LaserJet 1300 Wont recognize paper

[Marvin8w]

After printing an envelope, my Laserjet 1300 will not recognize standard paper or another envelope in the paper feed tray.

Attempts to correct include:

removed and replace paper in the feeder tray; 

removed and inserted an envelope in the feeder tray

inserted paper in the alternate paper feed system

Power cycled the printer several time for several hours;

removed and reinserted printer cartridge;

manually rotated the paper feed roller just below the printer cartridge, see comments below

opened back of printer;

attempted to print another envelope;

power cycled my HP computer;

disconnected and reconnected the printer from the the computer.

retested all of the above with a second HP (laptop) computer.

When I reset the printer cartridge, the printer recognizes paper in the feed tray, feeds one sheet of paper thru the printer (without printing anything), and then returns to the signal (yellow blinking light) which indicates no paper recognized in the feeder tray.  Examination of the paper in the feeder tray after the printer has completed feeding one page and returned to signaling "no paper", the next sheet of paper is elevated from the feeder tray and ready to feed into the printer rollers.  I have experimented with removing all the paper from the feeder tray, and replacing the paper in the tray, then re-position the paper with the aglignment devices on the tray (both lateral and forward positioners); the no paper in the feeder tray remain blinking yellow. There are about 25 sheets of paper in the feed tray during this process. If I simply open and close the printer compartment door the printer does not feed a sheet of paper thru the printer.  In order for the reseting the printer cartridge process to cause a sheet of paper to feed thru the printer, I must reach into the printer compartment and rotate the rubber feed roller downward where it stays. This will then result in the printer recognizing paper and feeding one sheet of paper thru the printer and then returning to the state of not recognizing paper and the top sheet of paper elevated from the feeder tray ready to feed into the printer.

I have checked "PROPERTIES" of the printer via the Control Panel/Devices & Printers/... utility. This utility indicates LETTERS when standard paper is the feeder tray. When I change to an envelope in the feed tray, the utility does NOT change to indicate that an envelope is in the feed tray. When I use this utility to PRINT A TEST PAGE, no page is printed and the utility shows no document in the printer que. 

I have used the PROPERTIES utility to changes the paper feed sources in DEVICES SETTINGS from AUTOMATIC to MANUAL. When I switch to MANUAL and print a test page, the PRINTER QUE utility indicates a test page in the que for both the LETTER and ENVELOPE SETTINGS in DEVICE SETTING. The PRINTER QUE utility also has a notice that the printer is out of paper. 

I connected the Laserjet 1300 printer to my HP laptop (Windows 7), reintstalled the Laserjet 1300 driver software, connected to the printer and duplicated the results reported above.

When I attempt to print a document from WORD, the PROPERTIES utility does NOT indicate that there is a document in the PRINTER QUE. I can only cause a document to appear in the PRINTER QUE info area if I reset the paper source in the DEVICE SETTINGS utility to MANUAL, after which I get a notice that the printer is out of paper.

Note that all of this occurs after I success fuly printed a three page document on regular paper and one envelope. Not sure what to try next.

Thanks, Marvin8w

[davidzuts]

What I would do is do a google search for the service manual and download it. I would then remove the back cover and look at the exit sensor flag in the bottom middle of the fuser. Odds are the spring may have come loose so the flag does not return so the printer does not realize paper has exited the fuser and gives the paper jam message.

[Marvin8w]

I HAVE DOWNLOADED THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR THE PRINTER. The document is identified as Part number: Q1334-90941
Edition 2: 4/2009. This document offer no information on how to remove the rear cover of the printer. There is info on removing a side panel to install additional DIMM. 

[Marvin8w]

I HAVE DOWNLOADED THE SERVICE MANUAL FOR THE PRINTER. The document is identified as Part number: Q1334-90941
Edition 2: 4/2009. This document offer no information on how to remove the rear cover of the printer. There is info on removing a side panel to install additional DIMM. 

[davidzuts]

You downloaded the "User" manual and not the "Service" manual. I have sent you a private message. Also after reading you post again (Too much information) I see where the sheet that comes out after you mess with pickup roller is blank. That tells me something is amiss with the pickup solenoid on the right side. The solenoid has a "L" arm that is spring loaded where the L of the arm sits on a cutout of the pickup roller shaft cam. When you send a print command the solenoid is energized and moves the L arm to the center releasing the pickup roller so it turns to pickup the paper and at the same time power is turned off to the solenoid so the spring makes it return to roll against the cam until it hits the cutout and stops the roller. I would think the "L" arm has become dislodged, fallen off or the spring has come off so it no longer functions. Be careful when removing the right cover as those parts, especially the spring which is very tiny may be laying at the bottom and you do not want to lose it. The reason you get yellow light and jam message is when you close the front cover, the motors turn so it picks up the sheet of paper and moves thru the printer and the printer having the path sensors activated by the paper sense a jam since no print command was issueed and stop the paper movement .

