KM 4050 light prints and copies on one end

[mantis01]

I have a KM 4050 that is light on one end of the page. I have new oem toner and the drum has less than 2000 pages on it. I am at a loss of what it can be. Thank you

47552

[BillyCarpenter]

What's the page count on the developer? I've had this same problem before and it was the developer needed to be changed.

Here's an example of my problem. Looks the same to me.

47553

[mantis01]

The developing unit was replaced with the drum I did the maintenance kit (Includes DV-715 Developing Unit, DK-716 Drum Unit, FK-715 Fixing Unit, TR-710 Transfer Unit)

[BillyCarpenter]

Are you having the problem on copies & prints?

Have you cleaned the laser slit glass?

Is there moisture in the paper?

You need to figure out if the problem is in the image formation section or the transfer section. Maybe cut the power off during the the copy process and look at the latent image on the drum.

[mantis01]

It happens on copies and prints.

I tried turning it off and the latent image looks light on the end of the drum just like the paper (I could not get a good photo of it)


I did wipe down the outside of the laser lens and can not see anything on the outside surface.

The only thing I can think of is that there is something inside the laser module or maybe the laser is getting week.

I could not find instructions to get at the laser module.

[BillyCarpenter]

The KM-4050 is a very old machine. It was released in 2006. What the total counter? Sounds like a good candidate for an upgrade.

[mantis01]

the total count is 269817 so it has not bee used that much and last year we put money in it for the maintenance kit. An upgrade is defiantly not in the budget for a copier (especially this year). That is why I was reaching out here.

[BillyCarpenter]

I should have asked all these questions upfront. My apologies. You said you replaced the maintenance kit.

The 500k kit includes the following:


(1) DV-715 Developing Unit [302GR93034]
(1) DK-716 Drum Unit [302GR93041 (https://www.precisionroller.com/302gr93041-for-kyocera/details_pn_50586.html)]
(1) MC-710 Main Charge with Motor [302GR94534 (https://www.precisionroller.com/302gr94534-for-kyocera/details_pn_73928.html)]
(1) FK-715 Fixing Unit [302GR93057 (https://www.precisionroller.com/302gr93057-for-kyocera/details_pn_50731.html)]
(1) TR-710 Transfer Unit [302GR93281 (https://www.precisionroller.com/302gr93281-for-kyocera/details_pn_65275.html)]
(2) Front Registration Guide [2BL16130 (https://www.precisionroller.com/2bl16130-for-kyocera/details_pn_84008.html)]
(1) Transfer Guide[302FG93111 (https://www.precisionroller.com/302fg93111-for-kyocera/details_pn_84012.html)]
(3) Pickup Roller [2BJ06010 (https://www.precisionroller.com/2bj06010-for-kyocera/details_pn_8976.html)]
(2) Feed Rollers [2AR07220 (https://www.precisionroller.com/2ar07220-for-kyocera/part_number.html)]
(3) Separation Rollers [2AR07230 (https://www.precisionroller.com/2ar07230-for-kyocera/part_number.html)]
(1) Bypass Feed Roller [61706770]
(1) Registration Clean [2BL93450]
(1) Under Cleaner Registration [2BL07950 (https://www.precisionroller.com/2bl07950-for-kyocera/details_pn_84007.html)

Is that the kit your replaced?

Is it an OEM kit or generic?

Can you tell me every item that was included in the kit?

[mantis01]

this is the kit I got
Kyocera Mita Maintenance Kit (500k) MK-716, MK716, 1702GR7US0 - U.S. Globe Service Corp. | Toner Cartridges & Office Equipment Sales, Supplies & Service (https://www.usglobecomputers.com/product_info.php?products_id=16288)

I believe it is Genuine, Kyocera

[BillyCarpenter]

Ok, good. Who knows how long that kit has been sitting on the shelf. I would pull the DV unit and look at the magnetic roller to see if it is coated with developer from end to to end. We know the the problem lies in the image formation section because you saw the void area on the latent image. When you pull the DV unit, shake it real good and see if that helps. Hope that helps.

[BillyCarpenter]

By the way...are you a tech or an end user? Did you run all the necessary simulations for replacing the PM parts?

[tsbservice]

I'm not Kyocera specialist by any means but from your image I bet your laser unit poly mirror is dirty. Remove and very carefully open and clean inside especially polygon mirror.

That's if you're presumably already changed drum and dev.

[BillyCarpenter]

I'm not Kyocera specialist by any means but from your image I bet your laser unit poly mirror is dirty. Remove and very carefully open and clean inside especially polygon mirror.

That's if you're presumably already changed drum and dev.

Thanks for chiming in. Yes, he said he replaced drum and DV. I asked him about the laser slit glass but didn't think about the polygon mirror. It's been a minute since I've seen one of these old machines.

[tsbservice]

... It's been a minute since I've seen one of these old machines.
Lucky you ;) I never seen one.

[allan]

Pulling teeth on this one Bill.

So the dev and stuff got changed. And you mention last year or so.. Stuff was in there for some time.

