A lot of today’s service issues are print or scan related. In most cases the problem is not caused by the hardware which is your copier/MFP. A quick way to check this is to reboot your copier/MFP and reboot your PC. If the problem persists the first phone call should go to your IT person who can remote in and see where the network conflict is. It could be a corrupted file in the que which needs purged. Let me define rebooting a copier. It’s more than heating the on/off button on the control panel. That’s usually not the real on/off button. Begin by turning that one off but then turn off the real on/off button which looks like a light switch. It may inside the cover where the toner goes or it could be on the outside of the copier. Turn it off at the main switch and wait about ten seconds before turning it back on. If there’s still a print scan issue after rebooting the MFP and your PC then call your IT person or call us. We have a lot of experience with those sorts of … [Read more...]
WHEN TO BUY GENERIC TONER
A good rule of thumb is to use it on older copiers. The older the copier, the more time the generic toner manufacturers have had to perfect their product. The newer the copier is, the better to use OEM toner. Now there are exceptions to everything so if you want to change from OEM to generic buy it from the company that services your copier. That way if the change in toner messes up the copier you can hold them accountable. Plus, they probably know from experience which is the best generic brands to use. If you are buying generic toner on your own be careful of buying on the internet because you won’t know what brand you are getting. Not all generic toners are equal. Some generic toner companies really have good quality control but not all. Plus, you should not mix generic brands. That could mess up your print quality. It is okay to put generic in if you’ve been using OEM but if you buy generic toners and don’t pay attention to the brands you could create problems. Again, … [Read more...]
USING GENERIC TONERS
Don’t mix generic toners. A lot of people with used copiers don’t have a maintenance agreement which usually includes toner in the lease. So they go to the internet and buy the cheapest toner available for their model. This is okay but there are a few rules to follow. First, it is okay to mix a generic toner with the OEM toner inside. If you don’t know what toner is inside then you have a little bit of a problem. The safest thing would be to put an OEM toner in next time. Then after that you can start using a generic toner. Hopefully, it’s a quality generic toner that won’t hurt the print quality. If it does, then you have to place a service call and you didn’t save any money. If you do find a good generic toner that doesn’t lessen the print quality on your copier than stick with that brand. Different generic brands shouldn’t be mixed. Hopefully, the person on the internet will identify the brand for you so you don’t take that risk. You also need to know how fresh it is. … [Read more...]
TONER CAN MESS UP YOUR COPIER
Here is the cardinal rule for toner. You can mix generic toner with OEM toner but you can create copy/print quality problems if you mix generics. That’s because generic toner companies base their engineering on OEM toner. In other words, if you put in a generic brand that’s different than the generic already in there you can have a service call to deal with. If you ever have a used copier or printer and aren’t sure what kind of toner is inside buy one cartridge of the higher priced OEM toner before switching to a good generic brand. However, there are exceptions to the above. For example, historically Sharp copiers have not done well with generic toners and a user should stick with OEM. If you’re not sure about your make and model call us and we’ll find out. Our technicians have worked on a variety of brands over the years. When bad toner causes print quality problems it can be expensive repair. Not only does the toner need to be vacuumed out but the developer needs to be … [Read more...]
WHAT IS THE WARRANTY ON THAT SERVICE CALL
An often overlooked point is the warranty on the service call. Insist on a 30 day warranty. In all fairness, this should be limited to the work that was done. An older copier, like an older car, can have multiple problems. So be clear about what warranty there is on the service call before the tech leaves. If there is confusion, write it out on the invoice. Most service companies are very honest and will honor callbacks if it truly is their fault. After all, they want a long term relationship. The warranty though gives you some options. For example, some calls are better handled by the manufacturer as opposed to an independent servicing company. A complicated electronic problem would be an example of this. However, manufacturers are an expensive option and don’t always have prompt service. So another idea would be to simply ask the servicing company if they have a lot of experience on your brand and model number. If they don’t, ask for a referral. Another red flag is if you … [Read more...]
