Hewlett Packard Laserjet 4+

[Muse]

The 'defect ruler' as I called it is in the service manual. All the parts in the image path have different diameters, so you can identify the source of a problem by the distance between repetitive defects on the page. For example, 2.5 inches might be one of the fuser rollers (obviously read the manual for the real values).

The jetdirect cards in these are very old, they almost certainly won't do auto mdi. You will likely need a crossover to connect to your laptop. Best solution of course is hook it into a wired port on your wireless router.

I would actually disagree on the 4+ having feed issues. I used to do support for hp lasers, the later stuff definitely can be problematic (say the 4000/4050/4100 era) but the 4/4+/5 were always very solid.

Viper GTS

Thanks, that defect ruler may come in handy. I was having defect issues and I was lining up deals for parts kits but tried a new cartridge and that was all it needed. The defects I'm seeing in this 4+ are obviously caused by its cartridge because swapping it with the recently bought one in my 4 has it printing perfectly.

By crossover cable I'm thinking you mean parallel-->USB? It won't be practical to run an ethernet cable from both of these printers to my wireless router. I'm not sure the router has the extra connector (especially after I get my NAS together), and it would necessitate running a very long (~100 feet) cable from downstairs to upstairs, into the attic, back down. You seem to be suggesting that it's possible to find/get a Jetdirect card that will accommodate the printer so I wouldn't have to go through the router. Automatic mdi is the function I want?

I've had double feeds with my HP4M, but I'd guess maybe 20 over 16 years after ~18,000 prints. It's annoying but infrequent. I couldn't comment on how this stacks up against other printers. However, I admit that it's the major reason I've used the manual feeder for even pages when fudge duplexing with the HP4M. Once burned twice shy. At work I've seen people fanning stacks of paper before inserting in printers, obviously to help prevent the problem. I have done that some but usually don't bother. It hasn't been a persistent problem, still I don't take a chance when I fudge-duplex.

 

[Modelworks]

Get an HP jetdirect 300x print server off ebay. I use one and it is great with these printers. Connect the box to the network and plug any parallel printer into the port.
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=HP+JETDIRECT+300X

You can get them for $10-$15 .

 

[ultimatebob]

Probably cheaper too, is my thought.

Here's something peculiar:

On the top in front there's a sticker displaying the serial number. It looks very professional, glossy, perfect, IMO evidence it was in an institutional setting. However, that serial number does not match the one on the back of the machine!

S/N JPGK069778 <-- On top
Serial No. JPGL058700 <-- On the back (in two places, one being a UPC sticker)
Oct. 1994 NC1

What can this signify?

It probably signifies that the intern in charge of checking the serial numbers was too lazy to read the entire S/N before slapping an inventory sticker on the unit.

Either that, or the top panel got replaced with one from another unit at some point.

 

[Muse]

Probably cheaper too, is my thought.

Here's something peculiar:

On the top in front there's a sticker displaying the serial number. It looks very professional, glossy, perfect, IMO evidence it was in an institutional setting. However, that serial number does not match the one on the back of the machine!

S/N JPGK069778 <-- On top
Serial No. JPGL058700 <-- On the back (in two places, one being a UPC sticker)
Oct. 1994 NC1

What can this signify?

It probably signifies that the intern in charge of checking the serial numbers was too lazy to read the entire S/N before slapping an inventory sticker on the unit.

Either that, or the top panel got replaced with one from another unit at some point.

