Office jet J4550

[oldshencoman]

In my J4550 I see two ink pads that are supposed to catch surplus ink.  The pad on the left for the color cartridge is up level with the bottom of the cartridge.  The pad on the right for the black cartridge is down very low inside the machine.  Are these pads supposed to always be up level with the cartridge bottoms or do they move up and down?

[Max3Aj]

@oldshencoman, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 

The ink pads in your HP OfficeJet J4550—often referred to as service station sponges or ink absorbers—do not typically move up and down actively. However, the black ink absorber appearing lower than the color one could be due to the following reasons:

Normal Design Difference:

In some HP printers, the absorbers for black and color ink are positioned differently due to varying ink flow needs.

The black cartridge may produce more waste ink over time, so its absorber might be placed deeper.

Ink Pad Saturation or Wear:

If the black ink pad is significantly lower, it might be compressed due to repeated ink absorption over time.

You can gently press on both pads to see if one is more compressed than the other.

Mechanical or Spring Issue:

Some service stations have a minor spring mechanism that adjusts slightly, but they are not meant to actively move during operation.
 

What You Can Do:

If the printer is functioning well, there is no need to adjust the pads.

If you're experiencing print quality issues, consider cleaning the ink service station carefully with a lint-free cloth and a bit of distilled water (if necessary).

If the pad looks overly saturated with ink, it might need replacement, though HP does not typically sell these separately.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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Max3Aj

HP Support