Problem with HP5P

[Tony Stanford]

Hi -

Can anyone help me with this problem. I'm pretty good mechanically, so
could do a repair if I knew what to diagnose.

My 7-year-old HP5P laser has suddenly packed up. Its throughput is never
more than about 200pages per month.

This morning it stopped dead after delivering a page, and I noticed that
the page, which had come out on the tray, has not been fused - toner was
smeary.

Now the symptoms are as follows;

1. At power up, the lights flicker up and down the display as normal and
stop with one 'ready' green light. All OK.

2. If I try to print from the computer, or try to print the test page by
pressing both blue and orange buttons, the following happens:

a. Both green lights flicker as normal.
b. The printer makes the normal whirring noise.
c. The next thing should be a 'click' as the roller grabs a new sheet of
paper. But there is *no* click, and no attempt to grab paper.
d. The machine whirrs and whirrs, and then stops.
e. All the lights on the panel turn on - three orange and one green -
*except* the ready light.

The manual says this pattern is a fatal error. Turn off for a while and
turn on. If no improvement contact agent.

Well, I've done that. Same results. Has the fuser burnt out? I don't
think it would be worth my while to contact an agent - the repair would
cost more than a new bottom of the range laser. I'm just a home user.

Any suggestions?

TIA

Tony

 

[Tony]

Hi -

Can anyone help me with this problem. I'm pretty good mechanically, so
could do a repair if I knew what to diagnose.

My 7-year-old HP5P laser has suddenly packed up. Its throughput is never
more than about 200pages per month.

This morning it stopped dead after delivering a page, and I noticed that
the page, which had come out on the tray, has not been fused - toner was
smeary.

Now the symptoms are as follows;

1. At power up, the lights flicker up and down the display as normal and
stop with one 'ready' green light. All OK.

2. If I try to print from the computer, or try to print the test page by
pressing both blue and orange buttons, the following happens:

a. Both green lights flicker as normal.
b. The printer makes the normal whirring noise.
c. The next thing should be a 'click' as the roller grabs a new sheet of
paper. But there is *no* click, and no attempt to grab paper.
d. The machine whirrs and whirrs, and then stops.
e. All the lights on the panel turn on - three orange and one green -
*except* the ready light.

The manual says this pattern is a fatal error. Turn off for a while and
turn on. If no improvement contact agent.

Well, I've done that. Same results. Has the fuser burnt out? I don't
think it would be worth my while to contact an agent - the repair would
cost more than a new bottom of the range laser. I'm just a home user.

Any suggestions?

TIA

Tony

Tony
This light pattern is a fuser error as you have already surmised
Things to check are the resistance of the fuser lamp and thermistor and check 2
fuses on the DC Controller.
If the fuser resistances are OK and the two fuses are OK then the DC controller
has failed. Otherwise if the fuser lamp or thermistor have failed they can be
replaced. Sometimes the fuser will fail and blow the fuses on the DC Controller
as well.
Removing the fuser needs a bit of work, removing the DC controller needs quite
a bit more work. I cannot post the instructions here because there are diagrams
involved but am happy to e-mail them to you, please ask if you would like this.
Tony

 

[Tony Stanford]

Tony
This light pattern is a fuser error as you have already surmised Things
to check are the resistance of the fuser lamp and thermistor and check
2 fuses on the DC Controller. If the fuser resistances are OK and the
two fuses are OK then the DC controller has failed. Otherwise if the
fuser lamp or thermistor have failed they can be replaced. Sometimes
the fuser will fail and blow the fuses on the DC Controller as well.
Removing the fuser needs a bit of work, removing the DC controller
needs quite a bit more work. I cannot post the instructions here
because there are diagrams involved but am happy to e-mail them to you,
ask if you would like this. Tony

Thanks for your detailed and helpful reply. I've looked round on the net
and so far cannot find anyone who has a fuser assembly in stock in the
UK (where I live) for this 7-year-old HP5. It appears to be obsolete
now.

It looks as if it would cost more than the printer is worth to repair
it. I think it is almost certainly the fuser rather than a fuse, because
the last page came out properly, but was not set.

What do you think?

If it isn't too much trouble, please do email the diagrams.

Thanks again.

 

[Tony Stanford]

If the fuser resistances are OK and the two fuses are OK then the DC
controller has failed

On second thoughts, what do you think the probability is that it is just
a fuse? Are the fuses easy to get to?

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I don't have a service manual to read the error codes from, but I'm
guessing either the fuser has failed or a fuse may have gone that
controls the fuser. The fuser is a heating unit, often heated by a
halogen lamp in the core. They do fail, but they also do blow fuses
sometimes. There are usually 3rd party parts dealers one the web for
these types of things.

Art

 

[Tony Stanford]

They do fail, but they also do blow fuses sometimes. There are usually
3rd party parts dealers one the web for these types of things.

Thanks. I'll try to find the fuses. I don't know where they are, and
can't get the plastic shell off, although I've undone every screw in
sight, and tried to unclip those irritating plastic clips.

 

[Tony]

On second thoughts, what do you think the probability is that it is just
a fuse? Are the fuses easy to get to?

Tony
Unfortunately no, you have to remove the DC controller to get at the fuses, and
they very rarely blow. There is just a slim chance that they have however.
Tony

 

[Tony]

Thanks for your detailed and helpful reply. I've looked round on the net
and so far cannot find anyone who has a fuser assembly in stock in the
UK (where I live) for this 7-year-old HP5. It appears to be obsolete
now.

It looks as if it would cost more than the printer is worth to repair
it. I think it is almost certainly the fuser rather than a fuse, because
the last page came out properly, but was not set.

What do you think?

If it isn't too much trouble, please do email the diagrams.

Thanks again.

I will send the details by e-mail, it will be a few hours from now however.
What probably happened is the failure (whatever it was) occurred during the
print and that is why you got an unfused page.
Tony

 

[Tony]

Thanks. I'll try to find the fuses. I don't know where they are, and
can't get the plastic shell off, although I've undone every screw in
sight, and tried to unclip those irritating plastic clips.

Tony
Instructions for the removal of the case will be in the stuff I send you. It's
a bit of a pig to remove the case and you have to be quite determined. The
fuses are on the DC Controller, instructions for getting at that will also be
in the package. Fusers are available and so probably are thermistors and fuser
lamps but if you can use an ohm meter you will know what you need once the
fuser is out.
Tony

 

[Tony Stanford]

I will send the details by e-mail, it will be a few hours from now
however. What probably happened is the failure (whatever it was)
occurred during the
print and that is why you got an unfused page.
Tony

Very kind. No hurry. Thanks

 

[Tony]

Very kind. No hurry. Thanks

On it's way. Don't hesitate to ask if I can help.
Tony