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chapter 5MAINTENANCE
AND TROUBLESHOOTING
Subjeetscoveredin Chapter5include–
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Cleaningthe printer
Replacingthe ribbon
Replacingthe print head
Troubleshooting
Dust and heat willmake any mechanism wear more quickly. The best
maintenanceis preventive,and thefirst stepis correct locationof the printer.
Thisis covered ingreater detail in Chapter 1, but in general anenvironment
comfortable for humans is best for both the computer and the printer.
CLEANING THE PRINTER
Cleaningthe printer regularly will prolong its servicelife. Use adamp
cloth on theexterior every week or so. For stubborn dirt, you may moisten
the cloth with alcohol or water containing amild detergent,but be careful
not to spillany liquid into the interior of the printer.
Useasoft brush to removepaper dust and lintfrom the interior. Asmall
vacuum cleaner can also make this task easier, but be very careful not to
bend or injureany electronic parts or wiring. The printer coniains delicate
electronicparts, so only clean those places where you have easy access.
REPLACING THE RIBBON
The printer usesan endless-type ribbon cartridge in which the ribbon
isrecycled automatically.When the print becomesfaint, it is time to replace
the ribbon cartridge.
To remove the old cartridge, take off the top cover, grasp the ribbon
cartridge by the two arms at the front and lift straight up. To fit the new
cartridge, guide the ribbon between the print head and platen, then press
down until the cartridge snapsinto place. See Figure 5-1.
REPLACING THE PRINT HEAD
The dot matrix print head has alifeof about 200 milliondots, or years
of normal use.When printing is too light even after replacing the ribbon,
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