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HP L25500 major problems-HELP!

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
First off, I don't have a service contract on my machine. I have the 42" model and I keep getting the "clean and lubricate rails" error. I have literally done this 6 times in a row and cleaned the shi* out of it. There's no dirt or anything and plenty of oil on the rails. What I think the real problem here is with the belts. The machine makes a horrible shaking and crashing sound when I try to run it. Like it's catching or banging into something. I do not know how to adjust the belts if you can even do that. Also, I saw people saying to replace the felts which I ordered new ones and don't know exactly where they are on the machine.:banghead: I need to be able to print and will probably have to get a tech out here unless anyone here knows how to fix this. Please help if you have extensive knowledge with this machine!
 

dypinc

New Member
Might be worth checking the head cleaning cartridge. I have found the head wipers under cleaning cloth to have come lose and cause lots of weird noise and with the new firmware it may be giving just enough resistant to cause the "clean and lubricate rails" error.
 

KevSign

New Member
My L25500 same problem, just ask for Clean and lub. rail every day before start print. Then the belt error. Just replace the belt, after this the printer head cleaner problem with current one, replace new still same problem, get third one it alive back to normal.

How long is your printer? my around over 3yr just replace the belt.

Hope you get it fix soon.
 

neilchristie

New Member
I would be looking at the belt first aswell as checking the carriage movement. HP has just released a new "shutdown" kit which includes two bushings aswell as felt oilers. I've been installing a few of these lately and it's been making all the differance.
 

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
I would be looking at the belt first aswell as checking the carriage movement. HP has just released a new "shutdown" kit which includes two bushings aswell as felt oilers. I've been installing a few of these lately and it's been making all the differance.

So is the belt easy to replace yourself or is this something a tech should do? I ordered the felts but don't exactly know where those are at on the machine. If all this stuff is basic maintenance to replace then I'm all for saving $500 or $600 to have someone do it.
 

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
My L25500 same problem, just ask for Clean and lub. rail every day before start print. Then the belt error. Just replace the belt, after this the printer head cleaner problem with current one, replace new still same problem, get third one it alive back to normal.

How long is your printer? my around over 3yr just replace the belt.

Hope you get it fix soon.

Did you replace all those parts yourself? My printer is going on 3 years old and I bought it used from a large format print company in Utah. They had some great deals on used machines.
 

Typestries

New Member
Its MUCH simpler than that.....

Replace the carriage felt pads. They get gunked up with ink, and its like glue holding the carriage to the rail.

Do this:
Turn it off, pull out the maint cart tray, then manually slide the head over. See how hard it is to move it by hand? Counterintuitive, right?

Look at the carriage, where it meets the rail. 1" x 1.2" or so black plastic piece, with 1 screw, molded around the rail. Take that out and slide the pad out too. There's one on each side. There are 2 for the upper rail, but a major PITA to change so we usually skip those until a major teardown.
As a quick fix you can clean them, re-oil and reinstall. But for $20 a set not worth it.

While you are at it, look at the left side inside, at the belt drive roller. It's probably dirty from the use and the belt slipping. I find an exacto blade to be a good tool to clean the roller's grooves.

http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Printe...mat/DesignJet-L25500-86-10-Error/td-p/5552697

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=l25500+carriage+felt+pads&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
 

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
Its MUCH simpler than that.....

Replace the carriage felt pads. They get gunked up with ink, and its like glue holding the carriage to the rail.

Do this:
Turn it off, pull out the maint cart tray, then manually slide the head over. See how hard it is to move it by hand? Counterintuitive, right?

Look at the carriage, where it meets the rail. 1" x 1.2" or so black plastic piece, with 1 screw, molded around the rail. Take that out and slide the pad out too. There's one on each side. There are 2 for the upper rail, but a major PITA to change so we usually skip those until a major teardown.
As a quick fix you can clean them, re-oil and reinstall. But for $20 a set not worth it.

While you are at it, look at the left side inside, at the belt drive roller. It's probably dirty from the use and the belt slipping. I find an exacto blade to be a good tool to clean the roller's grooves.

http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Printe...mat/DesignJet-L25500-86-10-Error/td-p/5552697

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=l25500+carriage+felt+pads&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Hey thanks for the advice, as soon as I get my new felt pads I'm going to replace them. I hope this does the job because like I said it sounds like the machine is totally falling apart! I'll post the results when I get it done.:thumb:
 

sinclairgraphics1

Sinclair Graphics & Installations
Its MUCH simpler than that.....

Replace the carriage felt pads. They get gunked up with ink, and its like glue holding the carriage to the rail.

Do this:
Turn it off, pull out the maint cart tray, then manually slide the head over. See how hard it is to move it by hand? Counterintuitive, right?

Look at the carriage, where it meets the rail. 1" x 1.2" or so black plastic piece, with 1 screw, molded around the rail. Take that out and slide the pad out too. There's one on each side. There are 2 for the upper rail, but a major PITA to change so we usually skip those until a major teardown.
As a quick fix you can clean them, re-oil and reinstall. But for $20 a set not worth it.

While you are at it, look at the left side inside, at the belt drive roller. It's probably dirty from the use and the belt slipping. I find an exacto blade to be a good tool to clean the roller's grooves.

http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/Printe...mat/DesignJet-L25500-86-10-Error/td-p/5552697

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=l25500+carriage+felt+pads&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I took off the old felt pads, cleaned and oiled them and also cleaned the roller grooves with an exacto. Man, that made a huge difference! I was amazed at how those 2 little pads can cause the machine to shake so damn much when there isn't any oil on them. There was plenty of oil on the rails but hardly any on the felts. So anyway, the machine is running much better but still is hitting or banging something on the left side(ink station side). It comes out of it after a few passes. Do you think that will go away when I put the new felts on? I took a video of it but I can't upload it here. I can email it to you if that's cool. Thanks
 
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