Yeah, I don't know what else to think. And yet the Self Test indicates duty of only about 20,000 sheets. So, maybe it wasn't an institutional printer. Well, it seems to be in great shape. I still haven't printed anything other that off the Test Menu, but I see nothing to suggest it isn't working perfectly. Except maybe that fairly strong smell the first time I fired it up. I didn't notice that smell, next times I turned it on, though. Maybe it had been sitting a round a long time and it was just crud burning off from dust/dirt that fell through that grate behind the display. :\

 

[Modelworks]

Yeah, I don't know what else to think. And yet the Self Test indicates duty of only about 20,000 sheets. So, maybe it wasn't an institutional printer. Well, it seems to be in great shape. I still haven't printed anything other that off the Test Menu, but I see nothing to suggest it isn't working perfectly. Except maybe that fairly strong smell the first time I fired it up. I didn't notice that smell, next times I turned it on, though. Maybe it had been sitting a round a long time and it was just crud burning off from dust/dirt that fell through that grate behind the display. :\

The counters on these printers roll over at 999,999 , it could be like mine and actually have 1,020,000 sheets printed.

 

[Muse]

The counters on these printers roll over at 999,999 , it could be like mine and actually have 1,020,000 sheets printed.

Um, I suppose that's possible. Some difference! Well, cleaned up it looks brand new, really! Surely, a seasoned eye could make an educated guess looking at it, especially the interior, whether it's actually 20,000 or 1,020,000!

Edit: WTH, do the counters roll over at 999,999? I'd think they'd keep that info digitally, but maybe it's actually mechanical? Like a car? :\

Of course, it could be 2,020,000 ( ), but my guess is 20,000.

 

[Viper GTS]

It's really somewhat unlikely that it has over a million. It would have to be very heavily used and very well maintained to make it that long. I don't remember off the top of my head what the maintenance interval on a 4+ is but I'm guessing it's around 150-200K pages. The routine maintenance on these printers is high enough that people start seriously thinking about replacing them when it comes up (typically includes the fuser, transfer roller, pickup rollers, and separation rollers/pads if the printer has them).

Here's an example:

http://www.newegg.com/product/produc...82e16828999711

Multiple feed issues are generally caused by worn/dry separation pads or rollers. Since the printer won't ask for a maintenance kit until it hits the maintenance interval they can be very hard/dry on a lightly used printer.

Unfortunately I don't believe the 4 series has replaceable separation pads in the PC tray. If you're having issues with the lower trays resist the temptation to use the manual tray for volume printing - It's really not for regular use, you'll wear it out if you're doing any kind of volume. Occasional duplexing is OK, but if you start printing exclusively from that tray you'll find yourself with no working trays in quick order.

Viper GTS

 

[Modelworks]

It's really somewhat unlikely that it has over a million. It would have to be very heavily used and very well maintained to make it that long. I don't remember off the top of my head what the maintenance interval on a 4+ is but I'm guessing it's around 150-200K pages. The routine maintenance on these printers is high enough that people start seriously thinking about replacing them when it comes up (typically includes the fuser, transfer roller, pickup rollers, and separation rollers/pads if the printer has them).

You are comparing prices now not then, they are over 10 years old. A laserjet 4p sold for about $600 then making it worth spending the money to maintain. When they were sold at the time they came with service contracts where HP techs would come at regular intervals and maintain them . I have a 6p with 1,000,000 + pages printed according to the print engine. It was owned by the local school board.

 

[Modelworks]

Um, I suppose that's possible. Some difference! Well, cleaned up it looks brand new, really! Surely, a seasoned eye could make an educated guess looking at it, especially the interior, whether it's actually 20,000 or 1,020,000!

Edit: WTH, do the counters roll over at 999,999? I'd think they'd keep that info digitally, but maybe it's actually mechanical? Like a car? :\

Of course, it could be 2,020,000 ( ), but my guess is 20,000.

No it is digital. You need the service software installed to read the internal data. The firmware in the printer was not designed to calculate higher so the variable overflows back to zero due to how the processor was set up to handle errors, it clears variables on a critical error. I guess HP never thought they would still be in use that long.

 

[Muse]

Get an HP jetdirect 300x print server off ebay. I use one and it is great with these printers. Connect the box to the network and plug any parallel printer into the port.
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=m570&_nkw=HP+JETDIRECT+300X

You can get them for $10-$15 .

