High pitched noise from OfficeJet Pro 8500 Wireless

[bostaurus]

Naveen,

I have the same problem - intolerable high-pitched noise from OJ 8500 premier purchased two days ago, manufactured Jan 2009.  I called HP tech support and got nowhere.  They basically told me "tough luck" and would not acknowledge that this is an issue with this printer model.  I can return it to the store but I would rather find out what HP is going to do about this problem - for example send me a new replacement that does not have this problem.  Could you please help???

If Naveen does not answer, does anyone else have advice about how to satisfactorily remedy this problem?

thanks

[Mark22]

Last Thursday I spoke to my case manager (located in the US).  The case managers are not technical support, but they do seem to have more power than the first level support located in a foreign country.  I was assigned a case manager early on and have the extension and phone number of this individual, which is helpful since she knows my case. 

It is very important to explain to HP that this noise is constant - when the printer is first plugged-in, when idle, in operation, and in its energy saving mode.  My case manager thought the noise was happening only durring actual printing.  She was very surprised when I told her it was a constant noise.  At this point in our conversation she said that they had an OJ 8500 in their call center and she wanted to put me on hold to see if their printer was making the same noise.  She admited that she had a hearing issue and would ask a colleague with good hearing to help her.  When she came back she reported that there was no noise and that their printer was manufactured in October 2008.  She then suggested that HP try sending a second machine and that she would make detailed notes requesting a machine without a high pitch noise and a manufacturer date before March 2009.  Although somewhat reluctant, I accepted this since I really had nothing to lose and could just send the machine back again. 

I received a second refurb machine last Friday that was manufactured in Feb 2009.  Good news - this printer produces little to no noise!  There is a very slight noise, but you have to put your ear right up to the front right and it sounds like a normal fan/disk spinning.  NO HIGH PITCHED NOISE.  Again, I cannot hear any noise until I put my ear right up to the machine.  If I plug in the first machine I purchased - I hear the noise - no matter where the printer is in my office.  It looks like we have a winner.  This is proof that there are good printers out there with little to no noise and that there IS IN FACT A PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN UNITS.

One other thing to note.  This does not seem to be related to a power supply component.  There must be some kind of processor, hard disk, or fan behind the flash drive bay on the front right side.  If you lift open the top case door (where you insert the printheads) you will notice there are three openings one on the left, a larger landscaped oriented opening in the middle and one on the right side, which is covered with a removable lid.  Slide this lid foward to remove and then hold the * (star) key on the keypad down for 5 seconds.  This will move the printhead from the right, home position to the left side of the printer where you would normally install the printheads.  If you look into the open right hole where the cover was removed, you can now see and hear where the actual noise is coming from.  The sound seem to be coming from the gray rectangular box with several wires plugged-in and attached to the right side of the printer.  For whatever reason this compenent is very noisy in the first two printers I received and not in the third  I will post pictures later.

Message Edited by Mark22 on 10-26-2009 07:02 PM

Message Edited by Mark22 on 10-26-2009 07:05 PM

[PrinterGuy2]

Mark22, thanks for posting this. I just found this thread and registered to post my experience.

I've been looking at the 8500 Wireless for a while, and want to purchase it. Since I am in the military and stationed overseas, I've only read the reviews on the printer online, and was going to buy it and have it shipped to me even though several people mentioned the noise. Overseas shipping is usually a lot of money. But, this week I am back in the US and I wanted to buy the printer from a store and take it back with me as checked baggage, which would be basically free shipping.

I went to Office Depot tonight to check it out in person. They have all three models of the printer next to each other as store demos. The FIRST thing I noticed was the high pitched whining noise coming from the printer! I couldn't believe how loud it was and I was honestly pretty pissed. It's completely unacceptable, and I can't believe so many of these passed QA like this. I'm lucky I hadn't purchased it yet online!

I turned the printer off with the power button on the front panel, and the noise completely stopped. Then I noticed the other two models on each side of the printer, the non Wireless and the Premier, didn't have the noise!

I came home and Googled the problem to see if there were any hacks or solutions, or just a general cause, so I didn't take note of the manufacture date while in the store. I will go back tomorrow and check, and also stop by OfficeMax.


What I really want to know (looking at any HP reps here):

1) What serial number range, or manufacture date range, does this defect apply to? From reading this, some older models and some newer models are not affected?

2) What is the exact detailed cause for this crazy noise? I know HP can't endorse owners cracking open the printer and troubleshooting the printer without violating the warranty, but if a hack can be determined to fix this defect, then some people might want to take the risk instead of dealing with the returns.

I leave to fly home on Friday, and if I can't find a model without the noise, I'll probably be buying another brand, which sucks because the 8500 looks great. (Other than the ridiculous recalibration times every time the printer is turned on -- but that's a rant for another thread.)

