Problems and Solutions

Troubleshooting

# Problems and Solutions

> Power Supply
> Printing
> Paper Handling
> Options

Most problems you may encounter while operating your printer have simple solutions.

You can check the operation of your printer using the self test. See Printing a Self Test. If the self test works properly the problem probably lies in the computer, the application software, or the interface cable. If the self test does not work, contact your dealer or a qualified service person for assistance.

| Note:

If you are an experienced user or a programmer, you can print a hexadecimal dump to isolate communication problems between the printer and computer. To print a hex dump, turn off the printer. Next, hold down the Load/Eject and LF/FF buttons while you turn on the printer. Then send data from your computer. The printer prints all the codes it receives in hexadecimal format.

## Power Supply

### Power is not being supplied

The lights on the control panel do not go on.
Cause | What to do
The power cord may be unplugged. | Check that the power cord is properly plugged into the electrical outlet.
The outlet may not be operating. | If the electrical outlet is controlled by an outside switch or automatic timer, use a different outlet. Plug another electrical device, such as a lamp, into the outlet to determine whether the outlet is operating properly.
The lights come on briefly and then go off. The lights stay off even when the power is turned on again.
Cause | What to do
The voltage ratings of the printer and electrical outlet may not match. | Check that the printer's voltage rating matches the voltage of your electrical outlet. If the voltages do not match, unplug the printer and contact your dealer immediately. Do not reconnect the power cord to an electrical outlet.

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## Printing

### The printer does not print

The PAUSE light is off but nothing is printed.
Cause | What to do
The software may not be installed properly. | Check that the software is installed properly for your printer, as described in the Start Here. Check the software's printer settings.
The interface cable may not match the specifications of the printer or computer. | Check both ends of the interface cable. Make sure the cable meets both the printer and computer specifications.
The printer port may not be set correctly. | For Windows 98, Me, 2000 or Windows NT 4.0, click Start, point to Settings, then click Printers. For Windows XP, click Start, Control Panel, then click Printers and Faxes. When the icon of the printer you are using appears, right-click it and select Properties. Then, click the Ports or Details tab and select the appropriate port.
The Paper Out and Pause lights are on and the printer beeps three times.
Cause | What to do
The printer may be out of paper. | Load paper in the printer.
The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing is printed.
Cause | What to do
The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. | See the Start Here.
The ribbon may be worn out. | Replace the ribbon cartridge.
The printer makes a strange noise, the beeper sounds five times, and the printer stops abruptly.
Cause | What to do
The paper or ribbon may be jammed. | Turn off the printer and check for a paper jam, a ribbon jam or other problems.
The printer may have overheated. | Let the printer cool. Then try to print again. If the printer still does not print correctly contact your dealer.
The beeper sounds five times and all the lights blink.
Cause | What to do
An error has occurred. | Turn off the printer and turn it on again. If the problem persists, check for a paper jam or ribbon jam. If there is no jam, contact your dealer or a qualified service person. (If an error occurs when you switch between single sheets and continuous paper, make sure the paper release lever is in the correct position.)

### The print is faint or uneven

Printed characters have parts missing at the bottom.
Cause | What to do
The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. | See Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge.
The printout is faint.
Cause | What to do
The ribbon may be worn out. | Replace the ribbon cartridge as described in Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge.

### Dots are missing in printed characters or graphics

A line of dots is missing in the printout.
Cause | What to do
The print head is damaged. | Stop printing and contact your dealer to have the print head replaced.
Dots are missing in random positions.
Cause | What to do
Either there is too much slack in the ribbon or the ribbon has come loose. | Reinstall the ribbon cartridge as described in Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge.

### Printed characters are not what you expected

The typestyles or characters you sent with your software did not print.
Cause | What to do
The software may not be properly configured. | Check that the software is correctly configured for your printer.
The font selected on the control panel does not print.
Cause | What to do
Your software may be overriding your control panel setting. | Check the font setting in your application software.

### The print position is not what you expected

Printing starts too high or too low on the page, or the bottom part of one page is printed at the top of the next page.
Cause | What to do
Your application software settings may be incorrect. | Check the margin or top-of-form position setting in your application software.
Page length does not match the length of the paper.
Cause | What to do
The page length setting in your application may be incorrect. | Check the page length set by your application software and adjust it if necessary.
The printer's page length setting for the tractor may not match the size of the continuous paper you are using. | Check Page length for tractor of the printer's default settings. See About Your Printer's Default Settings.
Regular gaps occur in the printout.
Cause | What to do
One-inch skip-over-perforation may be set. | Set skip-over-perforation to off in the Default Setting mode. See About Your Printer's Default Settings.

