Need really simple advice re printer ink cartridge.

[CTyankee]

We have an HP LaserJet Pro 200 color printer. Usually hubby changes the color cartridges. Easy and always works fine. But we now have a black hp LaserJet black print cartridge that makes a terrible noise when we print and prints out copies with black stripes and blotches on the paper. This has never happened before.

Something is obviously very wrong. Is the cartridge defective?

I suggested to hubby that we go back to Staples with the defective cartridge and get a new one. Hubby says "It's getting better. It's not as blotchy."

If it weren't so infuriating it would be funny. I think he just doesn't want to admit defeat.

What has gone wrong? Needless to say we're not very computer savvy...LOL...

[emmaverybo]

1. The blotches can indicate leakiness, which can affect your printer. I'd get the cartridge out ASAP,

[mr_lebowski]

2. First step would be to clean the print heads, just type model + clean heads into google (nt)

[rampartc]

3. yes clean the print heads

but take that cartridge out and shake it like a margarita.

[canetoad]

4. Have you removed

The little plastic tape that's present on most printer cartridges? Check that it's all gone.

[MontanaMama]

5. Agree with the above suggestion

to clean the print heads and run a test page. You may have to run a clean cycle more than once. The cartridge may be defective after all that. If it is blotchy after cleaning the print heads, yank the cartridge and take it back to Staples.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

7. Lasers usually don't have a clean cycle.

They require manual cleaning.

[MontanaMama]

8. I have an HP laser jet printer that

has a cleaning mechanism. It's an older machine but works great.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

9. I said usually. There's always an anomaly.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

6. Cleaning a laser printer is a bit more involves than an ink printer.

Wear gloves! Don’t wear clothes you care about. And clean it somewhere you don’t mind getting dirty. Toner is a messy, powdery substance that gets all over everything.


This link has good instructions.

https://www.tonerbuzz.com/blog/how-to-clean-your-laser-printer-and-toner-cartridges/

Also, check your fuser and drum. That’s usually where you end up with blotches and streaks.

[CTyankee]

10. The new cartridge was DEFECTIVE, it turns out...

hubby took it out and put in the old one and it works fine. We'll go back to Staples and explain what happened. I'm sure they'll give us another, no charge.

But it IS annoying...