Lexmark C520, C522 and C524

Colour Laserprinters. A4 and letter paper. Speed 20 ppm, Resolution 1200dpi

These printers were first sold in October 2005. The design is quite fast for colour printers of the time at 20 pages per minute on US letter / A4 paper. The intended use was "small workgroups" so several models have a built in ethernet port to make sharing easier.

The design was followed up a year later with the C53x series which shares some but not all parts

The C524 has more capabilities than the C522; there is a duplex option and it can take larger high-yield cartridges. The C524 can also take a hard disk allowing it to store jobs. Finally, the C524 is rated for a rather higher duty cycle of 65,000 ppm, this presumably reflects the larger cartridges and what Lexmark feels it should support under the warranty.

The C530dn and C532n and C532dn have themselves been replaced in Lexmark's catalogue. Lexmark's suggested replacements are the C544n (Part 26C0050) and C544dn (Part 26C0000). These new printer are a different design.

The C53X series generally have more features and replaced the C52X series.

There is a lot of commonality of parts but the C524 high capacity cartridges can't be used in the C522 and Transfer Belt for the C53X is different to that for the C52X. The C53X fuser can be fitted in the C52X printers but the fusers from the C52X can't be used in the C53X.

The C52x and C53x have four print cartridges arranged vertically and delivering toner onto paper travelling on a transfer belt with a fuser at the top and the duplex path down the front of the machine. This printer is very similar to the HP Color LaserJet 3600 / Canon LBP-5300 although they aren't the same engine.

Control:

User friendly operator panel with 4 line LCD Display and menu navigation buttons. The panel was a new design. As usual with network printers there is also an embedded web server. An SNMPv3 server can be configured through the web interface. The printer can optionally be remote managed using MarkVision Professional.

Lexmark Color Care lets managers control the costs of colour printing:

  • Black-and-white lock modes for specific times of day
  • Proof-then-print feature to reduce waste
  • 3 toner-saver levels to economise toner by up to 50%
  • Colour Saver mode to lighten toner use on heavy images
  • Coverage estimator shows user cost of job before printing

Duty Cycle:

Up to 45,000 pages per month maximum duty cycle. For the C522 and 65,00 ppm for the C524 (One time monthly maximum useage)

20 ppm black and color using an inline design and a transfer belt. First page out in 13 seconds.

1200 x 1200 dpi engine resolution. Lexmark claim "2400 color quality printing" and a maximum effective resolution of 4800 using Lexmarks Image Quality Enhancement technology.

Paper Handling:

Paper sizes A4 A5, US letter and legal.

Media types supported are plain paper, coated paper and glossy paper, envelopes, cardstock, paper labels and transparencies rated for laser printer use.

Universal (76.2 x 215 mm to 215 x 355 mm) and Envelopes (7 3/4, 9, 10, DL, C5, B5, other)

Multifunction Tray: The standard tray is a cassette with a capacity of 250 sheets built in cassette in the printer base

There is a one sheet bypass feed

Standard Tray 1: One optional 500 sheet tray can be installed under the printer.

Optional Tray 2: Optional 550 sheet tray under the printer

Face Down:

Paper exits into a 250 sheet output tray on top of the printer

Duplex:

The C524 can optional be purchased in its C524DN and C524DTN versions with an auto-duplex unit supporting double sided print.

Processor:

312 MHz Processor

Memory:

Basic model comes with 128MB RAM. Maximum RAM is 640MB

Interface:

USB and Ethernet ports.

Network:

Ethernet (10/100 Base TX)

Optionally an N4000e Ethernet 10Base/100BaseTX, N4050e Wireless 802.11g, 802.11g Wireless print adapter can be used.

Network Protocols:

LPR/LPD,Direct IP (Port 9100),Socket (Raw TCP/IP), IPP (Internet Printing Protocol), HTTP, Enhanced IP (Port 9400), FTP, TFTP

TCP/IP IPv4, AppleTalk, TCP/IP IPv6

PostScript 3 and PCL 6 emulations

PDF 1.5 with backward compatibility

PPDS Migration Tools

System Compatability:

Windows 9x, Me, NT, 2000, XP, XP x64, Server 2003

Apple Macintosh: Mac OS 9.x, 10.2 or higher

Novell, Linux: different versions supported.

