# HP Color LaserJet 2840 AIO Scanner Error 5 + Calibration



## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

*HP Color LaserJet 2840 AIO Scanner Error 5 + Calibration*

Hi,

I have an HP CLJ (Color LaserJet) 2840 AIO (All In One) printer.
This machine gave me "Scanner ERROR 5" as follows,

01- I Turned on the main switch.
02- LCD = Hewlett-Packard
03- The LASER Printer initialized.
04- The Scanner Bulb lit up to 100% and the scanner block moved about 2cm to the left. 
05- The Bulb light fade to about 60% of its luminance & LCD = Initializing
06- The Scanner Block turned to the right side back and forth.
07- LCD = Bulb Warming up. Then I heard several noises from the stepper motor of the scanner block.
08- LCD = Scanner ERROR 5 Turn OFF then ON.

* I read in several places about the same issue, but no one gave me the exact meaning of Scanner ERROR 5.
* Some of them told us to replace the screw driver with a hummer! :grin: LOL
* To many of them mentioned that we should replace the scanner block which is costy.
* And others, really decided to replace the entire machine. 

* And too many were talking about replacing the Bulb.:4-dontkno
* One of them explained something about the black-white calibration strip which has two notches and located on the internal right side of the glass which cover the scanner block.

* Also, a talk was about dusty glass and bulb and reflectors (Mirrors ++)

I started analyzing the problem, So, I turned OFF, I moved the scanner block near the left side window. Then I turned ON the AIO.
I noticed that the noises which occurred in step 07 were a move of the stepper motor to the left. And it appeared cause the scanner block reached the most right side but it didn't detect that!
So, the stepper motor procedure which HP made was to move it a little bit to the right then to pause. To be sure to protect the motor from overheating if it was in the most right place before starting the system. And the motor repeats the procedure until it reaches the most right side if it was in the most left side before starting.

I think that our issue is: The scanner can not detect the notches and we have here several causes:
2.1- Aged Bulp, and you can notice that the bulb fade up from its two ends. Or the bulb is dull from the same places.
2.2- Dusty Bulb.
2.3- Scanner IC can not detect the light cause of dusts or it should be calibrated.

So, I decided to change the BULB, and I illustrated the procedure, I will post it as soon as I see it will help.
I cleaned all the mirrors and reflector using lens tissue after disassembling the black plastic cover of the scanner block. And I'm foresure I didn't change their places, cause I don't know till the moment how to calibrate the scanner!

Unfortunately, I think that the scanner block is very sensitive, and it should be calibrated as soon as you open it.

Few years ago I repaired a Panasonic Fax machine which has some like scanning mechanism, and it was so easy to calibrate the scanner as I put a printed paper inside the scanner and I started to copy it, I changed the PCB place where the scanner sensor is located until I noticed good printout. 
Then I fine tuned using home made calibrating printed paper.

:4-thatsba The trouble here that I don't know how to calibrate the scanner block.

:heartlove I'm sure that HP uses the scanner sensor which scan the page to check the place of the scanner block by the use of the calibrating black-white strip which has the two notches I just mentioned above.

Q01- Can any one help me telling me more about "Scanner ERROR 5" and how to calibrate the scanning block? :4-dontkno


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)




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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

Also here is the CMOS Scanner Sensor Board with adjustable position.


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

Errata: the noises happened because the Stepper Motor needs to move the Scanner block to the right (instead of left).
So, the Block reached the fare right side, and still receiving signals to turn to the right..!!:sigh:


:smooch: Cause the scanner didn't correctly recognize the calibrating strip.


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

I just inserted a reduced size VIDEO 2.5 MB size about this error

[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0fSeAT3SKc"]YouTube - HP Color LaserJet 2840 AIO Scanner ERROR 5[/URL]

I wish to find some genius one who can solve this issue!