BEFORE YOU SHOOT THAT COPIER
My how things have changed. In the past a typical copier service call would be paper jams or bad copy quality. Now, a typical call is, “ it won’t scan!” Just know that 9 out of 10 times it is the network or email provider creating the problem; not the copier. People hate hearing this because if it is the copier there may be a quick fix. However, if you’ve ever dealt with IT people you know it can get expensive when they investigate scanning problems. Plus, our experience has been that many IT people can’t figure it out anyway. I think this is because most IT people are self trained. Don’t misunderstand that last statement. We’ve met some really good IT people out there. However, the mediocre ones will blame it on the copier out of frustration. My techs point out to the IT people or customer that if some people can scan and others can’t than the problem isn’t the copier since it scans to at least one person. Sometimes the tech … [Read more...]
GOT LINES??
A common problem with copiers is lines or streaks. In a lot of cases there is a quick and easy fix. You should clean the ‘slit glass’ before calling service. Here’s how to do that. Lift the document feed up and out of the way. You will see a large sheet of glass which is used for book copying. This is not the slit glass. To the side of this will be a long thin sheet of glass. This is the slit glass! This is where the originals make contact with the copier when they’re scanned through the document feed and this is where the dirt accumulates, even if you can’t see it with the naked eye. Get some glass cleaner and a cloth and clean the slit glass really well. In most cases this will eliminate the lines or streaks if you are getting them when scanning. A good way to confirm this is that streaks don’t show up on prints; only on scans. If the lines or streaks are still there call us because a technician will be needed and the cause could be a … [Read more...]
AN EASY WAY TO FIX YOUR COPIER
Here’s the first hint; what do you do when your PC acts weird? The second hint is; what do you do when your cell phone acts up? And the answer is…………..You turn it off and then On! Do the same thing with your copier but follow this regimen. Turn off copier from the control panel. Turn off copier from the main on/off switch which is down below somewhere or inside the front door to the copier. Turn copier on from the main power on/off switch. This will bring everything back to normal unless the copier requires a service technician to clear the code or whatever. This is also a great way to figure out a scanning problem. Here is the protocol for that. Follow the procedure described above for turning the copier off and then on. Do the same with your PC. If there is still a scanning issue call a computer or IT person. It is unlikely that the copier is causing the problem. Hope this helps. If not, call us and we … [Read more...]
PICKING THE CORRECT SURGE PROTECTOR
Last week I talked about the importance of using a surge protector and how it will save you one or two service calls over the life of the copier. Fluctuations in electricity or surges can confuse the electronics of the copier and throw a Code. Sometimes you can simply turn the copier off and unplug it and turn it back on and everything resets. If not, you will need service. Hopefully, it’s not a board problem. What to look for in a surge protector. First make sure it also has ports for the Data Lines which use Cat 5 cables and RJ 45 Cables. You will also need ports for the fax and phone lines. I’ve seen copiers in the past that had the copier on a surge but then a lightning storm came through and it was the unprotected fax line that took out an expensive board in the copier. Anything attached to the copier needs to be surge protected. Make sure you size the surge protector to the size of the copier. A smaller copier or printer does not need a real … [Read more...]
Less Service Calls with Surge Protectors
One of the best preventive measures for your copier and other important office equipment is the use of a quality surge protector. Many people confuse the fancy power strip they buy at a store with a true surge protector. A power strip is not one! I’ve yet to see a store bought power strip type surge protector be equal to a commercial grade surge protector. In the old days it didn’t matter much because copiers were analog and could be very forgiving. However, today copiers and MFPs are Digital and much more sophisticated. This means they require steady clean electricity. A fluctuation in power can throw a code causing you to spend money on a service call. An actual power surge could wipe out an expensive board. This isn’t going to change because everything is getting more sophisticated and connected. It’s like cars in the old days when they were simpler and we could even do our own work on them. Nowadays cars are more electronic and computerized and we can’t do our … [Read more...]