Konica C284 Copy Quality - Zebra Pattern

[vishop]

Hello guys, how are you all doing?

I need some help with a Konica Copier, C284. It has this copy quality issue like a Zebra line pattern, which as per the client is only happening with copy, and printing is okay. And also this is only happening at the early hours of the day when the machine is first used. After several copies made(somewhere anywhere from 20-40), it will be okay for the rest of the day.

Several times I asked if it is happening on print as well, sadly they cannot confirm as the first activity of the day is always copy, before office starts.

I have changed the Black Drum, Black Developing Unit, swapped to test the High Voltage Board.

Anybody got any idea for this issue?>

[copyman]

Sure does look like the black developer has dumped or drum isn't grounded, corona grid, etc.
The evenly spaced defects points to something rotating like drum, developer mag roller, etc.

[DelawareJim]

We just had a C364 with the same symptoms - especially first thing in the morning. We swapped in a CCD assembly, wire harness, and the circuit board that supports the CCD and that solved it. And just an FYI we only had C454 parts that we could get quickly and even though it is a different part number, it worked fine. C284 part numbers would be: A161R72100 CCD Lens Assy, A161N14100 scanner wiring harness, and A161H0B12 PWB-ID assy. Easy to swap ten minutes or so.

[femaster]

We just had a C364 with the same symptoms - especially first thing in the morning. We swapped in a CCD assembly, wire harness, and the circuit board that supports the CCD and that solved it. And just an FYI we only had C454 parts that we could get quickly and even though it is a different part number, it worked fine. C284 part numbers would be: A161R72100 CCD Lens Assy, A161N14100 scanner wiring harness, and A161H0B12 PWB-ID assy. Easy to swap ten minutes or so.

This is interesting information, thank you for that bit of knowledge.

We have a C454 that we were using as a loaner machine. The CCD board in it ended up getting blown out when a tech wired up 2 harnesses incorrectly after reinstalling the fuser drive unit (rebuilt it due to a worn bushing and shaft). Since then it's just been sitting to the side, being used for testing purposes, because we didn't have a proper CCD assembly. I'm curious now if we can go the other way around and use a CCD from one of our slower parts machines in the C454 and get it back up and running. Hmmm....

[vishop]

We just had a C364 with the same symptoms - especially first thing in the morning. We swapped in a CCD assembly, wire harness, and the circuit board that supports the CCD and that solved it. And just an FYI we only had C454 parts that we could get quickly and even though it is a different part number, it worked fine. C284 part numbers would be: A161R72100 CCD Lens Assy, A161N14100 scanner wiring harness, and A161H0B12 PWB-ID assy. Easy to swap ten minutes or so.


Thank you. Confirmed my doubt. I had another machine (2) from the same client that had the same issue, only thing is this one is consistent, even with scans, zebra lines are coming. Make me doubt the issue somewhere in the optics. Will test out the CCD and other related to it. First and 2nd machine could most likely have same issue.

Will update later

[copyman]

Thank you. Confirmed my doubt. I had another machine (2) from the same client that had the same issue, only thing is this one is consistent, even with scans, zebra lines are coming. Make me doubt the issue somewhere in the optics. Will test out the CCD and other related to it. First and 2nd machine could most likely have same issue.

Will update later

Highly unlikely 3 machines would have bad CCD units. I've worked on hundreds of the 4 series last 10 years and only replaced one CCD unit!

You said it happens mostly in morning, how cold does it get overnight where copiers are?

[vishop]

Highly unlikely 3 machines would have bad CCD units. I've worked on hundreds of the 4 series last 10 years and only replaced one CCD unit!

You said it happens mostly in morning, how cold does it get overnight where copiers are?


Not 3, only 2. The first one, it only happens in the morning, in the first maybe 20-40 copies. I am not sure of the temp but every time i go there, it is always normal room temp.

The second machine though, is situated someplace on another dept. It is constantly giving that pattern. Copy and scan, it is there, but its not there on print. So this could just be in the optics area - lamp, CCD or board backside. I will start with those.

[vishop]

And now i have gotten information that on the first machine (1), whenever the zebra pattern happens, it does not happen on scans. Because i asked them to try out scanning by the time they encountered it on copy. Scans and prints are okay, only happening on copy then.

[vishop]

Machine #2 solved. CCD replacement.

[DelawareJim]

We have had 2 copiers with same issue. Swapped in a used CCD and that solved it both times. A C224e and a C554.

[vishop]

Just Updating....

Original machine, I replaced the CCD 10days back and let the user observe if the same issue is still happening on the early hours of the day.


So far until now, problem has not occurred again.

Thank you all for your response.