CL7000 Alignment

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Alignment issues - perhaps dirt went below the transfer belt and on that "glossy/chrome" surfarfaced roller that is also the "reflector" to the ID sensors. General density should also look fine for each color in order to create solid MUSIC/Calibration patterns.

I think the CL7000 also uses an oil unit for the Fuser - better put a fresh one in, otherwise you might find the separator strippers inside the fuser rollers^^

Last time I took it apart I went over the transfer unit from the outside and cleaned what little there was. It's very possible the area underneath is dirty and I will look that area over more closely. I'm a bit reluctant to pull it apart since it works in b&w, which is the bulk of my needs, and if I mess anything up I could take the machine out of service altogether.

General density of the MUSIC/Calibration patterns appears solid in all 3 areas.

Thanks for the heads-up on the fuser oil unit. It's on the list of parts along with a toner scraping blade. Finding them is going to be interesting. I put a call into Ricoh Canada but they're like trying to get answers from the government. The very nice gentleman on the phone said that because they still have service calls on the unit as a chargeable there's a very good chance parts are still around but I've not heard back on my request yet.

There's also a very good chance I didn't do something right when I put the unit back together. It didn't have any alignment issues before I took it apart so I'm suspect of myself.

The notes in the service manual on page 320 talk about aligning the drive gears on the transfer unit and the cleaning unit. I'm not sure I understand what they're saying as that area isn't very visible. How critical is it to get this exactly as it was set at the factory?

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

I went over the manual again and noticed the screw that should be holding the transfer cleaning unit was missing. There wasn't one on it when I started this so the last person (Ricoh tech) who serviced it didn't replace the screw and none could be found. I was able to find one in my screw-box that works, so that unit is in there as it should be now.

Just to be sure I ran a check of the Developer Initialization as that's another area the manual says could throw a sensor error and all developer units report working fine.

While I was in there I took a good look at the top of the transfer belt for the sensor reflectors and that area appears to be clean (without taking the unit apart). If there is dirt under the belt I'm going to have to take that unit apart to see it. Looking over the manual it isn't for the faint of heart and an area of the design they didn't really think out from a service POV.

According to the counter there are only 65,000 prints on the machine so unless the counter was reset before I got it there aren't a lot of miles on this unit.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

I'm waiting on Ricoh who have indicated they might just have the parts I'm looking for to keep this thing running.

I did a dump of the settings and cross-referenced everything to the manual. The unit threw it's first SC at around 52,000 prints when it experienced a hard-disk failure. The unit has the hard-disc option but no hard-drive. The drives are only used when the machine has a mailbox or other attachment so this must have been part of a corporate printer farm or something. I got the unit with around 55,000 prints so it was sold off not long after the hard drive went. The only other SCs have been related to the recent alignment issue that we've already discussed.

The transfer belt has some damage to it and the transfer cleaning unit isn't doing it's job. It may just be cheaper and easier to replace the whole transfer unit if one is available. It's possible they swapped in a transfer unit from an older machine before they put it up for sale which would explain the discrepancy between the number of prints on the machine and the wear and tear on the belt, etc.

There have been suggestions the Ricoh SP-C840DN is a current replacement. Is that a good machine?

[TonerMunkeh]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Yes they are a very good machine. Based on the MPCxx04.

[luca72]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Hi everyone and thanks for letting me into your forum.

I have a CL7000 that I brought out of storage and am seeing if I can put it back in service. I gave it a good cleaning and have resolved most of the issues with one that's very vexing to which I hope someone will have some insights.

There are 2 printing issues which may be from the same problem:

- the colors are out of alignment

- it's printing a repeating candy-cane-like pattern of colors stripes (1 stripe for each color vert then one for each color diag, then repeats). on the back of the page in 3 stripes - left, middle and right. I cleaned off the transfer belt before running another test and the pattern was recreated so the printer is trying to say something to me that I don't understand and can't find reference in the service manual.

Before it was put in storage the fusing unit was replaced but I didn't do a forced realignment (having not read the manual at the time).

When I try do to an auto alignment (which is the only option) it responds:

result = NG

Does the same when I run a fusing unit alignment. I assume that means an error was detected. When I display the error code it comes up

070707

The manual indicates that is a sensor error.

