Ricoh 1224c / Infotec ISC-824 Toner Issues

[paultuk]

Hi guys,

First Post......... after many years of reading the posts on here.....

I have an Infotec ISC-824 which needs a new yellow toner cartridge. I purchased a set from the net and attempted to replace the yellow but the machine will not accept it.

The machine shows the Loading toner dialog box but then flashes the same error message after a couple of minutes. I have shook the toner 10-15 times just in case the toner has settled and i have not touched the Chip on the toner at all so it should be ok.

I have been told that the ISC-824 uses the same toners as the Ricoh 1224c and there may be an engineer reset for the machine allowing me to "force" the machne into accepting the toner cartridge?

Would anyone know if it sounds like a Firmware issue? If so where do i find an update for the machine?

If anyone has any info i would greatly appreciate it as i'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Paul T

P.S. I refill Ink and Remanufacture Laser toners for a living so i'm pretty technical when it comes to printers etc. So please suggest anything to try i'm quite competent on the hardware side of things. Cheers

[Eric1968]

I don't think a firmware update can resolve this. There is a forced toner supply setting in the SP-mode, but if the machine can't load the toner this setting is of no use. I think the problem is in the development unit. Maybe the gears at the back of the development unit can't drive the toner cartridge properly. I have seen a lose gear in the development unit a few years ago.
BTW : The development unit should be replaced by a trained tech.

[Jomama46]

Eric is probably right about the dev gear but I am not familiar with the Infotec. What is the product code for the machine you have? It is possible you have the wrong toner cartridge.

[TonerMunkeh]

Could also be non-OEM toner. When you insert the toner, does the machine say "independant supplier toner set"?

If not, I'd be leaning more toward the yellow dev unit.

[zyqwiz]

I expect you have been supplied 3224c toner instead of 1224c toner by someone who doesn't know the difference.

When they are new, the 1224c has a green pull off label and the 3224c has an orange pull off label.

[paultuk]

Thanks for your replies guys.

The toners are genuine supplies. I have tried two toners now and the machine goes through the Loading Toner process which the toner light goes off. Then after a couple of prints after the light re-appears and warns that the Yellow toner is almost empty.

I have taken the yellow dev unit out of the side of the copier and disconnected the chip reader. I have removed the toner and rotated the developer roller which turns the toner agitator gear. The gear seems to be operating properly, not loose etc. I have checked the gears of the other colours and the yellow one performs the same as those

I have found the Operator mode and forced yellow toner but the error comes back again after a few prints.

Could the machine be stuck in a loop thinking the toner hasn't been replaced?? or could another toner be low/empty?

Regards

Paul T

[TonerMunkeh]

The yellow dev unit has probably had it. That's your next step.

[paulg]

Thanks for your replies guys.

The toners are genuine supplies. I have tried two toners now and the machine goes through the Loading Toner process which the toner light goes off. Then after a couple of prints after the light re-appears and warns that the Yellow toner is almost empty.

I have taken the yellow dev unit out of the side of the copier and disconnected the chip reader. I have removed the toner and rotated the developer roller which turns the toner agitator gear. The gear seems to be operating properly, not loose etc. I have checked the gears of the other colours and the yellow one performs the same as those

I have found the Operator mode and forced yellow toner but the error comes back again after a few prints.

Could the machine be stuck in a loop thinking the toner hasn't been replaced?? or could another toner be low/empty?

Regards

Paul T

Have you checked the Drive to the Dev unit? The clucthes and drive have been known to fail on these if its not the dev unit which has failed. Also the green connectors we have had those fail due to a dodgy connection inside.

[paultuk]

To test the clutches would i rotate the cog one way and if i can't rotate it back the other way i can assume the clutch is operating as it should??

The contacts on the green chip connector are clean and seem ok connection wise. As the machine detects a new cartridge has been inserted i can't see that it could be the chip connection could be at fault?

I placed a mark on the cog which rotates the agitator bars in the toner then inserted a cartridge. When i remove the toner the cog has rotated moving the mark so the dev unit is ok.

Bloody thing!!!!!

Any other ideas??

Once again i really appreciate your comments peeps!!

Paul T

[Eric1968]

The clutches are at the back side of the machine, but I think the problem lies in the development unit. Maybe the toner end mechanism isn't working correctly. This works by means of a optic fiber. I would place my money on the DV-Unit. A defective toner shutter could also be the problem allthough I have not seen this.

[paultuk]

I couldn't see a fibre optic device?? Don't suppose you'd know where to look for that? I have removed the dev unit from the access panel on the side of the machine by removing the two locating screws and sliding the dev unit out. The dev units all sit on top of each other with the Black on top then Yellow, Cyan and Magenta. Is this correct??

Cheers

[Jomama46]

I couldn't see a fibre optic device?? Don't suppose you'd know where to look for that? I have removed the dev unit from the access panel on the side of the machine by removing the two locating screws and sliding the dev unit out. The dev units all sit on top of each other with the Black on top then Yellow, Cyan and Magenta. Is this correct??

Cheers

Locating screws? I hope you mean the two screws for the left door.
The F optics are inside the dev unit, they just judge when the toner is low. But the chip is the real counter. It measures the toner meted out during copying and subtracts it from its total. When you're out, you're out.

[Eric1968]

I would call a tech to fix this...

[Jomama46]

I would call a tech to fix this...

Roger that last transmission!

[paultuk]

Yes the screws on the side door where the Dev units are located.

The machine doesnt actually say that the toner is empty. It says almost empty. If like you say "When you're out, you're out" the machine shouldnt print?? but it does?

Going back to the fibre optic part of the dev unit. I can't see any optical window on the cartridge in which the machine would use to check the toner level?? How does the fibre optic sensor detect the toner level?

Regards
Paul T