High voltage drop question

[ldharnden]

This is a general copier/printer question.

I have a customer (like many) who has a new MFP plugged into a 25-foot extension cord, plugged into a outlet across the room in a building that is easily 40+ years old. Of course they are having issues with jamming and the like. We brought the machine into the shop and all runs fine. I got involved and went out to the site, saw the above power "rats nest" and told them it needed to be remedied before we can continue troubleshooting. To humor them I took some readings with my meter. Line to neutral and line to ground are pretty good considering. Neutral to ground is obviously REALLY high.

The issue, the customer and sales rep instead of fixing the issue so we can move forward just want to argue with us (the service department). What I am looking for is a layman explanation of what a high voltage drop means and how it affects printers and copiers. Thanks in advance.

[Phil B.]

Re: High voltage drop question

This is a general copier/printer question.
I have a customer (like many) who has a new MFP plugged into a 25-foot extension cord, plugged into a outlet across the room in a building that is easily 40+ years old. Of course they are having issues with jamming and the like. We brought the machine into the shop and all runs fine. I got involved and went out to the site, saw the above power "rats nest" and told them it needed to be remedied before we can continue troubleshooting. To humor them I took some readings with my meter. Line to neutral and line to ground are pretty good considering. Neutral to ground is obviously REALLY high.
The issue, the customer and sales rep instead of fixing the issue so we can move forward just want to argue with us (the service department). What I am looking for is a layman explanation of what a high voltage drop means and how it affects printers and copiers. Thanks in advance.

i had one customer that REFUSED to correct their power... it was blowing HVPS - LVPS - main bds and fuser thermistors ... I put a nextgen power power analyzer on it for a week... not only did they have spikes every 45-50 secs.... they had neutral/ground issues and power sags..... come to find out it was due to backwards wiring from the sound booth.

[exCSER]

Re: High voltage drop question

That situation would quite obviously be problematic. Without clean power no electronic device can be expected to operate properly. There are power conditioners available that could help. In addition to servicing machines I also play music in a working band and have experienced a lot of trouble with amplifiers powered with inadequate voltage/dirty power in older buildings. We use power conditioners at all times and it makes a huge difference.

It is sometimes difficult to get sales reps to recognize the inadequacies of the customer environment and how it can be detrimental to the performance of equipment, but getting them to understand that you want the machine to run correctly just like they do and the customer does, is where your conversation should begin. Printers have become so commonplace that most non-technical people don't think of them as the complex devices that they are--They seem to think of them in the same way as any household appliance. Sometimes they just need to be reminded that a printer is not like a toaster.

Good luck to you

[bsm2]

Re: High voltage drop question

Just tell them you need a dedicated power line for the copier end of story
and Yes you still need a surge suppressor