HP IIIP Paper pickup problem

Ah, cork looking pad with a metal edge.
Found this okay (after taking the user parts apart!), lifts out - wiped
clean (damp cloth), wasn't dirty.
Reassembled and about the same.

So, do you think I need to replace this (pad unit c/w spring behind) - and
can I get such a part for the IIIP/canon equivalent);

Or, might it be something else. I ask because when it passes more than one
sheet the sequence isn't as expected. It is print one, maybe pass a blank,
print another - no errors, no jams; it is as if the printer intentionally or
otherwise picks up an extra (or more) sheets but feeds them through and
continues with any outstanding copies. i.e. just wastes paper (only really
anoying because I am printing the other side afterwards). Seems worse from
the lower tray but does it occasionally from the on-board feeder.

"Will" wrote:
Ah, cork looking pad with a metal edge.
Found this okay (after taking the user parts apart!), lifts out - wiped
clean (damp cloth), wasn't dirty.
Reassembled and about the same.

So, do you think I need to replace this (pad unit c/w spring behind) - and
can I get such a part for the IIIP/canon equivalent);

Or, might it be something else. I ask because when it passes more than one
sheet the sequence isn't as expected. It is print one, maybe pass a blank,
print another - no errors, no jams; it is as if the printer intentionally or
otherwise picks up an extra (or more) sheets but feeds them through and
continues with any outstanding copies. i.e. just wastes paper (only really
anoying because I am printing the other side afterwards). Seems worse from
the lower tray but does it occasionally from the on-board feeder.

Are the extra sheets overlapping the first sheet as it passes through the
printer? If the pad is at fault I would expect an overlap.
If each sheet, including the blank ones, feeds correctly without an overlap
then I suspect a more serious cause than the separation pad.
Have you tried uninstalling the printer, then removing the driver (Printers and
faxes/file/server properties/drivers and remove) then reinstall the printer.
Not highly likely that the driver is at fault but easy to reinstall just in
case.
I didn't see your original post, does this happen from more than one
application?

Tony

Are the extra sheets overlapping the first sheet as it passes through the
printer? If the pad is at fault I would expect an overlap.
If each sheet, including the blank ones, feeds correctly without an
overlap
then I suspect a more serious cause than the separation pad.
Have you tried uninstalling the printer, then removing the driver
(Printers and
faxes/file/server properties/drivers and remove) then reinstall the
printer.
Not highly likely that the driver is at fault but easy to reinstall just
in
case.
I didn't see your original post, does this happen from more than one
application?

Tony

Original posts further down, about 19/6/09.
No, I wouldn't call it an overlap - I'd describe it as extra pages, but
maybe the HP is clever enough to detect an extra page (or think it is far
longer than the paper size quoted) and keep feeding. It doesn't (normally)
jam and the printed (required) page is printed okay.
I can't tell you right now the driver details, they are not showing up for
me.
- I do know (& checked) that I'm using the newer xp driver not my original
which I think worked better and had more options, m$ self-upgraded!
I'm printing from word - A4 documents that someone else wrote, emailled to
me to print and use. Not used the IIIP for anything else recently.
But this has shone a little light - the printer is connected via the deskjet
server on my house lan, and we've had some mains power issues I wonder if it
is not set right - Oo, that is going to be a pain to remember. I've
checked my XP print properties for this printer - no seperator pages
showing, I need to get onto the print server and see how it is set. This
printer hasn't setup as easily across the network as I'd hoped - it is now
working but each PC needs an admin account running to setup correctly and
the whole thing repeating if I change as much as an IP addy.
I'll play further.

"Will" wrote:
Are the extra sheets overlapping the first sheet as it passes through the
printer? If the pad is at fault I would expect an overlap.
If each sheet, including the blank ones, feeds correctly without an
overlap
then I suspect a more serious cause than the separation pad.
Have you tried uninstalling the printer, then removing the driver
(Printers and
faxes/file/server properties/drivers and remove) then reinstall the
printer.
Not highly likely that the driver is at fault but easy to reinstall just
in
case.
I didn't see your original post, does this happen from more than one
application?

