Understanding Printer Issue

[securespark]

I have a Brother colour laser multi function printer.

The toners, though low, are OK.

But the print quality is poor. Below is a parts life print out. Something must need replacing, replenishing or servicing, but I'm not sure what. Is anyone savvy with these beasts?

 

[MNW67]

It's a long time since I had a laser printer. But when it got really bad, it needed the drum replacing.

 

[securespark]

This one has 4 drums! I can't imagine all 4 are duff....

I'm hoping it just needs cleaning or something. I don't have any manuals for it, but it might even have a self cleaning function.

 

[JohnD]

my OKIs have a row of LEDs to shine on the drum. There are alcohol wipes to clean the lenses.

If the drums are dirty, they leave streaks unprinted or smudged

Your page looks weaker on the LHS than the RHS.

But I take the bits out for a clean when I put new toner in or if it gets paper jams. You may find black dust if you do that.

Including the rubber rollers of the paper transport.

I've use laser printers for years but I don't recall faint print.

The printer settings app may have an "economy" setting for less toner density. You may be able to turn up the density.

You can usually download a manual and a printer app from the manufacturer website.

The drums last for literally years.

 

[MNW67]

This one has 4 drums! I can't imagine all 4 are duff....

I'm hoping it just needs cleaning or something. I don't have any manuals for it, but it might even have a self cleaning function.

Do you know the model number?

Which way do those charts read for remaining life? Is the grey part the amount remaining or the amount used?

 

[mattylad]

If you take the toner cartridges out and give them a little shake that often redistributes the toner within them for a better print (when they are low).

When it comes to replacing drums it's usually cheaper to just buy a new printer.

 

[flameport]

This one has 4 drums! I can't imagine all 4 are duff....

Why not?
The drums are what transfers the image to the paper, and therefore will be in contact with every single sheet of paper that has passed through the machine.

It claims to have done 32000 pages, most of which were in colour, so if original those drums are well and truly life expired.

Also consider whether a machine that has done that number of pages is really worth spending any time or money on.

 

[securespark]

Do you know the model number?

Which way do those charts read for remaining life? Is the grey part the amount remaining or the amount used?

I'm not sure about the others, but the toner ones are amounts remaining.

The model is Brother DCP 9020CDW.

Why not?
The drums are what transfers the image to the paper, and therefore will be in contact with every single sheet of paper that has passed through the machine.

It claims to have done 32000 pages, most of which were in colour, so if original those drums are well and truly life expired.

Also consider whether a machine that has done that number of pages is really worth spending any time or money on.

I'm not sure what those linear scales on my paperwork mean, but it's not right at the end, so there must be some life left in it.

I accept that the drums may need cleaning, but having printed off a drum dot check sheet with no coloured dots showing, this suggests the drums do not need cleaning.

I think I'll find a printer ink shop. They usually have chaps or chapesses who services these things.

Edited for clarity.

 

[SFK]

Only a auggestion, but for me it was the heater (or fuser) failing that meant that my fantastic printer went in the bin as the part was too expensive to replace.

The fuser is an important part of the laser printing process, and it is essential for producing high-quality prints. If the fuser is not working properly, the prints may be faded, blurry, or have other problems. The fuser is a wear part, and it will eventually need to be replaced.

Google your printer ID with the word Fuser or heater and see if it is a changeable part, and its cost (mine was far too expensive).

Sfk

 

[SFK]

Just Saw that you have provided your printer number and when searching found there is a fuzer reset process - no idea what that means as there wasn't a reset option on mine - have you tried that option?

 

[flameport]

I accept that the drums may need cleaning,

Not cleaning - replacing.
Drums for that printer are rated for 15000 pages, that one has done double that. They are also £100+ to replace, so realistically it's new printer time.

 

[hllns]

You can get compatible drums for this model, from experience compatible quality is fairly close but not quite as good as original part
You can get a single black drum for a tenner which sounds cheap enough as a punt if you just want to keep it going as a B&W unit for a bit, if you want colour it's 4x10

 

[jj4091]

Just Saw that you have provided your printer number and when searching found there is a fuzer reset process - no idea what that means as there wasn't a reset option on mine - have you tried that option?

The fuzer melts the toner into the paper so I doubt it is anything to do with faint copies.

 

[securespark]

Will look at that, thanks.