The box? You mean connect the print server box directly to my wireless router and the printer into the print server too? The thing is that I want to have the printer next to my laptop, which is connected wirelessly to the network. The router's upstairs and the printer and laptop (next to each other) will be downstairs. What do I need to do that?

 

[Niege]

I still have my 4P that I bought in 1993. Still going strong. I didn't ever think to try to make it a network printer. Thanks!

 

[Vincent]

If you buy a print server you will most likely need a crossover cable as dbcooper1 said. Your laptop's ethernet port and the print server's ethernet port are designed to connect to a switch or hub. If you connect them to each other you will need a crossover cable because there isn't a switch between them. Instead of a regular ethernet cable you'll need a cable like one of these:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10208&cs_id=1020815

I've enjoyed reading your story about your HP LJ. In the past several years I've tried Panasonic and Samsung duplex laser printers that each only lasted a few years. Most galling was that the Samsung died a few months after I got a new toner cartridge for it. I finally switched to a 7-year-old HP LJ 2300d which hopefully will last as long as your printers have.

 

[Muse]

If you buy a print server you will most likely need a crossover cable as dbcooper1 said. Your laptop's ethernet port and the print server's ethernet port are designed to connect to a switch or hub. If you connect them to each other you will need a crossover cable because there isn't a switch between them. Instead of a regular ethernet cable you'll need a cable like one of these:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10208&cs_id=1020815

I've enjoyed reading your story about your HP LJ. In the past several years I've tried Panasonic and Samsung duplex laser printers that each only lasted a few years. Most galling was that the Samsung died a few months after I got a new toner cartridge for it. I finally switched to a 7-year-old HP LJ 2300d which hopefully will last as long as your printers have.

I think dbcooper1 in his post (#7) suggested I could maybe assign a static IP to a Jetdirect card in the printer and connect by regular ethernet:

-snip-

You should be able to print a status page from the front panel to see if the engine is working. If it recognized your Jetdirect card, just give it a static IP and connect to your network or laptop or you could get one of those USB to parallel converters I guess. -snip-

If I do need a crossover cable (I'm not sure right now, given when I'm seeing in this thread... do I?):

Um, I seem to remember that a Cat5 crossover cable is what? Isn't it just an ethernet cable with different wiring at the plug end? Maybe on one end of the ethernet cable? Well, if so, maybe I can make my own. :awe: I have a big roll of Cat5 (Cat5E, I think), and connectors, a crimper, the whole 9 yards. If I get instructions on how to wire the plugs, I can make my own. Is this correct?

 

[mfenn]

If I do need a crossover cable (I'm not sure right now, given when I'm seeing in this thread... do I?):

Um, I seem to remember that a Cat5 crossover cable is what? Isn't it just an ethernet cable with different wiring at the plug end? Maybe on one end of the ethernet cable? Well, if so, maybe I can make my own. :awe: I have a big roll of Cat5 (Cat5E, I think), and connectors, a crimper, the whole 9 yards. If I get instructions on how to wire the plugs, I can make my own. Is this correct?

Yes.

 

[mmntech]

I still have an old Apple LaserWriter Select from 1993 sitting in storage. Still works well aside from squeaking a lot when you fire it up.

 

[0roo0roo]

lol 30 watts is power saving? new models use maybe 2 watts

 

[C1]

Im really surprised that everyone seems to have luck with these HPs. I used these quite a bit at work. Initially, one could get a good four or five good years out of them, but then the paper feed would become problematic due to rollers hardening from age. Seemed like the replacement rollers from HP didnt last very long (maybe a year).

 

[Muse]

lol 30 watts is power saving? new models use maybe 2 watts

Yeah, actually I'm confused about this. It says the 4+ is Energy Star and in stand by uses 25-30 watts. The previous model, which I have, the 4, is not Energy Star and a year or so ago I used my Kill-a-Watt to measure the stand by power used and it looked to be about 25 watts. Don't know what's up with that. Anyway, I always turn off my LJ4 after I finish my printing job. I don't print a lot.

