Disclaimer and Safety Warnings

Some of the procedures described in this document require access to dangerous voltages, hazardous laser radiation, moving mechanical parts, and other potential risks to personal safety and damage to equipment and property. The authors and contributors to this document will not be held responsible for any direct or collateral damage which might result from following the suggestions or recommendations contained herein including but not limited to: shock, burns, electrocution, vaporization, meltdowns, torn flesh, destruction of the equipment, and local or planetary wide power disruptions or implosions.

Safety

While printers are not generally considered dangerous pieces of equipment (compared to TV, monitors, and microwave ovens, at least), some types - laser printers in particular - present a variety of hazards that should not be underestimated. In addition, photocopiers - particularly larger high speed machines - need to be treated with great respect while servicing.

There are minimal dangers in servicing most printers. However, there may be exposed line voltage near the line cord and long hair or neck-ties may be sucked in along with paper! Laser printers have their lasers but these are generally located such that accidental exposure to the beam is minimized. The toner in copiers, plain paper faxes, and laser printers may be harmful if inhaled and is a potential fire/explosion risk if carelessly vacuumed. Each of these possible safety issues is discussed below with additional specific information in the chapters for the equipment to which it applies. All in all, working on printers is relatively low risk.

The first set of items applies to all line operated printers:

• The input power is 110 VAC (or 220 to 240 VAC depending on where you live). If it is necessary to work inside with the power on, identify the location of any exposed terminals and cover them with plastic electrical tape or block accidental access in some other way. This is much more dangerous than the high voltage present in laser printers and photocopiers (see below).


• Some equipment of this type uses switchmode power supplies. Their internal voltages may exceed 300 VDC, include large capacitors, and the entire front-end is likely line-connected. Aside from staying away, if power problems are suspected, one must take extreme care in troubleshooting these types of power supplies both for personal safety and because it is extremely easy to destroy them (and possibly the powered equipment) due to a misplaced probe. If there is NO large power transformer near the power input but one or more smaller transformers (possibly with HV warning labels) amid-ships on the power board, you probably have a switcher!


• Moving parts can grab dangling neckties (yes, I know, you haven't worn one of these in 17 years!) and jewelry - remove any you may be wearing.


• There will be all sorts of sharp sheet metal and other parts to gouge flesh. Avoid sudden uncontrolled movement.


• Dot matrix and thermal print heads may be HOT - stay clear.


• The inks, while probably not toxic, are certainly indelible, so don't wear anything you care much about!

The following apply to laser printers and photocopiers:

• In addition to the AC line input, the fuser lamp is usually powered from the line. Thus, dangerous voltage may appear (come and go as the fuser cycles) at contacts deep inside the machine - possibly hidden from view but not touch. The main motor drive may also use line voltage.


• The main drive motors and gear trains in this equipment are quite powerful, especially in large photocopiers. There is no telling what can get sucked in due to carelessness.


• The fuser is very HOT (heat-wise) and can cause a nasty burn. It remains hot for a long time after power is removed.


• There are several high voltages used to charge the various corona wires. For most modern equipment, the maximum current available from these is extremely small (less than 1 mA) so actual danger is minimal. However, some older copiers may have more dangerous high voltage power supplies. Don't assume all are the same! Interlocks are *supposed* to prevent operation except when printing but they can be defeated.


• Powdered toner is not something you want to inhale (in addition to getting all over EVERYTHING). Also see the additional toner warnings at the start of the chapters on laser printers and photocopiers.


• The photosensitive coating on the imaging drum may also be toxic if it should flake off or become powdered. Avoid direct contact.

And finally, for laser printers and laser photocopiers:

• The laser in all but very old (or high performance phototypesetters and other specialized imaging systems which this document does not address) are IR - invisible. So, you cannot detect it by eye - an IR tester circuit, IR detector card, some camcorders, or other means will be needed to determine if the laser is actually working. The beam will also be well collimated and thus especially hazardous to vision since it will be focused to a fine point on the retina.

Fortunately, under normal conditions, the laser beam will not be turned on unless all interlocks are closed and a page is actually being printed and/or will be in constant motion as a result of the scanning mirror (which reduces the risk considerably). (It is virtually impossible to get to the laser beam before the scanning mirror without total disassembly.) However, certain failure modes could result in a stationary beam which ignores the interlocks so take care whenever working on a laser printer with the covers removed.


• If your printer does use another type of laser (like helium-neon), there may also be a high voltage power supply for that which can really bite.