physically cleaning CP2025 roller of ink

[goatfarmer98]

Red ink at times streaks my copies.  Not the cartridge as I have changed it out.  Cartridge cleaning from the control panel to no avail.   Noticed the small horizontal roller in back of printer has accumulated red ink on it.   Can I clean that roller with rubbing alcohol?  If not alcohol, how may I clean the roller?

[davidzuts]

That roller is probably the transfer belt that moves the toner to the paper. All you see is the small strip of the belt and it has two side with both sides being letter size paper. The belt should clean itself as you print since it has a cleaning blade the removes the excess toner and a method to deposit that toner in one of the toner cartridges waste bin. Generally you can clean the toner off with a lint free cloth and you do not need any liquid on the cloth. If the magenta lines keep on returning sorry to say but that would still indicate an issue with the magenta toner cartridge since that is the only place the toner can get on the belt. Are the toners you are using hp oem or aftermarket?

[goatfarmer98]

It is a small roller at the base and width of the opened back door of the printer.  Appears the roller would secure the paper through the printing or multiplexing process.   All HP cartridges.  

[davidzuts]

If you are talking about the small roller that is mounted in the back door about the middle that is the secondary transfer roller and only touches the back of the paper so if you have magenta marks on the front side of the paper that has to come from the transfer belt or toner cartridge.

[goatfarmer98]

Yes, we are discussing the same roller.  I am duplex printing and the ink streaking at times appears on both sides of the printed copy.  By chance, I duplex color printed two full paper trays last evening and the copies appear without the streaking but so has the Magenta requires change.  Checked that roller and it too appears to be relatively clean.  Will swap out roller later this morning.  For further reference, will I damage the surface of the roller by wiping it clean with isopropal alcohol?  

[tonerspills · Accepted solution]

I would not recommend using any cleaning solution or chemical of any type on a transfer roller. Also, just by cleaning the roller with a dry cloth you can deform the surface and your prints will not be clear and crisp, so you have to be extremely careful with this component.

If you want to test to see if the secondary transfer roller is actually putting toner on the paper, just print a few blank sheets of paper and see if toner is on the backside of them. It is normal for transfer rollers to get toner on them over time.

Is this the roller your talking about?

You can get the whole assembly show above for about $30 US. Try searching with part# HP RM1-4838-000. It is highly likely that the magenta cartridge you had in place had something foul the cleaning blade, causing toner to be continually placed on the transfer belt resulting in that magenta toner getting on your secondary transfer roller, as well as other places inside the printer. I've had to take these printers apart before and remove the transfer belt to get toner spills out of the printer so they could print cleanly again.

[goatfarmer98]

Toner, 

Thanks for your help and advice.  I'll not touch that roller!  I recorded the part number you provided, incase the problem re-occurs.  Inserted a new Magneta cartridge this morning and the CP2025 is providing copies worthy of political campaign handout cards!  Have a pleasant weekend.