Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

[chrisoverson]

Hi all

We have two DC240s with a Fiery Rip, which we've named Doris and Boris.

Issue 1) Boris works okay, but does not record toner/consumable usage. In both the printer status window and in command workstation, the toners and drums etc all show 100%. This is definately not the case as both black toners ran out today and all prints became starved. After replacing both cartridges and reeling off about 300 prints it started working again, but the printer still shows full on all cartridges. I even switched the printer off, removed both black toners completely and turned it back on. Still reported as full and threw no error. I do have a PWS if required.

Issue 2) Doris, our newest printer which has been perfect until recently, has started printing yellow/cyan lines on each page which has an image. It only puts a line on images, not over blank space or text. It is also only across one horizontal area of the page, and does not appear anywhere else.
Tried so far:
- Replacing Drums
- Replacing Corotron
- Replacing Fuser
- Cleaning IBT
- Blasting printer out with air (worth a try)
- Restarting
- Changing Toners

All to no avail. I suspect it may be the ROS mirrors that need cleaning but I am unsure how to get to this part to clean it.

Picture of fault:
print_error.jpg

Both printers need to be in working condition as they are constantly in use. Already 2 jobs have had to be cancelled.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide, and sorry for the long post (wanted to be thorough)

[Flash]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Go to image quality, select single color, select cyan, select letter size, raise the document feeder, press start. Do this for magenta and yellow and see which color has the void streak. Replace the developer for that color. The other one I have no clue.

[nmfaxman]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

I would log into each with a web browser and compare the settings side by side.

Match them point to point in the interface and you have fixed two boxes with one nail.

Or killed two birds with one stone. Same/Same.

[chrisoverson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Thanks guys, although I struggle to see how either of those solutions will correct the issues.

I did consider developer, but the symptoms I'm having don't match what happened when the magenta/black developer ran out in two of our printers. It isn't starved or patchy, it has a solid line across the image.

Both printers should be set with exactly the same settings as far as I know. Even if they weren't, why would this cause one to ignore consumables, and one to suddenly start printing bad? Doris (the one with the lines) has been working up until the last couple of days... not sure how long Boris has been ignoring ink levels etc. though.

[adriansto]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Boris machine has corrupted nvm's or low 3.3 voltage. What software level is on it ?
As for Do... make a copy from platen glass. Use a magazine or a photo for original.
If the line is still there then the problem is into machine. If copy looks good then the problem is into a Fiery or Vsel machine pwb.

[chrisoverson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Thanks . That makes sense. I'm not sure what software version Boris is running, but I will check as soon as I get in to work this afternoon. Corrupt NVM values makes sense - the whole NVM had to be reset a little while ago as one of the chips went faulty. I managed to reprogram it myself from scratch with a microcontroller but it's very possible something is not correct in there.

As for Doris, I will try doing the copy today and see how it goes. I'm fairly sure it's a hardware issue as it matches what people have said about lines on the ROS mirror - still at a loss as the best way to clean it though, but I will give the copy a go .

[Exok]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

This is how to clean the ROS:

It is very unlikely that the ROS mirrors or lens are dirty. The ROS units are sealed. It is pretty common that the windows get dirty.

Remove the transfer belt assembly.

Just above the transfer belt assembly you'll see the 4 windows that allow the lasers to shine down on the belt.

There are 2 laser units, each with 2 windows.

I would suggest not using any kind of cleaning fluid but instead just a soft dry cloth.

You might need to attach a small bit of cloth on something long so that you'll be able to reach all the way across the window from one end to the other.

[Milo Wilson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

This is how to clean the ROS:

It is very unlikely that the ROS mirrors or lens are dirty. The ROS units are sealed. It is pretty common that the windows get dirty.

Remove the transfer belt assembly.

Just above the transfer belt assembly you'll see the 4 windows that allow the lasers to shine down on the belt.

There are 2 laser units, each with 2 windows.

I would suggest not using any kind of cleaning fluid but instead just a soft dry cloth.

You might need to attach a small bit of cloth on something long so that you'll be able to reach all the way across the window from one end to the other.

I'm sorry but it is VERY likely the ros mirrors or glass are dirty. They didn't start sealing the ros assy's until the 242 family and even then they still get dirty from time to time.

[Exok]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Fine, edit out the VERY. Would you like to explain how to remove the ROS assemblies and clean the mirrors and lens?

[chrisoverson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Right... I think I have cleaned the right place, although I'm not certain.

Is it directly above the belt, with four windows running along the width of the belt? Or is it the part to the left of the black drum area (with a sliding black guard of some type)? I've removed all the trays and cleaned everything I could see, but there is still a yellow line. It also does the same when copying as it does when I send a file from the PC.

Am I looking in the right place? I don't know how obvious the ROS windows are.

Thanks .

[bojans]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

I believe that you'll have to take out ROS assy and clean mirrors inside.

One tip:
Never, but never do this : "- Blasting printer out with air (worth a try)"

[chrisoverson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Fair enough. It wasn't high pressure air, just wanted to clear all loose toner from the machine... I can understand how this could backfire though. Guess I'll have to start stripping Doris then.

I'm now in a fix because the printer that I've got to dismantle won't work, and the other one keeps running out of ink without telling me and prints starved colour . Any idea what the most likely cause for Boris's issue is (not recording consumable usage) and how to fix it? I don't mind reinitializing all of the NVM values and reconfiguring the printer, but is that likely to solve the issue?

I need at least one working printer

Thanks!

[bojans]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

Don't take me wrong, but my opinion is that you have to call a tech. It is better to pay tech and watch him what he's doing, and in future repair it by yourself.
Messing with copier software and ROS assembly could cause you much more trouble.

[chrisoverson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

I'm a computer engineer by trade, so I'm fairly technical and used to disassembling PCs and Laptops etc, I'm just not familiar with these printers.

I understand that calling an engineer may be the best idea in this case, but we can't afford the delay on the jobs and our local ones are very expensive.

Thanks for the suggestion though .

[chrisoverson]

Re: Issues with Two DC240s - Urgently need working for print jobs

I've just been into the maintainance screen and initialized all NVM values but it still thinks everything is full after two machine restarts