HP Original Toners

Fuser

Spares

HP Color LaserJet 3800

Colour laser printer with duplex and network options and high speed. Suited to small to medium sized workgroups of up to 10 people. Fast mono performance with colour when it's needed.

  • Color LaserJet 3800 Printer - Q5981A - base model
  • Color LaserJet 3800n Printer - Q5982A - network
  • Color LaserJet 3800dn Printer - Q5983A - duplex and network
  • Color LaserJet 3800dtn Printer - Q5984A - duplex, network and extra tray.

The CLJ3800 is another model in the same series as the CLJ3000 and CLJ3600. HP launched all three in October 2005, they are based on a Canon engine. The three designs are aimed at slightly different markets:

The CLJ3000 is faster at plain black print - 29ppm against 21ppm. Paper handling is given some tighter limits to allow the higher speed.

The CLJ 3600 uses host-base printing so it's really intended for Windows and Mac although there is a Linux CUPS driver. The host based printing will also create more network traffic. The CLJ 3600 could be seen as a "cut down" version of the CLJ 3800.

The CLJ3800 is a fully independent printer with PCL and Postscript language support. The speed is a bit higher than that of the CLJ 3600 and it is less system dependent. The colour cartridges are bigger as well.

Paper handling is improved as well allowing transparencies and light cards.

CLJ 3800 is no longer sold, its first replacement was the CLJ CP3505 - CB442A - which was very similar but it too is now no longer made. HP then sold the CLJ CP3525, CP4025 and CP4525 in this niche - they are completely different in build.

Our main information for this type of printer is on the CLJ 3600 page. The CLJ 3600 uses the same physical engine and the main differences are that it has a weaker formatter board because processing is done by the host PC and the colour toners have a lower capacity - basically its a matter of market positioning.   There is a benefit to having the CLJ-3800; because it has PCL and Postscript support it can work into the indefinite future and doesn't strictly need specific drivers. HP still offer support using the Universal Print Driver - but not phone support to help with installation.

Control:

A 2-line LCD display and simple buttons showing consumable status. Colour access controls on the CLJ3800 driver allow who uses colour when and how to be controlled. This control is one of the features the CLJ 3600 did not have.

The bottom line of the LCD doubles as a supplies gauge with a little graphic showing the toner level in the cartridges. If non-HP cartridges are used this might be replaced by a "?".

These printers have an extensive control panel menu - too much to easily remember. For a printed list of all the options:

Press Menu > INFORMATION > PRINT MENU MAP.

There are also Configuration, Supplies, Demo, Color Usage Log, Font List and on the CLJ 3000 and 3800 a file directory.

Duty Cycle:

Up to 65,000 pages per month (somewhat higher than the CLJ3600 for some reason). All four print cartridges have a yield of about 6,000 pages at 5% cover where the colour cartridges on the CLJ 3600 hold just 4,000 pages worth of toner.

21ppm mono and colour based on the inline design. The CLJ 3000's fast black print isn't available on the CLJ 3800.

First page in under 13 seconds with instant-on fuser. Fast return to power powersave mode minimising power consumption and noise.

Basic print resolution 600x600dpi enhanced with HP FastRes 1200 and ImageRet 3600 print quality (same as the CLJ 3600). The CLJ 2700 and 3000 had a lower resolution and use a different scanner assembly. The CLJ 3600, 3800 and CP3505 improved the performance of the laser scanner.

Paper Handling:

A4, A5, B5 Paper sizes. Tray 1 is a 100 sheet multipurpose tray capable of handling envelopes and heavier media.

Tray 2 is a 250 sheet main input. There is an option to add tray3.

  • Tray 1:76 x 127 to 216 x 356 mm weight 60 to 220 g/m2
  • Tray 2:is a cassette built into the printer base. Paper sizes are 148 x 210 to 216 x 356 mm weigth 60 to 120 g/m2. Typically the tray will be used for A4 in the UK
  • Tray 3:There is an option to add a 500 sheet tray 3 with paper sizes as for tray 2. Adding tray 3 allows tray 1 to be used for envelopes, tray 2 for letterhead and tray 3 for plain paper. Another use for tray 3 is simply to allow the printer to run attended for longer periods - reducing the need for people to fill up the trays. HP no longer make the accessory but it may be available refurbished.

Duplex:

The duplex option can handle 60 to 120 g/m2. Duplex printers take a different transfer belt./p>

Processor and Memory:

MIPS 20KC processor at 533MHz with 96MB RAM on the base model, 160MB on N, 288MB on the DN and DTN. Expandable to 544MB.

Interface:

USB 2.0 - Non "N" models have one of HP's propritary EIO expansion slots as well.

Network:

EIO Slot with JetDirect on N models

System Compatability:

Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, Vista. Mac OS 9.2 OS X v 10.2.8. Red Hat Linux 6.x etc

For Microsoft Windows 8 and Windows 10 HP are recommending using the Universal Print Driver (UPD) for these printers.

