HP Officejet Pro 8500 User Manual

							When the quality of printouts deteriorates, follow the steps below:
1.Check the health of the printheads. For more information, see 
To check printhead
health .
2. Print the print quality diagnostic page on a clean sheet of white paper. Evaluate
any problem areas, and perform the recommended actions. For more information,
see 
To print the print quality diagnostic page.
3. Clean the printheads. For more information, see 
To clean the printheads .
4. Replace the printheads if the problems persist after cleaning. For more
information, see 
To replace the printheads .
This section covers the following printhead maintenance tasks:
•
To check printhead health
•
To print the print quality diagnostic page
•
To align the printheads
•
To calibrate the linefeed
•
To clean the printheads
•
To clean the printhead contacts manually
•
To replace the printheads
To check printhead health
Use one of the following means to check the printhead health. If any printhead has a
Replace status, then perform one or more of the maintenance functions, or clean or
replace the printhead.
• Self-Test Report:  Print the self-test report on a clean sheet of white paper, and
check the printhead health section. For more information, see 
Understand the self-
test report .
• Embedded Web server:  Open the embedded Web server. For more information,
see 
To open the embedded Web server . Click the  Information  tab, and then click
Ink Supplies  in the left pane.
• Toolbox (Windows):  Open the Toolbox. For more information, see 
Open the
Toolbox. Click the  Information  tab, and then click  Printhead Health.
To print the print quality diagnostic page
Use the print quality diagnostic page to diagnose issues affecting the print quality. This
will help you decide whether to run any maintenance tools to improve the print quality
of your printouts. You can also view the  ink level information, and the printhead health
status on the page.
NOTE: Before printing the print quality diagnostic page, make sure you load
paper. For more information, see 
Load media .
Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only.
When you receive a low-ink warning message, consider having a replacement
cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not need to replace
cartridges until prompted to do so.
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							•Control panel:  PressSetup, select  Print Report, select  Print Quality Page, and
then press  OK.
• Embedded Web server:  Click the Settings tab, click  Device Services  in the left
pane, select  Print a PQ (Print Quality) Diagnostic Page  from the drop-down list
in the  Print Quality  section, and then click  Run Diagnostic.
• Toolbox (Windows):  Click the Services tab, and then click  Print a PQ (Print
Quality) Diagnostic Page  and follow the onscreen instructions.
• HP Printer Utility (Mac OS X):  Click Print Quality Diagnostics  from the
Information and Support  panel.
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							1Printer Information: Shows device information (such as the product model number, serial
number, and firmware version number), the number of pages printed from the trays and
duplexer, the ink level information, and the printhead health status.
NOTE: Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only.
When you receive a low-ink warning message, consider having a replacement cartridge
available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not need to replace cartridges until
prompted to do so.
2Test Pattern 1:  If the lines are not straight and connected, align the printheads. For more
information, see To align the printheads .
3Test Pattern 2:  If there are thin white lines across any of the colored blocks, clean the
printheads. For more information, see To clean the printheads .
4Test Pattern 3:  If there are dark lines or white gaps where the arrows are pointing,
calibrate the linefeed. For more information, see To calibrate the linefeed .
To align the printheads
Whenever you replace a printhead, the device automatically aligns the printheads to
ensure the best print quality. However, if the appearance of your printed pages
indicates that the printheads are misaligned, you can start the alignment process
manually.
NOTE: Before aligning the printheads, make sure you load plain paper. For more
information, see 
Load media .
•
Control panel:  Press  (Setup ), select  Tools, select  Align Printer , and then
press  OK. Press  OK again when the alignment is done to continue.
• Embedded Web server:  Click the Settings tab, click  Device Services  in the left
pane, select  Align Printer  from the drop-down list in the Print Quality  section,
and then click  Run Diagnostic.
• Toolbox (Windows):  Click the Services tab, and then click  Align Printheads and
follow the onscreen instructions.
• HP Printer Utility (Mac OS X):  Click Align from the  Information and Support
panel.
To calibrate the linefeed
• Control panel:  PressSetup, select  Tools, select  Calibrate Linefeed , and then
press  OK.
• Embedded Web server:  Click the Settings tab, click  Device Services  in the left
pane, select  Calibrate Linefeed  from the drop-down list in the  Print Quality
section, and then click  Run Diagnostic.
• Toolbox (Windows):  Click the Services tab, and then click Calibrate Linefeed
and follow the onscreen instructions.
• HP Printer Utility (Mac OS X):  Click Calibrate Linefeed  from the Information
and Support  panel.
Maintain the printheads 179
 
						

							To clean the printheads
NOTE:Cleaning uses ink, so clean the printheads only when necessary.
The cleaning process takes a few minutes. Some noise might be generated in the
process.
Before cleaning the printheads, make sure you load paper. For more information,
see 
Load media .
•Control panel:  PressSetup, select  Tools, and then select  Clean Printhead.
• Embedded Web server:  Click the Device Settings  tab, click Device Services  in
the left pane, select  Clean Printheads from the drop-down list in the  Print Quality
section, and then click  Run Diagnostic.
• Toolbox (Windows):  Click the Services tab, and then click  Clean Printheads
and follow the onscreen instructions.
• HP Printer Utility (Mac OS X):  Click Clean  from the  Information and Support
panel.
To clean the printhead contacts manually
After the printheads are installed, you might get a control-panel message telling you
the device will not print. If you receive this message, you might need to clean the
electrical contacts on the printheads and in the  device. Make sure there is paper in the
printer before you start.
CAUTION: Electrical contacts contain sensitive electronic components that can
be damaged easily.
1. Open the top cover.
2. If the carriage does not move to the left automatically, press and hold the  OK
button for 5 seconds. Wait for the carriage to stop moving, and then unplug the
power cord from the printer.
3. Lift the printhead latch.
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180 Maintain and troubleshoot
 
