C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

[hotfuser]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Guess what ?

i have had another 3 cyan dev units fail this week.

All failing once again between 60k-90k colour.

The one i have had this morning is a C284e which has been in the customer for nearly two years without a problem (maybe the odd jamming issue or a worn black drum unit) then out of the blue (no pun intended) the cyan dev unit has failed.

Will be going back to take it back to factory settings after replacing the unit.

Will keep you all informed.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Still perfect, but still have not cracked my 8000 colour page danger zone yet it has done about 5000. It is going to be used lightly for the next 2 months so its going to be a long time before a certain answer is known on this one.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

FYI, I am going to check the machine again this morning to see how it is going. IT should of done many thousands of colour prints by now. I will post results.

[yianni]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

.....and you got them from KonicaMinolta Yianni??

I bought them from one of the main suppliers of original consumables. I don't know if Konica-Minolta sells consumables here in Greece, most possible not. In my little knowledge it seems that Konica-Minolta supplies the 5-6 big known supplier companies (warehouses) here in Greece.
I will try to learn more about this.

[Hansoon]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

.....and you got them from KonicaMinolta Yianni??

Hans

[yianni]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Straight out of the box they had developer piled at one end of the developing roller.
Oddly enough. I know KM have shifted towards smaller boxes for the 512 cmyk developing units but the ones i have been receiving lately are the massive old style boxes so I think there is some old crappy stock lying around.

I suspect counterfeit developers (or toners). Usually the counterfeits don't "follow" the new packing design, etc.

I have seen the issue of developer piled at one end of the developer roller, when I bought developer powder for C6500. I got a set of counterfeit developer powders (the packing said 1100g and I weight it 980g!!). I used it in a few C451 imaging units (I rebuilt them) and I saw the "pile". Then I replaced the developer powder with a really original one and the pile didn't come back again. (I "tried" both developers using a drill in different speeds. When I leaned a little the imaging unit with the counterfeit developer always developed a pile. Even when I kept it horizontal).

It seems for me, that the problem is the developer unit. And I'm 90% it's counterfeit.

This is the counterfeit box. The original was a smaller different box.

Untitled-45.jpg

* Sorry for my not well English language. Also, I don't have knowledge about the machine, I have never even seen it.

[yianni]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Sorry double post.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

I though something like this. I don't know the machine at all.

> It is not me mishandling the dev unit, that is how they were out of the box.
> This was the first one out of the box perfect and ready for installation. I
> suspect they are thrown around by the delivery people.

I think this is very significant. Do you mean that the other developer units developed even a small pile of toner powder in the developer roller? Or, were they dirty of toner around the developer roller?

Straight out of the box they had developer piled at one end of the developing roller.

Oddly enough. I know KM have shifted towards smaller boxes for the 512 cmyk developing units but the ones i have been receiving lately are the massive old style boxes so I think there is some old crappy stock lying around.

none the less, lets not get excited, as i said i was getting up to 8k before failure before and i am only up to ~4k now.

[yianni]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

I vaccumed the cyan toner hopper in the machine and installed a new toner before installing the new developing unit.

I though something like this. I don't know the machine at all.

> It is not me mishandling the dev unit, that is how they were out of the box.
> This was the first one out of the box perfect and ready for installation. I
> suspect they are thrown around by the delivery people.

I think this is very significant. Do you mean that the other developer units developed even a small pile of toner powder in the developer roller? Or, were they dirty of toner around the developer roller?

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Do you mean you vacuumed the cyan hopper? Which hopper do you mean? (Notice, I'm not a technician, but I know much about imaging units, developer units, etc).

> Also, this was the first dev unit received without mishandling relaited dev pile at one end of dev roller. I always correct such issues before installation.

Do you mean you shook the developer unit horizontally for not develop a pile of toner/developer powder at one end of the developer roller?

I vaccumed the cyan toner hopper in the machine and installed a new toner before installing the new developing unit.

It is not me mishandling the dev unit, that is how they were out of the box. This was the first one out of the box perfect and ready for installation. I suspect they are thrown around by the delivery people.

[yianni]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Vacced cyan hopper and new toner bottle (last one fitted for all failed units)

Do you mean you vacuumed the cyan hopper? Which hopper do you mean? (Notice, I'm not a technician, but I know much about imaging units, developer units, etc).

> Also, this was the first dev unit received without mishandling relaited dev pile at one end of dev roller. I always correct such issues before installation.

Do you mean you shook the developer unit horizontally for not develop a pile of toner/developer powder at one end of the developer roller?

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Checked machine this morning.

3700+ blue heavy prints made.

Machine still perfect. Tested #32 cyan gradation test print, absolutely flawless, indicating a clean grid.

What i did on last call;

New mfp & total initialize & latest fw.
New front relay board
Vacced cyan hopper and new toner bottle (last one fitted for all failed units)
Cyan density set to -1 for copy and print
Stabilization mode set to colour priority.

Not out of the woods yet, was failing around 8k before.

Also, this was the first dev unit received without mishandling relaited dev pile at one end of dev roller. I always correct such issues before installation.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

As a followup, I have now also replaced the front relay board which has the idc sensors and all dev units plugged into it.

I checked over the machine while on site all is still perfect after 1200 colour prints (in 1 day)

However, overly blue documents are not being done till Monday. That will be several thousand A3's saddle stitched into booklets. I will check it again on Tuesday and see how it is progressing.

This kind of usage btw, is what it has always done from day dot till the current 600k meter reading.

Think I will change the hv contacts next along with disassembly of the suction section to inspect for blockage. I also set cyan max density for copy and print to -1 to see if that makes any difference. Nothing else in service mode has so far.

[EarthKmTech]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

Machine blown away and completely setup again. Even with new MFP board now and last available fw (inadvertently damaged orignal mfp board see below)

Hopper sucked dry and new toner installed too before new dev unit installed.

lets see how long it lasts this time.

internal demo page was VERY blue when printed for the first time with new mfp board with still installed failed dev unit and drum, very interesting indeed.



Be careful on 4 series removing mfp cover. If it falls and catches the heatsink damage will result.

the smd running in parallel with 2 other devices appeared to of made no difference in operation to the machine, it still worked anyway. But in good faith i could not leave it like that. A new board was installed. I could actually fix it as i have spare boards here with other faults anyway.

mfp.jpg

[hotfuser]

Re: C224e/C284e/C364e/C454e/C545e cyan dev unit problems

My machines failed yet again.

HV did nothing.

Going to vacuum out cyan hopper, throw away toner and install fresh bottle along with yet another dev unit and drum. The frequency of occurrence is increasing exponentially. Not even lasting a week now. What ever it is will be discovered soon. (unless the customer goes postal and the machine is replaced, then all is lost)

Aftermarket toner / incorrect model is not an option in my situation.

When you replace the new dev/drum take the machine back too factory settings and rebuild it back up with the latest firmware.

This is what we have been doing and touch wood we have had no failures since.

I have had another 3 fail this week ( colour copies are between 40-80k ) cyans that is .

Keep me informed on how you get on.