I understand this printer has 2 sensors - one located at the start of the transfer belt (paper feed end) and another at the fusing unit end. There are directions to get at the one by the paper feed, which I was able to attempt to clean up, but nothing about the one at the fuser end. I took the printer apart and looked around as best as possible but didn't see anything, but it is crowded in there and might have missed something.

So I'm just about there getting this back in running shape but could use a little help from those with some experience as i'm a noob.

hi, be careful: check all the development unit, and the drum units, put on a table, and turn them by hand by turning the rear gear, check that they are all free to turn, and there is no development group " hard to turn ", this would cause the problem you have reported, beyond the calibration

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

hi, be careful: check all the development unit, and the drum units, put on a table, and turn them by hand by turning the rear gear, check that they are all free to turn, and there is no development group " hard to turn ", this would cause the problem you have reported, beyond the calibration

Thanks for this. I'll check them when I pull it apart next. The black development unit is the oldest part and needs replacing for sure but it's good to check them all.

Anyone know if there is there any way to "reconstitute" the cleaning blade?

It's a piece of rubber-type material attached to a metal plate that screws to the transfer cleaning unit. It's job is to clean the toner off the cleaning roller but the rubber has been eaten away in three places - down the center and where the alignment bars are printed. I'm assuming the toner has an acidic property that wears down the rubber over time.

The problem I'm having is the printer is leaving streaks right where the rubber has been compromised. While that whole unit should be replaced I'm wondering if there's some way to "fix" the rubber blade by smoothing it out.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Parts are trickling in. The cleaning blades are used on a number of machines so that problem is solved.

Question about the Black Developer dust filter. When I checked my unit the filter material had deteriorated to the point it crumbled into dust. I got 2 replacement developer kits and the dust filters in both of those are in the same condition.

Is this to filter dust coming out of the unit or going in?

It wouldn't be hard to make a replacement filter from other material but would be nice to know if there's anything special to be aware of.

Thanks - V

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Parts are trickling in. The cleaning blades are used on a number of machines so that problem is solved.

Question about the Black Developer dust filter. When I checked my unit the filter material had deteriorated to the point it crumbled into dust. I got 2 replacement developer kits and the dust filters in both of those are in the same condition.

Is this to filter dust coming out of the unit or going in?

It wouldn't be hard to make a replacement filter from other material but would be nice to know if there's anything special to be aware of.

Thanks - V

It is to keep toner haze from coming out of the unit and coating things that should not have toner on them.

[luca72]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Parts are trickling in. The cleaning blades are used on a number of machines so that problem is solved.

Question about the Black Developer dust filter. When I checked my unit the filter material had deteriorated to the point it crumbled into dust. I got 2 replacement developer kits and the dust filters in both of those are in the same condition.

Is this to filter dust coming out of the unit or going in?

It wouldn't be hard to make a replacement filter from other material but would be nice to know if there's anything special to be aware of.

Thanks - V

they must be open, to equalize the internal pressure with the external one, if they were sealed, and due to temperature changes, the positive pressure would push the developers out of the doctor blade, altering the expected thickness of the developer on the magnetic roller ... and as slimslob says, "the filter prevents dust clouds inside the machine"

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

they must be open, to equalize the internal pressure with the external one, if they were sealed, and due to temperature changes, the positive pressure would push the developers out of the doctor blade, altering the expected thickness of the developer on the magnetic roller ... and as slimslob says, "the filter prevents dust clouds inside the machine"

Not sure I got all that but I understand the concept of proper ventilation. The problem I've encountered is the material used to make the filter appears to have decomposed with time. The 3 I've experienced - the original one in the machine and the 2 NIB sealed filters that came with the 2 NOS black developer units - are all experiencing the same issue. They crumble when handled so I can't get one into the unit in one piece rendering them useless.

It's possible the filter uses a composite designed to attract the toner mist or it could be a normal filter suffering from the "rubber band effect." Modern rubber band makers don't put enough sealer or let the rubber cure long enough so the rubber bands have a shortened life expectancy compared to how they were originally.

