HP DJ540 out of paper???

From: jpero_at_sympatico.ca <(jpero_at_sympatico.ca)>
Date: Sat May 25 15:40:39 2002

Hi,

All HP inkjets has mechanical-optical sensors.

One for head carriage clear strip w' faint lines on it is just behind
the printhead carriage.

One for start of paper just before the
printing area.

Finally on HP printers that moves it's head to reach for cartridge
when top cover is opened has one mechanically linked to the swing-up
cover.

The problem lies in that start of paper sensor. I think dust bunnies
blinding that sensor or that long black flexible wand w/ hole in
paddle end may had got jammed or jumped out of optical switch gap.
You can see it without opening printer up with flashlight. That
horizontal black wand pointing towards rear pivoting in the
stainless steel paper guide is gravity operated. Paddle (wand) side
should fall down when paper slides past that wobby part when paper
is not on that sensor, the wand end is up. Wobbly with wand part
looks like small ribbed black block with wand sticking out back thing
sitting in the hole for stainless steel paper guide just behind and
under that printhead carridge.

Did it make scary loud Griiiiiiiiding noise every time you turn it on
and LED lights alterately flashing? That fatal condition and bit of
work to fix. It's the "shifter" vertical stick behind that
park/cleaning station that set the height of sealing pad at each
turn-on. Small stop nub on that plastic lever breaks off and
sealing pad assembly keep going up and up then GRIND noise you hear.
Then printer stops and alterately sets of LED flashing.

Watch the printer parking/cleaning station at each turn on every
time head moves aside to clear that station, a motor raises that
thing and it stops at certain with short mild "Grrr!" then micro
knows the "set" height of that station due to that vertical stick.
When done, the head moves back over that station, head carridge
pushes aside that stick and lets the station to rise and it's at
correct height as long as power is on.

Cheers,

Wizard
Received on Sat May 25 2002 - 15:40:39 BST