Thermal dye transfer printer problem (Dell 540)

[Jolt2]

I have a Dell 540 that is a small thermal dye transfer photo printer. The problem with the thing is that the photos that get printed have lines in them. The printer is just over 1 year old and has only printed about 80 photos. I have changed the cartridge and paper pack but the lines still come out on the print. Would a bad heater in the printer produce thin lines in the print? The lines are very thin, looks like no color being put on the paper were the lines are, and they run horizontal across the print. Does anyone have any ideas about what could cause this problem?

I have tried Google and come up with nothing about this type of problem.

 

[WalkingDead]

clean the print head. If the printer has a drum like my Tektronix that could be also the problem too.

 

[LED]

Being a Fan of Thermal dye Printers since the 90's I had this problem on my Alps MD-5000 which is no longer produce but got a response from them on how to correct it...I'm not fimilair with the Printer you have but This possibly may help...

 

[Jolt2]

LED your link is not working for me. Can you direct me to the link.

 

[LED]

Jolt2
...it's on another Puter but here's what it stated:

How to check the Printer Head integrity self test?If there are thin white or color lines, run the internal printer test page to verify
the print head integrity.
Follow the steps below to perform the print head check.

This test applies to the Micro Dry series MD-1000/1300/5000(P)only.

Turn the printer off.
Load a sheet of white laser paper.
Press and hold the "Power" & "Ready/FF" buttons at the same time.
Release the "Power" button, and keep pressing the Ready/FF" button.
Right after you release the "Power" button, count 4 seconds, and release the Ready/FF" button.
Immediately, press and release the "Ready/FF" button one last time.
The printer should start printing a series of letters, numbers, horizontal lines and a black solid bar at the bottom of the sheet.
Once this test page is completed, turn the printer off to stop the test.

If the printer does not produce the test page, please repeat steps 1 thru 6, and make sure you wait 4 seconds before you release the ?Ready/FF? button.
Looking at the black bar, it should be totally solid black. If one or more white thin lines are noticed on this bar, the print head has dead elements which cause the color lines or gaps on your normal printouts. If this is the case, the printer needs to be exchanged.
Please contact the RMA department at 408-361-6418 to arrange an exchange order.
For Micro Dry series MD-2010/2300/4000, follow steps 1 thru 6.
However, instead of getting a black solid bar at the bottom of the sheet, there should be two bars with a group of horizontal lines each.
Looking at those bars, the horizontal lines should be evenly printed. If some portions of those lines are missing, then that indicates the print head has dead elements, which cause the color lines or gaps on your normal printouts.
If this is the case, the printer needs to be exchanged. Please contact the RMA department at 408-361-6418 to arrange an RMA order.


Categories: All MD printers

 

[Jolt2]

Thanks for the help LED! It looks like some of the heater elements are dead on the print head. Taking it apart to try to clean the print head surface, I seen that the main board in this Dell 540 has a Alps chip on it. It maybe that the printer has Alps components like the print head. Dell does not sell service parts for this printer so it looks like the Dell 540 is junk after about 80 prints.

 

[LED]

Luckily although the Alps are gone...they will exhange with cash for refurbs because of the popularity...If you still like the technology you can pick up the Canon CP-400 for cheap...i got 2 for Holiday presents but haven't hooked em up yet ...there are some reveiws out there on it

 

[DandyBits]

Hi there
Thanks for the info. I have a similar problem with an Alps MD1000 except the print doesn't have lines - it is very patchy. I did the test as described and the numbers and letters are not fully formed and the thick line at the bottom has white blotchy areas where the ink doesn't seem to have covered properly. Does this mean that I have a print head that is no good, or would it be another issue. I would appreciate any help you could give me as I have read the manual and cleaned the print head and platen but can't find anythinf else that might solve my problem.
Cheers from Australia