A Tip From Kinetic Computer Services ...

Excessive Low Toner Warnings on Brother Laser Printers, Multi-Function Centers, and Copiers

Description of the Problem

You own a Brother laser printer, copier, or multi-function machine that chronically displays a low toner warning and stops printing, when you know that the toner cartridge should not be near the end of its useful life. You believe that you are replacing toner cartridges more frequently than you should.

This problem has been observed on the following Brother product families:

Cause

Solution

Toner sensor hole on the Brother MFC-9840CDW (in green)

The low toner warning on the printer can be bypassed by blocking the line of sight between the sensor on the cartridge and the sensor in the machine. A small square of black electrical tape over one or both sensors usually works very well.

The toner sensor is about 3/8" in diameter and is on the right side of the toner cartridge (the side with the gears is the left side). Find it, then look for a matching hole in the printer, where the toner cartridge fits. Place a piece of black electrical tape over this hole. With a color device, there will be four holes - one for each cartridge. Each hole must be covered. If you cannot find or reach the holes in the printer, you can tape over the sensor on the cartridge instead (of course, you must remember to do this every time you change cartridges).

Many users have reported being able to print hundreds, even a thousand or more high-quality pages from the same cartridge after covering the sensor. When the print quality begins to suffer, either from faint areas, streaks, smudges, or areas of low contrast, it is time to change the cartridge.

This tip is a free service of Kinetic Computer Services - professional network consultants serving the Houston area since 1998.

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