CL7000 Alignment

[sandmanmac]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

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.

For letter size paper, and under "ideal" conditions, with PM life of 50K for PCU/ 100K for Dev/30 K for Oil supply unit / 100K for fuser (just to name the main stuff), that doesn't seem to be expecting too much

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

For letter size paper, and under "ideal" conditions, with PM life of 50K for PCU/ 100K for Dev/30 K for Oil supply unit / 100K for fuser (just to name the main stuff), that doesn't seem to be expecting too much

Then how about we say a few hundred thousand or until supplies run out?

Reality is that if I get to that much volume I'll be printing on off-set so I highly doubt I'll ever get close to that number before this machine is retired.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

I found this site that has a searchable database of printer codes that is very helpful:

Error Codes > Ricoh > CL7000 > Code SC 285

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

I found this site that has a searchable database of printer codes that is very helpful:

Error Codes > Ricoh > CL7000 > Code SC 285

All of that information can be found in the service manual. Until you fix the SC 385 you are not going too have any luck. How did you "Clean the ID sensor?" You may need to replace the ID sensor assembly, if you can find a new one. The correct way to clean any ID sensor assembly is with a soft lint free cotton cloth slightly dampened with water only. Cotton does not cause static which can damage the LEDs and LDDs or will attract toner and dust which reduce the function of the sensors. Windex and multi surface cleaners will leave a film. Chemical solvents including alcohol will damage the surface of the sensors.

The CL7000 was introduced over 18 years ago. It has long ago gone beyond the guaranteed support and parts availability dates. Time to replace the dinosaur.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

All of that information can be found in the service manual. Until you fix the SC 385 you are not going too have any luck. How did you "Clean the ID sensor?" You may need to replace the ID sensor assembly, if you can find a new one. The correct way to clean any ID sensor assembly is with a soft lint free cotton cloth slightly dampened with water only. Cotton does not cause static which can damage the LEDs and LDDs or will attract toner and dust which reduce the function of the sensors. Windex and multi surface cleaners will leave a film. Chemical solvents including alcohol will damage the surface of the sensors.

Thanks. I appreciate your responses and help.

How do I get at the ID sensor assembly?

All I've been able to do is get at it from the front by removing the transfer unit and sliding the protective cover aside.

From what I can tell there is a connector at the ID sensor point and it is far more common for a bad connection, especially over time, than a failed IC. Especially multiple ICs failing at the same time. That speaks more to a failed connector in my experience.

If I was to replace the ID sensor assembly how would I go at it? From the fusing unit side?

The printer will be replaced in it's own time. There are still lots of parts available and they're cheaper than they were because they are now "salvage."

I've been in tech since 1980 and have watched "the latest and greatest" replace the "dinosaurs of old" so many times it's beyond boring. Why is something that works perfectly fine today no longer viable tomorrow just because somebody came out with something newer and stopped "supporting" the old? It's called "designed obsolescence" and has nothing to do with anything other than to keep profits rolling. It's also causing major social issues with all the needless waste.

My car is over 35 years old and still looks and drives like new. Like this printer, it was a popular model and there are still lots of parts around to keep it going. I'll keep it as long as it makes sense, and currently it makes more sense to spend a few bucks to keep the old running than thousands for a new one that will cost more to operate because the "support" is current and prices at a premium.

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Thanks. I appreciate your responses and help.

How do I get at the ID sensor assembly?

All I've been able to do is get at it from the front by removing the transfer unit and sliding the protective cover aside.

From what I can tell there is a connector at the ID sensor point and it is far more common for a bad connection, especially over time, than a failed IC. Especially multiple ICs failing at the same time. That speaks more to a failed connector in my experience.

If I was to replace the ID sensor assembly how would I go at it? From the fusing unit side?

The printer will be replaced in it's own time. There are still lots of parts available and they're cheaper than they were because they are now "salvage."

I've been in tech since 1980 and have watched "the latest and greatest" replace the "dinosaurs of old" so many times it's beyond boring. Why is something that works perfectly fine today no longer viable tomorrow just because somebody came out with something newer and stopped "supporting" the old? It's called "designed obsolescence" and has nothing to do with anything other than to keep profits rolling. It's also causing major social issues with all the needless waste.

My car is over 35 years old and still looks and drives like new. Like this printer, it was a popular model and there are still lots of parts around to keep it going. I'll keep it as long as it makes sense, and currently it makes more sense to spend a few bucks to keep the old running than thousands for a new one that will cost more to operate because the "support" is current and prices at a premium.

I take it that you do not have a service manual because ID sensor replacement is in the service manual. There is a forum for requesting one. https://www.copytechnet.com/forums/s...nual-requests/

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

I take it that you do not have a service manual because ID sensor replacement is in the service manual. There is a forum for requesting one. https://www.copytechnet.com/forums/s...nual-requests/

Thanks. I do have the Maintenance Guide, Service Manual (Model J July 30 2001) and the Parts Manual. There is sparce reference to the ID sensors beyond them causing problems but I did get at them by pulling out the fusing unit and black pcu.