Lift the machine at an angle so the dev can run to that side of the roller. 90 degrees is just to much angle on there. I would say 15 degrees or so.
So get a wooden block and place it under one side of the printer and call it fixed.
Only kidding...

Print 10 pages like that and see if the dev moves. Will not find the stuff i come up with in any manual.

The transition from black to void does not look like laser precision.

[BillyCarpenter]

Pulling teeth on this one Bill.

So the dev and stuff got changed. And you mention last year or so.. Stuff was in there for some time.

Lift the machine at an angle so the dev can run to that side of the roller. 90 degrees is just to much angle on there. I would say 15 degrees or so.
So get a wooden block and place it under one side of the printer and call it fixed.
Only kidding...

Print 10 pages like that and see if the dev moves. Will not find the stuff i come up with in any manual.

The transition from black to void does not look like laser precision.


I agree. I thought it was a DV problem from the jump.

[Hose1cook]

It's a Mono machine, no Developer. If he didn't run Sim 130 the developer tank is probably not completely full of toner. Could be the old style charger in that kit which causes a similar issue.

[mantis01]

Last year when I installed the kit it worked like new.
Only recently has it started to have this issue.
The magnetic roller to is coated uniformly from end to to end.

Is there a way to get to the mirror without completely ripping down the machine?


I am the end user but have some technical knowledge ;-)

[allan]

It's a Mono machine, no Developer. If he didn't run Sim 130 the developer tank is probably not completely full of toner. Could be the old style charger in that kit which causes a similar issue.


Thanks for the correction.

[blackcat4866]

There are a couple of possibilities:

It's relatively easy to get the primary charger tipped at an angle when inserting. Make sure it's inserted properly.
Also common, broken transfer bushing or dislodged contact spring.
Yes a dirty polygon mirror or slit glass is possible based on age alone. It will come out from the engine top cover. Relatively easy, but I would check that last.

So is your sample a copy or a print? I would try a print from USB to rule out scanner optics. =^..^=

[kleankopy]

Looks Transfer Roller Holder is broken on that side

[BillyCarpenter]

The OP said he could see the void area on the latent image. That would eliminate any transfer issues. I would check the charge assembly being misaligned like blackcat suggested.

[mantis01]

My photo may not have been the best example. I coped a peace of black plastic sheet. The white edge is not the issue it is the front where it gets light and you can see lines. I have attached a close up of what I am talking about.

47562

[blackcat4866]

Bad news: that's the laser. =^..^=

[JR2ALTA]

Polygon mirror, clearly, as tsbservice said a while ago. This is a common problem.

You will see a "fog" on one end of each mirror face. Kind of like how a ceiling fan develops dirt on only one side because that's the side to cut into the air.

Thus the light area is only on the bottom of the page.

The only cost to you is some disassembly and a dab of alcohol.

[mantis01]

Thank you to everyone that commented.
I suspected it was the laser now I just need to figure out how to remove it. I can not fine disassembly instructions for it anywhere

[BillyCarpenter]

Bad news: that's the laser. =^..^=


I'm curious how you know it's the laser? Is it the lines on the page?

[blackcat4866]

I'm curious how you know it's the laser? Is it the lines on the page?

I've seen this a few times on other manufacturers, other models, most recently Toshiba e Studio 4505AC. What made it particularly easy to diagnose was the fact that it only affected black images, in three cases:

4758047581

=^..^=

[blackcat4866]

Polygon mirror, clearly, as tsbservice said a while ago. This is a common problem.

You will see a "fog" on one end of each mirror face. Kind of like how a ceiling fan develops dirt on only one side because that's the side to cut into the air.

Thus the light area is only on the bottom of the page.

The only cost to you is some disassembly and a dab of alcohol.

The dirty polygon mirror(s), in my experience, present at overall very light prints and copies, sometimes including laser codes (the machine attempts to overcome the dirt by increasing the intensity of the laser diode, unsuccessfully), though it doesn't hurt to check and/or clean the mirror surfaces (use very soft cloth, scratches easily):

4758247583

[JR2ALTA]

The dirty polygon mirror(s), in my experience, present at overall very light prints and copies, sometimes including laser codes (the machine attempts to overcome the dirt by increasing the intensity of the laser diode, unsuccessfully), though it doesn't hurt to check and/or clean the mirror surfaces (use very soft cloth, scratches easily):

4758247583

The picture you provide is very dirty. I think the customer tolerated light image on the bottom of the page until the whole page got lighter. But as you can see the greater build up is still on one edge, though, making the bottom of the page lighter than the rest.

[Tom]

Hmm, I've never had a laser issue with that series and I still have few left in the field, good running machines. I'm going with Hook1 who thought it maybe wasn't toned up completely or that charge assy. They've upgraded that thing 7 or 8 times now trying to fix issues with it, although I find it will usually cause dark on one side, not light. Whenever I do MK's on those I save the old charge assy for a spare, sometimes I even have to reuse it in the new drum cause the brand new one has issues.