Printer Shows Offline After Power Outage

[rdechant0]

Hello All,

Hoping you can help me with a sticky issue.

Currently, this HP LaserJet Pro 400 M401n printer always shows "Offline" and will not accept more print jobs every time power is lost.
This printer is deployed at a remote site running on a generator so power loss is to be expected.
This printer is connected via a USB cable

Currently, the only fix is to open Print Management, delete the printer from the "All Printers" list, then reboot the PC.
Doing a reboot without doing the above steps will not fix the issue.

Any ideas for a more permanent fix?

Regards,

[Andcr]

Hello Rdechant0,

Keep in mind that laser printers in general require a high amount of current at least for the initial stages, as they have to warm the fuser, perform general system checks, move and verify mechanisms, etc. Because of that it is recommended to connect laser printers directly to the wall outlet: no UPS, no surge protectors, voltage regulators, extensions, power strips or such. As your only power source for that remote location is a generator, it could happen that such device does not provide the needed power these printers use at startup, but more investigation will be required to confirm that theory.

Also if your printer works fine when plugged to regular electrical grid, that confirms the problem is not the printer but something in the way the unit is receiving energy.

Another thing you can try when these things happen (and printer is getting power via generator) is a power drain: turn your printer off, unplug USB and power cables, with printer isolated from everything you keep the power button for about 60 seconds. After that you reconnect cables, turn it on and try.

If you suspect the problem is something hardware-related with your printer, we recommend to take it to a Certified Service Center for inspection.