Should I return this ebay item?

[Muse]

HP LASERJET 4 PLUS, 4M, 4M PLUS C2038-60004 FORMATTER BOARD RH6-3201 W/ HOUSING

I bought this because the service manual for my HP4M+ printer said it might fix the problem, being that the LED display is blank at all times. It said to try these measures:

Check control panel cable
Replace formatter board
Replace control panel

I don't know how to check the cable, I figured it's probably alright. Yes, I could be wrong. One end of that cable fits into a connector on the control panel. That comes off easily enough, it has to be unplugged to remove the top cover of the machine, which is necessary when replacing the formatter board. The other end disappears into the printer and I didn't see anything in the service manual that shows me how to get at the other end. So, I just figured I'd skip the cable and just replace the formatter board and if that didn't fix things, get the control panel. I received the replacement formatter board yesterday and swapped it out with the original and the problem persists. The listing for the formatter board says they accept returns for 14 days, I pay return shipping. Should I return it? Is that ethical? I suppose yes, would you? I'm guessing that return shipping would cost me ~1/2 what I paid for it.

I bought a used control panel last night for $30 shipped!

 

[Ns1]

If they say returns are accepted I don't see a problem.

 

[Newell Steamer]

Don't you let that printer push you around.

You show that bastard who is boss:

 

[TwiceOver]

Oh the 4M+, what a great machine. Check local rummage sales instead.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Yeah...I agree great printer, but slow by today's standards. I'd probably replace the printer with a newer one because laser printers can be had for $60-130 with a 3000 page toner cartridge in them. So if you could find a printer for $100, you'd be paying $.03/copy. Once you go through a second toner cartridge you'd drive the price down further...

Just make sure you check replacement toner costs before making a decision. A dell branded printer I bought in 2008 has served me well for all these years and it still does 30 pages/minute which is a little faster than what a LaserJet 4 could do.

 

[deadlyapp]

Buying items to troubleshoot and then returning them when they don't fix issues isn't that ethical IMO. If I was in your situation I'd probably stash the board as a spare or try to re-sell it on ebay or elsewhere.

 

[SAWYER]

You took a gamble, not certain if that would for sure. I say no

 

[Muse]

Buying items to troubleshoot and then returning them when they don't fix issues isn't that ethical IMO. If I was in your situation I'd probably stash the board as a spare or try to re-sell it on ebay or elsewhere.

That's kind of how I feel about it, yeah.

Yeah...I agree great printer, but slow by today's standards. I'd probably replace the printer with a newer one because laser printers can be had for $60-130 with a 3000 page toner cartridge in them. So if you could find a printer for $100, you'd be paying $.03/copy. Once you go through a second toner cartridge you'd drive the price down further...

Just make sure you check replacement toner costs before making a decision. A dell branded printer I bought in 2008 has served me well for all these years and it still does 30 pages/minute which is a little faster than what a LaserJet 4 could do.

What does the output look like? Compared to an HP Laserjet 4? One reason I've always loved these printers is the tack-sharp text. It's stellar, IMO. They sold a Laserjet 4P back then, the cheap one, less than 1/2 the price of the HP4s, which retailed for around $1600+ IIRC back in 1993 or so, but that cheap one's text was disturbingly fuzzy, it couldn't compare with the HP4. The 4P, while ~$800 with lousy res text, put out only 4 pages/minute. The HP4 does 8/minute and the HP4+ does 12/minute, which to me is decent. I've never had a faster printer, so I don't miss the speed.

Oh the 4M+, what a great machine. Check local rummage sales instead.

yeah, don't know how to find them, I could watch CList. I see the machines selling for $125-$150 on ebay shipped, several. I bought an HP4 in ~1993 for around $1600, which I tried to fire up a few days ago and it won't even turn on. I had put it aside in 2010 when I found this HP4+ on the sidewalk. I brought it home on my bike (!), cleaned it up, fixed a minor issue or two and maxed it out with a PS card and maximum RAM, both of which are just dirt cheap now. Although they look almost the same, the two printer's parts are by and large (if not entirely) NOT interchangeable.

 

[JEDIYoda]

regardless of what you do, Jesus Loves you!!