Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

[Guest]

Hey All,

I'm a screen printer just starting my own company, the last shop I worked at used a bizhub C253 and I loved it so I'm looking to get one myself. I found a great deal on a C253 for less than $800 with only 300k prints, the owner bought it refurbished 3 years ago and says they have only printed about 25,000 copies since then, but the sample print has some faint black lines across it. I've researched for about 3 hours now and see there are a lot of different potential solutions so I figured I would start a thread. I've attached photos of the sample prints and the check consumable life screen. Any help or insight would be appreciated, this printer will be my livelihood for a little while and I cant afford to be dumping a ton of money into it.

image1.jpgimage2.jpgimage3.jpg

[femaster]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

All of your image units are end of life. The black streaking and uneven shading on your images points to a black image unit that has reached the end of it's useful life. You can try cleaning the corona on the unit, it MIGHT help the situation for a short time. Of course, it could potentially make it worse too, I've seen it go both ways. The corona cleaners are the small light blue rods sticking out of the front of each image unit (behind the front access panel). Gently pull it out all the way and push it in 3 or 4 times.

Try running some color prints, you may notice that one or more of the color image units leave streaking as well.

Personally, I don't know what a used C253 should run, but if you are looking to put some miles on the machine, I'd be looking at replacing all the image units in it, Cyan, Yellow, Magenta, and Black. Factor that cost into your purchase price, then make an educated decision as to if it's worth it to you or not.

[Hansoon]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

USD 800.00 is too much for that old machine with all those worn costly units. Better get a newer generation like the BH-C-280 with less used units. The BH-C-280 is a much better machine and also has separate drums and developing units reducing your operational costs.

Hans

[wseyller]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

Yeah the C253 image units are wicked expensive.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[allan]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

I agree with Hans. Only limitation is on thick stock, otherwise a great and cheap machine.
I hate to say this but for graphics application look at a Canon for more joy.

[copier tech]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

I don't think that was a good idea buying an old c253, they have an issue where waste toner blocks internally inside the machine, it's then pretty much a write off.

You can pick up a C552 dirt cheap this is a way better machine, seen these do over 2 million no problem, drums, fuser, ITB all go way past expected life.

Try & pick up a good C452/C552 try eBay.

[Copier Addict]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

I agree with Hans. Only limitation is on thick stock, otherwise a great and cheap machine.
I hate to say this but for graphics application look at a Canon for more joy.

I agree that a C253 is not a great choice, imaging units are very expensive.
I disagree that Canon is better. We have replaced many Canon colour machines with KonMin and the users are always amazed at the quality of the colour on the KonMin machines. Just my two cents.

[allan]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

I agree that a C253 is not a great choice, imaging units are very expensive.
I disagree that Canon is better. We have replaced many Canon colour machines with KonMin and the users are always amazed at the quality of the colour on the KonMin machines. Just my two cents.

Then C452/552 is better but still using expensive IU's.

[copier tech]

Re: Help Before I Buy This Bizhub C253! Faint Horizontal Lines

Yes C452/552 iu's are expensive but they do last especially if you set no stop etc in service mode.