Help! Loose spring in HP LJ III

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken Knecht
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Ken Knecht

I tried to print a couple of Usenet messages and the 'out of
paper' message came on in my HP LJ III. I pulled out the
paper drawer and I saw it had paper. A sheet remained in the
printer. I pulled it out from the rollers and it had heavy
toner in a diagonal streak about an inch in at the farthest
point on the left portion of the entering edge. Evidently it
had been trying to print there. And a coil sping rolled out, from
the right side if I remember <shudder> - heavy wire (about 20 or
18 AWG), 1/4" loop at each end, 1 " long coil, 1/4" in diameter.I
looked but don't see anything obvious, or any springs like it.
Any guesses to help me along? I've not pulled off the case - yet.
I've not been in this printer for years and can't remember what
springs I've seen where. I don't know anyone with one I can look
at.

This morning I tried the printer in test mode to print the font
list and it worked - all six or so pages with no problem! Now
what? That spring must go somewhere! What would you do? I'm
afraid I'll damage the printer running it without that spring.

I've gotten no response in the HP hardware newsgroup.

TIA

Ken
 
Ken Knecht said:
I tried to print a couple of Usenet messages and the 'out of
paper' message came on in my HP LJ III. I pulled out the
paper drawer and I saw it had paper. A sheet remained in the
printer. I pulled it out from the rollers and it had heavy
toner in a diagonal streak about an inch in at the farthest
point on the left portion of the entering edge. Evidently it
had been trying to print there. And a coil sping rolled out, from
the right side if I remember <shudder> - heavy wire (about 20 or
18 AWG), 1/4" loop at each end, 1 " long coil, 1/4" in diameter.I
looked but don't see anything obvious, or any springs like it.
Any guesses to help me along? I've not pulled off the case - yet.
I've not been in this printer for years and can't remember what
springs I've seen where. I don't know anyone with one I can look
at.

This morning I tried the printer in test mode to print the font
list and it worked - all six or so pages with no problem! Now
what? That spring must go somewhere! What would you do? I'm
afraid I'll damage the printer running it without that spring.
Click to expand...

Check out www.printerworks.com they have online drawings. The only thing I
can think of is the solinoid springs located on the right side mounted on
the powersupply. There's also a spring in the latch for the cover, that
could be it since the printer still seems to work, maybe the spring caused
the jam.
 
Check out www.printerworks.com they have online drawings.
The only thing I can think of is the solinoid springs
located on the right side mounted on the powersupply.
There's also a spring in the latch for the cover, that could
be it since the printer still seems to work, maybe the
spring caused the jam.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the URL.

I'm working my way through the drawings, but no luck yet. Not all
that many springs though.

It's a different kind of spring than the two on the latch. With
the 'hood' up, look at the right and left side at the bottom of
the hood and you'll see two really big coil springs. On the left
side, one of these springs has another coil spring in front of
it. The spring I found is about like this in shape, but maybe one
or two gauges thinner wire and the coil is about half the
diameter. It works by pulling, like a screen-door spring.

By the power supply solonoid springs do you mean the lever at the
right at the rear that gets pushed down when the hood is down?
That has a spring like mine on it but about a third the size and
much thinner wire. I don't see any other coil springs on the
right side. Nor any coil on the left for that matter, except
those three little upright coils grouped about a third of the way
back (I think the cartridge presses on them).

I was thinking, since the spring rolled out when I pulled out
that jammed sheet of paper, it has to come from somewhere either
in the front where the paper drawer plugs in or before the
cartridge. Unless it rolled in from the back somewhere, which
looks kind of unlikely.

I started to pull off the case and then remembered the problems I
had with the pushbuttons last time I did that. I think I'll hold
off for now.

I tried the printer again and it printed fonts fine, If I can't
find anything pictured in the drawings I'm very very tempted to
run it without the spring. But I'm pretty sure I'll regret it.

Ken
 
I tried to print a couple of Usenet messages and the 'out of
paper' message came on in my HP LJ III. I pulled out the
paper drawer and I saw it had paper. A sheet remained in the
printer. I pulled it out from the rollers and it had heavy
toner in a diagonal streak about an inch in at the farthest
point on the left portion of the entering edge. Evidently it
had been trying to print there. And a coil sping rolled out, from
the right side if I remember <shudder> - heavy wire (about 20 or
18 AWG), 1/4" loop at each end, 1 " long coil, 1/4" in diameter.I
looked but don't see anything obvious, or any springs like it.
Any guesses to help me along? I've not pulled off the case - yet.
I've not been in this printer for years and can't remember what
springs I've seen where. I don't know anyone with one I can look
at.

This morning I tried the printer in test mode to print the font
list and it worked - all six or so pages with no problem! Now
what? That spring must go somewhere! What would you do? I'm
afraid I'll damage the printer running it without that spring.

I've gotten no response in the HP hardware newsgroup.

TIA

Ken
Click to expand...

