installed MT 501A but EP4000/EP5000 still says Please add toner.

[rstarck]

I installed a new toner cartridge (MT 501A bought on eBay 2PK MINOLTA 8935-502 MT-501A COPIER TONER EP-4000 5000 - eBay (item 7555299460 end time Nov-30-08 14:51:02 PST) ) for my EP4000/EP5000 copier but it still says "Please add toner". Any ideas on why this is happening and how to fix it? thanks, Rick

[minimerlin]

When you closed the front door after fitting the new toner did you hear the bottle turning? Did you turn the old bottle in order to get it out? Have you tried toner boost?

Was the bottle that you removed totally empty?

Sorry for the questions but it could be simply that the toner ratio has not replenished enough yet or parts may be broken, I am trying to find out which is the most likely.

[rstarck]

When you closed the front door after fitting the new toner did you hear the bottle turning?
>>> That's a good question. I don't know what it sounds like when it turns. Should i "cheat the front panel" by holding a pen in the metal tab that signals the panel is closed so when i try reinserting the toner, i can see if it turns? My gut feeling is that it didn't turn, even though i heard little startup noises from bottom of copier to the top: like some click, click, click, click.


Did you turn the old bottle in order to get it out?
>>>My business partner took the old toner out and is not the most mechanically inclined so i don't know if he turned it to get it out. Is turning it good or bad in trying to get it out?

Have you tried toner boost?
>>>No, what is toner boost?


Was the bottle that you removed totally empty?
>>>YES

Sorry for the questions but it could be simply that the toner ratio has not replenished enough yet or parts may be broken, I am trying to find out which is the most likely.
>>>Thank you for the help. You can ask a million questions if it helps me solve this issue. Our business depends on flyers being copied and we are getting behind with this issue. I'm fairly technically/mechanically saavy so please keep helping me troubleshoot this. THANKS! Rick

[rstarck]

Okay, so i held in the front panel metal tab in with a pen to simulate closing the panel so i could see if the toner would turn/rotate. It did not. The "please add toner" message appeared a year ago as well after inserting new toner and i thought it was because i may have bought the wrong toner, but now i'm wondering if it's just that the toner didn't rotate possibly due to some temporary loose/faulty mechanical or electrical problem. I say tempoaray becuase obviously after buying another toner bottle (a slightly more expensive version) and inserting it (a year ago when this issue first happened), the message went right away. So who knows: could it be the wrong toner or faulty mechanical/electrical issue? I did notice the new toner we bought this past week ONLY had the two circular nipples on either side while the empty toner we just recently took out (the one that we put in a year ago that fixed the issue) had not only the the same two circular nipples on each side but ALSO two traigular nipple thingys. Not sure if this would make a difference. It doesn't look like it would/should.
In any event, since i'm not seeing or hearing the toner rotate after being inserted and pushed into the closed position, could i just possibly manually rotate it? Does the copier only do a 1/2 rotation once after toner is inserted? If so, then maybe this manual turning fix could at least get the copier started and eliminate the "please add toner" message.

[buster68]

If you're hearing clicking while the machine is trying to replenish, then most likely, the toner motor is stripped out and needs to be replaced. This usually happens when a customer tries to turn the bottle manually, either to try and remove the bottle, or to try and manually add toner. There should be a small button on the left section of the control panel thats titled "Toner Replenish", thats the only thing a customer should use to tone up the copier.

[rstarck]

The only thing is that the clicking (or really it sounds like dit dit dit dit) is not coming from the toner turner motor area. I can hear it spatially propogating from the floor to the top of the copier about a foot apart, i think. I could be wrong though. Unfortunately, i did manually try to rotate it and it did click as i rotated it.
Also, I did try hitting the "toner replenisher" button on the control panel but it did not register. Only a handful of control panel option buttons would register, most likely because the state of the machine has not gone past the "Please add toner" message and the replenisher option is only selectable AFTER the copier belieives the toner bottle is correctly inserted and positioned. My business partner truly thinks the issue is with the specific toner bottle not having the 2 triagular nipples because he said this issue happened a year ago when he tried a bottle without those triangular nipples. He then bought another toner bottle WITH the 2 triangular nipples (the more expensive version) and the copier worked (meaning the "please add toner" message went right away). So this time, we bought the same non-triagular nipple toner bottle and it's experiencing the same issue as a year ago, hence why he really thinks its the non-triangular-nipple toner bottle specifically. We're waiting on getting another bottle WITH the triangular nipples to see if this corrects it.
Another question: how much would it cost to buy a used toner motor AND how difficult would it be for me to install it, if this is the only problem. What other tests could i run to verify the motor turner is definitely to blame. P.S. We did not try manually rotating it before this issue started. I only rotated it after several insertion and removal attempts of the toner bottle did not get rid of the "please add toner" message. thanks!

[Cantechman]

The toner hopper motor is not hard to replace...it is just next to the opening the bottle fits in. You just have to remove a small cover and I believe a sensor and/or lever might be in the way. I would put the old bottle back in if you still have it to to see if it turns. that would eliminate replacing the toner motor. Also nver turn those toner bottles. It can damage the gears for sure.