Not everyone likes UPD. Another possibility is to use the generic Windows PCL and PostScript drivers. These are (oddly) positioned under HP in the print-driver list and called:

  • HP LaserJet Family driver PCL5
  • HP LaserJet Family driver PS

HP-PCL 5c, PCL6, HP PostScript Level 3 emulation.

Consumables:

CLJ 3800 use smart-print technology for consistent performance and easy maintenance.

The CLJ 3800 uses the same black cartridge as the CLJ3600 but has its own higher capacity colour cartridges with a 6,000 page yield at 5% cover.

Q6470A HP Black Print Cartridge, Color LaserJet 3600 & 3800, 6,000 pages at 5%, ColorSphere, SmartPrint - Q6470-67901

Q7581A - HP Cyan Print Cartridge Cyan Toner Cartridge (3800) - Q7581-67901 (Discontinued Code )

Q7583A - HP Magenta Print Cartridge, Color LaserJet 3800 & CP3505 Q7583-67901(Discontinued Code)

Q7582A - HP Yellow Print Cartridge, Color LaserJet (3800) & CP3505 - Q7582-67901 (Discontinued Code)

Fuser:

Fusers are common across the whole CLJ2700, 3000, 3600 and 3800 series. As usual with laser printers there is a 220 volt fuser for the UK, Europe etc and a 110 volt model for the US and Japan.

RM1-2764 Fuser Unit (200/240v) For LJ3000/3600/3800/CP3505 - full code RM1-2764-020CN . (Formerly known as the RM1-2743-000CN, RM1-2743-220CN. RM1-2743-200CN)

RM1-2665 Fusing assembly - For 110 VAC to 120 VAC - RM1-2665-220CN (formerly RM1-2665-000CN, 060CN, 090CN, 150CN, 160CN, -170CN, 180CN )

(Fusers combine heat, pressure and an easily disturbed image in toner powder. Manufacturers find ways to improve fuser design so they undergo a series of minor design revisions hence the shift in numbers. Web trading and accounting software tends to like a constant product code. The fuser that actually ships is that current in distribution.

Instructions on how to change the Fuser are on the CLJ 3600 page (but briefly it's the blue release tabs).

Transfer Belt:

The Electrostatic Transfer belt handles the transport of the paper past the toner cartridges and the colour image transfer to the page. All the CLJ 3000 series take the same transfer belts. There are two variants, one for simplex printers and the other with the paper-passing mechanism for duplex printers.

RM1-2759 Transfer belt for simplex printers - RM1-2759-090CN (Formerly RM1-2759-000CN, 030CN, 040CN, 070CN and also RM1-2690)

RM1-2752 Transfer belt for duplex printers - RM1-2752-100CN

The Duplex Transfer Belt has also been known as RM1-2752-000CN and RM1-2752-060CN. The Service manual gives the code RM1-2711-000CN however it also uses the same code for the multipurpose input tray. Partsurfer confirms that RM1-2711-000CN is the input tray so the service manual appears to be wrong on this point.

Instructions on how to change the ETB are on the CLJ 3600 page (but briefly it's the blue latches near the hinge).

Spares:

The main spares required are the paper handling rollers and separation pads. Rollers wear and the rubber components age. Pads are worn by contact with paper. The main list of spares for this printer engine is on the CLJ 3600 page.

RM1-2741 Tray 1 Pickup roller RM1-2741-000CN (Used for CLJ 2700 and CP3505)

RM1-2699 Tray 1 Separation Pad RM1-2699-000CN (used in CLJ3000, 3800 and CP3505)

For the Multipurpose Tray (Tray 1) parts see here.

Q5982-67926 Tray 2 Pickup roller (formerly RM1-2702-000CN, used in CLJ3000, 3600, and CP3505)

RM1-2709 Tray 2 Separation Pad RM1-2709-000CN (used in CLJ3000, 3600, 3800 and CP3505)

For the slide in paper cassette (Tray 2) parts see here.

Q5982-67925 Cartridge lock kit - Used to replace all four locks at one time - Q5982-67925 (Used for CLJ 2700, CP3505 etc - there is a known issue with cartridges jamming in this printer caused by a lock breaking.)

RM1-2722 Duplex guide assembly -helps divert paper back into the duplexer. RM1-2722-010CN (used in CLJ3000, 3600, 3800 and CP3505)

Q5985-67901- 500 Sheet Optional Feeder/Tray 3 - Q5985-67901

RM1-2705 New 250 Sheet Paper Tray - RM1-2705 -070CN

Options and Accessories:


Q5985A 500 sheet input tray (This is the assembly the printer sits on top of, it may no longer be available) - Q5985-67901

Q7721A 128 MB DDR SDRAM 200 Pin DIMM

Q7722A 256 MB DDR SDRAM 200 Pin DIMM

Q7723A 512MB DDR SDRAM 200 Pin DIMM

Copyright G & J Huskinson & MindMachine Associates Ltd 2013, 2015. Some pictures derived from HP 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.