Tech: Printer is smoking

Subject: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: mg
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 04:47 PM

I googled this after I saw what appeared to be smoking coming from where the paper comes out of my HP 1006 printer..just little wisps. I told myself it was just dust from not being used for a while..but there are google entries. I emailed HP support and called but no answer yet. I have used the printer before, and it was new when I got it, but it has not been used all that much and has been idle for a while. I do live in a dampish place and I read the paper could be damp and it could be steam or it could be something caught on the fuser etc.

If I don't get hold of HP, do you think it is safe? The website said it would not turn on if it was true smoke...mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Tangledwood
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 05:12 PM

Got this from another forum - it doesn't help you, sorry, but I think it deserves sharing.

1. All electronic devices operate on smoke.
2. Some amount of smoke is built-in the device when made.
3. If some of the smoke comes out, it won't work as good or as long.
4. If all the smoke comes out, it won't work at all.
5. So...don't ever let the smoke out.

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: GUEST,Big Norman Voice
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 05:34 PM

Sounds terminal mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 05:38 PM

I wouldn't use electronic equipment that is smoking. If you want to test it out a little, open it, blow out the dust, put in fresh paper, try printing something else, but if it smokes any more don't use it, unplug it, and put it someplace where if it ignites it won't do any damage.

My two cents.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Rasener
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 05:41 PM

I hope the printer wasn't in a pub (UK)

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: MartinRyan
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 05:48 PM

Smell?

Regards

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: mg
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 08:15 PM

No smell and no heat. mg

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: melodeonboy
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 08:24 PM

Have you tried sticking a nicotine patch on it?

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 10:03 PM

Try asking in these HP help forums (third one seems to be for IT pros, but what the hell...)

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/

http://www.topix.com/forum/computers/hp

http://forums13.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/familyhome.do?familyId=218

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 31 Jan 09 - 10:05 PM

PS: I agree with Stilly River - I have an HP laser black&white, also use one at school, and have never even heard of that problem. Safety first -

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 12:00 AM

On some laser printers, if you pull the toner cartridge out you can get a fairly good view of the innards, and you might be able to find a scrap of paper that's separated from the sheet and got left behind too close to the fuser. A small scrap that just lays in/near the hot zone often will smoke, but it's unlikely to actually burst into flames, and if it smokes long enough it eventually will crumble and either fall deeper inside or will attach itself to your critical rush print job in a place where the first one to see it will be your fussiest client.

If the printer has a removable paper supply tray, pulling it out and staring knowledgeably inside also occasionally will allow you to see something interesting, and with the proper theatrics is always impressive for the onlookers.

The heater element for the fuser usually operates at a dull red glow, but is well enough protected that it's extremely difficult for any little bits to get close enough to flame (and they usually disappear quickly if they do), but it's hot enough to char a bitlet that doesn't pass on by at normal feed speed. The paper, in normal operation, is (usually) fuzed by radiant heat without actual contact with anything really hot.

A micro-vac (or tiny nozzle attachments for any ordinary vacuum cleaner) might help to pull out any loose bits, and close visual inspection after pulling off/out everything that's meant to be removable or openable is usually sufficient.

You might avoid leaving large print jobs running unattended for a while, but in my experience such deviant behavio(u)r usually clears itself if you just print a dozen or so pages.

On some past models of HP LJ printers I've noted rather liberal use of grease on the gearworks, and if the printer has been sitting for a while some of the volatiles from the grease may have deposited on the fuser element or on it's (fairly hot) housing, and a tiny bit of smoke from this is to be expected - but leaving a perfectly good printer sitting idle for that long is also "deviant behavio(u)r" and not condoned by HP.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: EBarnacle
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 12:39 AM

How much was it used prior to being ignored for "a while?" How long was "a while?"

Recent experience with my 1600 color printer led to the discovery that all the cartridges are used, whether or not color [or black and white] is in use. If some of the excess toner got out, it might cause an odorless dust which would look like smoke.

As mentioned above, check for the actual smell of smoke.

PS, none of my other HP's have shown this sort of problem in the past 20 years of printing.

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 03:04 PM

I use an HP LaserJet 1320, and adore it. It's a lump of a box, but does everything I require of it and then some; it is solid, dependible, and if it were to develop this sort of problem I'd go through the steps John outlined (what my "open it, blow out the dust" line was meant to suggest).

For the "staring knowledgeably inside" part, you might want to employ a flashlight. And be sure to unplug it first.

