My new Office Jet Pro 8028 randomly activates/recycles/makes noises.

[Lloyd922]

My printer randomly acts like it going to print something when nothing has been sent to it. Out of the blue it goes through a series of gyrations then calms down and goes back into standby mode. Is this normal?  Also, when I send a print job to it after not having printed for a day or two, it goes through about 60+ seconds of gyrations (mechanical sounds) before it prints anything. While it's making this noise a message on the touch screen says it's in "printer maintenance" mode and "do not interrupt". It shouldn't need maintenance, I've only printed about 30 pages since I've had it. Are all of these sounds and print delays a normal process for this printer, or is something wrong with it? 

[sandytechy20 · Accepted solution]

@Lloyd922

Welcome to the HP support community.

If you are using the printer more often, the printer does maintenance on its own to clean the cartridge clean.

Otherwise, ink in the cartridge will dry and will clog.

I hope that helps.

To thank me for my efforts to help you, please mark my post as an accepted solution so that it benefits several others.

Cheers.

[Lloyd922]

That makes sense. I'm used to Laser printers, so I wasn't thinking of that. thanks!

[sandytechy20]

@Lloyd922

Good to know that your query is answered.

Feel free to contact us in the future if you need any assistance.

Cheers.

[Lloyd922]

I just noticed that this same printer is telling me I have 50% and 60% of my ink colors still available. I have not printed anything in color yet, why would these ink supplies be half gone? 

[TEJ1602]

@Lloyd922

Do the cartridges show low ink in the ink level monitor, or are they actually running out of ink as evidenced by deteriorating print quality?

There are a few things to prevent excess ink usage:

• The printer should always be plugged into a live outlet.  If you use an external switch such as an outlet switch then more ink will be used at each startup.
• Do not run cleaning cycles from the computer's toolbox or the printer's front panel.  These are rarely needed (perhaps once for each half dozen cartridges) and will use ink.
• Printing in Draft mode may have acceptable quality while providing about 2x the pages of Normal or Best modes.  

I hope that answers your concern adequately. Let me know!

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[Lloyd922]

The cartridges show low ink in the ink level monitor. The printer is new and I have not run a cleaning cycle, but it seems to go into a cleaning cycling quite frequently on its own. Often, when I start to print it won't allow me to proceed until it goes through mechanical noises (almost like it's going to print) and gives me the message "printer maintenance" mode and "do not interrupt". This takes about 60 seconds or more. Is this a "cleaning cycle"? If so it's initiated without any input from me. Could this be what's using my ink?

[TEJ1602]

@Lloyd922

Yes, printer maintenance consumes ink too. 

Update the printer firmware

Download available firmware updates from the HP website

With the printer on and connected to the computer, go to HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads, and then identify your printer. Look for and install any available firmware updates. Refer to the document HP Printers - Updating or Upgrading Printer Firmware

Now, keep the printer under observation for a day or two, see if that makes any difference.

Keep me posted. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!