Tony

Original posts further down, about 19/6/09.
No, I wouldn't call it an overlap - I'd describe it as extra pages, but
maybe the HP is clever enough to detect an extra page (or think it is far
longer than the paper size quoted) and keep feeding. It doesn't (normally)
jam and the printed (required) page is printed okay.
I can't tell you right now the driver details, they are not showing up for
me.
- I do know (& checked) that I'm using the newer xp driver not my original
which I think worked better and had more options, m$ self-upgraded!
I'm printing from word - A4 documents that someone else wrote, emailled to
me to print and use. Not used the IIIP for anything else recently.
But this has shone a little light - the printer is connected via the deskjet
server on my house lan, and we've had some mains power issues I wonder if it
is not set right - Oo, that is going to be a pain to remember. I've
checked my XP print properties for this printer - no seperator pages
showing, I need to get onto the print server and see how it is set. This
printer hasn't setup as easily across the network as I'd hoped - it is now
working but each PC needs an admin account running to setup correctly and
the whole thing repeating if I change as much as an IP addy.
I'll play further.

I can't be specific about this model but normally if the page is longer than
the printer expects it will in fact stop with a jam reported.
If there is no overlap, so there is only one sheet being fed at any one time,
either the printer has developed an electronic fault or it is being instructed
to feed a blank page. I can't see this being mechanical unless the feed clutch
is failaing but I would expect that to trigger a jam indication and stop the
printer.
Tony

"Tony" wrote in message
news
"Will" wrote:
Are the extra sheets overlapping the first sheet as it passes through
the
printer? If the pad is at fault I would expect an overlap.
If each sheet, including the blank ones, feeds correctly without an
overlap
then I suspect a more serious cause than the separation pad.
Have you tried uninstalling the printer, then removing the driver
(Printers and
faxes/file/server properties/drivers and remove) then reinstall the
printer.
Not highly likely that the driver is at fault but easy to reinstall just
in
case.
I didn't see your original post, does this happen from more than one
application?

Tony

Original posts further down, about 19/6/09.
No, I wouldn't call it an overlap - I'd describe it as extra pages, but
maybe the HP is clever enough to detect an extra page (or think it is far
longer than the paper size quoted) and keep feeding. It doesn't
(normally)
jam and the printed (required) page is printed okay.
I can't tell you right now the driver details, they are not showing up for
me.
- I do know (& checked) that I'm using the newer xp driver not my original
which I think worked better and had more options, m$ self-upgraded!
I'm printing from word - A4 documents that someone else wrote, emailled to
me to print and use. Not used the IIIP for anything else recently.
But this has shone a little light - the printer is connected via the
deskjet
server on my house lan, and we've had some mains power issues I wonder if
it
is not set right - Oo, that is going to be a pain to remember. I've
checked my XP print properties for this printer - no seperator pages
showing, I need to get onto the print server and see how it is set. This
printer hasn't setup as easily across the network as I'd hoped - it is now
working but each PC needs an admin account running to setup correctly and
the whole thing repeating if I change as much as an IP addy.
I'll play further.

I can't be specific about this model but normally if the page is longer
than
the printer expects it will in fact stop with a jam reported.
If there is no overlap, so there is only one sheet being fed at any one
time,
either the printer has developed an electronic fault or it is being
instructed
to feed a blank page. I can't see this being mechanical unless the feed
clutch
is failaing but I would expect that to trigger a jam indication and stop
the
printer.
Tony

Tony - I'm not sure exactly what the problem is. Is there a blank page as a
separate feed between printed pages or are one or more blank pages being fed
with the printed pages? Generally, from my limited experience, a tired
separation pad permits more than one piece of paper to feed together, with
no overlap, through the printing process and onto the output tray. It
looks, essentially, like one sheet feeding through to be printed. A printer
this age sometimes needs a new separation pad, and these used to be
available online with instructions on how to install them.

On t he other hand, separately feeding blank pages between printed pages has
happened to me from specific programs. I imagine it could also be from a
setting in the print driver or the need to reinstall the driver. I don't
know a thing about the print server he mentions. Hope he can solve the
problem as this is a very decent printer. I had, in succession, a IIp, a
IIIp, a 5p, and now a 3005. All were very solid, and none quit or
malfunctioned before I bought the next one. Going from the 5p to the 3005
was simply for more speed with long reports. Last year I gave the 5p plus a
spare HP cartridge to a needy college kid who had been using an inkjet for
all his school work. This should hold him through undergraduate and grad
school!