						

							4.Lift the handle of the printhead (which corresponds to the control-panel message)
and use it to pull the printhead out of its slot.
5.Obtain clean, dry, soft and lint-free cleaning material. Suitable materials include
paper coffee filters and eyeglass lens cleaning paper.
CAUTION: Do not use water.
6.Wipe the electrical contacts on the printhead but do not touch the nozzles.
NOTE: The electrical contacts are small copper-color squares, grouped on
one face of the printhead.
The nozzles are on a different face of the printhead. Ink will be visible on the
nozzles.
CAUTION: Touching the nozzles can cause permanent nozzle damage.
CAUTION: Ink can permanently mark clothing.
7.After cleaning, place the printhead on a sheet of paper or paper towel. Make sure
the nozzles are facing up and are  not in contact with the paper.
Maintain the printheads181
 
						

							8.Clean the electrical contacts in the printhead slot inside the device with a clean,
dry, soft and lint-free cloth.
9.Plug in the power cord and turn on  the device. The control panel should indicate
that the printhead is missing.
10. Insert the printhead into its color-coded slot (the label on the printhead must match
the label on the printhead latch). Press down firmly on the printhead to ensure
proper contact.
11. Where necessary, repeat the steps for the remaining printheads.
12. Pull the printhead latch all the way forward, and then press down to ensure that
the latch is properly engaged. You might have to apply some pressure to engage
the latch.
13. Close the top cover.
14. If the control-panel message remains, repeat the cleaning procedure for the
printhead that corresponds to the message.
15. If the control-panel message remains, replace the printhead which corresponds to
the message.
16. Wait while the device initializes the printheads and prints the alignment pages. If
the device does not print the pages, start the alignment process manually. For
more information, see 
To align the printheads .
To replace the printheads
NOTE:To find out which printheads work with your printer, see Supplies.
Replace the printheads only when the printhead health indicates that the
printheads need replacement. For more information, see 
To check printhead health .
1.Open the top cover.
2. If the carriage does not move to the left automatically, press and hold the  OK
button for 5 seconds. Wait for the carriage to stop moving.
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182 Maintain and troubleshoot
 
						

							3.Lift the printhead latch.
4.Lift the handle of a printhead and use it to pull the printhead out of its slot.
5.Before installing a printhead, shake the printhead up and down at least six times
while the printhead is still in its packaging.
Maintain the printheads 183
 
						

							6.Remove the new printhead from its package, and then remove its orange
protective caps.
CAUTION: Do not shake printheads after the caps are removed.
7.Insert the printhead into its color-coded slot (the label on the printhead must match
the label on the printhead latch). Press down firmly on the printhead to ensure
proper contact.
8. Pull the printhead latch all the way forward, and then press down to ensure that
the latch is properly engaged. You might have to apply some pressure to engage
the latch.
9. Close the top cover.
10. Wait while the device initializes the printheads and prints the alignment pages. If
the device does not print the pages, start the alignment process manually. For
more information, see 
To align the printheads .
Store printing supplies
This section covers the following topics:
•
Store ink cartridges
•
Store printheads
Store ink cartridges
Ink cartridges can be left in the device for extended periods of time. If you remove the
ink cartridges, place them in an airtight  container, such as a resealable plastic bag.
Store printheads
Printheads can be left in the device for extended periods of time. However, to assure
optimal printhead health, be sure to turn off the device properly. For more information,
see 
Turn off the device.
Clean the device
This section provides instructions for keeping the device in top working condition.
Perform these maintenance procedures as necessary.
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							Dust or dirt on the scanner glass, scanner lid backing, or scanner frame can slow
down performance, degrade the quality of scans, and affect the accuracy of special
features such as fitting copies to a certain page size.
This section contains the following topics:
•
Clean the scanner glass
•
Clean the exterior
•
Clean the automatic document feeder
Clean the scanner glass
To clean the scanner glass
1. Turn off the device.
2. Lift the scanner lid.
3. Clean the glass by using a soft, lint-free cloth that has been sprayed with a mild
glass cleaner. Dry the glass with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth.
CAUTION: Use only glass cleaner to clean the scanner glass. Avoid cleaners
that contain abrasives, acetone, benzene, and carbon tetrachloride, all of which
can damage the scanner glass. Avoid isopropyl alcohol because it can leave
streaks on the glass.
CAUTION: Do not spray the glass cleaner directly on the glass. If too much
glass cleaner is applied, the cleaner could leak under the glass and damage
the scanner.
4. Close the scanner lid, and turn on the device.
Clean the exterior
CAUTION: Before cleaning the device, turn off the power and unplug the power
cord from the electrical socket.
Use a soft, damp, lint-free cloth to wipe dust, smudges, and stains off of the case. The
exterior of the device does not require cleaning. Keep fluids away from the interior of
the device, as well as from the device control panel.
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							Clean the automatic document feeder
If the automatic document feeder picks up multiple pages or if it does not pick up plain
paper, you can clean the rollers and separator pad. Lift the automatic document feeder
cover to access the pick assembly inside the automatic document feeder, clean the
rollers or separator pad, and then close the cover.
To clean the rollers or separator pad
1.Remove all originals from the document feeder tray.
2. Lift the automatic document feeder cover (1).
This provides easy access to the rollers (2) and separator pad (3), as shown below.
1Automatic document feeder cover
2Rollers
3Separator pad
3.Lightly dampen a clean lint-free cloth with  distilled water, then squeeze any excess
liquid from the cloth.
4. Use the damp cloth to wipe any  residue off the rollers or separator pad.
NOTE:If the residue does not come off using distilled water, try using
isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol.
5. Close the cover of the automatic document feeder.
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186 Maintain and troubleshoot