Z3100 Will Not Take Cut Sheets

[Richard S]

Hi Everyone,

I recently purchased an HP Z3100 24".  I've learned quite a bit following the threads on this formum but couldn't find anything related to the problem I'm having.

The printer will work perfectly on roll paper, but will only go about a 1/10th of the way printing cut sheet paper before it stops and says there is a paper jam.  There never is a jam but it just stops printing.  The partial print that it does manage to do looks ghosted which leaves me to believe that it isn't feeding the paper correctly.

I've tried HP Gloss as well as Epson Premium Gloss and a few sheets of Hahnemuhle Bamboo.  The Bamboo fed twice successfully but came to a halt on the third attempt.  The printer has the latest star wheel upgrade but does not have the newer rollers.  I'm guessing that it does fine with 24" roll paper because there is so much more surface area to grab but that's just as I said, a guess.  An HP service company came out yesterday and couldn't resolve it either.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what was done to resolve it?

Any clues would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Richard

[Ernst Dinkla]

Hi Everyone,

I recently purchased an HP Z3100 24".  I've learned quite a bit following the threads on this formum but couldn't find anything related to the problem I'm having.

The printer will work perfectly on roll paper, but will only go about a 1/10th of the way printing cut sheet paper before it stops and says there is a paper jam.  There never is a jam but it just stops printing.  The partial print that it does manage to do looks ghosted which leaves me to believe that it isn't feeding the paper correctly.

I've tried HP Gloss as well as Epson Premium Gloss and a few sheets of Hahnemuhle Bamboo.  The Bamboo fed twice successfully but came to a halt on the third attempt.  The printer has the latest star wheel upgrade but does not have the newer rollers.  I'm guessing that it does fine with 24" roll paper because there is so much more surface area to grab but that's just as I said, a guess.  An HP service company came out yesterday and couldn't resolve it either.

Has anyone else experienced this, and if so, what was done to resolve it?

Any clues would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,
Richard

Richard,

My guess is that there's something wrong with paper feed sensors or the servo control on the paper feeding axle or the clamp pressure on that paper feeding system. A HP service case.

What you could do to keep the printer going for the time being. For sheet feeding I always use the insert slit for roll paper, never the one above meant for sheets. I keep a roll at the back of the printer and align the sheet against the right spindle flange. I also use the sheet feed method meant for deckled edge papers, it takes more time but it will always accept the sheet. You can select that on the printer panel. In your case there might be a chance that it will not cease printing as it uses an arbitrary paper length instead of measuring the length of the sheet.

If that all fails you can still tell the printer it is a roll, sheet has to be about at least 12 inches wide for that and you need a piece of paper as a trail to it to make the sensor think it is a roll.

All temporary solutions.


Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[Richard S]

Thanks very much Ernst.

I gave the first option a try without any success.  When the printer DOES print a sheet (only on thick Hahnemuhle Bamboo and only once in a while) the printer will advance the paper to where it should start printing (test 4x6 photo on an 8.5x11 sheet of paper centered) and begin there.  In all of the failed sheet paper attempts, the heads start passing back and forth at the very beginniing edge of the sheet, make several passes, a noise is apparent in the lower left side of the machine (near the AC input), and the heads stop cold over the sheet.  None of the failed print jobs start by advancing the paper where the photo should begin to be printed.

The HP service guy who came out (not a person directly from HP) thinks the heads are hitting something and shutting down but I don't agree.  If they were, they would be hitting the same thing on roll paper as well.  I am much more inclined to go with your theory...especially since the sheet paper doesn't even advace to where it should in order to start printing.

I'll try your second option states "you need a piece of paper as a trail to it to make the sensor think it is a roll"  Can that be any old paper (to fool the sensors) and where is it placed?

Thanks again for your input.  You obviously know a lot about these machines.  I've only had the machine for a week, and while I believe the problem will eventually get resolved, it's a drag having a big new beautiful printer that isn't working properly.

Richard

[Ernst Dinkla]

I'll try your second option states "you need a piece of paper as a trail to it to make the sensor think it is a roll"  Can that be any old paper (to fool the sensors) and where is it placed?



Richard

Yes any old white paper of say 8x8 inch that you feed when the sheet starts to disappear in the slit. So the sensor at that side still thinks there's paper coming from the roll. You could measure the distance to the roll with a sheet like that and pull it a fraction of an inch back, fold the other end upwards and tape it there. Pull it out when the job is done. The next time you can use it again.  Used a similar method on Epsons for other reasons.


Ernst Dinkla

Try: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

[Richard S]

Thanks very much Ernst.  I'll give it a whirl.  Since I wrote the reply, the printer is working perfectly with the Bamboo paper.  I'm wondering if it just has a problem with Epson Premium Glossy stock.  Seems odd though in that HP provides ICC profiles for that exact Epson paper.

I was going to try other single sheet papers but I have a heck of a time finding single sheets.  Everyone says "Don't get much call for single sheets in that roll paper is so much more economical".

Thanks again,
Richard