Z3200 stuck on the left side of the printer.

[Mark Lindquist]

Yes, correct it is flimsy and yes it is required.

Just a correction - when running the diagnostic tests, your printer will surely fail the color sensor test - it's error code 58:11.
Carriage Assembly Test (page 4-27 service manual)

It will come up as:
ERROR 58:11
FAIL DeltaE out of limits.
92.000 > 8

Just ignore it.  This is very important to know ahead of time, just like knowing about the rear carriage bushing.

BTW - the guy on eBay, Oldva, who makes the heavier bushing sometimes has them on eBay and sometimes not.

His are definitely heavier duty and work great.

I may get back in touch with him and see what his manufacturing schedule is.

[Pluminland]

I replaced the belt and re-assembled the printer. Turned it on.

Alas, it thinks the window is open and won't continue.  Very frustrating.  Perhaps I damaged or mis-installed the window sensor. But, it seems silly that this halts the entire operation of the printer.    The window is down.   I wish I could tell it to over ride the problem and continue.  I would like to know if my repair worked.

Nothing is ever simple.

[Mark Lindquist]

Yeah, you may have buggered the limit switch. Recheck to see that it is plugged in properly and not pinched or frayed.

Follow these instructions and see if it helps.

If you put the rolled up paper in the  hole as illustrated, it will help you troubleshoot your issue. 
Turn off the printer - pull the plug, wait about 5 minutes, then restart with the paper in the hole.

If nothing happens, you have a bad switch or connection.  And yes, it absolutely always is something!  Fuhgeddaboudit.  You're almost there.

Stay the course, it will all be worth it. A switch is cheap.


Mark

[Pluminland]

Just for fun I ran some of the diagnostic tests built into the print.   I have not het had a chance to take it apart to get at the wincow sensor.  Hopefully, I will do that this weekend.

But...

According the carriage test I now have this problem:

  2x.1:10
Ink supply error found during IDS diagnostic test. The n represents the ink supply that is failing. The ink supply furthest to the left is always 0, and then they count up from left to right. The following graphic illustrates this for the Z3100/Z3200.

Apparently,  a pen voltage is "out of limits".   

The fix is to replace the left ink supply station.     Any thoughts?     

[Mark Lindquist]

You really can't rely on diagnostic testing until the printer has initialized after repairs.  That error message could be the result of a low ink cartridge.  You'd have to check that the cartridge is at least 40% full and that the printheads associated with it are in order.

If you fix the cover limit switch and it runs with the cover closed, then you can start on your diagnostic testing.

The error codes can be incorrect for various reasons.  Usually after repairs there are error code issues anyway.  If you read the manual you'll see that it is advised to run the diagnostic codes before taking the printer apart.

In order to test if the ink supply is failing, you'd have to do a bongo test, which is extremely involved, which means unseating each cartridge, running the test per ink line, then replacing each cart doing the bongo test per cart.  It requires a new set of carts or a set of starter carts (1/2 size).

The bongo test assures there are no leaks in the lines and the control points.  Just one bad cartridge can cause the printer to fail to initialize.  So best thing to do is to take things a step at a time, make sure you can close the cover and get the printer to initialize.
If you go looking for trouble with error codes, you'll easily find it at this stage.  Just about everything is out of calibration since having been taken apart.

Hopefully, once you get the cover closed and working, everything will fall into place.  If you find things wrong with the printer that weren't wrong before you took it apart, you can safely deduce that it has been incorrectly reassembled.

BTW - I contacted OLDVA on eBay and asked about his rear carriage bushings and he said he had made so many of them that his moulds wore out.  He said he's going to make new moulds and begin a new manufacturing cycle.  Since you already have 2 new ones it's a mute point, but I said I would contact him, and that was his answer.

Mark

[Pluminland]

Thanks Mark.  I'll attack the 'open window' problem later this week, then run the diagnostics.     In for a penny, in for a pound. :-)

[Pluminland]

I opened up the Z3200 yesterday and found that the window sensor had come lose from the metal frame that holds it in place.  I snapped it back in and re-attached it to the frame.  The sensor now works fine. 

