There is a long list of what could go wrong with your printer. Horizontal lines on the paper are certainly among the most frustrating hassles. Fixing this problem could be a daunting undertaking, especially for newbies.
This guide seeks to take you through the steps to narrowing down and addressing the cause.
Understanding the Nature of the Problem
Printer leakage could present itself in several ways. You might find either of the following on different occasions: ;
- Black horizontal lines in the middle or either side of the paper
- Some sections not printed
- Horizontal lines crossing the paper
- Smudges on the same spot or different
All of these can happen interchangeably. Let’s review some of the ways to address this issue.
Possible Causes and Solutions
Issues with the Toner Cartridge
There are three possible issues with the toner cartridge. It’s either faulty, poorly refilled, or the wrong one for your printer.
1. ;Faulty Toner Cartridges
Faulty toner cartridges remain the leading cause of printer horizontal leakages. Defects can be linked to the manufacturer, transportation, or handling dynamics.
Inexperienced manufacturers may make products with loose compartments. These toner cartridges might end up leaking when in use.
The compatible empty toner cartridge was not well soldered, which is the empty toner cartridge mold problem, or the new Employee is not good at welding. The solution to this problem is to use the plastic parts glue to fix the leakage and tell your supplier.
Recovery film or other sponges of the empty toner cartridge also can cause leakage. For recovery film and other sponges that are not well attached, you can disassemble a toner cartridge to check. If the powder leaks from the recovery film or other sponges, whether it is not well connected or the size is not right, the supplier must verify this.
Subjecting toner cartridges to harsh shipping conditions could also damage them. Leakages may occur immediately or later on while in use. The way you handle your toner cartridges could also lead to leakages. Constantly shaking them, for instance, might cause damages to the cartridge.
Shake them gently if you want to redistribute the toner inside the cartridge. Consumers also tend to shake the cartridge to estimate the toner level. Do so with care. You may explore other ways to check the toner level. It is even possible to monitor the status with the printer software. Manual inspection can also be done by passing light in a dark room.
2. ;Wrong Toner Cartridge
Laser printers fuse toner on the paper at different melting points. Any random toner may not work well with your printer. The photoconductor and transfer unit may work correctly. Printers may precisely place the toner on the paper, but the toner may fail to melt. Most of the unmelt toner will end up as particles loosely smearing the paper.
It may worsen when the toner leaks to the inner compartments of the printer. Some toner may end up on the roller. It will stick on the paper the next time you send a print job.
Cancel the printing job if the toner is not sticking on the paper. Remove the toner and check compatibility with your printer model. Stop using it and order the right one.
3. ;Poorly Refilled Toner Cartridges
It’s pretty natural to want to cut the cost of printing when an opportunity presents itself. Who wouldn’t want to minimize the profits?
Refilling toner cartridges is certainly not a viable idea. A lot can go wrong in the process. You may buy the wrong refill toner, which will cause more problems with the printer. The toner which fails to melt will leak to the printer compartments. You may even succeed in refilling correctly, but it’s likely to offer faded prints.
There are more cons than pros to refilling a cartridge. It is advisable always to buy a new one. I know that original toner cartridges are expensive. Using them will narrow down your profit margins.
The good thing is there are other opportunities to reduce the cost of printing. One of the most common ways is using compatible toner cartridges. They are cheap and still print perfectly. You can find compatible cartridges that last as long as the original ones. Try them instead of refilling your empty cartridges.
Dirty Transfer Rollers
I know that you usually feed the paper and the next thing you want to see is a printed report. That’s the end product, but a lot happens in between. The printer runs several commands when you press that print button. Our area of interest on this particular concern is the transfer rollers. This is a system that moves the paper as it gets printed.
The rollers could get dirty over time. Toner may leak and get stuck on its surfaces. It will stick on the paper as it rolls along these rollers. This will often result in horizontal lines in your paper. It could also cause spots, depending on where the toner landed on the rollers.
Solution:
The way to navigate through this problem is to clean the rollers.
Here are the steps to cleaning the rollers:
- Get a clean piece of cloth and isopropyl alcohol. A pair of gloves would help protect yourself from getting stained with toner. Get a soft brush also, those used on painting. Having a vacuum blower would make your cleaning even easier
- Open all the printer compartments and remove the toner cartridges ;
- Use the vacuum blower to blow away the loose toner
- Spray some alcohol on the piece of cloth and use it to clean the rollers gently
- Extend your cleaning to the paper paths that are smeared with toner
Please note that the transfer film is sensitive to touch. Avoid touching it as it can cause a series of other printing problems.
Check the Type of Paper
There are specific papers for inkjet and laser printers. Printing errors may occur if you print the wrong paper on a laser printer.
These printers rely on a specific temperature to melt the toner to stick on the paper. Some papers do not get charged enough to attract the toner. Other papers do not take in the melted toner correctly. In both cases, unused toner will leak on some printer sections.
Printers also take instructions from the user. Issues may occur if you instruct your printer to print a photo paper and use plain paper instead. Be sure to use the correct paper and instruct your printer appropriately.
Check the Waste Bottle If It’s Overfilled
There is a container that collects unused toner. The toner may leak to other printer compartments when the waster toner bottle is full. Dispose off the toner following the instructions on the manual. Some printers have a cord that you pull and release to clean up the leaked toner. They are found below the toner cartridges. You will know it’s time to pull the cords when you see horizontal lines in your papers.
Faulty Fuser
Laser printers rely on melting the toner into the paper. This takes place in the fuser unit under high temperatures. The melting point is specific, and any deviations will affect the print output. A faulty fuser may subject the toner to varying temperatures. The toner may not melt on the paper correctly. It may end up forming smudges on some sections of the paper.
Fuser issues may occur due to mechanical damages to its components. The solution to this problem is one of the hardest you are likely to face with your laser printer. Solving it on your own might be challenging. Consider calling a qualified technician to assess the problem and advice you. They might suggest doing some repairs on the fuser.
Phần kết luận
Most of the problems with horizontal leakage are caused by toner cartridges. Buying from reputable suppliers would help you avoid most of these frustrations.
We usually send samples to prospective customers to help them make that decision. Do you want bulk cartridges? Contact us, and we will deliver it to you. We have the capacity to make international deliveries.