jv3 160sp oddly stuck in "local mode"

[artbot]

i haven't booted my jv3 160sp for a few weeks. i had cleaning solution in it and left it on doing its cleaning sessions. then got tired of hearing it so i turned it off. (the heads would have been completely clean so no harm there).

now i turn it on and it boots then does not measure. just sticks in local mode. if i go to "test & cleaning" it won't provide "test print" just jumps straight to cleaning options. strange.

i remember this can be a "lever up" issue. my IR reader to the lever is routed outside the printer. it's in the correct position. possibly the ir sensor is bad? also my carts read:

99999999 so it's not that either.


what else might i look for to get the thing to switch to remote? or print anything?

thanks!

 

[ruckusman]

Sounds like the firmware isn't loading & or executing properly.

Will it boot into maintenance mode?

I'm wondering if reflashing the firmware might help, but I'd try booting into maintenance mode first.

Also wondering if checking connections to the IO board/keyboard might help

peace out

 

[artbot]

one thing to the signs101ers.... i'm out of town for the day then heading back to try to fix this issue. so if it seems i'm not responding to the suggestions.... it's because i'm unavailable for the next 10 hours.

i will check on the firmware possibility. also, i was thinking that maybe the IR sensor is bad and giving a false "lever up"??? how might i hack that system to give a "lever down" reading?

 

[MikeD]

If it's the lever up, I think that is controlled by a photo sensor...maybe you could cut the wire to that sensor close the loop, by-passing the sensor itself. I did that with the sensors on some JV33's, but it was for the switch cover (Part Code M508772.)
However, with the other symptoms your printer is having, flashing the firmware would be the thing to try first.
You have more technical experience with these printers than I, so don't cut the cable just because I said to.
Good Luck!

 

[artbot]

i only have more experience breaking printers. i bet if i never routed the sensor out of the hull, i might not be having this issue.

 

[chrisphilipps]

If I was reading correctly the printer doesn't measure the media right? If so I would check the media end sensor on the printer to see if this has gotten covered with dust or debris. If this sensor is blocked it won't see media as being loaded and will give you this symptom.

 

[MikeD]

another possibility would be the media sensor and or cable on the pre-heat shroud right behind the platen. Maybe the printer doesn't know it has media loaded?

 

[artbot]

update:

_______________________

media sensor is fine. usually it has a piece of tape over it. i pulled off the tape put a piece of paper over and away from it. while doing that the vacuum fan comes on and off accordingly.

_________________________

it will boot into maintenance mode. not sure what to do from there. i haven't had the chance to go into it because i've been working 20 hour days on other things. but it is time for the mimaki to boot.

how does one re-flash the firmware or memory? i'm currently running 7.0 strangely i saw a post on the yahoo jv3 board that mentioned that 7.7 reduced overspray issues at higher resolutions (something i've been experiencing lately). if i re-flash the firmware, would it be a better idea to upgrade to 7.7? or would my permanent chips or some other thing suddenly stop working.

_______________________________

???

 

[ruckusman]

Just a thought - aren't permanent chips usually collateral damage from firmware upgrades?
IIRC I've read about several operators unwittingly falling for this trap

BTW no actual personal experience, just what I've read

 

[MikeD]

"FWUpdateTool3.exe" is what's used to refresh or upgrade the firmware the JV33's. Haven't had to do it on our JV3, but maybe you could Google the Update Tool for a JV3

 

[SightLine]

The permanent chips you have do work with 7.7.... Need the FwUpdate tool, and the PRM file. First boot in the file download mode and make a backup of the machines parameters just in case. Then shut it down and reboot it in FW Update mode and send the new firmware file. Not sure that it will fix the issue or not though. I have no idea why it would be stuck in local mode if it has media loaded and has detected a valid width for whatever the media is. If the detected width is invalid - too large/too small/or too far left it should give an error.

 

[MikePro]

i leave my printer off for extended periods of time with solution in it, so I'll back you up that there's no issue here.
didn't you recently have an issue with the page-width sensor? If its just giving you cleaning options, i'm more inclined to believe that it thinks you either have no media (if it allows you to scan page/roll first) or that it's not registering your lever-down (no page/roll selection option). Either way, i'd be checking for a cable that needs reconnecting.

 

[artbot]

the printer stops at the point in the boot that measures. so it doesn't have a "valid width". all is fine up until that point. i am going to carefully hotwire my lever IR sensor in a bit.

because i've taped off the rear media sensor, put white tape in area that the
media width sensor uses to measure, and moved the lever sensor outside of the printer,... i really have no idea what a stock boot looks or sounds like. i turn it on and come back with a printer ready to go that is completely empty of media or aluminum etc. i can't stand machines that think for themselves.

one thing. since i am not an electricity guy. is there any precaution when sticking these sensor wires together? like "do it this way you get nothing..." or "do it that way and it works" but "do it that way and you get a fried printer" ?

 

[MikeD]

is it saying "no Media?" after the x axis scan I meant to ask

 

[artbot]

without media in the printer it boots to:

(LOCAL) !HEATER
REPLACE WIPER

should it say "no media"? like i mentioned, i'm not familiar with a regular boot without all the sensors altered.

 

[SightLine]

I think that is normal. Not 100% sure but I think you only see "no media" if it runs out of media in the middle of a print. Actually I think I'm wrong, I belive that says "no sheet" lol.

 

[artbot]

i think i kind of fixed it. i found the sensor test in the maintenance manual.

the first test is "set lever". you can set it "on/enter" or scroll down to "off/enter".

basically this acts as the firmware override. i searched for this like nuts when i first got the printer. gave up. and hacked the sensor away from the lever.

but, now with the lever set as "on", it will boot and measure regardless of the lever position! not sure if the lever sensor is bad or good. and don't care. the printer works.

 

[SightLine]

awesome