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 03:38 PM

I find that if I am doing a massive print run in an unventilated room there is a lingering smell toner

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 04:24 PM

There have been numerous complaints about "toxic fumes" from Laser printers, including - IIRC - a formal investigation by the Australian government a year or so ago. So far as I've seen, none of these - despite extravagant claims - ever found any problem of "toxic fumes" or other significant hazards.

It might be suspected, however, that a completely smell-free, dust-free, smoke-free experience would never have elicited the complaints that instigated all those "investigations."

It's a machine. It's got hot stuff inside. It's likely that occasionally it'll rattle, growl, grind, stink, spew, sputter, steam, or smoke. The difficulty is in assessing whether you have (1) a normal condition, (2) an unusual but innocuous condition, or (3) a save the children and run for the hills condition.

To refresh your memory about the actual condition of your HP Laserjet, you can print a Self Test/Configuration sheet. I suspect that other brands will do the same. Some HPs print one automatically when you insert a new cartridge, and of few (not all) of these will print one if you pull an old one out and reinsert it. On all of the ones I've seen recently, there's a "command" button somewhere, usually on the front and usually with a green light that means it's ready to print and a flashing light that says it's printing something. With some, when you print an envelope, the light flashes to tell you it's ready, and you have to press the button - after you insert the envelope - before it prints. If you press the button and hold it for about 10 seconds, most HPs will print the status page. If that doesn't work, consult your user manual.

(My HP1200 shows 49,922 pages printed, 8 paper jams, and 25 pages mispicked. It's only about 8 years old, and used much less than the previous HPIIIP that lasted only about 12 years but ran through over 250,000 pages.)

An unusually high number of paper jams and/or mispicks could suggest you need to check for bits and pieces inside. The smoke (or maybe it was just steam) would be another clue suggesting the same.

An excessive number of jams or mispicks may mean you have some drive rollers that have dried out, and if there's a local authorized service shop we've found ours (now no longer in business) quite reasonable. Sending any printer to HP for "service" usually is not cost effective, since their price for "looking at it" is usually close to a new replacement and any parts are extra (unless it's still under warranty).

You can't order parts for DIY repairs since they only ship by part number, and the only way to get a part number is to buy the $600 "Repair Parts CD" from HP that covers all parts for all models (except yours).

John

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: johnross
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 04:47 PM

Laser printers use a "fuser" to heat the toner and permanently affix it to the paper. It's the only part of the printer that produces heat, so it's probably the part that's overheating and burning paper. You can get a rebuilt fuser from PrinterWorks for about $60 (you return the old one to them) -- http://www2.printerworks.com/cgi-win/tpwall.exe/find?RG9-1493-000. You'd have to swap parts yourself or find somebody to do it for you.

On the other hand, you can get a new P1006 directly from H-P for $99, which is probably the better deal.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF06a/18972-18972-3328059-14638-3328066-3435682.html

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: skipy
Date: 01 Feb 09 - 05:28 PM

What you can do of course (if you are brave enough), trace it down through the net & make threatening phone calls without leaving your number! You could even suggest that you hope it lives long enough to watch it's children die because it smoked!
Great place the folk world!
Skipy still smoking, just not comfortable with "folkies" anymore!

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: GUEST,same thing
Date: 29 Mar 09 - 09:06 PM

I have the same thing, I can't figure it out yet. I'l see if it follwos after the first toner cart.

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: GUEST,alan
Date: 03 Feb 10 - 10:53 PM

I just completed a call to HP Tech Support regarding this problem - foul odor coming from machine after printing with Laserjet 1006 - particularly after printing a long document. The answer I received was that the toner fuser produces sufficient heat to generate this foul odor in an unventilated work area. The machine is considered "unventilated" - there is no fan inside to move the odors away from the machine. I moved my machine about 5 feet away from where I sit and turned the vents to face the wall rather than me directly. This seems to be working at least for now.

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Royston
Date: 04 Feb 10 - 02:56 AM

The 'smoke' is fuser-oil vapour. This is a sheen of oil rolled onto the paper just after the toner. The paper passes over a heater-bar and the heat vaporises the oile. The oil fuses (fixes) the toner and boils off as a visible vapour (in the right light) and the paper emerges, hot, with a smudge-free printing job complete.

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: My guru always said
Date: 04 Feb 10 - 03:02 AM

If the printer has a removable paper supply tray, pulling it out and staring knowledgeably inside also occasionally will allow you to see something interesting, and with the proper theatrics is always impressive for the onlookers.

Thank you John!

Subject: RE: Tech: Printer is smoking
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 03:51 AM

Smokin'


Cheers
Nigel