How do you remove the lid from the scanner on the Photosmart 5520?

[RandyCulp]

User manuals insist that the lid on the scanner of the Photosmart 5520 (model #CX042A) can be removed. 

When I try though, it doesn't seem like it will come off, and if more force is applied it feels like it will break. 

I contacted HP technical support by chat session, and after about a half-hour the technician finally gave up and referred me to the store where I bought it.  I went to Office Max where I bought it, and asked them.  They also were stumped, with a unit right in front of us, they could not figure out how to remove the lid.  They also were afraid of breaking it if they tried to remove it. 

Are there instructions that indicate how to remove it in such a way that the lid or the hinge is not destroyed in the process? 

[Shane_R]

It seems like that might have been a misprint in the manual.  I can't find anyway to get the lid off.  If you need to scan somthing that won't fit under the lid, then I would just leave the lid open.  It won't hurt anything.  Hope that helps, and good catch on that misprint.

[RandyCulp]

That's certainly how it looks.  However, there is another posting on the forum that describes removing the lid from a Photosmart 5510, which looks very similar if not identical to the 5520 lid.  That leads me to believe that it is possible to remove the lid, just difficult/tricky, and very much in need of very explicit instructions with lots of tips.  Can you confirm that the 5510 and 5520 are either the same or different, and if you can get the lid off the 5510, whether it is possible to get the lid off the 5520? 

[Shane_R · Accepted solution]

The manual is not wrong.  You can remove the lid on a 5110.  I just wasn't trying to do it the right way the first time.  This post told me how to do it.  As far as I know the only things that changed from the 5510-5520 are the firmware and the internal machanics.  The shell of the printer should be pretty much the same.  

[RandyCulp]

By golly, that did it.  To recap the solution as given (with some additional details i've added), which worked for me: 

• put the lid vertical
• the hinge on each side has a slot in it, which you can just see when you examine the hinge from above -- this is where to place your thumbs to push the lid off the printer body
• push it out, at both sides, horizontally, and away from the printer's screen.
• the lid will "unsnap" and the (slotted) hinge tabs will slide out of the printer body. 
• to put the lid back, simply reverse the process -- slide the tabs back in and snap in place

I can confirm this does work for the Photosmart 5520 and it doesn't break the lid (or anything else). 

[Shane_R]

Awesome!  Thanks for posting the exact steps for the 5520.  That will help a lot of people.  

[DEG-1]

I tried the posted solution, but with no joy.  Why don't HP provide full instructions with diagrams.

Their lack reflects badly on HP.

[Owen_Glendower]

Many thanks. I can confirm that this method also works on the Photosmart B209a all-in-one.

[lochte18]

Hi, 

HP's manual is misleading.

What i found to be the best way was disconnecting one hinge at a time, like this:

Use one hand to hold and support the lid in the lower corner of the given hinge. So that once the hinge comes off, nothing breaks. Dont worry the other hinge still allows for quiet a bit of movement. 

With the other hand pres with your thumb, just above the hinge, in an outward motion away from the printer body. 

The hinge should easily disconnect. Check out the picture of the hinge hook on the lid. That will give you an idea of how to apply the pressure.

Hope that helps 🙂