BH-C-280/360, color developer units, how much developer and how much toner in it

[Hansoon]

Have asked this before but forgot the answer. For the BH-C-280/360, color developer units, how much developer and how much toner to add in it? I would expect around 6.5% of the total volume, roughly as the usual TC ratio. Anyone knows the exact answer?

Hans

[allan]

Hi Hans are you able to get dry developer?

[Hansoon]

Hi Hans are you able to get dry developer?

Hi Allan, yes, I have it here.

Hans

[blackcat4866]

Can you vacuum out a spare unit, then weigh it on a precision gram scale to establish weight when empty? Then weight a new unit, and subtract the difference. Toner density should be 6% to 6.5% (by weight or by volume?). =^..^=

[allan]

Hi Allan, yes, I have it here.

Hans


Nice so you can just add any color toner!

Like BC mentioned it other wise by weight or volume. Trying it by weight should be easy enough.
So 6.5 grams of toner per 100 grams of developer or 65g per 1Kg.
If that is to far out then by volume.

[Hansoon]

According to Hop-Sing a pouch with replacement color developer for the BH-C-280/360 series contains 210gr. Developer plus the necessary added toner, obviously.

I'll take that as an indication and will take 210 gr developer minus 6.5% weight for the toner in it which makes +/- 195 grams developer and then add 6.5% color toner by weight, which is around 14 grams getting roughly 210 grams total weight. Better slightly less toner than too much in the beginning.

I have virgin developer, so theoretically I must be able to produce either C, Y, or M :cool:

(I hope..........)

Hans

[allan]

Sounds like a plan. It would be good to know how this works out.
What color is that developer? I would guess charcoal grey.


There is another way I can think of. Using the same TD sensor...
Leave me with it and i will automate it:cool:

[Hansoon]

Sounds like a plan. It would be good to know how this works out.
What color is that developer? I would guess charcoal grey.


There is another way I can think of. Using the same TD sensor...
Leave me with it and i will automate it:cool:

You mean, Allan, to use an already initiated TD sensor and let it complete the missing toner in the newly filled Dev unit by itself??

Sounds like a good idea, I didn't think of it yet.

Hans

[REGSIS]

Theoretically, if you put raw developer in dev tank TCR should be 0%.
Magnet roller should be covered only with developer (black alike) regardless of color. TCR tonner add should do the rest.

If you had problem with white bushings of toner hopper of 4 series, result was the same. TCR showed 0% no toner on magnet roller. If that can be recovered after bushing replacement, I don't see why it won't work in your case.

I'm just not sure if 210g of developer will be enough.
I would take BC suggestion and weight empty and full dev tank.

[Hansoon]

Just now emptied an old color developing unit. Got out 200 gr. of the old developer, a few was left to be vacuumed out. The emptied, clean unit weighs exactly 800 gr. Another well functioning color unit directly out of a machine with obviously the proper amount of developer and toner weighs exactly 1,000 gr.

So tomorrow I will fill the empty unit with 200+ gr. developer + 10 gr. toner and see what happens.

Allan's idea to use alternatively an already initiated toner density sensor from a working machine to let the system top up the toner automatically sounds good to me. Will try that too.

Regsis idea sounds good too, will take it in consideration as well, but cannot use the customer's machine for that, cause there I must present a working unit without any hassle with installing or set up. Will see if I can use our test machine we have in the workshop to prepare the unit here first.

Hans

[blackcat4866]

You mean, Allan, to use an already initiated TD sensor and let it complete the missing toner in the newly filled Dev unit by itself??

Sounds like a good idea, I didn't think of it yet.

Hans

If your new developer has the correct proportion of developer already, they yes. that's exactly how I'd do it:

Fill the unit with the toner developer mix (once you determine the full weight)
Stir, and store a value.
Run ~50% fill images to deplete the original color toner, and resupply new color toner from the hopper.

I've done this successfully on Toshibas.

[allan]

You mean, Allan, to use an already initiated TD sensor and let it complete the missing toner in the newly filled Dev unit by itself??

Sounds like a good idea, I didn't think of it yet.

Hans

Yes that is the theory. So for 6.5% it would be 13g of toner on 200g of developer it its ratio by weight. Then just add like you said 10g and run toner supply to see if it adds the remaining 3g. You would be at 213g total but should be ok.
Make sure its mixed well before you start. Run it at a reasonable speed on a battery drill for a bit if possible.
Not sure if you can get a couple of a scrap machine to help with that.

I had the idea of making a bench rig that will will plug into a trusted TD sensor showing the voltage reference on a LED display.
You just need to find the mix ratio once...

Please let us know the outcome.

[Hansoon]

OK, here's what I did yesterday. I emptied and vacuumed out the magenta developer unit. Refilled it with a mixture of exactly 200 gr. raw developer with 10 gr. magenta toner. I let the original TCR-M sensor board in it and the prints were already very good, almost a little too heavy magenta color. The machine didn't add toner from itself. Original TCR-M setting was 6.51 %

Then I replaced the sensor board with a new one (didn't want to play in front of the customer with bridging the connector contacts 1+5) and the machine started the normal resetting and calibration procedure. Level history after this was 6.21 %. After doing the usual 2x3 calibration procedure, the print quality was as hoped and expected, very good.

Hans

[blackcat4866]

Congratulations. I'll be curious how the prints look in a month. =^..^=

[Hansoon]

Congratulations. I'll be curious how the prints look in a month. =^..^=

Why?
Materials not coming from a crappy burned and destroyed KonicaMinolta factory? :p

Hans

[allan]

OK, here's what I did yesterday. I emptied and vacuumed out the magenta developer unit. Refilled it with a mixture of exactly 200 gr. raw developer with 10 gr. magenta toner. I let the original TCR-M sensor board in it and the prints were already very good, almost a little too heavy magenta color. The machine didn't add toner from itself. Original TCR-M setting was 6.51 %

Then I replaced the sensor board with a new one (didn't want to play in front of the customer with bridging the connector contacts 1+5) and the machine started the normal resetting and calibration procedure. Level history after this was 6.21 %. After doing the usual 2x3 calibration procedure, the print quality was as hoped and expected, very good.

Hans

Good result indeed. Long run will tel if the dev is ok for the toner and the mag roller/doctor gap. I am curious to know where you managed to get the developer.

Changing the dev auger seals from the back to the front and visa-versa will help increase the dev tank life.

[tsbservice]

Congratulations. I'll be curious how the prints look in a month. =^..^=

I think this post wasn't on your job Hans but agree with BC those tests should be monitored short term and long term wise. Imho the renewed developer unit should make at least several thousand prints for me to claim it successful and make it routine job :)

[Hansoon]

I didn't take it personally at all and Cat is right (as always....) we have to wait and see. This customer is just a 5 minutes walk beside our location, so I can monitor the development (literally) very good.

Hans