HP 5500 dtn print quality problem

[novellyt]

I recently replaced all my authentic HP toner cartridges, and have a problem with magenta covering most of the color prints. If I print in grey scale all is well. I suspected a bad cartridge, therefore I replaced the magenta cartridge with another new authentic magenta cartridge. However, the same problem exists. I tried the "reduce the background" setting; reduce the magenta density to -5 and ran an optimize from the panel, but nothing appears to affect the results.

[SHThompson]

The way to determine if it's a cartridge problem on that machine is to go into the diagnostic menu and select the disable cartridge check.

After you have disabled cartridge check you could move the magenta cartridge with some other color cartridge and print a test page and while the colors will look strange the page should come out and if you now have a haze in the color of whatever cartridge you put in the magenta slot you know the problem is related to the slot itself.

If the problem is related to the spot it might be caused by the high voltage power supply or by the electrical contacts the toner cartridge connecting for that slot..

Try that test and post your results and we can then Troubleshoot further.

[novellyt]

Thanks for the reply. In diagnostic mode, I switched the yellow cartridge in the magenta slot and took the magenta cartridge out of the printer. Even though the colors were different, the prints were fine. I then restored the cartridges to their original slots and tested the prints, which printed fine. I am tempted to leave the printer in diagnostic mode at this point.

[SHThompson · Accepted solution]

If the print quality is okay it won't hurt although you will use the cartridges past the point they would normally report as empty and stop functioning, which might not be a bad thing.

If you prints short runs and check the print quality regularly you shouldn't have any issues running in diagnostic mode.

[novellyt]

Great! Since these are all new cartridges, we will make good use of them.

Thank You for your assistance in resolving this problem.