MP Phila

Q: Laserwriter 4/600

My beloved Laserwriter 4/600 prints a few pages just fine, then posts a "fan malfunction" I can unplug it, restart, and it prints fine again for a few pages.. then fan malfunction again.

How can I fix this?

(I do have a parts printer if necessary!) help!

Posted on Mar 9, 2011 11:24 AM

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Q: Laserwriter 4/600

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  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Mar 9, 2011 5:19 PM in response to MP Phila
    Level 9 (60,904 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 9, 2011 5:19 PM in response to MP Phila
    To print something, the printer spreads toner onto the right places on the page, then heats up the fuser roller to just short of the ignition point of paper (Fahrenheit 451) and fuses the toner to the page. That makes the inside hot, so the fan turns on.

    My 4/600 Always turns the fan on when it starts to print something, and usually does not turn it off for a minute or so after the last page has printed (unless a page has lots of graphics and takes a while to image and the printer cools off enough). If yours prints a page and you cannot hear the fan come on, the problem is obvious -- the fan died.

    You can probably just swap the fan from your "parts" printer, but if you did not have that, there are two other ways to proceed.

    1) Read the label off the old fan. Look it up online, and often you can find out the air moved in cfm and the noise generated in dB. That actual fan is usually only sold in the handy 10,000-pack, but a fan the same size with a comparable air movement and similar noise rating can usually be found to do the trick.

    2) Post a message on Fixyourownprinter.com with what part you need, and Moe or someone else will send you a quote on a used part from their "junkyard". Prices have seemed very reasonable when i bought misc parts from them before.
  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Mar 10, 2011 7:37 PM in response to MP Phila
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Mar 10, 2011 7:37 PM in response to MP Phila
    MP Phila,

    Having a parts machine is a good start. If you check with recyclers you might find more for $5 or $10. If you are not into self help with "fixyour...printer.com" you can take two or three printers to a repair shop and ask them to make one of them like new, so to speak. That costs $40 in Spokane, WA.

    We found several of those printers for sale at a university surplus store. They still have a lot of value left in them.

    Jim
  • by DenEmite,

    DenEmite DenEmite Mar 26, 2011 9:08 AM in response to MP Phila
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 26, 2011 9:08 AM in response to MP Phila
    I have a spare which AFAIK is functional. You're welcome to it if I don't get it to the thrift store first. email me if you're interested.
  • by Appaloosa mac man,

    Appaloosa mac man Appaloosa mac man Mar 27, 2011 4:15 PM in response to MP Phila
    Level 5 (4,330 points)
    Mar 27, 2011 4:15 PM in response to MP Phila
    One other thought, if the fan folding is not consistent, consider this thread:

    http://discussions.apple.com/message.jspa?messageID=12771542#12771542

    Make sure the back door is pushed tight for every print run.

    Jim`
  • by MP Phila,

    MP Phila MP Phila Apr 7, 2011 12:22 PM in response to DenEmite
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 7, 2011 12:22 PM in response to DenEmite
    I would be very interested if you have a 4/600 that you do not need... thanks!