"Why is the printer printing a black sheet?" - This question is asked by many who wanted to print some information, but instead received a completely black sheet at the output. Why is this happening? Why sometimes MFPs and printers go crazy and start printing almost black squares of Malevich? In fact, there can be many reasons why this can happen, starting with improperly selected paper and ending with a malfunction of the print head of the device. In today's article, we will talk about all the common causes of black sheets, as well as share troubleshooting methods.
It's all about paper
The first reason why the printer prints a black sheet is incorrect paper for printing. Yes, this may sound strange, but indeed, paper plays a very important role for any printer. In this case, a black sheet is obtained on those printers in which fax paper is inserted. The fact is that the paper used for faxes starts to turn black when heated, and, as you know, the printer heats up much more when printing, which is why the problem arises.
Need to check contacts
The next reason why the printer prints a black sheet is a poor contact on the cartridge power supply or problems with a spring-loaded contact. It is periodically necessary to check whether the contacts on the cartridge are clogged, because dust inside the printer is a frequent occurrence. But also do not remove and insert the cartridge too often, as this can lead to problems with the spring contact.
The fact is that if you very often pull out and insert the cartridge back into the printer, the spring-loaded contact can turn 30-40 degrees or even bend. In this case, the contact will not be able to return to its original position, as a result of which the printer will begin to produce completely black sheets at the output.
In this case, you can fix the situation yourself or contact the service center where the printers are being repaired.
Drum Problems
Another very common reason why the printer prints a black sheet is problems with the drum unit or photocell, as it is also called. For those who are not in the know, the drum unit is a very important part of any printer, because it is all the information that is transferred to it from a computer for subsequent printing. The photocell is too sensitive to light, and therefore all work related to replacing it or replacing toner is carried out in a dark room, so that there is no light exposure.
If, nevertheless, the light hits the drum, then there’s nothing worth waiting for. When you try to print something, the printer will produce a black sheet. Here's the answer to the question of why the printer prints a completely black sheet.
What to do in case of exposure to the drum unit? In this case, the choice is not rich. The first option is to buy a new photo camera, since repairs will cost a lot of money, which is absolutely inexpedient. The second option is to wait for a while, as there were cases when the exposed layer itself was restored to its original state. Of course, you should not rely on this, but you definitely need to try this option.
It’s better not to save on cartridges
This problem affects almost all printer manufacturers, but mostly Canon and HP. Why does the printer print black sheets on devices from these manufacturers? Everything is simple - the matter is a poor-quality cartridge. When the paint or toner runs out, the user goes to the store and buys new consumables, but, as a rule, not original ones, since they are expensive, but something is cheaper.
As a result, the tightness and performance of the cartridge are much lower. Toner or ink on such cartridges may spill onto the paper, causing it to get dirty, and the output will be a black sheet. After some time, printing may return to normal, but if this does not happen, you will have to change the cartridge.
Printer breakdown
And the last reason why the printer prints black sheets (laser or inkjet, it does not matter) is a breakdown of the device itself. This is also a very common phenomenon, especially on cheap or old devices that have worked for a long time and printed more than one hundred sheets. Basically, the reasons lie in the printing elements, but not the fact.
All that can be advised to do in this situation is to take the printer for repair, so that the wizard will diagnose and say what exactly broke and how much the repair will cost. If the cost is high, it will be easier to buy a new printer than to repair an old one.