Tutorial for installing a new encoder strip for an SP-300

[Jim Hill]

I have cleaned my encoder strip many times but never installed a New encoder strip so I have a number of questions.

1. Does the printer have to be in Service mode first?

2. Is there a spring tension that needs to be set?

3. I do have the Service Manuel for my SP-300 but I did find much information about changing the encoder strip

4. Do I just lower the print heads and then slid the carriage to the far left side of the printer?

5. Do I start connecting the encoder strip to the right side of the printer after putting it through the sensor first?

6. Any good tutorials you know of would be a plus.

Thanks Jim

 

[Morph1]

What I did was , turn the printer on , sent the print head out , turned off the main power so the print head assembly is out of the capping station,
you then remove the old encoder strip , lay it flat on the table , match the new encoder length to the old one, the old encoder strip will have I believe both ends fitted with small metal bracket, right end I believe is crewed onto printer frame , where the left side will have a small spring supplying tension to the encoder strip, simply clip the spring on and attache the spring to the frame and you're done, make sure the encoder strip runs through the head assembly where the sensor is located. Once you're done you will have to enter service mode and run command for limit initialization and you're done.
It is fairly simple it took me about 30 minutes to change this.

Hope this helps, good luck !

 

[Jim Hill]

Thanks so much for that information.

Did you enter the service mode before you moved the print head assembly to the left? Or did you manuel lower the capping station first?

So far I have not found a new Roland SP-300 encoder strip here in Florida. The local Roland Dealer has none in stock.

I know that the SP-300 I have was new in 2004 and that makes it 13 years old and even thought it works perfectly most of the time they no longer seem to stock parts for it.

Jim

 

[strypguy]

I have the Roland pdf for the limit initialization and cable replacement. PM me your email and I will send them to you. If you use an aftermarket encoder strip you may have to cut it size to fit. John

 

[printhog]

macmedia gets some rough treatment in here sometimes, but he usually has these items. MacMedia International

also get a new sensor

I recommend replacing the sensor at the same time, since the encoder is mangled, the sensor likely is as well. Its also easier to do both at once..

PULL THE PLUG - disconnect mains power physicaly. then covers come off, manually drop capping station, move print head to the dry side, remove the head sensor first. remove the encoder strip, replace encoder strip, replace head sensor. then proceed with linear encoder calibration setup..

 

[Morph1]

What I did , was start material initialization, when the head moved to the left simply shut down the main power and your head will be disengaged from the capping station , you can then move the head left and right to be able to feed the encoder strip right through the opening where the sensor is, you can also take some thin plastic and wrap / seal the heads off with an elastic so the heads will not dry on you if that takes you longer time to change the encoder strip, at the end you may have to pull some ink back with a syringe to get the ink flowing through the heads...
Hope this helps, good luck !

Thanks so much for that information.

Did you enter the service mode before you moved the print head assembly to the left? Or did you manuel lower the capping station first?

So far I have not found a new Roland SP-300 encoder strip here in Florida. The local Roland Dealer has none in stock.

I know that the SP-300 I have was new in 2004 and that makes it 13 years old and even thought it works perfectly most of the time they no longer seem to stock parts for it.

Jim