Almost sounds as if it's one of the springs holding the rollers on the
registration assembly. Easy to check this. Open your cover, and if you
look straight down, you'll see the registration assembly (long silver
roller on bottom and a long rubber roller on top as well as a long and
thinner rubber roller ahead of it. There are 4 black screws holding
this assembly in place, 2 on each side. Remove them and pull the
assembly out. Check both sides. If one has a spring wrapped around one
end of the assembly and the other doesn't, there is the problem. The
spring could laso have come out of the cartridge perhaps. Good luck.

Frank
 
Almost sounds as if it's one of the springs holding the rollers on the
registration assembly. Easy to check this. Open your cover, and if you
look straight down, you'll see the registration assembly (long silver
roller on bottom and a long rubber roller on top as well as a long and
thinner rubber roller ahead of it. There are 4 black screws holding
this assembly in place, 2 on each side. Remove them and pull the
assembly out. Check both sides. If one has a spring wrapped around one
end of the assembly and the other doesn't, there is the problem.
Click to expand...
The spring could laso have come out of the cartridge perhaps. Good luck.
Click to expand...

And, it could be a Spring From Nowhere. :-) It could simply be
a loose part that fell into the machine during assembly, or during
a previous repair. Murphy's Law dictates that those "things" do
not manifest themselves until such time as NO ONE would consider
it a possibility. :-)

GL
Jonesy
 
And, it could be a Spring From Nowhere. :-) It could
simply be a loose part that fell into the machine during
assembly, or during a previous repair. Murphy's Law
dictates that those "things" do not manifest themselves
until such time as NO ONE would consider it a possibility.
:-)
Click to expand...

I like the way you think!

Ken
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in
Almost sounds as if it's one of the springs holding the
rollers on the registration assembly. Easy to check this.
Open your cover, and if you look straight down, you'll see
the registration assembly (long silver roller on bottom and
a long rubber roller on top as well as a long and thinner
rubber roller ahead of it. There are 4 black screws holding
this assembly in place, 2 on each side. Remove them and pull
the assembly out. Check both sides. If one has a spring
wrapped around one end of the assembly and the other
doesn't, there is the problem.
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Before I disassemble, I gather these are springs wound around a
shaft? If so, that's not it. The spring I found is the kind like
a screen-door spring - it works by resisting something pulling to
elongate it. If that is the type I'll pull the unit and look.
The spring could laso have
come out of the cartridge perhaps.
Click to expand...

Nope. Unless it's out of sight. I looked at another cartridge and
don't see it. Too bad.

BTW, this is a rather large spring. The only ones I see that are
larger are those at the hinges of the 'hood'.

Also, can anyone tell me if the exploded drawings of the LJ III
at www.printerworks.com are correct for all LJ IIIs? Some of the
assemblies don't seem to match my printer. Or I'm misreading the
drawings (entirely possible).

Good luck.

Thanks. I'll evidently need it.
Frank
Click to expand...

Ken
 
Before I disassemble, I gather these are springs wound around a
shaft? If so, that's not it. The spring I found is the kind like
a screen-door spring - it works by resisting something pulling to
elongate it. If that is the type I'll pull the unit and look.
Click to expand...

Yup. thats exactly the type you'd find wound around the shaft. But it
is a "pull" type spring with both ends having a loop. There is yet
another spring of that type located on the fuser. It is the spring
that puts tension on the little black arm that sticks up on the right
side of the fuser. Easy to check visually. If it's there, you'll see
it. I doubt that this is the spring though.
Nope. Unless it's out of sight. I looked at another cartridge and
don't see it. Too bad.
Click to expand...

Oh well, it was just a thought.
BTW, this is a rather large spring. The only ones I see that are
larger are those at the hinges of the 'hood'.

Also, can anyone tell me if the exploded drawings of the LJ III
at www.printerworks.com are correct for all LJ IIIs? Some of the
assemblies don't seem to match my printer. Or I'm misreading the
drawings (entirely possible).
Click to expand...

What is the particular model number of your printer? The classic
HP-III is model 33449, the HP-IIID (A totally different animal) is
33459 and the HP-IIIP is 33481. The model numbers are located
somewhere on the back panel of the printer, usually around the AC
power socket.

Frank
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in
Yup. thats exactly the type you'd find wound around the
shaft. But it is a "pull" type spring with both ends having
a loop.
Click to expand...

Given the physical size of the spring I found (see my next
response) could it still be one of the registration assembly
springs? I keep harping on this because the printer does seem to
work (for the moment at least) without the spring. I am a klutz.
I hesitate to disassemble anything I don't have to and risk
damaging something.
There is yet another spring of that type located on
the fuser. It is the spring that puts tension on the little
black arm that sticks up on the right side of the fuser.
Easy to check visually. If it's there, you'll see it. I
doubt that this is the spring though.
Click to expand...

