Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

[aab1]

I had my HP business inkjet printer on a UPS because if there was a power failure during a print job the $200 printheads could dry out and fail if power didn't come back soon enough.

Would a laser printer risk any damage if there was a power failure while printing or is it safe to leave it off the UPS (it is however on a surge protector)?

Thanks

[Eric1968]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

If a printer has a HDD, the HDD could crash if the power is interrupted during a print job (just like a computer). BTW, printheads don't dry out during a power failure.

[Wild Bill]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

RTFM : /

[rthonpm]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

I agree with Eric on the hard drive issue. Be sure if it's on a surge protector that the amperage is greater than what the manual calls for. I've seen plenty of cases where a cheap surge protector will trip thanks to the number of amps the machine plugged into it will draw.

[aab1]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

If a printer has a HDD, the HDD could crash if the power is interrupted during a print job (just like a computer). BTW, printheads don't dry out during a power failure.

I hadn't thought about the hard drive, but I don't use the features that use the hard drive like job storage, is the hard drive used even during normal print/copy jobs or are those done using RAM only?

I also don't understand how an inkjet printer printhead wouldn't dry out during an extended power failure if the printer was printing, of course if the printer was idle and the printhead was parked when the power failure occurs nothing will happen, but if the printer is printing during a power failure then the printheads will be left exposed to air and dry out. For example those really old inkjets where you had to swap cartridges for either black or color, or for either color or photo quality color, the unused cartridge had to be left in a special holder that kept the printhead sealed airtight to prevent it from drying, they also warned you not to leave it unsealed for more than a few minutes.

Thanks

[westom]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

I also don't understand how an inkjet printer printhead wouldn't dry out during an extended power failure if the printer was printing, of course if the printer was idle and the printhead was parked

You suspicions are properly founded. Nothing electronic is damaged by power loss.

For example, when does a disk drive first learn the system is shutting down? When DC voltages suddenly start to disappear. It receieved no advance warning. That was how all disk drives worked even when I worked on drives that used motor oil to move the heads. But that is not what so many computer techs are told by advertising.

Power loss does not damage any electronics. Some see electronics fail after a power loss. Then somehow just know the damage must be from a power off. We call conclusions based only in observation "junk science".

Now, let's review your fears by tempering conclusions with numbers. A UPS in battery backup mode outputs power so dirty as to be potentially harmful to same electric motors and power strip protectors. See that power brick with the ink jet printer? That power supply is so robust as to make the 'dirtiest' UPS irrelevant. However some laser jet printers may not have a power brick to 'clean' the 'dirtiest' AC power from a UPS. So UPS manufacturers recommend not operating a laser printer from their 'as cheap as possible' UPS.


Again, so many will post fears of disk drive damage because they never learned how all disk drives worked even before the original IBM PC existed. They heard mythical fears. And did not demand any numbers. Then just know power loss must cause hard drive damage. Learn from someone who first learned how disk drives work. And always demands numbers. Power loss does not cause hard drive damage nor ink jet printer damage.

Be concerned about a laser printer powered from a UPS. Some of the dirtiest power seen in any home comes from a UPS while operating in battery backup mode. Most appliances make that 'dirtiest' UPS power irrelevant. Some motorized appliances can be harmed.

[ZAZA_2012]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

ur threads all are boring ! we are strong and we have long idea and you tell us for the damn printer!!!


what do you have inside ur Mind!!


be nice or leave us alone

[KenB]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

From what I've seen over the years, low power will not damage electronic equipment.

However, it's when the power comes back on that you are likely to get spikes, which if severe enough, can wipe out almost anything.

So it's not just the obvious "getting hit by lightning" scenario to be concerned about, that's a different animal.

Also, don't be lulled into a false sense of security by cheapie surge protectors, no matter what they advertise (normally in how many joules they can protect you from).

When the weatherman is predicting storms, and tells you to turn everything off (better yet, unplug it), listen to him/her. They are offering free advice on protecting your stuff, or even a fire.

Based on this post and some previous ones, it sounds like you have some big time issues with power. Do yourself a favor, hire a qualified electrician, and splurge a little. Your equipment will run much better, and you'll stay safe. Your electric bill may even actually go down, as you'd be drawing fewer amps, and running more efficiently.

