HP LaserJet 2420 Left Lower Cartridge Guide

[kismit77]

Greetings all,

This is my first post, and I am excited to become a member of this community.

So I recently became employed at a computer repair shop, thinking I would be repairing pc's. I wasn't aware that I would actually be the "printer guy". I have no real training to speak of, just a little bit of trial and error. I think I made an error...

I was installing a maintenance kit (fuser, rollers, seperation pad, etc) and, in my attempt to better understand the inner workings of an HP LJ 2420, I started taking it apart. I removed a screw - inside the cartidge door, left side, the first screw you see on the left side when you open the cartridge door - and the mechanism kind of fell apart. It happened so quickly, I didn't get a chance to see how to reassemble it. I did the best I could, but now I am getting a "Replace Black Cartridge" message, even though there is a cartridge installed. I think that the problem is somehow related to the lower left cartidge guide. I've been scouring the service manual trying to figure this out, but I am not seeing very detailed instructions, or even better, pictures, to help me resolve this issue. Any tips/advice? Thanks!

[prntrfxr]

there's a little wire that sticks out on the inside left - contact for the toner cartridge. if its not grounded against the cartridge correctly it will say "replace black cartridge" - the assembly you unscrewed probably knocked it out of position. And you're right there's nothing in the manual about it. I have seen a few printers with this problem - usually customers are cartridge remanufacturers. sometimes the hinge part (behind the contact between cover and outer frame) gets loose and I've followed HP's tech tip of using wire tie (no lie - in an hp tech tip) to secure it. Without seeing the machine I'm not sure what you may have out of position, but you are in the right area to start looking because your solution is with the assembly you disassembled on the side or right behind it.

[kismit77]

Thanks prntrfxr for your reply. I am investigating the probability that this is the cause of my problem, but could it possibly be something as simple as low toner? Or could it be mechanical? When I hold down the (not sure of the technical part name) black assembly on the left outside, up and to the right of a fan along with another black assembly on the top, under the laser, I can get the "install black cartridge" message to clear. When it does, I get a low toner message. I tried to print a test page, and got a blank page.

prntrfxr, I want to clarify regarding the wire: Is it an electrical wire? Does it just need to make contact? Can you give me a little more direction on finding it in relation to the left lower cartridge guide?

[kismit77]

Duh -

prntrfxr I just re-read your reply and realized that you answered my questions about the wire. I am just having trouble finding it.

[kismit77]

As it turns out, when I was installing the maintenance kit, I didn't get the transfer roller properly seated - everything works great now! :)

[redcow]

Hope you learned something from this.

1)If it ain't broke don't fix it
2)Don't break it just to have something to fix
3)If its a customer's machine for God's sake memorize 1) and 2)

[prntrfxr]

there's a #4 too. Took me a long time to learn it.

4) Stay humble. When you fall (cause everyone does, no one knows everything) you won't fall as far and a machine wont make a fool out of you. lol...:D