Power:

Lexmark make a 100 Volt model for Japan, a 120 volt model for North America and a 220 Volt model for the rest of the world. The main changes are the fuser and the wiring of the PSU.

Power Consumption:

Power save 16W. Standby 105W. Printing 350W

Dimensions:

484 x 440 x 408 mm

Weight:

29kg

Acoustic Noise:

Standby mode: 32 dBA

Printing mode: 51 dBA

Consumables:

These printers use seperate toner-developer and photoconductive drum units. This is generally regarded as giving better economy than the single-piece cartridges favoured by Canon and HP because photoconductors can last longer than the toner charge in small cartridges.

If the printer will be used for black-only work for a long time then economy can be improved by removing the colour photoconductors - see the user manual. Remember that unused photoconductors should be kept in a light proof bag - new units are supplied in such a bag so keep them for re-use.

The printer also has a waste toner box which needs changing after about 30,000 pages.

The transfer belt will need replacing after about 80,000 pages.

If the problem is image quality a hint is to clean the contacts for the cartridges, photoconductors and transfer belt and the lenses behind the toner cartridges. Lexmark recommend using a can of compressed air.

Print Cartridges:

Toners all load from the front. Toner low is indicated by an "88 Cyan cartridge low" (etc) message on the control panel.

Because the C530, C532 and C534 belong to a series which offers printers for low to mid volume use there are different toner options. The small toner cartridges fit the whole range - but don't offer particularly attractive economics. The higher model number printers can take small cartridges but they can also take a cartridge intended to offer lower cost per page.

Lexmark have:

  • Standard cartridges - sold with no restriction. they can be returned at no cost to Lexmark for recycling.
  • Return program cartridges should be used once then returned directly to Lexmark for remanufacturing or recycling. Lexmark will provide a freepost bag to do this. Cartridges may be refurbished but there is a discount on the price.

These printers give a warning that toner is low. The user manual suggests removing and shaking cartridges to get a bit more printing ability from them until print is persistently faded.

Regular Cartridges for the C522 and C524

Toner Cartridge, Black, 4,000 pages - C5222KS

Toner Cartridge, Cyan, 3,000 pages - C5222CS

Toner Cartridge, Magenta, 3,000 pages - C5222MS

Toner Cartridge, Yellow, 3,000 pages - C5222YS

Return Program Cartridges for the C522 and C524

Toner Cartridge, Black, 4,000 pages - C5220KS

Toner Cartridge, Cyan, 3,000 pages - C5220CS

Toner Cartridge, Magenta, 3,000 pages - C5220MS

Toner Cartridge, Yellow, 3,000 pages - C5220YS

High Yield Cartridges for the C524 only

Toner Cartridge, Black, 8,000 pages - C5242KH

Toner Cartridge, Cyan, 5,000 pages - C5242CH

Toner Cartridge, Magenta, 5,000 pages - C5242MH

Toner Cartridge, Yellow, 5,000 pages - C5242YH

High Yield Return Program Cartridges for the C524

Toner Cartridge, Black, 8,000 pages - C5240KH

Toner Cartridge, Cyan, 5,000 pages - C5240CH

Toner Cartridge, Magenta, 5,000 pages - C5240MH

Toner Cartridge, Yellow, 5,000 pages - C5240YH

The printer ships with 1.5k page Return Programme toner cartridges.

Normal cartridge life at 5% cover is 4,000 pages for black and 3,000 pages for colour.

Lexmark has both regular and Return Program toner cartridges.

Waste Toner Box:

When the message "80 Replace waste box" appears it is nearing time to replace the box so make sure one is on order. When "82 Replace waste toner box " appears the box must be changed.

Waste Bottle holds waste for 30k images C52025X

Note that page yields are given for printing with 5% page cover - normal for correspondence.

Photoconductor Units

The printer has four photoconductor drums with a life of 20,000 pages. The printer gives the message "84 [color] PC Unit life warning" when it is advise able to order a new unit and "84 Replace [color] PC Unit" when print quality will suffer if the unit is not replaced.

The photoconductor unit is shared by models - C520 C522 C524 C520n, C522n, C524n, C524dn C524dtn

C52030X single photoconductor pack

C52034X Pack of 4 photoconductors - they are normally changed at roughly the same time.

