Micros Kitchen Printer Skipping

[eatatparkys]

We have an Epson TMU220B kitchen printer (Micros 3700 System). The ribbon is not staying tight, getting hung up a little on a piece inside the printer and doesn't seem to be spindling properly inside the printer. It is causing skips in our tickets of entire lines of information, for example, what side items might go with an entree. We see most of the ticket lines, but then it will skip a line entirely.

We have tested different ribbon cartridges and determined it is the printer and not the ribbons. We have looked inside and nothing appears to be broken.

Today, I am going to blow some compressed air into and clean it out, then switch it with our pantry printer, which is less important. Are these printers just "plug and play?" Can I shut down my system, switch them and expect them to work in a different position?

Any suggestions on how to repair the printer on my own? They are 4 years old and very well used. Should I just plan to replace it? Any ideas where the best deals are out there on that same model?

 

[Bhart123]

Yes, those printers are plug and play. It sounds to me like the paper spring plate is bent. That can cause the problems you described. That piece can be replaced, but it is rather difficult if you don't know what you're doing. I would send it somewhere to get it fixed. I think the part is $12.

Also. Turn off the printer. Hold down the feed button and turn it on. This will preform the self test, and you can have a better idea of what's going on.

 

[Bhart123]

I should also add, there is no need to shut down your system to swap the printers out. Just turn it off and unplug.

 

[eatatparkys]

Thanks Bhart123. I fooled around with them yesterday, cleaned them up, blew them out, but no change. When I went to swtich them out I found that, although they are exactly the same models, they have different types of connections underneath, so they were not interchangeable. Our "expo" printer, which we use to print ALL order information on two-ply paper, appears to have an ethernet adapter and connection. The "pantry" printer, which only prints one-ply for our fry cook, appears to have a different type of connection. I can't recall what it looked like right now.

When I was cleaning up the area, I noticed a small metal pin about 3/4 inch long laying on the counter. I saved it, wondering if it had come out of the skipping expo printer by chance.

I will try the self test next and see what it shows. Thanks so much.