There is a protective film, as one would expect, over the actual sensors, so applying anything other than water would cause a film to build up that can effect optics but not effect the actual IC. I cleaned it with cotton and water, as suggested, but that didn't correct the alignment issue.

The 385 error happened at 65084 prints followed by a 285 at 65125. Print counter is now at 65413 so it's been over 300 pages since the 385 error. How do I know if that error is "cleared" or is 385 a critical sensor failure?

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

You have the initial release of the service manual. you need one that is dated at least August 19,2003. The same for the Parts Catalog.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

You have the initial release of the service manual. you need one that is dated at least August 19,2003. The same for the Parts Catalog.

Thanks for the heads-up. Got the new docs and they do include sections not in the version I've been using, including coverage of the ID sensors.

Since the ID sensors aren't throwing an error on boot after the self-test I'm going to assume they're okay. Here's a color print (arrow shows leading edge).

Ricoh col align.jpg

It shows solid and consistent CMYK coverage with the Yellow way out of alignment. At this point I'm thinking the various attempts to do a forced alignment with a ceased Yellow developer (which was probably the cause of the problem all along) has caused the Yellow developer stepping motor to get misaligned. In that case what the machine thinks is a certain point it's moving to isn't anymore causing alignment to fail. So close...

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Thanks for the heads-up. Got the new docs and they do include sections not in the version I've been using, including coverage of the ID sensors.

Since the ID sensors aren't throwing an error on boot after the self-test I'm going to assume they're okay. Here's a color print (arrow shows leading edge).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]50684[/ATTACH]

It shows solid and consistent CMYK coverage with the Yellow way out of alignment. At this point I'm thinking the various attempts to do a forced alignment with a ceased Yellow developer (which was probably the cause of the problem all along) has caused the Yellow developer stepping motor to get misaligned. In that case what the machine thinks is a certain point it's moving to isn't anymore causing alignment to fail. So close...

If line position adjustment SP 5-993-002 does not pull it back into alignment, you may need to do a manual adjustment SP 5-908, 5-909, 5-916.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Hi folks - an issue came up over the weekend.

As already noted I replaced most everything in the machine except toner and it has been running fine. I did a large print run which consumed what was left of the black toner that has been in the machine for a decade now.

In anticipation of this I recently purchased a set of NIB Ricoh toner cartridges and replaced the black cartridge. After the replacement the printer started printing a black streak in the middle of the paper. The streaking appears on the OPC drum but not on the belt.

Since both the black OPC and developer have been recently replaced and were working fine prior to the new toner I'm wondering if it's the toner.

I tried cleaning the OPC drum and doing a toner refresh (sp3-921-001) but that didn't seem to help. Insights most welcome.

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Hi folks - an issue came up over the weekend.

As already noted I replaced most everything in the machine except toner and it has been running fine. I did a large print run which consumed what was left of the black toner that has been in the machine for a decade now.

In anticipation of this I recently purchased a set of NIB Ricoh toner cartridges and replaced the black cartridge. After the replacement the printer started printing a black streak in the middle of the paper. The streaking appears on the OPC drum but not on the belt.

Since both the black OPC and developer have been recently replaced and were working fine prior to the new toner I'm wondering if it's the toner.

I tried cleaning the OPC drum and doing a toner refresh (sp3-921-001) but that didn't seem to help. Insights most welcome.

Sounds like you may have toner clods blocking the doctor blade.

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Sounds like you may have toner clods blocking the doctor blade.

That sounds about right. I only did one toner refresh (sp3-921-001). Would doing that a few more times help?

[slimslob]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

That sounds about right. I only did one toner refresh (sp3-921-001). Would doing that a few more times help?

Probably no. With some DVU you can get temporary clearing by turning the development gears backwards to rotate the clumps away from the doctor gap. With others you have to use a doctor blade cleaning tool. A2949590 Paper Dust Cleaner-5pcs/set

[Verne]

Re: CL7000 Alignment

Probably no. With some DVU you can get temporary clearing by turning the development gears backwards to rotate the clumps away from the doctor gap. With others you have to use a doctor blade cleaning tool. A2949590 Paper Dust Cleaner-5pcs/set

Problem solved (this one has vexed me from the beginning). Upon inspection I noticed they have some foam surrounding the point where the toner enters the developer unit. I suspect the foam is to prevent toner spillage. The problem is that the foam breaks down over time and when combined with the tone turns into globby goo. It looks like the goo enters the developer whenever the door is open and shut which plugs up the developer as well as the photoconductor unit.

I checked and this is the case for all the developers. I carefully removed the foam goo which seems to have solved the problem. I'll know for sure after running more prints through.