Online help to repair Z2600 Error 21.2:13 + 21:13 with service station

[PhotoGraphex]

Hello, 

We have a lightly used HP DesignJet Z2600 that started showing the error 21.2:13 and 21:13 while being unattended.

On restarting the printer, at the end of the initialization process, there is a slipping gear sound. 

All recommended procedures were attempted without improvement.

The Service Station was dismantled and two mechanical issues were found, one inside metal clip was out of position and the top swab carrier assembly was also out of position and needed to be clipped back.

Nevertheless on startup during the initialization process of the printer, there is still the noise to a gear slipping and the same error 21.2:13.

I have photographs of the printer and parts, I have videos also, for instance a video showing the startup procedure after the reinstallation of the Service Station. 

I have access to the printer and it would be fairly easy to do a Skype or FaceTime consultation.

If possible I would like to have an online support to determine the accurate issue with the printer and the exact part(s) needed? As I am wondering if the issue is really about the Service Station or something else?

According to the Service Manual, on page 239 on my copy, the replacement part number is:

T0B52-67016 -> Preventive Maintenance Kit #1 for Z2600

Otherwise another search on HP Parts Store, I am having this part number:

T0B51-67023 Puma 44in SERVICE STATION SV.

Thanks in advance for your help, 

[Jorge70]

Hello.

Try the following:
1. Switch the power oƫ from the back of the product and disconnect the power cord. Check the
Primer Tubes. Reconnect the power cord and power on the product.
2. Make sure that the Service Station path is clear. Remove any visible obstacles (screws, plastic
parts, etc.) restricting the movement of the Service Station.
3. If the carriage has stopped over the service station, on the right side of the product, check that
the cutter is not activated. It may happen that the cutter is blocking the carriage over the service
station, preventing the service station from performing the movement correctly. The cutter is on
the left side of the carriage.
4. Perform the Service Station diagnostic test to troubleshoot the problem further. See Service
Station Test on page 156.
5. Replace the Service Station. See Service Station on page 495.

Download service manual.

Good luck.

[PhotoGraphex]

Hello, thank you for the follow-up and the procedure of page 88 of the Service Manual!

The page 156 Diagnostic tests for the Service Station were both unsuccessful:

1 -The Service Station test stopped on step 2 with error 21, which indicate “A system error 21 indicates that the service station is not working properly.”

2 - The Primer Motor test went up to step 2, at this point the moving swab carrier is moving from back to front where the loud noise of the gear slipping teeth is occurring six times and stop with error 21:13. At this point the control panel became unresponsive and the printer has to be turn off with the rear switch. 

I wonder what else there would be to test, I have already dismantled the Service Station (I have photographs) and found nothing looking abnormal. 

My observation is that the swab carrier seems to try to go too far from back to front where it block itself in the inner case of the unit, it can't physically go father but the motor continue its motion and the plastic gear is slipping!

This is all strange! Why a barely used printer, just out of the warranty would break itself while being unattended? With no traces whatsoever of any damage except a pop out metal clip inside the Service Station. 

Well, well, any other ideas, suggestions or recommendations?

Should I order a new Service Station at the HP Parts Store? 

T0B51-67023 Puma 44in SERVICE STATION SV

Thank you for your help!

[Jorge70]

Hello. 

In this case I recommend you change the service station for a new one. You could also do the forward and backward movement manually to see if you feel any noise. but my advice is to change it definitely.

Good luck. 

[PhotoGraphex]

Hello, 

On the Service Station itself this is an opening on the back allowing the manual activation of the step motor.Through this, I can turn the motor with an hex screw driver, it seems to me that the internal mechanism can go fully back and forth normally.

The trouble, or one of the troubles, is that while Initializing printer processes after the 94% mark, the step motor is pushing the internal mechanism too far and make the plastic gear to slip at the end of the course. 

That's why, I am looking for someone with the functioning experience of this printer to get a competent opinion!

I have photographs, videos and can easily setup a camera for a video conference. 

Anyways, I am in Montreal, Canada, I'll try to contact parts suppliers to see if I can other a replacement!

Many thanks for your help!

Ref: T0B51-67023 Puma 44in SERVICE STATION SV 

[Jorge70]

okay. This is happening because the service station is out of sync. Let me explain you. When the station moves backward it doesn't go all the way, so when the station goes forward it goes too far.

