RICOH C3502 wierd printing problem

[qhubbles]

Hello, everyone.
Recently I experienced a problem with my printer: it asked me to load correctly the yellow toner, which I did. Suddenly, all the colors didn't converge, so the technician told me how to calibrate the printer. During calibration, the printer started printing yellow across the paper.
The technician did come and fix the issue, but since then the printer has trouble recognizing both the yellow photoconductor and the toner.

Also, if I send a color printing job from my computer and/or my phone, the colors look quite poor, like a very low resolution image, but pluging-in a usb stick to the printer itself it will print just fine. I've tried to send printing jobs with my other computers and phones, but the result is just the same.

The technician doesn't know what to do and my boss is urging us to get it fixed, thus he just paid a big service (around USD$1800).

The technician says it might have been due to a power problem, the regulator had an output of 131 volts, but he upgraded the firmware successfully, so we discarded a firmware/chipset problem. Also, we don't think that's a driver thing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks a lot.

[Phil B.]

Hello, everyone.
Recently I experienced a problem with my printer: it asked me to load correctly the yellow toner, which I did. Suddenly, all the colors didn't converge, so the technician told me how to calibrate the printer. During calibration, the printer started printing yellow across the paper.
The technician did come and fix the issue, but since then the printer has trouble recognizing both the yellow photoconductor and the toner.

Also, if I send a color printing job from my computer and/or my phone, the colors look quite poor, like a very low resolution image, but pluging-in a usb stick to the printer itself it will print just fine. I've tried to send printing jobs with my other computers and phones, but the result is just the same.

The technician doesn't know what to do and my boss is urging us to get it fixed, thus he just paid a big service (around USD$1800).

The technician says it might have been due to a power problem, the regulator had an output of 131 volts, but he upgraded the firmware successfully, so we discarded a firmware/chipset problem. Also, we don't think that's a driver thing. Any thoughts?
Thanks a lot.

what are the lifes on drums/toner/Dev units ?
are the drums and toners genuine OEM?

[qhubbles]

Black drum has been changed recently (I mentioned a $1800 service). The blue dev needs to be changed soon. Fusing unit are also new. Everything is genuine.

[copier tech]

Hello, everyone.
Recently I experienced a problem with my printer: it asked me to load correctly the yellow toner, which I did. Suddenly, all the colors didn't converge, so the technician told me how to calibrate the printer. During calibration, the printer started printing yellow across the paper.
The technician did come and fix the issue, but since then the printer has trouble recognizing both the yellow photoconductor and the toner.

Also, if I send a color printing job from my computer and/or my phone, the colors look quite poor, like a very low resolution image, but pluging-in a usb stick to the printer itself it will print just fine. I've tried to send printing jobs with my other computers and phones, but the result is just the same.

The technician doesn't know what to do and my boss is urging us to get it fixed, thus he just paid a big service (around USD$1800).

The technician says it might have been due to a power problem, the regulator had an output of 131 volts, but he upgraded the firmware successfully, so we discarded a firmware/chipset problem. Also, we don't think that's a driver thing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks a lot.

What did the engineer do for that huge $1,800 bill?

Can you call him back he’s charged you but not fixed the issue. However it sounds like the PCDU is not making good contact hence the message & poor print quality.

Remove the transfer unit & all the pcdus then clean the contacts in the back of the machine etc.

[qhubbles]

What did the engineer do for that huge $1,800 bill?

Can you call him back he’s charged you but not fixed the issue. However it sounds like the PCDU is not making good contact hence the message & poor print quality.

Remove the transfer unit & all the pcdus then clean the contacts in the back of the machine etc.

He changed the transfer belt, fusing sleeve, black PCU and replaced a broken gate pawl from the duplex unit. With the parts and service he charged us $32,620.36 Mexican pesos, which is more or les 1,800 USD.
That big fail of the colors and the yellow toner/PCU happened a week after that and now the problem remains now with the poor printing quality. I must say again, if I plug a USB device on the machine and print something, it will do it PERFECTLY.

The engineer has been visiting us over and over (with no charge thus far), but it seems he just ignores where the trouble is. We're expecting him tomorrow to see if he can fix the PCU and toner fail at least. He claims that the toner recognition failure is due to a "toner pump that might be malfunctioning".

[davel]

Do a deal with the service company to update machine and have it on a maintenance contract. Sounds like you may have fried something with the 130 volt power and also need colour PCDU's(big bucks).

[qhubbles]

Do a deal with the service company to update machine and have it on a maintenance contract. Sounds like you may have fried something with the 130 volt power and also need colour PCDU's(big bucks).

I think that's the problem... my boss will want to kill himself.

[Oze]

He changed the transfer belt, fusing sleeve, black PCU and replaced a broken gate pawl from the duplex unit. With the parts and service he charged us $32,620.36 Mexican pesos, which is more or les 1,800 USD.
That big fail of the colors and the yellow toner/PCU happened a week after that and now the problem remains now with the poor printing quality. I must say again, if I plug a USB device on the machine and print something, it will do it PERFECTLY.

The engineer has been visiting us over and over (with no charge thus far), but it seems he just ignores where the trouble is. We're expecting him tomorrow to see if he can fix the PCU and toner fail at least. He claims that the toner recognition failure is due to a "toner pump that might be malfunctioning".

Just for the record...the tech isn't stringing you along.
He changed the transfer belt assembly as this would have most likely been causing the misaligned colors issues.
How far does the tech have to travel to get to you?
This contributes to how often you are visited...a job 2 hours away won't be serviced every day.
Your "EL JEFE" wouldn't have to "kill himself" if he stopped throwing money at an 8 year old machine and (as Davel said) bought a newer machine under contract.
Gotta love do and charge(pay as you go) customers and their expectations...!!!!!

[copier tech]

He changed the transfer belt, fusing sleeve, black PCU and replaced a broken gate pawl from the duplex unit. With the parts and service he charged us $32,620.36 Mexican pesos, which is more or les 1,800 USD.
That big fail of the colors and the yellow toner/PCU happened a week after that and now the problem remains now with the poor printing quality. I must say again, if I plug a USB device on the machine and print something, it will do it PERFECTLY.

The engineer has been visiting us over and over (with no charge thus far), but it seems he just ignores where the trouble is. We're expecting him tomorrow to see if he can fix the PCU and toner fail at least. He claims that the toner recognition failure is due to a "toner pump that might be malfunctioning".

You say if you plug in a USB pen drive to print a document from that the print quality is good?

So try printing the PDF posted on this link both from a USB pen & printed directly scan & post these samples if possible this will help us greatly.

Konica bizhub c224e light streaks through color copies only

[qhubbles]

You say if you plug in a USB pen drive to print a document from that the print quality is good?

So try printing the PDF posted on this link both from a USB pen & printed directly scan & post these samples if possible this will help us greatly.

Konica bizhub c224e light streaks through color copies only

I can't upload the scans. There's an uploading error I can't figure out.