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## Paper Handling

### Single sheets do not feed properly

Paper does not feed.
Cause | What to do
Continuous paper may be left in the printer. | Remove the continuous paper. Set the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. Insert a new sheet.
The paper on the paper guide is positioned too far to the left or right far the printer to detect that it is there. | Move the paper (and the edge guides) a little to the left or right.
Paper feeding is crooked or the paper jams.
Cause | What to do
The paper was not fed correctly or is of the wrong type. | Turn off the printer and pull out the paper. Insert a new sheet straight into the paper guide. Make sure you're using the right type of paper. See the paper specifications under Printer Specifications.
Paper does not eject completely.
Cause | What to do
The paper may be too long. | Press the LF/FF button to eject the page. Use paper that is within the specified range. See the paper specifications under Printer Specifications.

### Continuous paper does not feed properly

The tractor does not feed the paper.
Cause | What to do
The paper release lever may be in the wrong position. | Check that the paper release lever is pulled forward to the continuous-paper position. If not, turn off the printer, move the lever, and turn it on again.
The paper may have come off the tractor. | Reattach the paper to the tractor.
Paper feeding is crooked or the paper jams.
Cause | What to do
The paper supply is obstructed. | Make sure the paper supply is not obstructed by a cable or some other object.
The paper supply is too far away from the printer. | Make sure that your paper supply is within 1 meter (3 feet) of the printer.
The printer cover may be opened. | Close the printer cover.
The edge guide positions may be incorrect. | Position the edge guides at the diamond-shaped guide marks.
The holes on the sides of the paper are misaligned. | Check that the holes on the sides of the paper are aligned with each other. Also make sure the sprocket units are locked and their covers are closed.
Your paper may be the wrong size or thickness for the printer. | Make sure that the paper size and thickness are within the specified ranges. See Paper for information on the continuous paper specifications.
When you use side-crimped multipart forms, the copies may not align with the original. | Raise the paper guide to keep the printing position accurate.
The paper does not eject properly.
Cause | What to do
The page may be too long. | Tear off the fresh supply of paper and eject the page from the printer. Use only paper that is within the specified length range described under Printer Specifications.
When you switch between single sheets and continuous paper, the beeper sounds three times and the PAUSE light comes on.
Cause | What to do
You may have tried to change the paper release lever position while paper remained in the printer. | Return the paper release lever to the previous position and eject the paper. Then change the paper release lever position.

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## Options

### When you use the cut-sheet feeder, the paper does not feed properly

The paper does not feed.
Cause | What to do
The cut-sheet feeder may be incorrectly installed on the printer. | Reinstall it as described under Cut-sheet feeder.
The paper release lever may be in the wrong position. | Check that the paper release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position.
You may have loaded too many sheets in the bin. | Remove some sheets. See Paper for information on the types and quantity of paper that can be loaded with the cut-sheet feeder.
Paper may be jammed near the print head. | Look for a paper jam.
The edge guide positions may be incorrect. | Position the edge guides at the diamond-shaped guide marks.
There may be only one sheet left in the bin. | Add more paper.
Two or more sheets feed at one time.
Cause | What to do
You may have loaded too many sheets in the bin. | Remove some sheets. See Paper for information on the types and quantity of paper that can be loaded with the cut-sheet feeder.
You may have forgotten to fan the stack of paper before loading it into the bin. | Remove the paper and fan it.
The paper feed is crooked.
Cause | What to do
The paper may be old or creased. | Use only new, clean sheets of paper.
There may be too much paper in the stacker. | Remove some sheets.
The right and left paper guides are too far apart. | Position the paper guides to match the width of your paper.
You may not be using the right type of paper for the cut-sheet feeder. For example, your paper may be too heavy or too light. | Make sure your paper meets the requirements of your printer and cut-sheet feeder. See Paper for information on the paper specifications.
One page of printing has spread to two pages.
Cause | What to do
Your application software settings may be incorrect. | Check that the page-length setting and lines-per-page setting in your application software are correct.

### Switching between the cut-sheet feeder and the push tractor does not work properly

The desired paper type does not load.
Cause | What to do
The paper release lever may not be in the proper position. | Pull the lever forward to load continuous paper or push the lever back to load single sheets.

### Using the pull tractor with the push tractor, continuous paper does not feed properly

Paper feed is crooked or the paper jams.
Cause | What to do
The pull tractor and push tractor sprockets are not aligned correctly. | When using both tractors, be sure that the sprockets on both are positioned evenly.
The paper may have too much slack. | Adjust the position of the sprockets to take up any slack along the width of the paper. Remove slack lengthwise by rotating the paper feed knob.
The paper may be caught on the edge guides. | Make sure that the paper guide is installed over the paper and that the edge guides are positioned correctly.

### With the color upgrade kit installed, the printer does not operate properly (LX-300+II only)

The lights on the control panel do not go on.
Cause | What to do
The motor in the color upgrade kit may not be installed properly. | Follow the instructions under Color upgrade kit (LX-300+II only).
The desired color or certain characters are not printed.
Cause | What to do
Your application software may not be properly set up for color printing. | Use the program's setup (or install) procedure to check the printer setting and adjust as needed. If your application software is capable of sending control codes, select the color using the ESC r command. (See Command Lists)
The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. | Confirm that the ribbon cartridge is installed correctly. See Color upgrade kit (LX-300+II only).

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