When Is It Time to Replace Your Compatible Drum Units?

Toner is not the only supply you’ll need to replace in your printer. Though you’ll not exhaust the drum units, you will need replacements due to wear and tear.

Telling when it’s time for replacements could be complicated, especially for newbies. We review this aspect in today’s piece.

Separate Drum Units Vs. All-In-One Cartridges

Some printers work with standalone toner cartridges and drum units. Other printers use all-in-one cartridges that have toner and OPC drums.

With all-in-one cartridges, you will be replacing the drum every time you exhaust the toner. The toner cartridge that you buy will be coming with new drum units. You will never have to worry about drum replacements.

With standalone cartridges and drum units, you will have to replace either as needed. You would need a toner cartridge alone when you exhaust the toner. Similarly, you’d need to replace the OPC when it wears out. You will not be forced to get the whole package just because you need to replenish the toner.

And so:

Which One Is Better between Separate Drum Units and All-In-One Cartridges?

1. ;From Environmental Perspective

Standalone toner cartridges and drums are a better bet from an environmental perspective. There’s no point in disposing new drum unit and resorting to another one. You will be unnecessarily filling landfills and polluting the environment. It’s better to work with independent units. That way, you would separately replace the toner when needed. You would also replace the drum units just when it’s time.

2. ;From Economic Perspective

It’s also better to use Standalone cartridges and drums from an economic perspective. Toner-only cartridges cost way cheaper than toner cartridges incorporated with drums. You would only need to buy the drum unit when it’s time. With all-in-one cartridges, you will dispose usable drums when you exhaust the toner. The cost of printing could easily shoot through the roof.

3. ;From Print Quality Perspective

The print quality is the same for both. You only need to ensure to replace the drum when it’s due. Knowing when to replace the toner is never a complicated ordeal. Most printers will notify when it’s time to replenish the toner. Most of them won’t let you know when you need to replace the drum unit.

You would need to be observant of the following signs to check and take action:

Signs It’s Time to Replace the Drum Unit

1. ;Black Spots or Blurry Prints

Old OPC drums tend to leave some black spots on the paper. The marks are more evident when you print photographs. The drum itself might have developed some dots following prolonged use. These will be transferred directly into the paper. You might end up with dots on the paper section in contact with the failing part. You might also find horizontal lines appearing on the paper. These lines often appear on the same spot every time you send a print job.

The OPC interacts with toner dust throughout its working life. Not all powder will end up on the paper, as some residue will remain on the drum. Over time, it will build a layer on the drum. This dust may be transferred to the paper on the next print. This dust may affect the adhesiveness of the toner. Your prints will end up being blurry or even smudged. That is all linked to the wear are tear of the OPC drum.

You might also notice some stripes appearing vertically on a page. It’s mostly linked to the wear and tear resulting from the drum’s physical damage. The drum might have sustained some scratches, which affect its functionality. You will have to replace such drums regardless of whether they are still new.  ;

2. ;Spots on the Surface of the OPC Drum

The OPC drum will wear out with time. Damages mostly occur following direct light and repeated exposures to the paper. You might find some spots on the surface of the drum. Sometimes the toner will smear the drum at seemingly equal distances.

3. ;Blinking LED Drum light

Some laser printers are equipped with an LED light that helps track the drum’s productivity. The light will start blinking when the drum is approaching the end of its useful life. Do not replace the drum immediately after you see the lighting. It’s just a warning sign that it’s almost time.

Replace it if you see the blinking light followed by deteriorating print quality. You’ll have to reset the counter after replacing the drum unit. This will make it start counting again and warn when it’s time to replace. The counter relies on the page count. There is an established page mark that a new drum is expected to yield.

Resetting varies from printer to printer. You can read through the user manual and find the resetting instructions.

4. ;Get Insight from the Expected Page Yield

The valuable life will last for a specific number of pages. You can check the number of prints. Alternatively, you can keep track of the number of toner cartridge replacements.

However, several factors will affect the useful life of a drum unit. This includes; Temperature, Type of toner, paper type, and the kind of print job.

On average, most drum units can offer around 12,000 pages in A4. It can offer more when operating in its best conditions. Most drums can print 3 to 4 rounds of toner cartridges. This number also differs based on the highlighted dynamics.  ;

How to Replace the Drum Unit:

The steps for replacing the drum unit differ from printer to printer. Sometimes, you will only need to replace the drum unit, and that’s all. For others, you would need to reset the counter after inserting a new drum unit. Consult your printer manual for instructions.

This guide will use Brother HL-L2350DW as a reference. It’s a typical printer model that requires a two-step process.

This version uses TN-730 and TN-760 toner cartridges. The former is a standard, while the latter is a high-yield toner cartridge.

Here are the steps:  ;

• Switch on your printer, and open the cover on the front section
• Gently pull out the toner cartridge with the drum unit
• Access the green lock and lower it to allow you to remove the old drum unit
• Get the new unit and fix it inside the toner cartridge. Ensure that it fits perfectly
• Slide the green tab to and fro a couple of times. It’s a practice that cleans the corona wire
• Gently insert the cartridge back into the printer.

Video guide:

Your printer might not sense that the drum unit is new, and you might still get error messages. Let’s get to the second section of resetting the counter:

• Keep the printer on, but close the cover
• Press the “OK” together with the “UP” button simultaneously
• Press the “OK” button to highlight the Drum.
• Press the “down” button that will reset the counter.

Video guide:

Conclusion

The drum unit will wear out faster when exposed to some elements such as light. Sunlight and artificial light will affect its potency. Do not remove the drum unit out of the printer when not necessary. Ensure to keep it in the dark places if you have to take it out.

Still, the OPC drum will wear out even in its best condition. It plays a role in imaging, which means that it’s in constant exposure to the laser beam. It’s a photosensitive material that degrades over time when exposed to light.

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