copier was crushed at the scanner. it took 4 months to get the replacemant. Had kids playing in the home office dump a Sharp 755 and bent it in the middle, We were able to get it back stright enough to run for 5 more years. In Hawaii we got a lot of Bugs in power supplys and Eva came through tore off roofs,..so water damage. But for normal write off's as un-fixable a Mita DC 1255 at 10+ years old had a board/wireing problem,..My boss gave up on this after 3 boards and lots of hours T/S time. Most old stuff just gets up-graded and Bone picked to keep other old stuff running. Life is good.