If you have mechanical skills, you can try to disassemble the station  completely and put it in sync. But the best way is change it for new one. 

Best regard.

[PhotoGraphex]

Hello,

Well, that's exactly what I am suspecting, that the swabs carrier transport was out of sync!

I have completed dismantled the Service Station and except for the two minors problems, now corrected, the transport mechanism is moving back and forth flawlessly when activated manually!

Anyways, after observations, it seems that during the startup initialization of the printer the mechanism is setting itself correctly to its startup position. 

It's like the step motor is trying to push the swabs carrier transport too far! It could be the optical reader of the step motor, but why would it set itself correctly on startup position if it would be defective?

It's like the step motor of the swabs carrier transports is getting wrong coordinates!

The firmware is up to date, I'll try to force a replacement of itself, if doesn't change anything, I'll try to order a replacement part! 

I just don't want to replace the part and being stuck with the same issue!

Regards

Ref. part number : T0B51-67023 Puma 44in SERVICE STATION SV

[PhotoGraphex]

As as follow-up of the latest intervention. 

After numerous attempts to force the replacement of the installed firmware, in case its corruption might be the cause of the whole issue, I wasn't able to perform that task, event after being on the phone with the HP support. 

As the printer is generating the error 21:13 on startup, the regular menu isn't available, the “Emergency firmware upgrade with USB flash drive” as described on page 118 of the Service Manual didn't worked either. The Diagnostic Mode doesn't allow that feature. 

Interestingly, I did a “Check ink Supplies” test that returned a positive result! This test imply the removal of the ink cartridges, a few to them were very low and I presumed that one of them was empty. That's strange, because on the last use of the printer, at least a few months ago, the lowest 130ml cartridge was at least 20% full. Meanwhile the printer didn't show any “Replace Cartridge” message, I wonder if a low or empty ink cartridge might have precipitated the actual issue. 

I did order a new Service Station, part number : T0B51-67023 Puma 44in SERVICE STATION SV, from HP Parts Store that should arrive next week. I will order new ink cartridges to replace the low ones. 

I'll try to post the result of this when this will be possible! 

Thanks a lot for your help!

[PhotoGraphex · Accepted solution]

Hello to DesignJet users, 

To whom it might be of interest, as a conclusion of this thread, here is how the defective Service Station has been repaired and why the DesignJet Z260O was brought back to a normal working state. 

While waiting during the longer delay to get the new ordered part delivered, I decided to perform further investigation on the defective Service Station that was making a loud noise of a gear slipping and jumping to finally generate the error 21:13.

The motivation being to know what was the cause of this unexpected default on a barely used printer and to gather cleaned salvageable spare parts if possible. Bear in mind that this might be a long and seriously messy process because of the amount of drying wasted mixed inks present in the bucket of the Service Station. 

After the examination of all the parts before putting them back in their places, I noticed that the smallest gear of the motor driving the swabs carrier, the one in contact with the metal worm gear fixed on the axis of the motor, had no pivot to put it back on!

It looked like the pivot had been sawed from its base and it was staying inserted in its tubular shaft inside the small gear. 

Luckily it was fairly easy to drill inside the plastic pivot and in the plastic case where it used to be fixed. Afterward inserting a small metal rod, a nail inside the pivot, some glue on both ends, then fixing back the pivot in its rightful place was rather easy. 

The very first trial after reassembling the whole printer was successful, as all the internal calibration procedures and the following print test runs. 

My understanding of all this, is that it wasn't an easy trouble to diagnose, this particular gear have two points of support for its pivot, it looked like functioning normally when tested manually, but the play at its defective base made it to slip at the end of the course of the swab carrier during the startup initialization procedure.  The whole gear assembly had to be dismantled to perceived the broken gear pivot. 

Did this Service Station assembly of the printer was defective, was there a design flaw in the part? I couldn't tell, but I am almost certain that the fallen internal metal clip, mentioned in a earlier post, might have caused a gradual deterioration of the Service Station during the regular maintenance cycles to a point where this pivot detached itself from the plastic case. 

I hope this detailed description may help other DesignJet users. If I had know at the beginning it would have been a rapid and easy fix. 

Good luck!

[D Hook]

Good for you for fixing it and even better that you posted up a detailed description of the problem and the solution.  Will help many users going forward.