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Sharp Electronics Corporation Informative - Broken drum - no satisfaction! - Sharp copier AL-1631
Sharp copier AL-1631
SHARP PLAZA, MAHWAH, NEW JERSEY -- I purchased a Sharp Copier 06/07 which worked okay until I had to replace the toner cartridge. I replaced the toner cartridge and it leaked. I first thought it was a defective cartridge and asked the merchant to replace it. The replaced toner cartridge had the same problem. I called the service department at Sharp and explained the problem - they said I had to periodically clean the overflow toner compartment. I purchased another toner cartridge and guess what-it leaked again. I called the service department again and now they said the drum was bad. I asked them how long a drum should last and they said between 17,000 and 18,000 copiers. I had made only 1,500 copies.
They refused to do anything about it because they said the warranty had run out which was 15 days. Now I have to spend another $250 to repalce both the toner and drum cartridge. In addition I had to purchase 2 new toner cartridges that went bad. Total cost $425 - the copier was only $450!
The machine is only 5 months old with only 1,500 copies.
They refused to do anything about it because they said the warranty had run out which was 15 days. Now I have to spend another $250 to repalce both the toner and drum cartridge. In addition I had to purchase 2 new toner cartridges that went bad. Total cost $425 - the copier was only $450!
The machine is only 5 months old with only 1,500 copies.
Comments:
Posted by ejack053824 on 2007-11-28:
You should have got a service contract which includes the toner. Most copy companies offer that. Its a few bucks each month but if the copier takes a shyt on you...you have nothing to worry about.
Posted by Lucybelle on 2007-11-28:
The service contracts are a rip-off. A copier that is 5 months old and 1,500 copies should not have any problems and should not need new parts.
Posted by ejack053824 on 2007-11-29:
No they're not Lucy. Your full of it girl!
Posted by DebtorBasher on 2007-11-29:
The computer company I work for offers service contracts and I can say the customer's get their money worth out of them. I'm not 100% sure, but I do believe our company also offers a rebate at the end of the contract if a certain amount was not used during that time.
Posted by sharp technician on 2008-02-27:
as a sharp service technician i can tell you most drum's will not meet its expected life before some kind of copy quality issue arises.
it is really a question of how well the drum/process frame was assembled in the case of a brand new machine and how well the technician can re-build/assemble a new drum into a process frame.
in most sharp machines especially the smaller ar/arm series machines it is pretty common for toner to spill out onto the front cover area even sometimes into a paper tray.
you should not see a mound of it but if it is dusting its way around, sounds about right.
the way it works is on the toner cartridge (ar-arm) series there is a toner reclaim or kind of a trap door, when you slide the toner in the door opens. the drum unit/process frame cleans the excess toner of of the drum surface what ever does not get transferred onto paper, and basically through an auger transports it back into the toner cartridge to reclaim it and basically re-cycle it.
how much is reclaimed can vary depending on machine condition.
for example if the transfer area of the machine cannot transfer all the toner onto the paper a lot of excess toner will be cleaned of the drum, wearing it out faster and filing up the re-claim on the toner, if it backs up you will have a spill.
at the same time as the drum surface begins to wear like this scratches Will form and it will begin to draw more toner then necessary increasing the wear even faster.
because the clearance between the neck of the auger and the toner re-claim is not a air tight connection it will spill out into the air and find its way around the machine.
the best advice any service technician can give any one is to get some kind of maintenance agreement that will completely cover the expenses of replacement parts and technician labor on a cost per copy basis. I've experienced lemon machines few and far between but still out there and machines that were maintained incorrectly by previous technicians and its a shame when it has to come back to the customer as an expense.
it is really a question of how well the drum/process frame was assembled in the case of a brand new machine and how well the technician can re-build/assemble a new drum into a process frame.
in most sharp machines especially the smaller ar/arm series machines it is pretty common for toner to spill out onto the front cover area even sometimes into a paper tray.
you should not see a mound of it but if it is dusting its way around, sounds about right.
the way it works is on the toner cartridge (ar-arm) series there is a toner reclaim or kind of a trap door, when you slide the toner in the door opens. the drum unit/process frame cleans the excess toner of of the drum surface what ever does not get transferred onto paper, and basically through an auger transports it back into the toner cartridge to reclaim it and basically re-cycle it.
how much is reclaimed can vary depending on machine condition.
for example if the transfer area of the machine cannot transfer all the toner onto the paper a lot of excess toner will be cleaned of the drum, wearing it out faster and filing up the re-claim on the toner, if it backs up you will have a spill.
at the same time as the drum surface begins to wear like this scratches Will form and it will begin to draw more toner then necessary increasing the wear even faster.
because the clearance between the neck of the auger and the toner re-claim is not a air tight connection it will spill out into the air and find its way around the machine.
the best advice any service technician can give any one is to get some kind of maintenance agreement that will completely cover the expenses of replacement parts and technician labor on a cost per copy basis. I've experienced lemon machines few and far between but still out there and machines that were maintained incorrectly by previous technicians and its a shame when it has to come back to the customer as an expense.
Posted by sharp technician on 2008-02-27:
and no the service contracts are not a rip off but the company has to make a profit or they would not offer them.
whats unfortunate is when you have a huge bill for a $200 part thats going to get marked up by your dealer to $350 and then your looking at 3 hours of labor at $90 an hour plus an ubseen trip charge and guess what your out of toner. coughing all that up, up front to get the machine runing is what hurts, 20-40$ a month dosent sound so bad anymore does it....
whats unfortunate is when you have a huge bill for a $200 part thats going to get marked up by your dealer to $350 and then your looking at 3 hours of labor at $90 an hour plus an ubseen trip charge and guess what your out of toner. coughing all that up, up front to get the machine runing is what hurts, 20-40$ a month dosent sound so bad anymore does it....
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