My intent is to look for some generic filter material and cut that to fit unless there's a compelling reason otherwise as there don't appear to be alternatives.

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Not sure I got all that but I understand the concept of proper ventilation. The problem I've encountered is the material used to make the filter appears to have decomposed with time. The 3 I've experienced - the original one in the machine and the 2 NIB sealed filters that came with the 2 NOS black developer units - are all experiencing the same issue. They crumble when handled so I can't get one into the unit in one piece rendering them useless.

It's possible the filter uses a composite designed to attract the toner mist or it could be a normal filter suffering from the "rubber band effect." Modern rubber band makers don't put enough sealer or let the rubber cure long enough so the rubber bands have a shortened life expectancy compared to how they were originally.

My intent is to look for some generic filter material and cut that to fit unless there's a compelling reason otherwise as there don't appear to be alternatives.

You could get a sheet of activated carbon pre-filter material for a small room heppa filter and cut your own.

[DRichard]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

It's been in storage since 2013 so I'm not expecting much but am persistent if nothing else LOL.

You're not just persistent, but optimistic TOO! I admire that, but at the same time, I can't help but take a little pity on you. You sound like a man with too much time on his hands... .

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

You're not just persistent, but optimistic TOO! I admire that, but at the same time, I can't help but take a little pity on you. You sound like a man with too much time on his hands... .

Time is something that is a scarce commodity but the cost-benefit analysis of fixing what I have vs getting a replacement favors the former at the moment.

I probably have under $1500 invested in it including capital cost. At 65k prints it's still basically a new machine that was designed to be serviced with maintenance kits and parts still available as NOS. In fact, because it is technically obsolete and appears to have been a popular machine, parts are much cheaper now than when I had it in service the first time.

If I can get a few hundred thousand 11x17 black and white prints out of it for a few hundred in parts and a weekend's worth of labor, I consider that fair value.

In the meantime I'm watching for a used Ricoh SP-C840DN as a replacement. Ricoh rep was saying it's due to be discontinued soon, which should mean corporate sites will start replacing them when leases come due.

Spending a bit of time figuring out how this one works should help me better understand what I'm getting when looking for a replacement.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Wish me luck.

I tracked down a factory sealed transfer belt, scraping blade and black developer so I'm about to do tear-down to clean the sensor reflector. I didn't want to take the transfer unit apart for a clean without replacing the belt (current one has a rip in it) and was lucky to track one down for the cost of a couple cups of coffee.

Aside from being careful with the belt, anything else I should watch out for? The manual seems detailed but isn't a replacement for experience.

Any special handling of the belt, as-in wearing cotton or plastic gloves?

Since the transfer unit will be apart, anything I should pay attention to aside from general clean-up?

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Got the new transfer belt installed today. A good friend is an old-school watchmaker (he can actually make one from scratch) who I convinced to lend me a hand. Good thing I did as there were several parts where 4 hands were necessary to do the job. His ability to remember how complex things are taken apart then put back together came in handy a few times as well.

The transfer unit in the manual and the one we worked on are similar but not identical causing us to ad-lib at points. The good news is there were fewer steps on mine than the manual suggests, leading me to believe they refined the transfer unit over the life of the machine.

The reflector rollers had a build up of grime that took a bit of scrubbing to clean off, but I think they came out pretty good. Overall the transfer unit was in very good condition with a bit of toner buildup around the drive gear. I also replaced the cleaning blade and the black developer and checked all the developers as luca72 suggested. The new black one was a bit tight (I expect will loosen with some use), the yellow I could only turn with pliers while the magenta and cyan turned freely, so there appears to be a problem with the developer group being "hard to turn." Should I also do this check with the PCU's?

It fired up fine but is still giving the ID sensor error. At this point it looks like the rest of the developers need to be replaced, or the ID sensors are actually bad, but I'm not inclined that way at this point.

It is now back to printing very nice black and whites, which is what I need the printer for anyway, so it was a successful operation notwithstanding the calibration which I'll continue to work on moving forward. Here's some pics.

M2670004.jpg M2670005.jpg M2670006.jpg M2670007.jpg M2670009.jpg