HP660C Printer Problem

Question -
I have two 660C printers, both having exactly the same symptoms. Let me describe what I observe for I think it appears to be some sort of initalization problem. Both of these printers have worked for long periods of time in the past. As I said what applies to one seems to apply exactly to the other.

Let us hook up a printer. The green light comes on when the printer is turned on. Lift the lid to gain access to the cartridges and the carriage moves to the center position (actually a little left of center). The yellow light comes on. Closing the lid does not send the cartridges back to their park postition. Nothing happens and the yellow light stays on. Turning the printer off returns the cartridges to their park position.

Let us turn the printer on and try to print something. Choose a small 4 line WORD document. Selecting PRINT in WORD causes the green light to blink for a short time and then stop blinking. It remains on as a non-blinking light.

If a more complicated piece of material is to be printed such as a CD disk label the green light remains in a blinking mode.

In neither case does any printing take place.
The Yellow light does not come on during these print requests.

Can anyone suggest what might be wrong? I feel this is some sort of initialization problem

David

 

Hello David,

From the HP website:

Printing the self-test page (No. 10) will tell you if the printer is communicating with the cartridges.

If it prints the "self-test" page, go to Control Panel -> Printers, right-click on the printer and select properties. Click the "Print test page" button.

Let us know what happens.

BTW, which version of Windows are you using?

Matt

 

If it does not print a self-test page, check the clutch actuator:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...n&cc=us&dlc=en&product=59277&docname=bpd04237

Matt

 

MATT:

Thanks for your response and it was right on. I did as suggested and found a working printer using the same numbered cartridges. In performing substitutions I determined that the two color cartridges (HP 29 A) were "bad ".
When a good 29A and 49A were placed into the machines under question they no longer exhibited the faulty cartridge conditions. The cartridge carrier returns to the park position and the yellow light extinguishes when the cartridge cover is closed.

This raises the question as to what causes a "bad" color cartridge and can anything b e done to save them for they are not cheap items?

During these tests, I did not use a computer. I just turned on and off the printers. But to answer your question I am using WINDOWS 98 SE.

Nevertheless I thank you for the fast and pointed response. I did not think it was due to a cartridge failure for I had not touched these items.

David

 

Hi David,

The cleaning process that they suggest is to remove any ink that may have between the cartirdge contacts. I know you have had printer problems before. Maybe it is due to the enviroment where you live, like moist or salt-sea air. Maybe invest in some Contact Cleaner, especially if the cartridges are still partially full and there does not seem to be any reason for the loss of communication (like leaked ink). Check that you have cleaned ALL the contacts on the printer (side), you may get a good contact with new cartridges, but lose it shortly as the contacts are collecting "corrosion" (just a chemical process that needs to be removed to allow electrical transmission).

Matt