Spring fell out, won't recognize ink cartridge!

[toreyk482]

I have a Photosmart C4580 printer. I was packing it into its box when I was moving and a little spring fell out. I don't know where in the printer exactly it came from. I spent a looooong time with a flashlight looking around inside, but I can't figure out where it goes!! The spring is about 1/2 inch long, and comfortably stretches to at least 1 inch.

Since this happened, the printer no longer recognizes my black ink cartridge, so I assume the spring came from somewhere in that general area. It won't let me print anything!

Has this happened to anyone else? Do I just need to get someone to repair this for me? The printer is barely a year old and in pretty much perfect condition otherwise. I'm hoping there's some simple, preferably cheap way to fix this!! Thanks in advance

[007OHMSS]

It depends on what the spring looks like. I know of 2 springs that are visible on the right side of the printer with the ink access door open and the ink cartridges to the left. Is this spring around 1/8 inch diameter with a loop on end? Or is it around 3/8 inch diameter without loop ends?

[toreyk482]

Yeah it's about 1/8" in diameter and has a loop on both ends.

Thank you so much! I wasn't expecting someone to get back to me so quickly.

[007OHMSS]

Okay, that springs goes on the left side of where the cartridges stop to replace them. With the printer on, unplug the power, then open the ink access door. If the ink cartridges are on the right, slide the assembly to the left out of the way. On the left side of the 'ink opening' is where the spring goes. Refer to the attached image. I would put the back loop on first with a pair of tweezers or forceps. The tab is located under the cross rail (yellow arrow) and is very hard to see. I would put it on first since it looks to be the hardest. Then put the front loop on the black plastic arm (red arrow) and that should do it. These are tiny locations, so it will require a little effort. The loops on both ends appear to be the same, so there should not be a front or back to the spring itself. Good luck.

[toreyk482]

Your explanation was very detailed, but the spring you're describing is still in place! Mine is a different spring, but I think it's the exact same size as the one in your picture.

It's specifically my blank ink cartridge (on the right) that won't register. I looked for a similar spring to the one you showed me on the opposite side of the ink cartidges, but I don't see any logical place for the loops to latch onto...Any other ideas?

[007OHMSS]

Wow, those are the only visible springs that I know of in that printer. Anything else would probably require some disassembly of the unit. If it is still under warranty, I would contact 1-800-HPINVENT. Otherwise, look or feel carefully  (WITH THE POWER OFF) around the ink cartridge area to see if there is some sort of spring on the color cartridge side that is missing from the black side. Maybe on the back side of the printhead assembly. Good luck.

[toreyk482]

So after tinkering with the printer for literally a couple hours (I took a good chunk of it apart, minus the electrical stuff) it somehow managed to fix itself...? Well sort of. I never figured out where the spring is supposed to go so it still doesn't recognize my black ink cartridge. But at least it prints when I tell it to! Who knows, maybe I reset something by taking everything apart. I guess that's what you get from cheap HP printers.

Thanks again for all your help 🙂 I'm gonna consider this a success

[Cashus]

I own an HP j3680 all-in1 and I got a nasty paper jam. The labels got stuck to the rollers causing it to jam, not rolling the paper out and I had to scrap off the access label paper. Thereafter a "paper jam" message was reoccurring so I took the printer apart and found a spring, half an inch in size and no obvious place for it to go.
Can you help please?

[007OHMSS]

That printer does not have visible locations (without taking it apart) to determine where the spring would come from. More than likely, it would be from the paper path (since it must have come loose during your clearing of the paper jam) area. So look along the areas that the paper would get stuck at during the travel through the printer. Should be some sort of little 'hooks' that the spring would attach to, or "raised areas" that the spring would rest over.

[xmags]

I have an HP photosmart ink advantage e-all in one and recently, there have been paper jams. Today as I was printing some documents, a small spring about an inch long and with 2 gears fell off. What do I do? I have no idea where in the printer it belongs.