HP LaserJet 2100TN grabs multiple sheets of paper

Hi all,
My lab has an HP LaserJet 2100TN printer (b&w, networked, manufactured
Aug 2000) which recently has the annoying habit of frequently grabbing
multiple sheets of paper from the tray. So, for example, I printed
out about 15 pages this morning and ended up with 30-40 pages on the
output tray, most of which were blank.

Sometimes when it grabs multiple sheets, one of them slips off and
causes a paper jam. So it can be more than just a minor annoyance.
Anyone have any tips on where I should look inside to fix this
problem?

Thanks!

Dan Lenski
University of Maryland

PS- This printer also has an incredibly slow and buggy Java-based
configuration web page, but I don't suppose there's any way to fix
that :-(

Dan Lenski <dlenski@gmail.com> wrote:

> HP LaserJet 2100TN printer (... manufactured
> Aug 2000) which recently has the annoying habit of frequently grabbing
> multiple sheets of paper from the tray.

We bought a 2100 in '99 and have been pretty happy with it, although we
know very well the problem you describe, which seems to have crept in
during the last year or two. There are many variables, including quality
of paper and humidity, but at bottom I'm thinking it is either spring(s)
getting weak or rubber getting hard. One palliative seems to be to keep
the paper tray full. There once was a paper-feed-path renewal-kit for
this printer, which may be just the thing, but as the machine has got
old and obsolete so have service parts become harder to find.

cheers,

Henry

Dan Lenski <dlenski@gmail.com> wrote:

> My lab has an HP LaserJet 2100TN printer (b&w, networked, manufactured
> Aug 2000) which recently has the annoying habit of frequently grabbing
> multiple sheets of paper from the tray. So, for example, I printed
> out about 15 pages this morning and ended up with 30-40 pages on the
> output tray, most of which were blank.
>
> Sometimes when it grabs multiple sheets, one of them slips off and
> causes a paper jam. So it can be more than just a minor annoyance.
> Anyone have any tips on where I should look inside to fix this
> problem?

Usually that's a worn separation pad. Depending on which tray, maybe
#14 on this diagram:

http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs...PaperTray.html

Or #1 here:

http://www.printerworks.com/Catalogs...nalComp_3.html

You might be able to rough up the existing pad enough to get it working
while the replacement part is on the way. I can't recall what the 2100
pads are like. Platen cleaner can work on rubber pads, don't know about
cork. Sometimes just wiping the pad with your finger will clean off
dust and get it working temporarily.

> PS- This printer also has an incredibly slow and buggy Java-based
> configuration web page, but I don't suppose there's any way to fix
> that :-(

Telnet to the printer instead, although there are some JetDirect
settings that can only be set through the web interface. You really
shouldn't need to use either very often, most of the settings are
set-and-forget.

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

Dan Lenski <dlenski@gmail.com> wrote:
>Hi all,
>My lab has an HP LaserJet 2100TN printer (b&w, networked, manufactured
>Aug 2000) which recently has the annoying habit of frequently grabbing
>multiple sheets of paper from the tray. So, for example, I printed
>out about 15 pages this morning and ended up with 30-40 pages on the
>output tray, most of which were blank.
>
>Sometimes when it grabs multiple sheets, one of them slips off and
>causes a paper jam. So it can be more than just a minor annoyance.
>Anyone have any tips on where I should look inside to fix this
>problem?
>
>Thanks!
>
>Dan Lenski
>University of Maryland
>
>PS- This printer also has an incredibly slow and buggy Java-based
>configuration web page, but I don't suppose there's any way to fix
>that :-(

Dan
See Warren's answer, he is on the right track. I see you have a TN printer, so
is it tray 1,2 or 3 that gives problems?
The pads for this printer are a rubber like compound and the one in the
cassette tray (tray 2 or 3) are simple to replace.
They are also readily available from several sources. The pad in tray 1
(multipurpose tray) is a little harder but not in the category of difficult,
you need to remove some covers.
The only advice I feel is important is if you are going to replace the
separation pads you should consider replacing the feed rollers as well, there
is one pad and one roller for each tray. When the pad in a particular tray
starts to give trouble the roller usually follows soon after. Replacement of
the pads and rollers is detailed in the service manual which is available free
from
http://www.image1products.com/techdocs/HP.htm
You can look to see what is involved in the manual.
Humidity and paper condition is a possibility but in my experience rarely
causes multiple feeding provided you are using a good quality paper (any of the
major brands are fine for this printer).
Tony
MS MVP Printing/Imaging

Tony wrote:
> Dan Lenski <dlenski@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> My lab has an HP LaserJet 2100TN printer (b&w, networked, manufactured
>> Aug 2000) which recently has the annoying habit of frequently grabbing
>> multiple sheets of paper from the tray. So, for example, I printed
>> out about 15 pages this morning and ended up with 30-40 pages on the
>> output tray, most of which were blank.
>>
>> Sometimes when it grabs multiple sheets, one of them slips off and
>> causes a paper jam. So it can be more than just a minor annoyance.
>> Anyone have any tips on where I should look inside to fix this
>> problem?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> Dan Lenski
>> University of Maryland
>>
>> PS- This printer also has an incredibly slow and buggy Java-based
>> configuration web page, but I don't suppose there's any way to fix
>> that :-(
>
> Dan
> See Warren's answer, he is on the right track. I see you have a TN printer, so
> is it tray 1,2 or 3 that gives problems?
> The pads for this printer are a rubber like compound and the one in the
> cassette tray (tray 2 or 3) are simple to replace.
> They are also readily available from several sources. The pad in tray 1
> (multipurpose tray) is a little harder but not in the category of difficult,
> you need to remove some covers.
> The only advice I feel is important is if you are going to replace the
> separation pads you should consider replacing the feed rollers as well, there
> is one pad and one roller for each tray. When the pad in a particular tray
> starts to give trouble the roller usually follows soon after. Replacement of
> the pads and rollers is detailed in the service manual which is available free
> from
> http://www.image1products.com/techdocs/HP.htm
> You can look to see what is involved in the manual.
> Humidity and paper condition is a possibility but in my experience rarely
> causes multiple feeding provided you are using a good quality paper (any of the
> major brands are fine for this printer).
> Tony
> MS MVP Printing/Imaging
>

That is one very excellent link, thanks....