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HP Recommended
DesignJet 500
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Hi,

I have a DesignJet 500.  I had worked well for a long time, and I have not recently made any changes to it.  Now, when I plug it in (apply 115 VAC power), it briefly shows the "HP" splash screen and then displays an illustration of the printer with a flashing "X" over the location on the printer where the LED display and keypad is located.  I took the photo below when the "X" was visible, but this is alternating between visible/not visible.  Anyway, with the display in this state, the printer is totally unresponsive.  I am not able to navigate the menu system.  I am not even able to turn the printer off using the power button. For what it's worth the, the green LED on the Power Button is flashing On and then Off.

If anyone can tell me how I might go about trying to solve this problem, I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance,

Paul

 

DJ500-Error.PNG

6 REPLIES 6
HP Recommended

There could be a number of things wrong, quite often this is a problem with supplies, either printheads or ink.  I would try removing all supplies and restarting the machine. Power off the printer and try to move the carriage, if you can, then move it to the center where you can open the printhead cover, remove the heads, close the cover and then restart the machine. If the head is locked on the right hand side you can try powering on and if the carriage moves at all, pull the plug while the carriage is not seated on the service station. If that does not work you would need to remove the right hand cover and manually disengage the service station by turning the white gears on the right hand side. There are 4 or 5 Torx-15 screws you need to remove, one inside the front window, one bottom front, two on the back where the paper roll is and one under the ink door. Leave the ink door open as you remove the side panel.

If you find the information provided useful or solves your problems, help other users find the solution easier by giving kudos and marking my post as an accepted solution.
I am a volunteer, offering my knowledge to support fellow users, I do not work for HP nor speak for HP.



HP Recommended

The way that the PSU (Power Supply Unit) Led is flashing.. is actually an indication of what is wrong with the printer.

 

Please refer to this service  manual in order to evaluate the issue :

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/psg/attachments/psg/Printing/861338/1/DesignJet%20500%20LED%20troubleshoo...

 

My guess is that this is just a loose connection on the Interconnect PCA which elevates the resistive value on the data bus. Either this or the some capacitor on the PSU...

 

We should always start by testing the cheaper possibilities before starting replacing (expensive) parts.

 

Please do what the previous user advised and then check this out as well.

 

My advise is to open up the printer (display side) then unplug and re-plug all the main cables. You just need to remove a few torx screws (4 or 5)..

HP Recommended

Hi Repairatrooper and Joanorsky,

 

Thank you for your responses. The LED on my power button was flashing continuously.  According to the troubleshooting guide, this indicates "A problem has been detected with the previous firmware upgrade.  Try resending the firmware upgrade file."  I have had this printer for quite a few years, and I don't think I have ever upgraded the firmware.

 

Anyway, I followed Repairatrooper's instructions by removing the printheads and the ink cartridges.  I did this with the power off.  I did have to remove the right had cover and use the white gears to disengage the service station.  While the power was off, I also disconnected and reconnected all the cables going to the circuit board behind the LED display.

 

I powered up before I reinstalled the printheads and the ink cartridges.  After doing this, the printer finally moved beyond the splash screen and began its initialization process (which it had not been doing) and noticed/complained that the printheads were not installed.  At this point, I installed the printheads and the ink cartridges with the power still on.  This allowed the printer to complete its initialization process and then it worked (I was able to print).  I printed a few times yesterday, but this morning, the original problem had returned.

 

This time, I performed the same procedure as far as removing and reinstalling the ink cartridges and printheads, but this time, I didn't do anything with the cables.  Doing this solved the problem again.

 

I'll see tomorrow morning if the problem returns again.  I am wondering if the fact that has happened twice already makes you think I should order new printheads and/or ink cartridges and replace them.

 

Thanks again for your help.

Paul

HP Recommended

Hum...

    don't forget to clean the contact points on the cartridge and on the flex where the cartridge connects to. Isopropyl alcohol soaked swab is prefered.. but   any regular lint free small cloth will do the job. Bad connections can actually cause erratic behaviours.. 

 

    Strange... could it be the service station that is stuck with dried ink  ? The service station has no communication bus.. just a DC motor that controls the mechanical gears. The main board knows that the service station is filled just by estimative and resistive value on the motor. I would clean the service station as well... but that's just me.. just trying to figuring out why this is happening.

 

    Repairatrooper .... what do you think about this?

HP Recommended

I did everything as you stated and still keep getting the error with the printer X

HP Recommended

Hi Joanorsky,

 

Thank you for your suggestions and sorry for my slow response.  I had to leave for an extended trip, so I was forced to take a break from my printer troubleshooting.  I did follow your suggestions to clean all the contact points and the service station, but this has not solved my problem.   

Back in late September, when I started this thread, I was able to get it to work a few times by removing and reinstalling the ink cartridges and print heads, but this procedure no longer works.  I am tempted to buy new print heads, but I doubt this will help for the simple fact that when I was able to get it to work in September, I powered up with the print heads and ink cartridges not installed.  These times, the printer noticed that these things were missing and prompted me to install them.  Now, with no print heads or ink cartridges installed, I am not able to get to this prompt.  The printer just goes from the HP splash screen to the image with the "X" that I posted when I started this thread.

I also do not think that the problem is the service station being stuck.  If I am correct that the service station is the shuttle that holds the print heads, I had been using the white gear to "free" this and move it towards the middle of printer before removing the print heads.  The times that I was able to get the printer to work by removing and reinstalling the cartridges and print heads, I powered up with this service station already in the middle of its travel (with no print heads installed).  As I mentioned previously, the printer booted up and prompted me to replace the missing print heads and ink cartridges.  Now when I do exactly the same thing, I can't get beyond the image with the "X".

If you can let me know whether you think trying new print heads might help, or if you have any other suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.  I also would be interested in your opinion as to whether HP (or authorized service technicians) offer on-site service. 

(I imagine that service fees might approach the price of a new printer, I am going to pre-emptively start checking prices of a new printer with similar capabilities.  I will ask for a recommendation on this forum, but I will keep it separate from this thread.)

I really appreciate your help.

Best regards,
Paul

 

 

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