HP 500 Plus 24" Powers off during printing

[blackfoot101]

Hi I bought a Designjet spares or repair hoping it was a problem I had already encountered but I was out of luck.

Basically it will start to print and then the LCD screen will flash off with a horizontal line and it powers off. It has also happen without trying to print anything. There are no error messages it just shuts dowm.

Thanks in advance

[D Hook]

Sounds like a power supply problem.  Ebay has them pretty cheap.

[davidzuts]

If the unit has any eio cards installed (gl2/network) remove from printer with power off and see if the plotter does the same thing. If not it is possible one of those cards is bad.

[blackfoot101]

Thanks for your help. A card is installed so I will remove that first to see if it resolves the situation before moving onto the power supply. I will report back what happens.

[blackfoot101]

OK removed the HP-GL/2 card and tried to print and still the same problem. After a few seconds printing the screen shows 1 horizontal line and then multiple horizontal lines covering the whole screen and it then powers off.

[blackfoot101]

Do you think it is deffo the power supply or could it be something else before I replace it?

[davidzuts]

Only suggestion I can give you is to do a google search for the service manual and download it and then look at the section for service tests and utilities and perform some of the tests to see if only one test like carriage movement causes the problem but drive roller does not. One caution, there is utility to prime tubes. Under no circumstances select this option. It is only used when you have air in the tubes or replace the tube assembly. If you select it, then you will be asked for setup heads which you do not have and the routine can not be canceled.

[blackfoot101]

OK thanks

[jasonmiamifl]

I would like to add another hint.

if you going to open the right cover to check.... check the right end of encorder strip... there is a retangle silver piece,

make sure it was seated perfectly in place, otherwise it would cause encorder strip too tight & caused carriage  box movement & gave error.

Also the big ribbon cable & make sure it was pinned to the metal  body ( I had it one time )

clean encorder strip & the silver metal rod, lubricate it.

if still same problem.... update firmware...

remove driver completely & install a clean new one.

Good luck.

[davidzuts]

I can not agree with the poster above. This unit is having an electrical issue where it is turning off. It could be the power supply or some other component that is drawing to much current causing the power supply to fail. Encoder will have nothing to do with this and this printer has an encoder that you have to be very gentle when cleaning as if to harsh you could actually remove lines which then requires the replacement of the encoder. I do not know how the printer is connected but I would remove the printer from the network or computer and then try printing printer information if possible as eary firmware versions do not allow and if you can not due to early firmware where the print option is not there and do a carriage alignment which should do enough printing to see if the unit still turns off. Report back.