Don't be a cheapskate; seems to me that you're pinching pennies where it makes the least amount of sense.

Skimping on ink and toner is one thing - your property and safety are quite another.

[westom]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

However, it's when the power comes back on that you are likely to get spikes, which if severe enough, can wipe out almost anything.

[KenB]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

Even if the power does come on smoothly when it first restores, (which I still doubt) what about those happy little bounces you get during lightning storms, or when the power company truck is parked on your street and techs are doing repairs? (There was a lot of that in my neighborhood 2 years ago - there were several bad transformers.)

It's been a few years, but I've actually seen my lights in the house come on very brightly during a storm for a split second. Not a lightning strike, but rather a surge.

Have you ever used a quality voltage monitor a customer account? I have many times, and while a lot of times they come back "clean", I've seen some whoppers, too. Surges up to 400 volts, and even beyond.

I realize that the power companies have overall got their proverbial act together, (I've heard that the 60 Hz power is regulated to 3-4 cycles per year), but they're not perfect by any means.

Please note that based on his previous posts over the past year or so, aab1 has come out and said that his power pretty much sucks, and needs some big time work. While they can be fun , he doesn't need to be filled in with minute technical details or a theoretical discussion - he needs some serious rewiring, ASAP.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

Until you've connected a PQA, you really have no idea how crappy the power is. This event log came from a factory setting:

[westom]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

I realize that the power companies have overall got their proverbial act together, (I've heard that the 60 Hz power is regulated to 3-4 cycles per year), but they're not perfect by any means.

[aab1]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

You suspicions are properly founded. Nothing electronic is damaged by power loss. [...]

Thanks, but in case I wasn't clear, for the inkjet printer I wasn't worried power loss would damage any of the electronics, I had it on a UPS so that in case of a power failure while printing, I'd be able to stop the print job and allow the printer to park the heads airtight service station do they wouldn't dry out. I never did end up having a power failure while printing.

By the way I'm rather confused at people saying I have power problems, I have probably among the most reliable power there is, with power failures occurring probably less than once per year, but I still wanted the inkjet on a UPS as the print heads could cost up to $200.

If a power outage can't damage a laser printer like it can an inkjet then I'll leave the laser printer off the UPS.

[blackcat4866]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

westom: I think you completely missed the point. That attachment is a documented case of dirty power, causing the NIC to drop off the network several times a day.

The point is that until a power quality analyzed is installed to record events, you really don't know anything for sure. That's all.

Logic level circuits run at 5v, and usually trigger at 3.5v (<3.5v = low (0), >3.5v = high (1)). If your ground to neutral varies by more than 1v it can mean the difference between a 0 or 1, low or high, running or jammed.

You come across as some sort of public relations rep for the power company. Are you seriously denying the existence of dirty power? For real?
=^..^=

[KenB]

Re: Can laser printers be damaged by losing power during a print job?

Thanks, but in case I wasn't clear, for the inkjet printer I wasn't worried power loss would damage any of the electronics, I had it on a UPS so that in case of a power failure while printing, I'd be able to stop the print job and allow the printer to park the heads airtight service station do they wouldn't dry out. I never did end up having a power failure while printing.

By the way I'm rather confused at people saying I have power problems, I have probably among the most reliable power there is, with power failures occurring probably less than once per year, but I still wanted the inkjet on a UPS as the print heads could cost up to $200.

If a power outage can't damage a laser printer like it can an inkjet then I'll leave the laser printer off the UPS.

Seriously?

I'm not referring to what comes in off the street; it's probably no less respectable than most. I am referring to the power management you have within your building.

Re-read some of your posts from the past year or so. Did you not mention that you can't run too many things at the same time? You clearly demonstrated that the power in your office is out and out awful, unless what you posted was untrue. (Of course, you could have been embellishing the facts to make your Canon sound as bad as possible.) Kinda like you saying that you are a simple end user, yet your avatar says "Service Manager". Service manager of what? I'm still befuddled by that one.

Go out and rent a quality power monitor, and let it run for at least 3 or 4 days. Be sure to do so during the heat of summer, when your AC is running - don't make it easy to get lulled into a false sense of security.

If it comes back clean, great, good for you. If not...