[Marvin8w]

Thanks for all of the assistance. I have followed your suggestions on the solenoid without success. Details are: 

I downloaded the service manual and used same to guide me in removing, right side cover, rear cover, and left side cover. I checked the solenoid on the right side and it appears to be in correct order. The spring was in place and maintaining the L arm engaged with the cutout of the pickup roller shaft cam. The L arm plate is properly seated on the solenoid and should be able to function if the solenoid is serviceable. I attempted to observe the system without reinstalling the three covers but the printer would not power up. After reassembly, I loaded paper into the automatic feed tray and continue to receive the no paper in the tray signal. I also rotate the rubber feed roller as described above causing a sheet of paper to feed thru the printer. Upon completion, same outcome: initial the green light is illuminated but after a 10 seconds, the yellow light begins to blink.

Thanks again for the suggestions,

Marvin8w

[davidzuts]

I think what is happening is when you move the pickup roller you have now released the cam so when you close the cover the 1 sheet feeds imaterial if the printer thinks it has paper or not. You need to refer to ps931 which is the paper detection sensor which is intersected by a flag which moves forward when the edge of the paper moves it when you load the paper. Look to make sure the flag is present. In my manual it is on page 58. Also keep in mind the error you are receiving could be front cover open or if a jam message where the printer thinks there is a jam. Thinking there is a jam and having an actual jam are two different things. Could be an issue of one of the sensor flags in the paper path being in the wrong position.

[Marvin8w]

So far no progress on recognizing paper in the Laserjet 1300.

Front Cover switch. Located. The test I make is to close the front cover which causes the printer to cycle through a detection phase which ends with the yellow light blinking. When I rotate the paper feed roller down (clockwise when view from the right side cover) one sheet of paper feeds thru the printer without printing anything. If I do not rotate the roller or rotate the roller up (counter clockwise), the printer runs thru its detection phase cycle without feeding paper thru the printer. Also, note that this entire problem started after printing an envelope; the Front Cover had not been opened. It seems to me that the front cover switch, SW301, is functioning as designed.

Re sensor PS-931, I can locate on Figures 17 & 18 (pages 68 & 70 respectively) of the Service Manual. Neither of these Figures which are schematic diagrams are sufficient info for me to locate PS931 on the printer. I have also checked Chapter 7 beginning on page 183, the Part and Diagram section of the Service Manual, as well as the Service Manual index. I am unable to find any reference to sensor PS-931 in a diagram other than Figures 17 & 18. On page 155, the Service Manual recommends Check the sensors to make sure that none of them are jammed. If a sensor cannot be “unjammed,” replace the sensor. The Service Manual provides no resources for these tasks.

After reading the jam detection system, page 69 of my Service Manual, I judge that the sensors for this are functioning as designed. The Service Manual states that: If a jam is detected, the ECU immediately stops the printing process and displays a jam message on the control panel. This does not happen. Secondly, after I cause a page to run thru the printer, a green light briefly appears on the control panel indicating that PS-911 and PS-921 are functioning as designed.  

[davidzuts]

All you are doing when you move the roller is disengage it from the cam so it will always turn when the motors turn so that means nothing as far as your issue and does not help in solving your issue. When you close the front door do the motors turn? If they do then the printer is not detecting a jam which leaves 2 possiblities if the yellow light is blinking which I think you said it does. One is the printer does not detect paper in the tray and the other the printer is not detecting the toner cartridge. Not detecting either does not mean the toner is bad or paper is not loaded it just that the printer is not detecting one of those items and you will need to determine which one. Now if I am wrong about what you are saying, please report back what happens if you have paper in the tray, the toner cartridge in the machine and the front cover closed. Now turn on the printer with the switch if you have one in the rear or by plugging in the printer. Do the motors turn and what is the light sequence when the motors stop turning. There are 3 lights (Big button and two small lights to the left of the button) What lights are on, off or blinking and describe the left ones by top and bottom.

[Marvin8w]

DavidZuts

Thanks for sticking with me and for your patience.

When I close the front cover, the printer runs through a power cycle; the motor is turned on and the paper feed assembly rollers make the same noise as when paper is process thru the printer feed system. The same power cycle occurs when I de-power and re-power the printer with the rear on/off switch. At the end of the aforementioned power cycle, the control panel ends with a blink yellow light.

At the end of the de-power & repower cycle, after the motor shuts off, the lights cycle from the left, upper green LED, next the lower left, yellow LED, and finally the large green LED button (on the right). While the motor is running, all three LEDs are illuminated and the large green LED on the right is blinking. After the motor stops there are two iterations of the light cycle with the final result being the lower, left yellow LED blinking