TechNote mL400-08
microLaser 400 - Toner Dumping
3 Oct 2001 Ed Palmer

SUMMARY: Any of the following symptoms are experienced:

• Streaks appear on the printed job.
• Excessive toner in the transfer unit area.
• Damage to the drum, especially scoring around the end towards the back of the printer. A black line will print on the edge of the page.
• The printer hangs while printing with the DISK indicator active.
• The printer display shows ENGINE ERROR 111.

SCOPE: This note is oriented towards the trained technician with access to the mL400 service manual.

Perform these checks before proceeding.

If the waste bottle is allowed to overfill, the toner will back up through the Waste Toner Unit. Eventually the toner will back up into the drum, causing damage to the drum (a black line will print on the edge of the page). If toner becomes impacted in the waste tube, the Waste Toner Unit may be damaged.

• The waste toner bottle should be changed every time a bottle of toner is added.
• Inspect the waste toner bottle. If the bottle is over-full, the user is not changing it.
• Locate and inspect the customer's stock of toner. The toner kit ships with 8 toner bottles, 8 waste bottles, and 4 fuser cleaning rollers. The number of waste bottles should equal the number of toner bottles. If there are more waste bottles than there are toner bottles, the user has not been changing the waste bottle.

If the waste bottle is over-full, or has not been changed at the proper intervals:

• Replace the waste toner bottle as needed.
• Replaced the drum as needed.
• Clean the printer thoroughly with a toner vacuum. Ensure the waste tube is cleaned by vacuuming the drum port inside the printer and the exit port above the waste toner bottle.
• Vacuum the drum thoroughly. Open the spring loaded toner port and vacuum it out.
• Ensure the Waste Toner Unit is functioning (see below).
• Educate the customer on replacing consumables. Point out the reference labels by the developer and toner ports (ensure the labels are clean enough to read). Direct the customer to refer to the microLaser 400 Operations Manual, GEK-89470, available on the CD that came with the printer, or on the GENICOM website at:

  ml400-doc.htm

  Refer to Chapter 2, Consumables and Chapter 3, Printer Care.

• It is recommended that the customer has a key operator throughly trained on the coperation and care of the microLaser 400.

Ensure the Waste Toner Unit is functioning properly:

• Open the right door and defeat the interlock switch. Insert a finger into the exit port above the waste toner bottle. Locate the auger spring. The auger should rotate during printing.
• If the auger does not rotate, remove the back of the printer and examine the white waste tube. The auger can be felt by squeezing the tube. Examine the gear assembly at the right end of the tube. This gear rotates during printing to drive the auger.
• For any failure, replace the Waste Toner Unit, p/n CA02626-E734. Refer to the mL400 Service Manual, page 6-71.
• Tie wraps will be needed to install the tubing.
• Take care when installing the waste tube or it may split.. Use a small amount of silicon lubricant (no petroleum based lubricants should be used) to install the tubing over the fittings.

The current firmware on the Mechanism Controller is version 3LVL36. This version changes the toner mixing characteristics of the printer mechanism. This upgrade can be performed at any time, but the previous checks should always be performed.

Firmware is available from GENICOM Technical Support.

To upgrade the firmware:

• Remove the back of the printer.
• Replace the EPROM in socket M5J. Ensure the chip is oriented properly by observing the notch on the left.
• Re-assemble the printer.

The Mechanism Controller version is not indicated any of the status pages. The only way to verify installation is to examine the chip.

If the previous procedures do not completely resolve the issue, replace the Transfer Unit Guide. Part number CA04267-E501 has been upgraded to resolve toner dumping issues.

• Refer to the mL400 Service Manual, page 6-35 for replacement.

• Arcing can trigger a high voltage alarm, resulting in the ENGINE ERROR 111.
• Arcing can also induce noise in the IDE bus, causing the hard drive to disconnect. The printer will hang while printing with the DISK indicator active.

Copyright © 2002 GENICOM,

Specifications subject to change without notice.
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