Laser printer repairs.

[whabang]

The fuser in my trusty old LaserJet 6L seems to be dyin, all of the toner does not stay on the paper.
Does anyone know what the main problems with fusers are? I have no intention of paying a HP service technician 2500 SEK, when I can get a new LED-printer for less than half!

[CodePoet]

@whabang

http://www.imagingsupplies.com/fuser/laser-printer-repair.cfm

or just google for something ;p

-Cp

[desborough]

Look at this for part number information.

Problems with fusers

1) Ofsetting, build up of toner on rollers causing image repeat on paper.
2) Toner not fusing to paper due to damaged rollers.
3) Jamming do to damaged rollers.
4) Error codes due high or low temp of rollers.

Your options are
1) Pay HP to replace the fuser.
2) Pay a third party to replace the fuser.(Cheaper option than A)
3) Do it yourself, if you are reasonably competant you could probably change them yourself, once you work out which screws to remove it is quite a simple job on your printer.

You may need to replace both the upper assy and lower roller to fix the problem you are having. sounds like the lower claws have dug into the lower pressure roller.

[whabang]

I belive that the fuser isn't hot enough. I'm downloadeing the service manual right now. Hopefully, a thorough cleaning of the fuser rolls and the heating element will make this little puppy run until I run out of toner. I bought a new toner not too far ago, so throwing the printer out would be a waste.

I ought to buy a impact printer instead; They are much more reliable! :-D

[desborough]

Nope, the fixing element is very strictly monitored, if the fixing temp is not right then the printer will come up with an error code. Cleaning the rollers may help but it is unlikely to be a temp problem.

[whabang]

Not according to the service manual. The 6L is a very primitive thing, not even close to the Epsons, which I deal with at work every day.

[iamaboringperson]

Does the fuser heat up?

Perhaps the fuser has been knocked out of place. Or, you just may need a new fuser.

[desborough]

Well, I have worked on copiers and laser printers for 15 years  including these very printers albeit with the original Canon badge and they WILL throw up an error code if the fuser temp is out of spec. If they go over temp they will blow the thermal fuses, if any of the thermistors show an under temp they will throw up a code.

If you actually read the manual you will see that if there is  an error code listing. You have an internal problem if all three light are solid, if you then hold down the front panel the light will indicate what the internal problem is.      

If you get Solid Error and Ready lights------Fuser Error
   
If you are not getting these light, which sounds like the case you either:

1) Dont have a problem with fuser temp.
or
2) Do have a problem with fuser temp but the main board is f...ed and not registering that there is a problem.

Either way cleaning the heating element won't fix the problem. You may find that the rollers are caked up with toner causing poor fixing but it won't be down to temp.

end of sermon. :rtfm:

[ShawnDude]

Where I work we have a Hp LaserJet 5, and I have replace the fuser in it twice over the 10 years we have had it for.  Extremely easy in it, just open the back cover (where you can get some paper jams out of), fuser is located there in this model, take out 2 screws, pull fuser unit out, push new fuser unit in, put 2 screws back in, close door, and its ready to go.  In our situation I found out that our main problem is over time the plastic gear on the side of the fuser gets brittle and breaks, so this time I also got a spare gear for a few dollars and fixed our old one which is now in storage as a backup.