"Burt" wrote:
"Tony" wrote in message
news
"Will" wrote:
Are the extra sheets overlapping the first sheet as it passes through
the
printer? If the pad is at fault I would expect an overlap.
If each sheet, including the blank ones, feeds correctly without an
overlap
then I suspect a more serious cause than the separation pad.
Have you tried uninstalling the printer, then removing the driver
(Printers and
faxes/file/server properties/drivers and remove) then reinstall the
printer.
Not highly likely that the driver is at fault but easy to reinstall just
in
case.
I didn't see your original post, does this happen from more than one
application?

Tony

Original posts further down, about 19/6/09.
No, I wouldn't call it an overlap - I'd describe it as extra pages, but
maybe the HP is clever enough to detect an extra page (or think it is far
longer than the paper size quoted) and keep feeding. It doesn't
(normally)
jam and the printed (required) page is printed okay.
I can't tell you right now the driver details, they are not showing up for
me.
- I do know (& checked) that I'm using the newer xp driver not my original
which I think worked better and had more options, m$ self-upgraded!
I'm printing from word - A4 documents that someone else wrote, emailled to
me to print and use. Not used the IIIP for anything else recently.
But this has shone a little light - the printer is connected via the
deskjet
server on my house lan, and we've had some mains power issues I wonder if
it
is not set right - Oo, that is going to be a pain to remember. I've
checked my XP print properties for this printer - no seperator pages
showing, I need to get onto the print server and see how it is set. This
printer hasn't setup as easily across the network as I'd hoped - it is now
working but each PC needs an admin account running to setup correctly and
the whole thing repeating if I change as much as an IP addy.
I'll play further.

I can't be specific about this model but normally if the page is longer
than
the printer expects it will in fact stop with a jam reported.
If there is no overlap, so there is only one sheet being fed at any one
time,
either the printer has developed an electronic fault or it is being
instructed
to feed a blank page. I can't see this being mechanical unless the feed
clutch
is failaing but I would expect that to trigger a jam indication and stop
the
printer.
Tony

Tony - I'm not sure exactly what the problem is. Is there a blank page as a
separate feed between printed pages or are one or more blank pages being fed
with the printed pages? Generally, from my limited experience, a tired
separation pad permits more than one piece of paper to feed together, with
no overlap, through the printing process and onto the output tray. It
looks, essentially, like one sheet feeding through to be printed. A printer
this age sometimes needs a new separation pad, and these used to be
available online with instructions on how to install them.

On t he other hand, separately feeding blank pages between printed pages has
happened to me from specific programs. I imagine it could also be from a
setting in the print driver or the need to reinstall the driver. I don't
know a thing about the print server he mentions. Hope he can solve the
problem as this is a very decent printer. I had, in succession, a IIp, a
IIIp, a 5p, and now a 3005. All were very solid, and none quit or
malfunctioned before I bought the next one. Going from the 5p to the 3005
was simply for more speed with long reports. Last year I gave the 5p plus a
spare HP cartridge to a needy college kid who had been using an inkjet for
all his school work. This should hold him through undergraduate and grad
school!

Burt
I am not sure about the overlap. When I use the term I was including two sheets
fed together as one as an overlap or two sheets slightly offset as an overlap.
Both would indicate separation pad issue.
If the printer is feeding two sheets one after the other with normal spacing
between them then it is most unlikely to be a mechanical problem. You and I are
in agreement I believe.

Tony

Will wrote:
Are the extra sheets overlapping the first sheet as it passes through the
printer? If the pad is at fault I would expect an overlap.
If each sheet, including the blank ones, feeds correctly without an
overlap
then I suspect a more serious cause than the separation pad.
Have you tried uninstalling the printer, then removing the driver
(Printers and
faxes/file/server properties/drivers and remove) then reinstall the
printer.
Not highly likely that the driver is at fault but easy to reinstall just
in
case.
I didn't see your original post, does this happen from more than one
application?

