New 161spf not adding toner

[tinfox]

Replacing a 1515mf. The new 161 doesn't seem to like adding toner. Is this a common problem with 161's out of the box.

This is my second problem with it. The first was that the battery backup piggyback board was loose and was locking up the op panel.

[Fearless V K]

Had one of these with a similar sounding problem. It was a B*tch to figure out. Turned out to be the spring loaded plunger behind the toner bottle. (The part that meshes with the rear of the bottle to turn it. The parts book calls it a toner supply shaft p/n B1291176.) The customer had installed the toner bottle with the black cap still on it, which jammed the plunger into the rear housing causing the 'D' shaft on the rear of the plunger to rotate inside inside it's housing since the toner bottle could not rotate properly, effectively jamming it to the back of the machine so it never contacted the toner bottle afterward.

Remove the toner bottle and look at the part behind it that meshes with the bottle to turn it. Try pushing on it by hand. It should move toward the back of the machine about an inch or so, then spring back out when released. If it does not move, it is jammed.

If that is the problem, the hard part is unjamming it without breaking something.

The way I did it was to hold the part firmly by hand and turn on the toner supply motor in the SP modes. This spun the 'D' shaft housing to where the shaft lined up normally and the part popped out. The 'D' shaft was rounded out from being forced to spin in the housing, but it still worked well enough until I could replace it with a new toner supply shaft.

[tinfox]

This is a brand new machine tho. And I put the toner in it.

[PaulLoveless]

Stupid question:

You know how like a 1027 PCU ships with tape and "remove before flight" things... could it be possible that is the case with this machines PCU?

[Gary Bowen]

I just got back from a identical call yesterday. I set up the copier in the shop and delivered it to the customer. After 50 copies it was asking for toner. The customer was suspicious and called sales who called service.
The TSU had not added toner. The plug in the toner bottle was not beig removed by the chuck. I tried the Toner Supply Unit outside the copier and the same problem; the plug was not being pulled out of the bottle. I tried a new Toner Supply Unit from stock and all is fine.
The old TSU is working fine after I brought it back to the shop.
Ricoh direct techs are reporting the same problem with this copier. Could be bad TSU,s or maybe the spring on the back TSU Clutch housing isn't putting enough pressure against the toner bottle.
I have had the same problem as Fearless V K. Except the TSU Clutch was so badly jammed up that I had to break the housing it sits in to get it apart. Out came the epoxy (fortunately I was in the shop with the customer machine; the Clutch Housing is part of the frame so would be a huge project to replace).

[Jomama46]

Plus, make sure it is 1515/161 toner. the 1302(1013) bottle will not fit and will jam the aforementioned drive motor.

[bryand]

This is a very common problem. Ricoh has released a bulletin with the "new" way to install the toner bottle (seriously lol) You slide the bottle into the hopper, push the green handle down while you are pushing the bottle into the hopper. Now slide the hopper into the machine.

Im sure it has to do with the spring/chuck in the rear of the machine not pushing the bottle enough.

[Jomama46]

You slide the bottle into the hopper, push the green handle down while you are pushing the bottle into the hopper. Now slide the hopper into the machine.

WHAT?
This is like the opposite of the way it was previously done. If you pull the handle down too soon you wont pull the seal out of the bottle!
What are they trying to do to us.
Can you post that bulletin?

[bryand]

Ok , hope this is ok as it's not available in a file format.


How to Add Toner How to Add Toner ?
Answer

• Open the Front Cover
  
  
• Lift the large green handle up to its full extent
  
  
• Press and hold down the green lever to the left of the green handle
  
  
• Use the green handle to pull out the Toner Tray slightly then release the green lever
• Pull out the Toner Tray to its full extent
  
  
• Push the toner bottle towards the front of the black housing where the green lever is located
  
  
  
• Push the green lever down while continuing to hold the toner bottle towards it.
  
  
• Slide the whole assembly back into the device until it clicks into place
  
  
• Close the Front Cover
• The device should now attempt to Add Toner
• If the Add Toner indicator light appears after approximately 100 prints please repeat this procedure

[Jomama46]

OK I get it, you're opening the bottle before you slide it in. Hoot mon. I think we need a new hopper or bottle or motor.

If the Add Toner indicator light appears after approximately 100 prints please repeat this procedure

Schmucks.

[PaulLoveless]

same problem

We delivered 4 161's to a brand new account in the middle of no where. Pretty much a 1.5 hour drive from any point in Ohio...

Any ways,

3 out of the 4 161's experienced the same exact problem as expressed above.
One of our techs realized that the chuck was not being pulled out all the way. His field fix was to file 2 notches where the handle rest in the down position. These notches allow the handle to travel further thus pulling the chuck out.

When I called the hot line, I must have gotten a new guy. All he kept telling me was to make sure the safety cap wasn't stuck in the hopper and to upgrade the firmware.

The whole situation is very stupid by any measure. The customer is petrified of the machines now....

[Cipher]

I had to clean out a couple of these toner hoppers for not adding toner.

I've seen the small mylar hole on the side gunged up soild with toner preventing supply.
And like PaulLoveless said about the shalf not fully retracting so it can grab the toner bottle nozzle.
The underneath of the plastic shalf gets scatched and friction prevents a smooth and full movement.
I normally turn the shalf around and put a very small amount of grease applied with a cotton bud around the hole.