3 and 4 series MPC toner add issues

[Klydon]

I have had a few issues with the 3 and later series machines where a machine will indicate to replace a color toner (using OM toner). The devo unit is locked up (you can hear a grinding sound in the machine) and where the toner goes in is packed. Also, the toner hopper auger is broken or deformed. In one case, I replaced both of these at the same time and it worked fine and I have never had another issue with that machine again. (MPC 3004). In the case of two MPC 2503, the issue came right back. In one it was the board that runs the toner add motor (would always run) and in the other, the machine was swapped because no matter what we did, we could not get it to stop adding toner.

I am currently working on a MPC 3004ex. Replaced the devo unit, toner hopper. Customer called back. Toner was topped up on the devo unit, but not packed yet (I can turn the devo unit still). The print is not over toned. The TDS sensor is reading a pinch high, so it should most likely be adding toner. It is almost like the toner gets plugged and won't go into the developer unit. You can hear the toner hopper running to add toner and the bottle will spin to move toner into the system.

My current plan is to do a PCDU and before I put it in, I am going to completely clean the entire magenta toner feed system out of toner and use a new bottle. I don't exactly feel confident on this plan, but I don't have any other ideas on proceeding with this issue either and most of the other guys I work with don't know either.

Anyone been seeing or hearing of this issue by chance and what corrective actions have been working for you?

Thanks.

[slimslob]

I believe there was a bulletin concerning the toner hopper auger breaking on the CXX03.

[Oze]

There are MANY bulletins relating to this issue.
Here's but one:

[Oze]

One other crucial thing to remember is to make sure that the dev turns freely BEFORE you put it in the machine.
There's also a bulletin concerning the batch numbers of affected devs/pcdu.
If I can find it I'll upload it.

[Klydon]

I am familiar with the augers breaking and/or being twisted and generally not working. That was the case with this machine, but the hopper assembly has been replaced. You can hear the hopper motor running to add toner and we can see the developer unit getting toner. (If it is enough or "normal" is another matter). I did pull the new toner hopper to inspect it to make sure the auger was ok and it was. I also worked the gears manually and toner was coming out.

[Zaxxon]

Often needs development unit replaced with the toner hopper (at the same time) or you won’t get this running.

[copier tech]

I have had a few issues with the 3 and later series machines where a machine will indicate to replace a color toner (using OM toner). The devo unit is locked up (you can hear a grinding sound in the machine) and where the toner goes in is packed. Also, the toner hopper auger is broken or deformed. In one case, I replaced both of these at the same time and it worked fine and I have never had another issue with that machine again. (MPC 3004). In the case of two MPC 2503, the issue came right back. In one it was the board that runs the toner add motor (would always run) and in the other, the machine was swapped because no matter what we did, we could not get it to stop adding toner.

I am currently working on a MPC 3004ex. Replaced the devo unit, toner hopper. Customer called back. Toner was topped up on the devo unit, but not packed yet (I can turn the devo unit still). The print is not over toned. The TDS sensor is reading a pinch high, so it should most likely be adding toner. It is almost like the toner gets plugged and won't go into the developer unit. You can hear the toner hopper running to add toner and the bottle will spin to move toner into the system.

My current plan is to do a PCDU and before I put it in, I am going to completely clean the entire magenta toner feed system out of toner and use a new bottle. I don't exactly feel confident on this plan, but I don't have any other ideas on proceeding with this issue either and most of the other guys I work with don't know either.

Anyone been seeing or hearing of this issue by chance and what corrective actions have been working for you?

Thanks.

Seen this so often now on all the METIS series even the ex so far not on the IMC range.

I carry a set of hoppers & dev gears in the car.

[Klydon]

Often needs development unit replaced with the toner hopper (at the same time) or you won’t get this running.

That is what I did the first time around. (I made the mistake of not doing that with a 4 series color and the result was I had to replace the toner hopper again).

I have the entire PCDU and a new hopper in now and will be going to do battle with this sucker tomorrow. Hopefully it will behave, but we shall see.

@copier tech. Hoppers and gears are not too bad for these space wise, but what do you do for developer units that are totally locked up?

For those that have not messed with these, one hopper doesn't fit all. There are differences and you have to make sure you have the right hopper for the right color you are working on. I had one of my work mates make that mistake when he ordered the wrong color hopper.

[slimslob]

I have a question for those of you who have had to replace a toner hopper. What type of climate are you located in?

I live in a warm climate and had never had a hopper fail on the 03 series. I retired just about the time the 4 series came out. The lowest temperature I have seen in Bakersfield was 17 F. We get show only about once every 8 to 10 years. In the summer we have anywhere from 35 to 50 days of 100+ temperatures.

Could extremely low over night temperatures be causing the augers to become brittle? Or possibly condensation in the hopper or development unit. If so, would the scanner heater or tray heater might help?

[Klydon]

Midwest here. From what I remember, time of year really hasn't played a role in when augers get broken. It just isn't 3 and 4 series machines. I have done several MPC 305 series machines as well and have done a SPC 440 too.

We have had some issues with new developer units during the summer. Units sit in cars that get cooked because of the heat and the developer gets caked up. I have had this happen both with little and big color machines. Typically I have gotten the developer units from other techs that I know don't have garages. My car is in a garage when I am at home, so I have not had those issues. I can't remember if they changed the packaging, but Ricoh now sends developer units using a box in a box packing technique for protection. The result is a package that is much larger than the PCU box or a entire PCDU. In fact, the boxes are so large, I typically keep developer units in my garage because they take up so much space.

I had a couple of MPC 305 family PCDU's be bad because the developer had harden in the top of the PCDU in late summer this year.

I don't know if condensation is playing a role or not. We typically struggle with humidity in paper during the summer. During the winter, it seems like when we get a cold snap, (temps below freezing), copy quality calls pick up. PCU's that are long in the tooth will chose that time to exhibit lines from charge rollers. One year, I changed out 80 drums in MPC 3300's during Nov-Feb and otherwise used 5 pcu's the rest of the year. (It was a cold winter that year with several brutal cold snaps). Our theory on that is when the temps drop that low, the furnaces run far more often for heat and it causes the air to be very dry.