MPC2800 SC555, defective fuser lamps

[E Winter]

Hi there,

we don't have that much machines in the field (maybe 15) so far but we had that SC555 fuser error about three times over the last two month because of defective fuser lamps.

It's always the "double-lamp" inside the heating roller - one of the lamp wires get's broken so there's no connecting passage => lamp isn't working. This happened with different machines at different customers. Can't recall that this was ever a problem with the MPC2500 series wich are using a very related "double-lamp" type.

I'm quite shure that there must be a kind of production error at least for the 230V lamp versions but there's no official bulletin online so far - guess I'll habe do write my next field problem report

[banginbishop]

I've heard of this from my service manager about the fuser lamps blowing - i've not had one yet (crap said that out loud now i'll get one)

Hopefully ricoh will get an upgrade on these lamps soon

[FRIDGEMAGNET]

I am told new lamps of this sort are due out quite soon - Ricoh are supposed to be testing them now.
There was a problem with the gas in the old ones.

[E Winter]

I am told new lamps of this sort are due out quite soon - Ricoh are supposed to be testing them now.

Can you specify the source of this information?

I think it would be appropriate if Ricoh would announce that in their service portals (tessa etc.) - but at least it's good to know that this is apparently a well known issue

[zyqwiz]

There was a problem with exposure lamps causing SC101 on the C1 versions due to gas contamination.

[Prodigal Son]

I've had the exact same problem too, on our showroom machine. I had to replace the double-lamp. I've had the same problem on several MPC2050's as well, same lamp, same place they fry. It's always very close to one end of the lamp, the wire's burnt off. Seems to me it's just bad quality parts.

It seem to happen when the machine has been in power save for a long time, like after holidays or so.

On top of that the same MPC2800 fuser got completely melted down last week... Probably because the thermistor were too far away from the pressure roller so the fuser got heated until it fried. I had to smash the cogwheel on the pressure roller with a hammer to get it off, and I had to cut the fusing belt off the pressure roller because they had melted together. Still waiting for the parts to fix it

[Cipher]

I've had a load of those double fusing lamps go (SC555) on the MPC2050 model.
W/claim them! Ricoh keep telling us no one else is reporting the same problem.

[E Winter]

So it seems that the MPC2800/2050 are using the same double-lamp type.

Ricoh keep telling us no one else is reporting the same problem.

The all time classic - funny that a company with many, many direct techs is serving this phrase again and again

btw: I heard that very recently refering to the ongoing trouble with the (new) MP4000 toner. In the meantime they've acknowledged that there are (a few) other reports. Now we're doing "official" monitoring on two of our machines. I ask myself what kind of monitoring they did before releasing the new toner. Must be kind of "installing the new toner + make 1000 test copies + become excited that the copy is still OK => releasing MB"

[Cipher]

LOL don't get me started on these MP4000/5000 POS MFDs.
We have one that's only done 45k and it's had two dev changes and a couple of dev roller clean ups so far.

They can be frustraighting boxes to work on if your not in the mood.

[Shadow1]

I'm never in the mood.

Ricoh must really insulate their engineers from the techs. I just completely fail to understand their mentality - the guys who design these things need to spend at least a few weeks a year in the field working on them so they can see what actually works and what doesn't... after all, the Titanic was impeccably engineered.

[Prodigal Son]

I'm never in the mood.

Me neither. I can just barely keep myself from screaming at the way they handle all of these things, in all instances all the way to the end user. I mean, they release a new machine that has several major issues, they don't recognise it officially as an engineering problem which leaves us techies testing and testing for weeks for free at the customers, making us look incompetent, inconveniencing the customer enough that they'll remember how eventful it was the next time they want to renew their contract, which leads to them changing dealer, we loose a customer and a lot of money. Were buttfucked. That's it. Downside of being a retailer, no question... and it's the same in all trades, not just copiers.

And they ask us why we get tired, bitter and grumpy? I mean, WTF??

[Prodigal Son]

Sorry, but I've got to bring this up again... I've now had 3 MPC2800 and 3 MPC2050's, all with these defective fuser lamps. It's always the double-lamp that are burnt out, and it's a PITA to get them from the dealer every time... shipping time has been 2 weeks every time...

And it's never the same machine that brakes down twice, it's always a new one.

[E Winter]

And it's never the same machine that brakes down twice, it's always a new one.

I think it's better this way but as long as we are dealing with the same buggy lamp, we will meet the already affected machines again - sooner or later. I wrote a field problem report and got the answere, that the issue has been forwarded to Ricoh Japan.

And yes - it can be hard to get in touch with a spare. Once Ricoh couldn't deliver but after explaining the urgency (custmer can't with the machine) they handled to strip a machine and send us a lamp in a weird looking makeshift package.