Canon MP830 - 6A00 error code

[speedracer]

Received the above code. Reading other posts is seemed to be dealing with the purge unit. I found it wasn't cycling o.k. (wiper in white plastic wouldn't extend all the way or retract) and found one of the 'pads' had fallen out of the rubber holder. CLeaned the unit and the pad. Worked by hand and seemed to work o.k. Put unit all back together and still get the code. For some reason the same wiper arm seems to hang now in the most extended position. I can move it manually back and forth and the spring is attached. In order to remove the purge unit do I have to remove the screws holding the metal printer frame from the bottom plastic piece and then turn the frame over and essentially be removing it from the bottom?? If not how would one remove it? Once removed is there any way to bench test it (ie apply some voltage (which would be??) to it and see if it runs; turn drive gear and see if it works, etc.)? After removing and bench checking if it fails again can I assume the purge unit has failed and needs to be replaced? No paper anywhere in the rollers or anyplace else in the paper path. ANY and ALL other suggestions will be appreciated. THANKS..

 

[on30trainman]

I had a similar problem with an ip4500 - purge unit hung up and one of the small pads flipped out of it's holder when I tried to manually move the purge pad holders. My pad actually ended up falling onto the absorber pads at the bottom of the printer. Had to disassemble the unit to retrieve it. What I did to make the purge pad mechanism move was to squirt some WD-40 into the mechanism around the pads. Seems to have improved the operation, but that printer is now a spare. Had another ip4500 which took it's place. I have powered up the fixed printer a few times since and it still seems to be working. But using WD-40 is at your risk. Don't know if it will have any long term effects.

Steve W.

 

[ghwellsjr]

I would not use WD-40 around any plastics. It is a solvent, not a lubricant, and it can penetrate microscropic cracks in plastic and make them macroscopic. Read the WD-40 debate.

 

[on30trainman]

Actually the reason I used WD-40 was that I realized that it was more solvent than lubricant. The way the purge pads were acting it seemed as though something was gumming up the mechanism.
I ran a test this morning to see what, if any, effect WD-40 had on styrene plastic. Styrene seems to be the softest of the common plastics and is attacked rather easily by strong solvents. I puddled some WD-40 on a small sheet of styrene and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. No effect on the styrene at all. So it seems the solvent properties of WD-40 are mild. If styrene isn't effected the other harder plastics like Delrin and such probably wouldn't be either. I am not advocating the use of WD-40 in printers, but it did work on my problem. I retested the fixed printer last night. Ran several cleaning/nozzle checks and the purge mechanism is still working as it should. Guess whatever was messing with the mechanism was removed/dissolved by the WD-40. Sure wish the pad hadn't dropped into the printer guts - it was a chore getting it apart and getting to the pad. But I was finally able to get the printer apart and reassembled.

Steve W.

 

[ghwellsjr]

The issue that I am concerned about won't be discovered by putting WD-40 (or any other solvent) on a sheet of material; you can only observe it on a molded piece of plastic. The molding process leaves stresses in the plastic and microscopic cracks or fractures at corners and at other shapes that the plastic forms. When you put a solvent on the plastic, it doesn't necessarily melt the plastic or otherwise visibly scar the surface; instead, the solvent can go into the microscopic cracks and expand them and propagate them to the point that the plastic can crack spontaneously or under a small load. I'm not saying that this is a problem with all solvents on all plastics, I'm merely saying that it is a risk that you take whenever you apply any solvent to any plastic, so you should only do it if the manufacturer of the part has advised doing it or if you can afford to damage a part (because you have more of them, for example).