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ibm proprinter problem

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linemanduke

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2006
Messages
517
Location
marietta georgia
its just not my week for printers. my ibm proprinter i use with my 701c will at random moments seize and click and the lights will flash on the front its done this before when i acedently knocked the plug out, but theres no reason for it to do this and especially right in the middle of pages any ideas? its a good printer (when it works) and id like to keep it running. if it makes any difference im using cut sheets through the hole in front.
 
Proprinter problems

Proprinter problems

It's been awhile since I had a proprinter running, but I recall a couple of things about it. If you disconnect the cable, you can run the power on self test. You have to hold down one or two of the front panel buttons before you turn it on. Maybe someone else remembers the combination. Anyway, if you let this run for awhile without errors, the problem is probably the cable, connectors or a flakey computer interface. Try wiggling the printer cable and see if it fails. If you have another cable, try that too. I can remember a bad cable causing all kinds of wierd problems.
 
Hello,
I think you'll find that the problem is sticky printhead guide rails. if it sticks, the printer realises there's a problem with head position, and goes into error mode.

clean the rails with a cloth soaked in meths or suchlike, then re-lube with a silicone lubricant.

There is one other possibility, the switching transistor for the stepper motor supply gets hot & the solder tends to crystallise & open circuit removing drive power. If the fault persists, take the front panel off (slide upwards) open it up (plastic clips all round inside of lid), disconnect & remove the print mech (2 plastic clips that come up on towers from the base) pop the board out & suck & resolder all the dry joints around the power transistors & the transformer. job should be good.

Be ultra careful about popping the plastic clips, a 1/8" flat blade screwdriver should be just enough. they were a bit fragile when the printers were new, 20 years later...

good luck
 
i cleaned and lubed therails its help it doesnt do it as often but i did notice the stepper that drives the print head is hot enough to burn my hand should it be that way?
 
linemanduke said:
i cleaned and lubed therails its help it doesnt do it as often but i did notice the stepper that drives the print head is hot enough to burn my hand should it be that way?
Click to expand...

Yes, from what i remember they get pretty warm!

If the head's moving freely, the home sensor might be dirty, but probably dry joints on the board.
 
i actually got a video of what its doing im gonna put on the webits kinda crappy but you can tell the sounds and i get really mad at it cause im actually trying to print something important
 
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