TOPIC
My Color LaserWriter 12/660PS sometimes leaves a light dusting of colored toner on the white areas of my printed output. Is this normal? Can I do anything to reduce the amount of background toner that is deposited?
DISCUSSION Background toner is especially noticeable near the leading edge of the paper where an abrupt transition is visible approximately 7/16" (8mm) from the top edge of the paper. This region is where the paper is gripped by the transfer drum, and cannot be printed on. When viewed under a microscope or magnifying lens the background toner consists of randomly deposited toner particles from one or more of the cyan, magenta, yellow, or black toner cartridges. The majority of customers reporting background toner issues are either using toner cartridges that are almost at the end of their useful life, or are located in areas where the relative humidity drops significantly as the cool winter months approach. In many cases the relative humidity is below the range recommended in Appendix A of the Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS user's manual. The manual recommends that the relative humidity be between 35 and 70% for optimum print quality, although the allowable range is 20 to 80% non-condensing when the temperature is between 59 to 86 F (15 to 30C). The relative humidity can drop to as low as 10% if the room temperature is maintained at or above 68 F (20 C). The low temperature value of 50 F(10 C) listed in some versions of the user's manual is in error. Recommendations In order to reduce the amount of background toner try the following recommendations: Operate the Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS in an environment with a relative humidity that falls between 35 and 70% with the temperature between 68 and 82 F (20 to 27.5 C) for best print quality. Low cost digital hygrometers/thermometers that measure temperature and humidity can be purchased at many consumer electronics stores. A humidifier that is appropriate for the room size where the printer will be used may be necessary to increase humidity. Buildings located in dry climates may have humidifiers integrated into their heating and ventilation systems. If the background toner is predominantly one color (cyan, magenta, yellow, black) when printing color documents then try replacing the corresponding toner cartridge. Background toner can appear when printing black & white documents, however the background toner will contain only black toner particles because the printer switches to a single pass black-only printing mode. Replacing the corresponding toner cartridge(s) has been successful in some cases, however further investigation is necessary to understand the relationship between adding a new toner cartridge and background toner. Store the paper and consumables in the same area as the Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS so that they are exposed to the same temperature and humidity conditions. Leave each ream of paper in its protective paper wrap until it is ready to be loaded into the cassette tray. |
| Document Information | |
| Product Area: | Printers |
| Category: | LaserWriters |
| Sub Category: | Color LaserWriter 12/600 PS |
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