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

I tried to understand the way the scanner calibrates the starting position.
So, I made the same strip which is located on the most right side of the scanner glass using common picture editor. like Paint Shop Pro 5! I know it's out of date, but it's so fast and no need for any complicated program to do the same job! and I printed it using this laser printer
.
So I sticked this calibrating strip just on the left side of the old strip, but this time, on the internal surface. and I moved the scanner head to the left of this strip before turing ON, to view what it could happened.
I concluded that the problem is with detecting the notches and not with the black edge detection! 
And I'm still looking for any further help to tell me how to calibrate the scanner to let it differentiate the notches!?:4-dontkno
You can find the calibrating strip GIF attached below
It should be printed using 300DPI on LASER printer.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCb2JziZGbM]YouTube - HP CLJ 2840 AIO try calibrating the strip to understand Scanner ERROR 5[/URL]


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

Also, I tried to re-solder the entire SMD capacitors and resistors, on the Scanner PCB in case the trouble was cold-welding due to high frequancy generated for matrix scanning.
Unfortunately, this didn't help toooooo!!!


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

Any idea how can I setup this AIO to disable the scanner to use it as common Color LaserJet Printer?
I tried to remove the the flat of the scanning block and to remove the 4wries cable of the scanner stepper motor, but still receiving "Scanner Bulb is warming up" then "Scanner Error 2"

So, this highly designed machine didn't detect these diconnected cables!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry HP.... this is too bad design.... No one prefere to replace the entire block....?


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

I read some new comments which tell us that the problem may be at the Formatter or the Low Votlage PCB!!!


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## nevarDeath (Jun 3, 2010)

I have worked on a few of these with this error. I have tried many things as you have. the only thing I've ever done that reliably solves this issue is replacing the whole scanning assembly. It's not difficult. The part is somewhat expensive, but considering the original cost of this machine, & the current replacement cost, I am confident this is the best move. These are very nice machines and HP does not make them this sturdy anymore. HP discontinued parts for this machine earlier this year, so you will have to find a refurbished part or somewhere that still has one in stock. You may also be able to find a deal on a heavily used or broken machine from which to take the part.


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

I will try to find one in my region, but the available local HP customer service told me, that it's not from the scanner block!
It's from the formatter or other item.
it will cost about 100 USD to be fixed there. but it will take about 10 days.
which means that they will wait until they receive the same printer to try exchanging boards until they detect the trouble!!!
and I read in other place, that it's from the low power PCB.

Also the hardware test revealed that the reflectors and the bulp are OK. and the *CCD array* won't easyally last!

The problem should be in some capacitor. 

Thank you for your comments.


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## abartels (Sep 6, 2011)

I had the same problem, and the fix was very easy, just remove the ADF, remove the upper cover. On the inside of the cover, clean the calibration strip with a clean cloth with a little alocohol on it. Wipe it dry, mount the cover and ADF, and there you go ray:

To be sure it would work, i also cleaned the glass nothes on the scanner unit, i suppose they function "as the eyes", and they also can get dirty.

At least, it fixed it for me, unit is now working perfectly again!

Regards,
Alex Bartels
IT Limburg
The Netherlands


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

Dear Abartel,

Hi,

Thank you
This is what I did the first time before doing any other thing!
Unfortunately, It didn't work. :4-dontkno
Also I changed the Bulp but it didn't work too.
I think I have a mirror calibration problem, and HP should have some procedure to calibrate the mirrors.:1angel:


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## OskarKrause (Apr 17, 2012)

Dear drsoubhi,

i had the same problem - i have tried to fix the problem based on instructions of abartels. After first try problem still occurs. :sad:
I tried it a second a time with moving the scanner unit into the middle of the panel. After power on the scanner has to calibrate again and problem does not occure anymore. :thumb:
I hope this problem is fixed for the next few years! 