Nope, that one's still there. And it's the same type as the
spring I found. BTW, the spring I found is much larger, about 2
1/2 times larger, and much much heavier wire. It measures 1 3/4
inches including the end loops.
What is the particular model number of your printer? The
classic HP-III is model 33449, the HP-IIID (A totally
different animal) is 33459 and the HP-IIIP is 33481. The
model numbers are located somewhere on the back panel of the
printer, usually around the AC power socket.
Click to expand...
33449A.

Ken
 
clip.......
Before I disassemble, I gather these are springs wound around a
shaft? If so, that's not it. The spring I found is the kind like
a screen-door spring - it works by resisting something pulling to
elongate it. If that is the type I'll pull the unit and look.


Nope. Unless it's out of sight. I looked at another cartridge and
don't see it. Too bad.

BTW, this is a rather large spring. The only ones I see that are
larger are those at the hinges of the 'hood'.

Also, can anyone tell me if the exploded drawings of the LJ III
at www.printerworks.com are correct for all LJ IIIs? Some of the
assemblies don't seem to match my printer. Or I'm misreading the
drawings (entirely possible).
Click to expand...
Yes but you have to understand the exploded drawings cover the Apple
II Laserwrite, Canon, and Brother models besides HP.

Gordon
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in


Given the physical size of the spring I found (see my next
response) could it still be one of the registration assembly
springs? I keep harping on this because the printer does seem to
work (for the moment at least) without the spring. I am a klutz.
I hesitate to disassemble anything I don't have to and risk
damaging something.


Nope, that one's still there. And it's the same type as the
spring I found. BTW, the spring I found is much larger, about 2
1/2 times larger, and much much heavier wire. It measures 1 3/4
inches including the end loops.
33449A.

Ken
Click to expand...


You've got the classic HP-III. I just had a quick look at one of my
loaner printers in the shop as well as a registration assembly and
some spare frame parts. Forget about the registration assembly. I
must of had a brain fart. Sorry! The spring is from the the latch
assembly for the top cover (best guess without seeing it) If your
printer works fine without it and you can still unlock the top cover
with the push button, then don't worry about it. Does the push button
feel sloppy or loose when you push on it to unlock the cover?

Frank
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in
You've got the classic HP-III. I just had a quick look at
one of my loaner printers in the shop as well as a
registration assembly and some spare frame parts. Forget
about the registration assembly. I must of had a brain fart.
Sorry! The spring is from the the latch assembly for the top
cover (best guess without seeing it) If your printer works
fine without it and you can still unlock the top cover with
the push button, then don't worry about it. Does the push
button feel sloppy or loose when you push on it to unlock
the cover?

Frank
Click to expand...

I think the button feels normal but it's hard to be sure.

I looked at the top cover latch assembly. On mine there are two
lever arms each with a notch that move towards the front of the
printer when the button is pushed to release the cover, which
springs up because of the springs at the hinges. The lever arms
in turn each have a spring wound around the shaft they are
mounted on; one spring arm presses against the lever arm to push
it towards the back of the printer to latch the top cover. I
don't see any coil springs like the one I found with a loop on
each end. Is there supposed to be one (the one I found loose)
somewhere under the front of the case besides the springs
pressing against the arms that I mentioned above?

Ken
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in


I think the button feels normal but it's hard to be sure.

I looked at the top cover latch assembly. On mine there are two
lever arms each with a notch that move towards the front of the
printer when the button is pushed to release the cover, which
springs up because of the springs at the hinges. The lever arms
in turn each have a spring wound around the shaft they are
mounted on; one spring arm presses against the lever arm to push
it towards the back of the printer to latch the top cover. I
don't see any coil springs like the one I found with a loop on
each end. Is there supposed to be one (the one I found loose)
somewhere under the front of the case besides the springs
pressing against the arms that I mentioned above?

Ken
Click to expand...


Yup, there is supposed to be one on the right hand side, pretty much
under the top front cover piece behind (towards the front of the
printer) the plastic frame and latching assembly.. Impossible to see
without removing the cover. The role of the spring is to pop the cover
up enough to grab a hold of it and open it the rest of the way when
you push the button. The spring should push it up about half an inch
or so. It's an easy fix if the lrever arm its attached to isn't
broken. If it is broken and the printer still works fine and there is
not too much of a problem opening the cover to get at the cartridge,
then ignore it.

Frank

Frank
 
(e-mail address removed) wrote in
Yup, there is supposed to be one on the right hand side,
pretty much under the top front cover piece behind (towards
the front of the printer) the plastic frame and latching
assembly.. Impossible to see without removing the cover.
The role of the spring is to pop the cover up enough to grab
a hold of it and open it the rest of the way when you push
the button. The spring should push it up about half an inch
or so. It's an easy fix if the lrever arm its attached to
isn't broken. If it is broken and the printer still works
fine and there is not too much of a problem opening the
cover to get at the cartridge, then ignore it.

Frank
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure you nailed it. When I push the latch button the
cover barely moves. The gap between the cover and the case is
only doubled. I can just barely get the tips of my fingers in the
gap to lift the cover.

I can easily live with this until I have to take the case off for
something else.

Thank you so very much for all your patience and help.

Ken
 
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