It is possible to use the printer for black -only print without the colour photoconductors mounted hence a use for the single photoconductor.

Image Transfer:

When the message "83 Transfer belt life warning " appears make sure one is on order. The message "83 Replace transfer belt" appears when print quality would suffer.

40X1401 Transfer Belt for C520, C522. C524 (C53x is different) - 0040X1401

After a new belt is fitted the toner cartridges will need realigning. See P84 of the user manual for the sequence of prompts to do this.

Fuser:

A new fuser should be ordered when the message "80 Fuser life warning" appears. When "80 Replace Fuser" appears fit the new fuser. Expected life for the fuser is 120,000 pages.

40X3571, 100V/50-60Hz fuser for C520, C522, C524 - 40X3571. (part number 0040X1403 was replaced by this)

40X3569, 120 volt fuser for C520, C522, C524 - 40X3569 (part number 0040X1400 was replaced by this)

40X3570, 220 / 240 volt fuser for C520, C522, C524 and C53x series - 40X3570 ( part number 0040X1402 was replaced by this)

If the printer is not to be used for some time it is recommended that the fuser should be removed and stored separately. This prevents surfaces becoming crimped by continual pressure. The fuser is in the top of the printer and held in place by thumbscrews.

Maintenance Kit:

Lexmark refer to the fusers above as maintenance kits.

Spares:

The printer will need the print cartridges, drums, transfer belt and fuser at intervals. The other parts regularly required are the pick rollers. Trays are vulnerable because paper is heavy and parts can snap.

40X3607, Pick Arm Rollers for the paper cassette (2 tyres per pack fit either side of the pick arm), used in the C520, C52X, C53X. The tyres pull on and off the wheels of the pick mecahnism (Instructions here). Observe the direction of the tread on the existing tyres before replacing. - 40X3607

40X1405, Paper Pick Mechanism for the paper cassette C52x only (C53x uses a different part) -40X1405

40X1435, MPF swing arm assembly, C52x - 40X1435

40X1424, Paper tray assembly, single feeder, C520n/C522n

40X1404, MPF paper tray assembly, 250-sheet, C524/C524n/C524dn. - 40X1404

40X1423, Tray assembly, 500-sheet, C522n/C524/C524n/C524dn. - 40X1423

40X1435, MPF swing arm assembly, C52x - 40X143

40X1446, Right bellcrank assembly - 40X1446

40X1447, Left bellcrank assembly - 40X1447

40X2167, Printhead Assembly used in the C520, C522, C524 (laser scanner) - 40X2167

40X4218, System card with network for the C524n and C524dn - 40X4218 (formerly 40X1408)

40X4217, System Non network card for the C524 (formerly 40X1407)

40X4219, System network card for the C520n and C522n (formerly - 40X1442)

40X1411, High voltage Power Supply for the C520, C522, C524. - 40X1411

40X3574, Low voltage supply for C520, C522, C524 series. (110V/230V) (formerly 40X1406)

40X1431, Screws and Parts Packet including printer base rubber pads - 40X1431

40X0286, Power cord-Hong Kong, Ireland, United Kingdom - 40X0286

12G9616, Service Manual CD - 0012G9616

Warranty:

The base warranty is one year onsite.

Extended warranties are:

  • 3 years Guarantee Pack, On Site Repair, Response time Next business day
  • 1 year Renewal Pack, On Site Repair, Response time Next business day

Service:

We don't offer maintenance contracts or repair at present.

Options:

Extra Tray

0018B2100 Lexmark C522n, C524 500 sheets drawer (sold as a user part)

40X1439 Lexmark optional tray assembly 500 sheet (includes tray) for the C522n/C524/C524n/C524dn. (The tray for the C53x differs)

Hard Disk

012N1262 20 GB w/ adapter for C524n,

Memory Options

0013N1523 - 128 MB Memory

0013N1524 - 256 MB Memory

0013N1526 - 512 MB Memory

Flash Memory

001021208 - 32 MB Flash Card

001021209 - 64 MB Flash Card

Copyright G & J Huskinson & MindMachine Associates Ltd 2013, 2015, 2016. Some pictures derived from Lexmark User and Service guides. These technical pages do not constitute an offer for sale; just our knowledge at the time of writing. See the catalog. Sales pages on this Web site use cookies to store user information. We also use Google Analytics to track site usage patterns.