Best Regards,
Matthias Schlosser


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## dudleyservice (Feb 15, 2013)

I found THE REAL ISSUE (or, the "surreal" issue) causing HP 2840 "Scanner Error 5" -- and it explains why the problem occurs after some time of "aging" of HP 2840 printers (and perhaps other models). There is a black ground wire that runs between a ring lug on the top end -- that's attached under one of the mounting screws for the scanner's stepper motor -- and it runs to a female tab connector -- which clips to a tab which is cut into the chassis sheet metal behind the right document-feeder hinge.

Intermittent problems (like mine was showing up) in computerized equipment are almost always the result of either a broken wire, or a connector that's not connecting (due a thin layer of corrosion). So, first (as suggested by other posts), I reseated all of the related connectors ... but the error remained.

Here was the big clue: I had read on another thread that if you replace the scanner assembly, and if you fail to reattach this grounding wire, you will get stopped by the Scanner Error 5. So, I then noticed that one end of the wire makes contact using the stepper motor's frame (that probably is zinc plated steel, or it's aluminum), and the lower end of the wire makes contact by the compression of a tin-plated tab connector against a tab cutout on the lower chassis (that probably is also zinc plated steel). The reason that tin, zinc, and aluminum are corrosion-resistant is because (intentionally) the metal (slowly) forms a microscopic surface of metal oxide (which happens to be an insulator).

I found that the contact point on the frame of the stepper motor was a thick dull oxide; the same with the ring of the ring lug, and the plating on the tab cut on the chassis. I shined them up with emery cloth ... and voilà!: Scanner Error 5 is history!

The permanent fix would be to solder-coat the contact points before reattaching the grounding wire.



(Thanks for all the the help on this forum that was needed to track down the real issue. If you want to reply to my post, please post it, rather than email -- since I seldom look at my email.)


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## matios (Jun 6, 2013)

To: Abartels,

I got the same problem TODAY.
And i found your post.
And......
IT WORKT!!! :dance:

thnx very much.

Matthijs
Netherlands.
(also)


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## drsoubhi (Oct 28, 2010)

matios said:


> To: Abartels,
> 
> I got the same problem TODAY.
> And i found your post.
> ...


Dear Abartels, what did you do to solve the issue?


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## aviotoro (Oct 24, 2013)

dudleyservice said:


> I found THE REAL ISSUE (or, the "surreal" issue) causing HP 2840 "Scanner Error 5" -- and it explains why the problem occurs after some time of "aging" of HP 2840 printers (and perhaps other models). There is a black ground wire that runs between a ring lug on the top end -- that's attached under one of the mounting screws for the scanner's stepper motor -- and it runs to a female tab connector -- which clips to a tab which is cut into the chassis sheet metal behind the right document-feeder hinge.
> 
> Intermittent problems (like mine was showing up) in computerized equipment are almost always the result of either a broken wire, or a connector that's not connecting (due a thin layer of corrosion). So, first (as suggested by other posts), I reseated all of the related connectors ... but the error remained.
> 
> ...


very very tank's 
i have applied your solution and it work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:
excuse me for my enghlsh i'm italian:sad:


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## caucau20 (Nov 27, 2013)

Hello

sorry for my english.
I have now specialy registred in this site to tell my expirence about the error 5.
I have trayed all your tips and no one has helped me, i have 2 exacly same printers the one got it and the other not, so a have changed the parts and finaly find out that the black white strip to calibrate the asambly was not right, and when i removed to place it back i found out that the glas betwen the strip is dirty, so i cleaned it and bring it right on straight on and the error was gone. I hope that my expirence help sombody.


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## aviotoro (Oct 24, 2013)

caucau20 said:


> Hello
> 
> sorry for my english.
> I have now specialy registred in this site to tell my expirence about the error 5.
> I have trayed all your tips and no one has helped me, i have 2 exacly same printers the one got it and the other not, so a have changed the parts and finaly find out that the black white strip to calibrate the asambly was not right, and when i removed to place it back i found out that the glas betwen the strip is dirty, so i cleaned it and bring it right on straight on and the error was gone. I hope that my expirence help sombody.


thank for your post
but the cleaning glass is the first operation in all mfc:grin:


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