Before carrying out any basic maintenance on a laser printer, consider the following points:
Consult the manufacturer’s handbook regarding issues concerning health, safety and warranty conditions.
Before replacing or repairing items, always check that the settings on the computer/printer are correct.
Error or service codes may help to isolate and resolve problems.
Prices are highly variable depending on manufacturer and the specific make/model of the laser printer.
Toner Cartridges
The photoreceptor drum, toner supply bin, waste toner hopper and wiper blades often come combined in a single replaceable unit that is changed when defective or depleted of toner. However, if items are separate, soft plastic drums may a have high cost of ownership that becomes apparent when it needs to be replaced.
Depending on the printer model, the cost of replacing a single toner cartridge can be significant (£10’s – £100’s). This is especially so in the case of colour cartridge packs (£100’s or £1000+). However, less expensive alternatives are available compared with using a genuine manufacturer’s cartridge. These include:
- ‘Re-manufactured Cartridges’/’Return Cartridges’ and ‘Compatible Cartridges’.
- ‘Refill Toner/Refill Cartridges’
Refer to Toner Cartridges – What are the Different Types? for details.
Fuser Assembly
This can include damaged paper sensors, power supply and electrical failure, cleaning build up of toner, torn fixing film sleeves, worn or defective feed and transfer rollers, defective gears and failure of the heating element Quartz bulb. Vertical lines on printouts may be the result of scratches on the rollers produced by the build-up of dust and dirt.
The cost of replacing a laser printer Fuser depends on the manufacturer, make/model and whether it is a refurbished or brand new item.
Example: HP Colour LaserJet 5550 Fuser
New HP Fuser £400 (approx.)
Refurbished Fuser £150 (approx.)
Rollers and Assemblies
Excessively worn or defective rollers should be replaced. The paper rollers can be cleaned with proprietary chemical solutions that often contain 99% isopropyl alcohol with a damp, lint free cloth.
Paper
Errors in printing and paper jams may result from inappropriate paper type or thickness.
Additional RAM
Why add more RAM?
- One should notice an improvement in print speed especially for demanding graphic and image intensive documents.
- Extra memory allows pages to be pre-fetched and stored in advance of printing (‘stacking’) and minimises print and memory error messages.
- Increased capacity for adding extra ‘downloadable/soft’ fonts.
How much does RAM cost?
Overtime and approximately in relationship to Moore’s Law, the size of RAM you will be able to buy for a given sum of money will increase. However, RAM prices fluctuate in accordance with market demand/supply, disruption of the supply chain where RAM is manufacturered e.g. 1999 Jiji earthquake, and will vary depending on make and model of printer. It is usually advantageous to buy larger sized memory modules with regard to the ‘MB to price’ ratio.
The price/MB of RAM has decreased significantly in the last decade. For example, the price of RAM in 2012 for the Epson M8000N was:
| SIZE OF RAM MODULE | PRICE (approx.) | PRICE PER MB (approx.) |
| 64MB SDRAM | £256 | £4 |
| 128MB SDRAM | £307 | £2.4 |
| 256MB SDRAM | £390 | £1.5 |
By comparision, in 2022, it is possible to get great bargains if you are willing to shop around e.g. Phaser 7760 Series 512 Mb was £13.07, or £0.03/MB, at Offtek.
Prices vary considerably between manufacture recommended RAM and third party suppliers and this situation has been ongoing for decades. An example of the price differential back in 2012 was:
| LASER PRINTER | Xerox Phaser 7760 DN | HP LaserJet 5200tn |
| RAM SIZE | 512Mb | 512 Mb |
| MANUFACTURERS WEBSITE PRICE | £770.80 | £884.76 |
| THIRD PARTY PRICE | £15.98 (Orcalogic) | £44.65 (Offtek) |
| SAVING | £754.82 | £840.11 |
Some examples of A3 laser printer third party (Offtek) 512 MB RAM prices in 2022 are:
- Xerox Phaser 7400N/£21.20
- HP LaserJet 9040N/£51.60
- OKI C9600HDN /£34.06
Memory bought from third party manufacturers can produce amazing savings but check with the printer manufacturer’s warranty to see if using it invalidates their warranty. Increased error and failure rates of third party memory compared to OEM memory is sometimes suggested as a reason to purchase OEM memory. However, quality third party companies negate such views with a confident offer of a lifetime warranty and a full refund-no quibble policy on their RAM products. RAM prices can fluctuate considerably depending on market forces.
How to add more RAM
Adding RAM to a laser printer is usually a simple process that takes a matter of minutes to perform. Consult the manufacturer’s handbook for specifics and remember to remove the power cord and other leads connecting the printer before starting the procedure. As a general principle, a dedicated panel secured by a tab or screw covers the printer’s memory slots. After removing the panel, note the direction that any existing RAM card is inserted and then simply push the new memory card in to an available free memory expansion slot. The process is completed by replacing the access panel, reconnecting the leads and performing a test page to ensure everything is functioning correctly.
Maintenance and Repair Kits
Manufacturer maintenance and repair kits are available for many laser printers and these typically come with at least a 90 day warranty. The cost of such repair kits is highly variable and depends on manufacturer and make/model of the laser printer. Also, the contents of maintenance kits can differ but the following is a representative example costing £235 (approx.):
HP LaserJet 4250 Maintenance Kit
LaserJet 4250 Fuser (New HP)
4 X LaserJet 4250 paper feed roller (for tray 2/3 – 2 needed per tray)
1 X LaserJet 4250 paper pickup roller (for tray 2/3)
1 X LaserJet 4250 paper pickup roller (for tray 1)
1 X LaserJet 4250 separation pad (for tray 1 makes sure only one piece of paper is picked up)
Replacing the majority of Fusers is a straightforward process involving turning a latch or using a #2 Phillips screwdriver.
Paper Repair Feed Kits are avaliable for certain printers and contain various new paper pickup rollers, feed rollers and separation pads. They can help address poor paper feed/paper pick up issues and paper jams (involving actual jammed paper or situations where an error message reports a paper jam yet no paper is actually jammed inside the machine). The following is a representative example costing £47 (approx.):
HP LaserJet 8150 Paper Repair Kit
1 X LaserJet 8150 paper pickup roller (for tray 1)
2 X LaserJet 8150 paper pickup rollers (for tray 2/3)
8 X LaserJet 8150 separation rollers (for tray 2/3 – makes sure only one piece of paper is picked up)
1 X LaserJet 8150 separation pad (for tray 1 – makes sure only one piece of paper is picked up)
On a final note, the saying, “if in doubt…..don’t!” should be borne in mind when considering undertaking any laser printer repairs beyond replacing basic consumables and clearing paper jams. Aside from the possibility of invalidating shop purchase guarantees and manufacturer warranties, serious damage to both printer and person can result. Therefore, first try to track down and resolve common problems and, if unsuccessful, before starting to use any tools, seriously consider seeking the assistance of a professional.
