Printer drum gone bad from no toner?

Say, has anyone ever experienced a bad printer drum as a result of running out of toner?

Thanks,

Starkman

 

It's possible. I worked for a few years as a copier tech and saw when an office would keep putting an 99% empty toner cartridge back in (trying to save $$) and it would score the drum surface forcing them to have to buy a drum.

Sam

 

Hey, thanks, Sam, for the input.

I was most concerned about the printer I have: Brother HL-2140. I found a youtube where the guy shows you that there's a ton of toner left in the cartridge when the printer decides that it won't print anymore because...well, because Brother wants you to buy their toner.

Well, this guy simply put tape on the sensors and printed off, oh, at least another hundred pages, if not more. So, I figured that if I'm careful in doing that, I won't ruin the drum when it starts to fade.

So, thanks again,

Starkman

 

Copiers are just big laser printers with a scanner, document feeder, sorter, etc. The print technology and components are basically the same.

Sam

 

Fixing the issue is based on the definition/cause of "bad".

As scajir stated, a drum that is badly scratched is basically toast.

Most printers have an electronic counter that signals "end of life" at a certain page count, often disabling printing. If the print quality is decent when the sensor signals end of life and you don't mind Googling your printer make/model plus the words "drum reset", you may be able to find either a hidden reset code or a replacement sensor chip at a small fraction of the cost of a new drum.

If the print quality is marginal (and the drum shows no obvious signs of scratching), you can get laser printer cleaning sheets (about $10) at Office Depot or Staples.

If all else fails, search your printer make/model with the word "drum" on eBay. Look for sellers who are based in the USA (or your home country) who have at least a 99% Positive Feedback or a "Top Rated Seller" icon. I've found toner, drums, etc. on eBay at up to 80% less than "OEM" that work just as well.

Hope this helps.

 

Excellent!

Great information.

Starkman