Tony

Original posts further down, about 19/6/09.
No, I wouldn't call it an overlap - I'd describe it as extra pages, but
maybe the HP is clever enough to detect an extra page (or think it is far
longer than the paper size quoted) and keep feeding. It doesn't (normally)
jam and the printed (required) page is printed okay.
I can't tell you right now the driver details, they are not showing up for
me.
- I do know (& checked) that I'm using the newer xp driver not my original
which I think worked better and had more options, m$ self-upgraded!
I'm printing from word - A4 documents that someone else wrote, emailled to
me to print and use.

Printing A4 documents on letter paper? That could be the application
"helping" you by printing the overspill, likely just empty margin, on
the next page.

Make sure the paper size settings match in application, driver, and
printer.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

As a last ditch effort, (preferably after you found a source for a
replacement part)...

Try taking that cork pad out and soaking it in warm water for a few
hours. It may swell enough to thicken and roughen it up a bit.

Make sure it is then dried well before returning it. You may slightly
roughen the top surface with a bit of medium coarse sand paper.
I find with these older HP printers, loading the paper tray fairly full
with paper.

As to the paper passing through blank, it might be the printer has a
feature that ignores late arriving paper so it doesn't print in the
wrong position onto the paper... just a guess, which may still mean the
problem is paper loading.

Art



If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

Will wrote:
Ah, cork looking pad with a metal edge.
Found this okay (after taking the user parts apart!), lifts out - wiped
clean (damp cloth), wasn't dirty.
Reassembled and about the same.

So, do you think I need to replace this (pad unit c/w spring behind) - and
can I get such a part for the IIIP/canon equivalent);

Or, might it be something else. I ask because when it passes more than one
sheet the sequence isn't as expected. It is print one, maybe pass a blank,
print another - no errors, no jams; it is as if the printer intentionally or
otherwise picks up an extra (or more) sheets but feeds them through and
continues with any outstanding copies. i.e. just wastes paper (only really
anoying because I am printing the other side afterwards). Seems worse from
the lower tray but does it occasionally from the on-board feeder.

Do you fan your paper before putting it into the paper tray?
I learned to always do this when I worked in a print shop.

I think that Arthur's advice is excellent, but in addition, why not try
this common sense?

I've had zero paper feed problems with my HP inkjets even when using
non-inkjet paper in them (paper that has more "tooth"). I've been told
that HP inkjet printers have lots of feed problems, but never for me.

The same was true for my HP-II Laserjet.

I fan my paper at both ends, then flip the paper and do the same.
So, there are four "fans" per paper load.

Paper type and quality can matter, of course. I think that, for example,
inkjet paper, in general, is less "sticky" than copier/laser paper. But
copier paper is good stuff for laser printers; it's got a coarser
texture so that the toner (which is similar to hot glue) will be melted
into the paper's texture by the hot fuser as it exits the printer.

In my own case, I've mostly used decent paper in weights of 20-25#, but
never the high-end stuff. I always fan it and I almost never had paper
feed problems.

Richard

Fanning paper which has been packaged or stacked for long periods is
good advice.

The paper is pressed tightly together during packaging and storage, as
it usually stacked may cases high and thsi causes all teh air betwene
the pages to be removed. It also can pick up static which causes the
paper to "stick" together. Fanning, actually traps air between the
pages which can act as a lubricant as the paper is moved. As Richard
suggests paper has a natural tooth which can allow it to "catch" one
another.

Art


If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

Richard Steinfeld wrote:
Do you fan your paper before putting it into the paper tray?
I learned to always do this when I worked in a print shop.

I think that Arthur's advice is excellent, but in addition, why not try
this common sense?

I've had zero paper feed problems with my HP inkjets even when using
non-inkjet paper in them (paper that has more "tooth"). I've been told
that HP inkjet printers have lots of feed problems, but never for me.

The same was true for my HP-II Laserjet.

I fan my paper at both ends, then flip the paper and do the same.
So, there are four "fans" per paper load.

Paper type and quality can matter, of course. I think that, for example,
inkjet paper, in general, is less "sticky" than copier/laser paper. But
copier paper is good stuff for laser printers; it's got a coarser
texture so that the toner (which is similar to hot glue) will be melted
into the paper's texture by the hot fuser as it exits the printer.

In my own case, I've mostly used decent paper in weights of 20-25#, but
never the high-end stuff. I always fan it and I almost never had paper
feed problems.

Richard