[minimerlin]

I have looked at the ebay advert picturewhich clearly shows the bottle to have the v lugs that you say your new one does not have! Does the bottle have the KonicaMinolta logo printed on it? Or does it have just the toner type MT501A...I am thinking that you have not been sold what is advertised as the picture shows a Genuine Konicaminolta toner bottle!
Have a look at the top of the bottle where it slots into the holder, does it have the same fittings as your old one?
I think you may have a damaged motor as well but if so it is not too hard to replace as long as you can get hold of the part.

[rstarck]

I have looked at the ebay advert picturewhich clearly shows the bottle to have the v lugs that you say your new one does not have! Does the bottle have the KonicaMinolta logo printed on it? Or does it have just the toner type MT501A...I am thinking that you have not been sold what is advertised as the picture shows a Genuine Konicaminolta toner bottle!
Have a look at the top of the bottle where it slots into the holder, does it have the same fittings as your old one?
I think you may have a damaged motor as well but if so it is not too hard to replace as long as you can get hold of the part.

>>> The ebay guy must have either screwed up or tried to rip us off then because the bottle he sent definitely only has the 2 circular knobs with NO v lugs (what i was calling triangular nipple thingys). Are those v lugs manadatory for the copier to not say "Please add toner"? If so, then we've definitely found one problem for sure, and hopefully the only problem. The bottle he sent doesn't have ANY label on it except his company contact info: Tristar Ink & Toner, email: service@tristarusa.net . The empty one that we took out (that worked perfectly) DOES have a genuine minolta aftermarket label on it.
The inside top of the ebay bottle is hextagonal with the 2 fins and the inside top of the empty bottle is circular with the 2 fins.

How do i know the motor might be bad? What other things in that vicinity could be problematic, such as sensors or levers, etc? And when you say motor, do you mean like this: Konica Minolta EP5000 Motor (which i found on the parts page at Konica Minolta EP5000 Toner Cartridges, Supplies and Parts )?

[rstarck]

The toner hopper motor is not hard to replace...it is just next to the opening the bottle fits in. You just have to remove a small cover and I believe a sensor and/or lever might be in the way. I would put the old bottle back in if you still have it to to see if it turns. that would eliminate replacing the toner motor. Also nver turn those toner bottles. It can damage the gears for sure.

>>> In order to see if the toner motor could be bad, what is the correct procedure for visually seeing if the bottle turns after i put the empty toner back in? Is it what i already tried which is 1) Insert bottle. 2) Push toner holder closed. 3) Push little metal tab in on upper left area to simulate front panel being shut. 4) Watch if anything turns? Is this correct? If so, i did this and nothing turns. There does look like there some spilled toner on and inside that toner holder. Would that cause my issue? Also, what about any sensors or levers that might not be engaging as a possilble other source of the issue? Also, what would cause the toner motor to go bad since i never manually tried to rotate it before this issue started?

[minimerlin]

I agree that it seems that you have not got the genuine minolta toner, the v lugs are the give away they are designed to ensure the bottles fit only the correct machine. The toner spills in the hopper will not be a problem, there is a locking lever (light grey) that stops the bottle turning if the hopper is moved to take out the bottle., check that its spring is in position). There is a ratchet system in the white drive unit that fits into the toner bottle it should allow the bottle to be turned by hand witout the motor being damaged...but! I do have a parts manual that may be of use..it is too big to attach here though. The motor you have found is the correct one. If you would like the manual give me PM

[tonerspot]

if you have a motor fail you mast receive some error codes just like c0070/71,did you check the developer level

[rstarck]

if you have a motor fail you mast receive some error codes just like c0070/71,did you check the developer level

Well since i haven't received ANY error codes, are saying what i hope you're saying: that the motor is still probably good?
How do i check the developer level?
Also, is there some sort of technician service manual for this copier to learn more about these technical things? I have the original user manual but that just shows the basics of the copier for non-technician people.

[rstarck]

I agree that it seems that you have not got the genuine minolta toner, the v lugs are the give away they are designed to ensure the bottles fit only the correct machine. The toner spills in the hopper will not be a problem, there is a locking lever (light grey) that stops the bottle turning if the hopper is moved to take out the bottle., check that its spring is in position). There is a ratchet system in the white drive unit that fits into the toner bottle it should allow the bottle to be turned by hand witout the motor being damaged...but! I do have a parts manual that may be of use..it is too big to attach here though. The motor you have found is the correct one. If you would like the manual give me PM

So do you think that the generic toner that we got on ebay which doesn't have the v lugs will necessarily NOT work in this copier? Or could it work in the copier but it's just not gauranteed?

[minimerlin]

As long as the contents are the correct toner and the bottle fits it should work but as I have never used toner from your supplier I cannot guarantee that it will. If you need the tech and parts manuals send me a P.M as I have them.