Risograph Rc6300 t3 Clamp error

**CharlieRC6300** · 08-11-2020

Hey everyone, I have this super old Risograph RC6300 I picked up for free to see if I could get it running. It hasn't been used in 12 years (I was told it operated just fine before it was unplugged and put into storage). The master clamp solenoid seems to not be going up and down and won't clamp onto the drum so i'm getting a t3 error. When I run the test code to see if it will operate it doesn't do anything at all. So what do you think? fixable, or paperweight? Everything works well other than that. Open to all suggestions!

Thanks!!

**Phil B.** · 08-11-2020

Originally Posted by CharlieRC6300

Hey everyone, I have this super old Risograph RC6300 I picked up for free to see if I could get it running. It hasn't been used in 12 years (I was told it operated just fine before it was unplugged and put into storage). The master clamp solenoid seems to not be going up and down and won't clamp onto the drum so i'm getting a t3 error. When I run the test code to see if it will operate it doesn't do anything at all. So what do you think? fixable, or paperweight? Everything works well other than that. Open to all suggestions!

Thanks!!

that beast is old as Joe Biden ... good luck finding parts for it...

you might have a boat anchor

**dudley** · 08-12-2020

Re-seat all the connectors on the main board. They are a terrible connector and can loose contact. Pull them off and press each end of the connector firmly back on the board. I still take care of some RC5800's that are still going strong with over 6 million prints on each of them. Can you manually move the the solenoid and assembly (make sure its not binding). Also check that the clamp on the drum is opening freely as ink can get into the pivot points and gum up over time. I will see if I can find the manual if you need it. I have it here somewhere in pdf format. My bet is on the connector to the board. I usually just reseat them all but it can bite you with other codes popping up if you don't get them back on firmly. If you have the schematics then you could just do the one connector as see if it helps.

**CharlieRC6300** · 08-13-2020

Originally Posted by dudley

Re-seat all the connectors on the main board. They are a terrible connector and can loose contact. Pull them off and press each end of the connector firmly back on the board. I still take care of some RC5800's that are still going strong with over 6 million prints on each of them. Can you manually move the the solenoid and assembly (make sure its not binding). Also check that the clamp on the drum is opening freely as ink can get into the pivot points and gum up over time. I will see if I can find the manual if you need it. I have it here somewhere in pdf format. My bet is on the connector to the board. I usually just reseat them all but it can bite you with other codes popping up if you don't get them back on firmly. If you have the schematics then you could just do the one connector as see if it helps.

I'll go ahead and try this out, the machine has a little over a million copies on it so I think it's in pretty good condition... other than the master clamp error. The solenoid will move manually so that's good. It looks like the GR3750 has an identical part as well so if all else fails I might be able to find one of those. I'll let you know if reseating the connectors works, thanks for the advice

**6300master** · 05-09-2023

Originally Posted by CharlieRC6300

I'll go ahead and try this out, the machine has a little over a million copies on it so I think it's in pretty good condition... other than the master clamp error. The solenoid will move manually so that's good. It looks like the GR3750 has an identical part as well so if all else fails I might be able to find one of those. I'll let you know if reseating the connectors works, thanks for the advice

Do you still have this machine? They do develop quirks over the years...

**dudley** · 05-09-2023

Originally Posted by 6300master

Do you still have this machine? They do develop quirks over the years...

lots of little things from loose set screws to bad electrical connections. They are about 35 years old and getting older each day. They also had a weak seperation fan and we used to swap them with ones from a 5800.

**6300master** · 05-10-2023

Originally Posted by dudley

lots of little things from loose set screws to bad electrical connections. They are about 35 years old and getting older each day. They also had a weak separation fan and we used to swap them with ones from a 5800.

Yes. I have experienced all of that and more. Recently I have had enough problem getting the printed paper off of the drum that I find myself approaching each printing job with separation anxiety. Unfortunately, I don't have a spare 5800. I do have a couple of gr 1710s...would that help?

**dudley** · 05-10-2023

Originally Posted by 6300master

Yes. I have experienced all of that and more. Recently I have had enough problem getting the printed paper off of the drum that I find myself approaching each printing job with separation anxiety. Unfortunately, I don't have a spare 5800. I do have a couple of gr 1710s...would that help?

The seperation fan is to the right of the drum and the amperage is on the label. If the 1710 has the same fan but the amps are higher, then use it. I told Riso tech support about it about 30 years ago and was told."how dare I modify a machine". We said screw it and modified every 6300 that went through our shop as did others when they found out the cure. Without changing the fan, the paper had a hell of a time seperating from the drum. The 5800 had about 3 time the amp draw and was very much stronger blow. I think the weak fan was only on the 6300

**dudley** · 05-10-2023

BTW I have been retired for 10 years and I only work on 2 Riso's for a friend but I may have the service manual here somewhere

**6300master** · 05-10-2023

Originally Posted by dudley

BTW I have been retired for 10 years and I only work on 2 Riso's for a friend but I may have the service manual here somewhere

I should be retired. I work on a riso for a friend. I am the friend. I don't have any training. I mostly make do with cardboard shims, rubber bands, and tape. I have done a few things with a screwdriver, and a couple with a soldering iron. If the 1710 fan isn't ampier, I may just hang a small hair dryer over the output chute. It seems like sometimes that fan actually stops. I have never checked the connections. All of the printing I do is free for organizations I deem worthy or interesting. A thousand here and a thousand there. Twenty five thousand now and then. I wish I had taken some RISO training back when it included 6300s