Remanufacturing the Xerox 4525 Toner Cartridge
First released in April 2001, the Xerox 4525 is based on a 45-ppm, 1,200-dpi engine. While it looks like an N24 cartridge, there are differences; most importantly, the toner is different. The higher speed of these machines calls for a toner that melts at a different temperature than the N24. Most of the other parts used in the cartridge are standard N24, but the toner is not.
Machines based on the Xerox 4525 engine are as follows:
Lexmark W820, 820DN, 820E and 820N – cartridge No. 12B0090.
IBM InfoPrint 1145, 1145DN and 1145N – cartridge No. 28P1882.
Xerox DocuPrint N4525, 4525BX, 4525CN and 4525FM – cartridge No. 113R00195.
All three cartridges are rated for 30,000 pages at 5 percent coverage.
Acom also makes a MICR-enhanced version of the Xerox 4525, but as of now, no toner or chips are available for it.
These cartridges all use N24-type chips that must be replaced each cycle. Each cartridge has its own chip. Make sure you know which machine your customer has before installing the chip. The cartridge will not print if the wrong chip is installed.
Unlike the N24 cartridges, these do not have all the variations that cause concern. They are very simple to remanufacture, work great and with a list price of $372, are very profitable.
Running test prints as well as cartridge troubleshooting will be covered at the end of this article.
Remanufacturing Instructions
Supplies Required:
1) W820 dedicated toner.
2) Magnetic roller cleaner.
3) New replacement chip (see step 30).
4) New long-life N24 drum.
5) New N24 PCR (optional).
6) New N24 wiper blade.
7) New N24 doctor blade (optional).
Tools Required:
1) Toner-approved vacuum.
2) A small common screwdriver.
3) A Phillips-head screwdriver with removable tips.
4) Needle-nose pliers.
1) Vacuum the exterior of the cartridge.
2) On each side of the cartridge there is a large metal pin. Carefully pull out both of these pins using either a pair of needle-nose pliers or wire cutters. See Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 1
Figure 2
3) Remove the waste chamber and put the toner hopper aside. See Figure 3.
Figure 3
4) Remove the two screws on each side of the drum-axle plates and remove the plates. See Figures 4 and 5.
Figure 4
Figure 5
5) Remove the drum from the cartridge. See Figure 6.
Figure 6
6) Remove the Primary Charge Roller (PCR). Clean with your preferred PCR cleaner. See Figure 7.
Figure 7
7) Remove the top cover of the waste chamber by removing the four screws. Of these four screws, one is hidden under the label, and one is under the handle. See Figure 8.
Figure 8
8) Remove the tape seal from the right side. Pry the cover up from the bottom edge. See Figures 9 and 10.
Figure 9
Figure 10
9) Clean out all of the toner from the waste chamber.
NOTE: Be very careful not to bend or otherwise damage the small, thin recovery blade located next to the wiper blade when vacuuming. If this blade is bent down lower than the height of the wiper blade, toner will accumulate on top of the blade and spill into the printer. If the blade does get bent, it should be replaced.
10) Remove the wiper blade. To do this, lift the two screws and spacers up and out. DO NOT lose the spacers. This blade has a tight fit; work it loose from both edges and lift out. See Figures 11 and 12.
Figure 11
Figure 12
11) Coat the NEW wiper blade with your preferred lubricant and install. See Figure 13.
Figure 13
12) Replace the two screws and spacers. Make sure the flat sides of the spacers are facing the foam. That way the foam will not be pinched by the spacer, possibly causing a leak. See Figures 14 and 15.
Figure 14
Figure 15
13) Install the front edge of the top cover first. Press down so the back tabs lock in place, install the four screws, and the tape seal on the right side. See Figures 16, 17 and 18.
Figure 16
Figure 17
Figure 18
14) Install the cleaned PCR. See Figure 19 on the next page.
Figure 19
15) Install the white gear side of the drum to the white PCR holder side of the cartridge. See Figure 20.
Figure 20
16) Install the two drum end caps and screws. See Figures 21 and 22.
Figure 21
Figure 22
17) Remove the fill plug and dump out any remaining toner.
18) On the small drive gear side of the supply chamber, remove the screw and magnetic roller end cap. See Figure 23.
Figure 23
19) Carefully remove the magnetic roller, vacuum it clean and place it aside. See Figure 24.
Figure 24
20) Remove the two screws and doctor blade. See Figure 25.
Figure 25
21) Vacuum the toner hopper thoroughly.
22) Install the seal so that the tail is on the small drive gear side. Make sure the tail fits into its slot, and comes out through the seal channel. See Figures 26 and 27.
Figure 26
Figure 27
23) Fill the hopper with 1,350 grams of dedicated W820 toner. As explained in the beginning of this article, normal N24 toner will not work in these cartridges due to the higher printing speed of the machines. Check for leaks. See Figure 28.
Figure 28
24) Replace the doctor blade and two screws. See Figure 29.
Figure 29
25) Turn the bushing on the magnetic roller assembly so that the curved side is facing up. Pull it away from the roller slightly, and install the entire assembly into the hopper. Press the bushing in so that it is seated properly, and press the drive gear back on the keyed shaft. See Figures 30, 31 and 32.
Figure 30
Figure 31
Figure 32
26) Install the end cap and screw. Note that both the end cap and magnet shaft are keyed. Make sure that the roller turns freely. See Figure 33.
Figure 33
27) Re-assemble the cartridge by placing the two halves together. Make sure that the springs fit into their respective holes. See Figure 34.
Figure 34
28) Install the two large hinge pins into each side. See Figures 35 and 36.
Figure 35
Figure 36
29) Replace the chip with the correct chip for your cartridge. The IBM 1145, Lexmark W820 and Xerox 4525 all use different chips. See Figure 37.
Figure 37
Taking Test Prints
Make sure the READY light is on.
Press the "MENU" button until UTILITIES MENU appears on the display.
Press "SELECT"
Press the "MENU" button until either PRINT FONTS or PRINT MENUS appear on the display. Choose the page you want to print, and press "SELECT."
The page you select will print out.
Cartridge Troubleshooting
There are no strange or unique issues that we have seen with these cartridges. Normal cartridge problems along with the repetitive defect rate are listed below.
A PCR will show on the test print as vertical gray streaks down the page, or as a gray background throughout the page. If there is any physical damage, it will repeat at intervals of 44 millimeters.
A Dirty PCR Connection will result in dark black horizontal bars across the page, or as shading throughout the page.
A Scratched Drum will show up as a very thin, perfectly straight line that runs from the top to the bottom of the test page.
A Chipped Drum will result in a dot or series of dots that repeat at 95-millimeter intervals.
A Damaged Magnetic Roller Sleeve will either leave a mark or a blank spot (depending on the type of damage) at intervals of 56 millimeters.
A Worn Magnetic Roller Sleeve will cause light prints. (You can usually see the silver through the black coating on a worn mag.)
A Light-Damaged Drum will show up as a shaded area on the test print that should be white. Again, this will repeat at intervals of 95 millimeters.
A Bad Wiper Blade will result in vertical gray lines down the page, or as shading across the entire page. In either case there will be a film of toner on the drum surface.
Contact Mike Josiah and the technical staff of Summit Laser at (631) 218-8376, fax (631) 218-3285 or visit www.summitlaser.com
This article originally appeared in the May 2004 issue of Recharger.