MP4500 - light copies?

[OutlawTorn]

Hey all,

I bloody hate MP4500's! Been having an issue with one lately where the botton 1/3 of the copy is faint and has a white line through it.

So far I have replaced the dev unit, developer, drum, drum blade, charge roller, cleaning roller and the transfer belt! Still no improvement of the copy quality!

Ricoh have suggested the laser unit might be duff but I'm not sure about that - can anyone shed any light on this one for me?


Cheers!

[Gift]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

I hope you've tried to clean the laser protective glass first. It's easy to pull it out - just move the toner hopper lever up and you'll see how it goes. If that doesn't help it's also easy to get the entire laser unit out of the machine for a closer inspection/cleaning.

[sandmanmac]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

I hope you've tried to clean the laser protective glass first. It's easy to pull it out - just move the toner hopper lever up and you'll see how it goes. If that doesn't help it's also easy to get the entire laser unit out of the machine for a closer inspection/cleaning.

x2 on that. I think the obvious, may have been over-looked here too -especially if none of the other stuff made a difference

[Eric1968]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

I'm also thinking about the laser shielding glass. Most of the times when there's something with the laser unit you'll get sc-codes.

[OutlawTorn]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

Unfortunately I have also checked the slit glass and it is fine, cleaned out the laser unit as well.

Serious head scratcher.

[Gift]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

OK, then another attempt:

Does the issue occure just in copy mode or also at printjobs? Can you provide a good quality scan of a sample page?

[Venom]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

You say bottom of copy, is that trail edge or is paper Long Edge First and rear or front side light? Does it occur when doing internal prints?
too many causes...dirty optics, dirty laser slit, poor dev bias, poor transfer, bad paper

[nmfaxman]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

Does it do it when you print a meter sheet?
Have you checked the white plate for the optics.
I have seen where a tech did a dv change on the glass and got toner all over the white plate and copies came out light. Saw one with a hair stuck under it and caused a fine white line on all copies.
When the machine comes on it does a white plate check to compensate for dirty optics.
Also make sure it sits flat on the glass. If it is warped it can't read right.
Good luck.

[OutlawTorn]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

Sorry lads, issue is also on all internal prints as well!

Might try and get a sample printout uploaded on here later, this issue is doing my head in.

[totoro]

Re: MP4500 - light copies?

Have you done a panic stop to see if the image is dark on the drum itself? That will help you rule out the transfer and then all that is left is drum, Developer unit or laser. Of course it could be some weird electrical problem. Do you have another unit that you can swap known good units ( laser, pcu, developer) from? It's a long shot , but how is the drum ground?