HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third only

[pbrooks259]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

Hi, Kiran. Just want to confirm: For a "4200" scanner, you have a new driver board and new main pca? Right?

I still have a 4200 scanner for which I inquired about 3 years ago about the 50-195 error "stitch write failed" also get at times "SM firmware error".

You told me once to check the o-ring belt. I did, and it seems to be intact.

Thinking I could re-install the software, and see what that does.

Do you have the software to re-install?


I think the steps for 50-195 are:

1. FW upgrade--don't have.

2. Erasure of parameter blocks. ....I have not been able to do on a 4200; I know how to do on a 4500 in Scanner Maintenance.

3. Replace main board.


4. Run scanner maintenance. In scanner maintenance, Keep getting "stitching failed", "fatal FW error", etc.



Thanks,
Paul

[Kiran Otter]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

Yes, I have those two boards. I also have a power supply since I'm going to junk my scanner (it's got a bad interface board.) At least the power supply is the same.

I'll PM you about the software.

Do you have the correct calibration sheet? The wrong one could cause a FW error, maybe. There is no updating the firmware. The software does it if it deems necessary, but I've never seen firmware outside of that.

Kiran

[pbrooks259]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

....yes, I have the correct calibration sheet; however, it is a bit beat up with all the drive roller marks on it. I have successfully calibrated a 4200 with the 4500 calibration sheet. I was surprised but I have done it. It fits tightly but it will work based on my experience. My buddy who worked on my 4200 used a 4500 (I'm pretty sure it was for a 4500) calibration sheet on my 4200 as well.

[pbrooks259]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

Well, dang! I replaced the main pca with a new main pca. At first, I scanned a drawing and it appeared in the preview--no black scan!!!! Yee haw!!!! There was a vertical line on the right seemingly in the vicinity of the right stitch wire.

I proceeded to calibrate the scanner.

Under the heading of stitching?/calibrating? camera A (or Camera A view?) I got 55-203 again! Dang it! The horizontal line would not stitch????--they would not match up vertically (under Camera A). It seemed to try several times.

Then error 55-205 " Program has performed alignment. For optimum performance this should be followed by a scanner calibration."

Tried calibration again and get: 55-523 Sheet not recognized.

I tried to scan a drawing. I got a "BLACK" scan again!!!!

I'm at a loss presently.

Do I need to replace Camera A board? Replace driver board? The PSU seemed to supply the right voltages, but what was to be 12V was 12.6V.

I checked voltages at "darker blue wires" coming off of driver board; I get 1.6V, odd voltage. For the blue wire coming from the 6th pin?, counted from front to back, I get 5V.


UPDATE: I replaced driver board, and I get the same--black scan.


I'll try my 4200 PSU on the 4500 next. I don't know exactly what else to try.


Thanks very much,
Paul

[pbrooks259]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

Thanks Kiran! ....At the admonition of Kiran to "erase parameter blocks", I had them erased again--I had done it already about 3 or 4 times. But this time it worked. I encountered no errors and it calibrated. Seems to work fine.


Perhaps the replacement of one of the circuit boards helped. I replaced, maybe all for nought: main pca, driver board, PSU, all camera boards and the 2 camera motors. For what it's worth, I did install another used lamp. I don't really know if these boards, motors, or lamp made a difference.


But the key at this point was to "erase parameter blocks" again. I don't know why it did not make a difference earlier when I tried it.

Thanks again, Kiran, for all your help!

[Kiran Otter]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

So yeah, the moral of the story; always erase the parameter blocks after replacing any boards, then run the standard calibration.

Kiran

[pbrooks259]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

I couldn't stand not knowing what specifically fixed it.


I put the old main pca in, and "bingo", it scanned to black.


So as best as I can tell it was indeed a bad main pca that caused the problem.

And a replacement main pca along with "erase parameter codes" fixed it.

Thanks for your help, Kiran!

[tsbservice]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

I couldn't stand not knowing what specifically fixed it.


I put the old main pca in, and "bingo", it scanned to black.


So as best as I can tell it was indeed a bad main pca that caused the problem.

And a replacement main pca along with "erase parameter codes" fixed it.

Thanks for your help, Kiran!

Epic win. I think Kiran knowledge and good will guide you through this like a pilot.

Kudos to both of you folks.

[pbrooks259]

Re: HP Designjet 4500 Scanner-after a while starts only scanning center one-third onl

Now it seems like a phantom problem. ....the mid-section only scan has occurred once since I did this below--it will probably do it again. I will probably reinstall ALL the replacement boards just to make sure it doesn't happen again. I'm presently testing it to see if it happens again.


I installed all my old original parts, and erased parameter blocks after reinstalling each one, and the scanner appears fine. My only thought is that originally MAYBE POSSIBLY I had a tentative cable connection. (I did discover 2 bent pins for the camera C? socket on the old original main pca, but I think I may have bent those by rocking the connector when I last removed it.) After disconnecting and reconnecting main pca and camera boards a few times, I THINK it is possible that a tentative cable connection was made a GOOD connection. But I am not really sure.


I did get a diagnostic flashing red LED (wait LED - off, ready LED - off), and I got a 55-203 error again. I assume because camera C's motor had run its length--hit a stop. It appeared to have bottomed out. (earlier both arms had been sitting around 9:15--similar to a clock face)



I tried to center both vertical alignment adjustment arms in the center of their adjustment screws. I then tried calibration and no more 55-203 so far.


Again I guess ALL my old original parts were OK after having been removed, replaced, and reinstalled.


I had calibrated it last fall, and the problem it had just popped up and was intermittent for a while scanning only the mid section of a drawing more and more often and then finally only scanning black seemingly starting when I tried to calibrate again for the 1st time since last fall.