Ricoh Pro C7110x black toner scumming

[MMPIndyWest]

I've been banging my head against the wall for weeks with this issue.

I have a Ricoh Pro C7110x that will print about three sheets just fine, and then start getting this horrible, really heavy scumming over the entire sheet - almost like it's trying to do a very light flood coating. Images are attached (Hard to see in a picture, but it's blatantly obvious when looking at the physical sheets).

I've tried so many different things, adjusting the Image Density settings, using the Image Density Adjustment: Manual Execute setting, using the Adjust PCU Potential settings, absolutely nothing works. My local Ricoh technician has been out here many times trying to solve the issue, but it never goes away fully, and is always back in a few days.

I don't know if maybe humidity or temperature are throwing the machine off, but it's well away from the doors of the shop in a climate controlled building, and the relative humidity is quite low.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[SoggyWinter]

What did your service provider say? My guess is a leaky developer housing.

 

[Shawnd]

I have had this issue in the past, make sure your humidity heater is turned off (doesn't help with this):

Also the tech should vacuum out all the toner in black and put in new developer to see what that does, check out your pcu cleaner and drum to make sure its OK. I am sure they already tried swapping out the charge roller, but I would check. Also check the glass while in there to make sure it is clean, that can do some weird stuff if dirty.

 

[MMPIndyWest]

I have had this issue in the past, make sure your humidity heater is turned off (doesn't help with this):

Also the tech should vacuum out all the toner in black and put in new developer to see what that does, check out your pcu cleaner and drum to make sure its OK. I am sure they already tried swapping out the charge roller, but I would check. Also check the glass while in there to make sure it is clean, that can do some weird stuff if dirty.

My Ricoh doesn't actually have a copy function, so no glass to get dirty in the first place. The PCU cleaner is getting replaced soon, but the issue has been going on for far longer than that unit has needed replacing. I don't think we've tried to do anything with the developer or developer unit yet though, and I'm unsure if the charge roller has been changed. I don't get to talk directly to the tech every time he's here, so I may have missed it if it happened. Appreciate the suggestions though, I'll be checking with my tech next time he's here.

 

[MMPIndyWest]

What did your service provider say? My guess is a leaky developer housing.

We've gone through a lot of different issues, we thought that the issue was due to weird paper catalog settings at first, and then a few other minor issues, but still nothing. I don't think the tech has taken a look at the developer at all yet, I'll bring it up next time he's here.

 

[Shawnd]

Ahh ok, you wouldn't be familiar with the glass I am talking about, tell the tech to check the glass as well and he should know.

 

[jdodoubleg]

I would say get new developer. I had a similar issue and replacing the developer fixed it.

 

[MMPIndyWest]

Update: The PCU cleaning unit was replaced (regular maintenance), didn't make a difference, as I suspected. The charge roller is practically brand new. The developer housing hasn't been touched since before we got the machine over 4 years ago, and the developer unit is like 80% of the way to being due for a change anyways, so we're going to just put in a new developer and housing, and replace the black drum while we're at it just to be sure, as it's getting close to needing to be changed as well. I appreciate the input, I'll let you all know if that works for us.

 

[srijo]

Hi. do process control and check process result
i think its potential sensor ? but if you check process result we will know

 

[Digeren]

Try changing toner cartridge



Are you printing with low coverage or mabye have the machine on/off alot?

Btw, If it don't read near-end / end, then when removing a toner bottle, execute SP3162-001 to 004 Bottle open/close "CMYK" to release the lock and then press the release lever to remove the toner bottle, and change the bottle, don't set the same back

It might be a good thing to refresh the toner, not that you always needs to, but in case you have had the problem a long time then refresh the toner:
Set SP2109-003 Pattern Selection to 26 full dotpattern.
Set SP2109-005 Color Selection to 1 full color
Set SP2109-006 K to 15
Set SP2109-007 C to 15
Set SP2109-008 M to 0
Set SP2109-009 Y to 0
Print or copy 60 duplex onto A3 or whatever you got in your tray, just normal text prints, no full coverage shit

Then you can do the same with m and y. Looks like you just need to do it to k tho.

If this helps, and you are indeed just printing small coverage or whatever,
put refresh mode upperlimit acucumulated refresh to like 3-60000.0mm
Also set sp3530 001 - 004, to zero
then set sp3830-022 to 1000mm and sp3820-024 to 1mm
Then it will do process control before the next job or after last job, and not all the time staying in standby (30 mins or so)
Set it back if you feel the process control takes too damn long when doing small jobs. But change toner if you get this problem again then

If this does not help, change whatever pm part thats around the drum thats exceeded. Not often developer needs to be changed, thats like years ago they needed to do that shit

 

[MMPIndyWest]

We changed out the developer unit and housing, and the black drum. It's been two days, and I've done a few production jobs that went just fine, so fingers crossed that the problem is finally fixed. We've thought it was fixed in the past though, so I'm not exactly holding my breath. Thanks for all the input.

 

[Digeren]

We changed out the developer unit and housing, and the black drum. It's been two days, and I've done a few production jobs that went just fine, so fingers crossed that the problem is finally fixed. We've thought it was fixed in the past though, so I'm not exactly holding my breath. Thanks for all the input.

Great to hear!