I still get the Paper jam message. I can easily move the carriage from right to left and back with no problem.  So, I am thinking I need to run the diagnostic tests and calibration tools so the printer actually knows where the carriage really is.  Does that make sense?

[Mark Lindquist]

Yes, you can run the diagnostics now.  Make sure you turn off the printer first and switch it off in the back, then unplug it for at least 5 minutes.

Make sure the print head carriage is all the way to the right.

Plug it back in and turn it on with the switch in the back.  Very important.


Follow the guidelines for the diagnostic test, remembering that the color sensor test will fail most assuredly.

When they say to use glossy paper, use glossy paper.

Be certain your inks are at least 40% full.

Once you're done, reset the printer indicating it's a new belt.

Easy does it, looks like you're almost there.  Good luck.

[Pluminland]

Alas even after unplugging the Z3200 for almost an hour and then restarting it, it still has the paper jam message. What is odd is that I can move the carriage from one side to the other by hand with no problem. Also, during one of the tests I did earlier today, the printer moved the carriage completely to the left and back to the right with no problem.   Obviously the new belt must be working.

So, why in the world does it think there is a paper jam?      Perhaps some sensor is jammed?    Or maybe the encoder strip is bad?

[Mark Lindquist]

Question?  Have you replaced the battery on the formatter board?

You should know how to take that out - just remove the screws - take the cord and lan or usb cables out and pull up by the handles.

Look on the board for the battery - go find a replacement battery, reinstall the battery and reinstall the formatter board.  Make sure it is well seated.  Also, I recommend you plug your printewr into a UPS that's plugged into a different outlet than the one you are using.

Try these things and let's see what happens.  If it doesn't fix it, no harm done, and all good practices for running the printer.

I suspect the OOPS (out of paper sensor) is the culprit however.  It's another limit switch that can become unplugged or knocked out of place. This media sensor is located beneath the printing platen.  It can become unplugged under there or possibly damaged.

So I recommend you check all these things out and see what gives.  In for a penny in for a pound.

You're doing fine.  Stay the course.  You can do this.

Mark

EDIT* Sometimes the lid of the printhead carriage can get a bit out of shape. Open and close the cover using the blue handle, and make sure it's properly seated.  Something this small can cause the error.

[Pluminland]

Just looking at the printer I can't see any sign of the media detector being bad, but then I'm not sure what I am looking at. :-(

Still working on it.   There is nothing much to lose at this point. 

It seems that parts are getting hard to find for the Z3200.  Mostly they are used/reconditioned parts.    Or am I imagining things?

 

[Mark Lindquist]

Here's what you're looking for:

I wouldn't hesitate buying this:

OOPS

Parts come and go.  HP is still making the printers - you could always call and ask to buy the part from them if you're not happy with refurbished.

Keep searching -- search different ways, and something should come up for you.

[Pluminland]

Thanks Mark.  You're a gold mine of information. :-)

[Mark Lindquist]

Here are some diagrams from the Service Manual:

[kers]

i see the problem now;

too many trees in the printer...

[Mark Lindquist]

It's those pesky splinters, apparently...

[Pluminland]

It's been a while and I thought I would update this thread.  The ending was a bit of a disappointment.

Over the past month I have tried several other things to fix the printer, including nearly disassembling it again and checking for loose connections  and anything I may have done wrong reassembling it.    I found no problems in that area.  I also got a paper sensor and put it in.  No difference.  Apparently there is a problem in the print carriage.  Perhaps it was damaged when the printer seized up?  Or maybe I damaged it when I took it apart.

Reluctantly, I decided to sell the printer for parts and found a fellow who had some training in HP products though not this printer.  Hopefully, he will get it working or use it for parts. 

I will replace it with a smaller printer, to save precious space in my home.   Maybe a 17 inch job.    Oh well....  It was a good try and I did learn a lot.