[PrinterGuy2]

!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } -->

I went back to Office Depot and also checked out Office Max and Best Buy tonight. Best Buy didn't carry any 8500s

Office Depot has all three models, but only the 8500 Wireless model made the noise; the Premier there did not make the same noise. I only checked the Wireless and Premier models for serials and dates.

8500 Wireless serial MY8BE14072 manufactured Nov 14, 2008 has the noise.
8500 Premier serial MY91C2318D manufactured Jan 12, 2009 does not have the noise.

Office Max also had all three models. Both the Wireless and Premier made the noise:

8500 Wireless serial MY8CI131CJ manufactured Dec 8, 2008 has the noise.
8500 Premier serial MY91F210QJ manufactured Jan 15, 2009 has the noise.

It’s very interesting that these two Premier models could be manufactured nearly the same time but only one has the defect. Perhaps it is a part batch quality issue, or perhaps the one that doesn’t make the noise is an exception. Perhaps it even might start making the noise later.

Regardless, taking into consideration the unacceptably loud high pitched screeching noise, the ridiculously long startup/calibration times, and the fact that they are both way too pricey to include these problems without complaining, I wont be buying these printers.

[ClockerXP]

I just finished setting up my OfficeJet 8500 a909g (with Wireless).  I also have the constant screech/whine.  What an annoyance!  Will be the last HP product I ever buy unless they do something to fix it!  It isn't super loud but it is constant and at such high frequency that it hurts my ears after a while!  I hope HP can help with this.

Manufacture date on my unit is July 2009.

Message Edited by ClockerXP on 11-01-2009 01:00 PM

[DMD-SC]

I have an 2-1/2 yr old HP 7310 all-in-one that I successfully use daily and love, especially since the scanner flatbed glass is 8-1/2” x 14” instead of 11” (in addition to the ADF).  This week the 7310 developed the exact high-pitched whine (like letting air out of a balloon) in the location of the power supply plug in the back.  It is the same sound that the users on this site have described on the 8500.  The piercing sound is consistent as long as the power supply is plugged in, even if the printer is off.  As soon as the power supply is unplugged the noise stops.  My 7310 otherwise is great for prints (text and photos), scans, copies and faxes. The sound is so piercing and shrill that I cannot operate the unit effectively. I began an e-mail dialog with HP Total Care.  After two days of e-mailing and explaining in detail the location of the noise and that it is clearly NOT a mechanical problem but a power or electrical/electronic problem, I am nowhere, except aggravated.  They also told me in one e-mail that the noise was “normal”.  There is no way I can sit here with this noise for more than 2 minutes before my nerves are screaming from the sound.  After looking all over the internet, in various forums, I have determined that “HP Total Care” service is not what it used to be.  I have been a loyal HP printer, scanner, printer user (also computer) for almost 30 yrs.  In general their technical personnel are pleasant but not properly trained, don’t really read and/or understand what you write them, and generally look up a page in a manual that contains at least one word that you told them, and respond inappropriately.  I realize I am generalizing but many of the comments I have recently found online for HP service have echoed the same experience I have had. After looking at all the all-in-ones that HP had to offer and reading reviews from CNET and every other known place, I can’t find an HP all-in-one that has a large enough percentage of good reviews.  Also some of the very things I am afraid of are items that were listed as problems.  I almost decided on the 8500 as a choice until I read about the possible sound issue. As of last night, I ordered a new Canon all-in-one for which I found a significantly high percentage of users with positive comments.  I’ll keep my fingers crossed.  I am not getting rid of my 7310 in case someone finds a solution to eliminate the high-pitched sound.  Good luck in your pursuit.

[sandleach]

I, too, am getting the high pitched noise. Good news is, that means I have exceptional hearing. Bad news is, it's 18" from my ear and driving me insane in my 12 hour workdays...  I've had two this last week - first one had paper jams. Both have this whistle... so far nobody has offered a viable solution. Any ideas?

[clarkkent122]

Hi Mark -  I just read your post, my 8500 does the same thing - I found this thread by searching about the problem on Google. I just got it today on a black friday sale too. I investigated closer and found that grey box that you describe is what's making the noise for sure. 

It seems that if you move the print head out of the way and press on it with your finger (towards the outer wall of the machine) the noise completely goes away, 100% quiet.  Something must not be bolted down tight enough.  Rather than go through the hassle of trying to return it I'm just going to glue it down or fasten it down tighter - problem solved.  

Too bad it didn't work as it should to begin with!

-Clark

[clarkkent122]

And actually if you look there on the top of that grey box there are two plugs, one with three wires and one with many more.  If you press on either of them very lightly you can see that the noise will go completely slient.  I'm just going to wedge a small pices of plastic in there and glue it in place, that will prevent whatever type of hissing or vibrating is going on.  Problem solved...for now. 

Everyone should check this out for themselves.

[ClockerXP]

If you would not mind positing some pictures of how you fixed the problem I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks,

CxP