Designjet Z3100, Z3200 lcd blank & power green lcd blinking

[timwj1]

The control panel is held in with pressure points on the top and tabs on the bottom.  Put both hands on the upper edge of the panel and pull towards you,  This should release the pressure on the clips and allow you to lift the top of the panel up, then it can be removed.  The cable is easy to see once you've lifted the control panel.

There is no other replacement for the control panel other than a genuine HP replacement panel.  You may be able to find one used on ebay.

[bearkirk]

Thanks, Tim.

I got the panel removed, un-seated and re-seated the ribbon cable, and it still will not boot up.  

So I'm guessing there is something wrong with the formatter board.  

So far I have removed the battert, waited 5 minutes, replaced it, replaced the formatter card, powered unit on, still no boot up.  

Does that battery ever need replacing?

Anything else you think I ought to try?  Remove ink & printheads?

Bear

[timwj1]

The only time I have had the exact symptoms you are having it was the control panel itself, probably nothing wrong with the actual display, but with the circuitry in the panel.  I tried the formatter card and electronics module before I swapped out the control panel,  as I never thought the panel would cause it to not at least sound like it was booting up.

Removing inks and printheads is a good step for certain error codes or when the printer locks up at a certain initialization percentage or when it has an issue with a particular ink cartridge or printhead but I doubt that is your problem.  It is a simple enough procedure though just in case there is a shorted printhead.

I have never had to replace a battery yet, never heard of anyone having to do that.  I would think a bad battery would cause loss of programmed information such as date and time and settings.  You can easily enough put a meter on it and read the output although many batteries appear fine voltage wise but then you put a load on them the voltage drops rapidly.

[bearkirk]

Thanks, Tim!

The control panel is the cheapest thing to try replacing first.  

The problem occured when the machine was already on.  I was swapping out a roll of paper for another roll of paper.  The LCD panel says to lower the lower the blue lever the whole time it is raised.  After I swapped the rolls, I lowered the lever and the LCD didn't change.  I raised and lowered the lever again, and still the LCD said to lower the lever.  No moving carriage, no beeps, just nothing at all.  I powered the unit down, powered it back up again, and got the lit up but empty LCD panel, and the blinking green power button.  

Still sound to to you like I ought to replace the panel?  I see one on Ebay for $26.

Best,

Bear

[timwj1]

I would try it first since it is easy to swap and inexpensive.  Have you removed the formatter card and re-seated it with power off just to make sure it doesn't come back on? 

[bearkirk]

Also, I cannot access the printer via the computer.  Even when connected, the message on my monitor says that it isn't.

Somebody in another thread mentioned that if you could connect to the printer with your computer, the issue was with control panel.  If you could not, then the issue was with the formatter card.

Thanks,

Bear

[timwj1]

You can't access the web interface until the printer is booted up properly, if you can access it with no screen showing on the printer that simply says the display is bad, but your problem is in the circuitry, so it is not booting up at all. 

[bearkirk]

Thanks so much for your help, Tim.

Found a place that has refurbished control panels and formatter cards; going to order both to test them out.

All best,

Bear

[davidzuts]

Every time I have encountered this problem on the Z3200 series it always the main board inside the power supply that the formatter attaches when inserted. This is now the first item I try to find. Most times you have to order the complete power supply and the board itself is not sold as a separate item. If you do a ebay search you can sometimes find someone selling the board without the power supply.

[jasonmiamifl]

Gee, last year I simply sold them cheap on Ebay, local pick up in Miami, Florida 33166.

No more headaches forever.....................