 

[Muse]

I still have an old Apple LaserWriter Select from 1993 sitting in storage. Still works well aside from squeaking a lot when you fire it up.

A funny thing was happening with my LJ4 a couple months back. I'd print a one sheet job and as the sheet would come out of the printer I'd hear a squeaking. It happened for around 10 jobs and stopped. :\

 

[mmntech]

A funny thing was happening with my LJ4 a couple months back. I'd print a one sheet job and as the sheet would come out of the printer I'd hear a squeaking. It happened for around 10 jobs and stopped. :\

Clean your heads.

 

[Muse]

Clean your heads.

Uh, you are just being funny or the LJ4 has "heads?"

 

[Muse]

I haven't gotten around to hooking up the HP LJ4+ I found in July 2011 sitting on the sidewalk on top of a console TV. Was still using my HP LJ 4M, AKA HP4M. Around 2 weeks ago the HP4M started malfunctioning. After 1-7 prints and being on a few minutes it showed an error code: 50 SERVICE. This could have something to do with the fact that the room is anywhere from 49-52 degrees when I turn on the printer and let it warm up. The manual says if that error code happens you turn it off for 10 minutes and back on. If it reoccurs, call for service. Um, I've never had this thing serviced, had it since February 1994. The prints that it was making while having this problem the last 2 weeks are smudged, much of the text unreadable, blurred. I figured that swapping out the cartridge with another might stop the errors and bad printing. Doing that solved a problem a couple of years ago. The cartridge that was in there when these errors occurred 2 weeks ago was the one I bought off Amazon in January 2010, a presumably new one branded Xerox for around $35-40. However, the shell of the cartridge they shipped to me showed very obvious signs of previous wear, so I concluded it was remanufactured in spite of there being no hint on the Amazon listing. It was supplied not by Amazon but by a 3rd party.

Well, I swap out this "Xerox" cartridge with the one that was in the LJ4+ I found, which was AFAIK working, although the prints hadn't been fantastic (as I said in early posts in this thread, I just reread the entire thread). The HP4M seems to be working OK again, so I conclude that the 50 SERVICE error may be totally due to cartridge issues, and the fuser may be OK (???).

I don't use a printer much. I have to think lately on average I print maybe 5-10 pages a week. Occasionally I'll print more, maybe a large manual with 100 pages, but just once in a while. My thinking at the moment is maybe I will just hook up one printer and leave well enough alone. Have the HP4+ hooked up to my wireless router by ethernet using the jetdirect card I presently have in the HP4M, and set the HP4M aside. I would take the extra 4MB of RAM and postscript module from the HP4M and put them in the HP4+, I presume that would give the LJ4+ postscript capabilities just as they did the HP4. Using just one printer I'm only using one cartridge, which might be the wiser course since these cartridges seem to go bad over time. Or maybe if I buy an actual new HP cartridge (in spite of the expense), I can get 6000 prints out of it regardless of how long it sits in the printer (I figure that's iffy!).

 

[Muse]

I've been running one of these with jetdirect and duplexer since it was new; keep waiting for it to break so I can justify replacing it with something smaller/quieter/more energy efficient. I keep finding cheap toner carts on CL and refilling and it just won't die. Hope you like the thing because you probably now have home printing capacity for 3-4 lifetimes!

Well, I was happy enough after solving a slight problem, I believe it was accordion pages. But recently the display went blank. It still prints, but I have to see the display to use any features or if there's any kind of malfunction to get error codes.

I just ordered a used formatter PCA (what does PCA stand for?) for ~$25 shipped. If that doesn't fix it I see a replacement control panel I can get for ~$30. If those don't fix it, heck, I guess I'll be using my old HP4 that I bought around 1994.

 

[LTC8K6]

Printed Circuit Assembly

There's an echo in here...

 

[Muse]

Printed Circuit Assembly

There's an echo in here...

Aha! Thank you... That's over 100 entries down the list at http://www.acronymfinder.com/PCA.html. I didn't get that far...