HP Laserjet 6L

The HP LaserJet 6L is a small, oddly shaped laser printer. Its the same engine as the 5L but with a throughput of 6 pages per minute.

  • LaserJet 6L Printer - C3990A -
  • LaserJet 6Lse Printer - C3994A -
  • LaserJet 6Lxi Printer - C3996A -

The 6L is based on a Canon "AX" engine. HP seem to reckon the 6L is more robust than the 5L and give it a 6,000 page per month rating.

The 6L was introduced in May 1997 so those still in use are old, but they work perfectly well as a personal printer for office use.

Notice that the 6L has a fixing assembly, not a fuser. Instead of a distinct fuser assembly there are two parts: a pressure roller and a fixing film assembly. The fixing film assembly is a rounded ceramic heater with a lose film sleeve. The sleeve isn't powered, it just turns with the pressure roller.

The 6L fixing assembly parts are different from those in the 5L. 6L parts will work in the 5L but both must be changed at the same time.

Although there are non of the optional trays and accessories expected for larger printers the LJ 5L and 6L proved a remarkably capable and resilient little machine.

Unfortunately the 6L now seems to be at the end of its life. Paper feed rollers don't seem to be available from HP any more, however there are alternative parts.

Control:

Just one button and 3 lights on the printer itself. So far as it needs configuration, that is done from a Windows printer driver.

Duty Cycle:

6,000 pages per month. A light duty printer capable of a few longer print-runs. Since the maximum input capacity is 100 sheets (and more like 50 in reality) it isn't a printer for heavy use in billing.

Speed - 6 pages per minute but with an instant-on fuser to give a quick response when it's needed. First page out in 20 seconds. These printers normally only have a basic 1 megabyte of memory but they perform surprisingly well with recent systems.

Copy Abilities:

See the LaserJet 3100 for a multi-function printer based on this mechanism

600x600 dpi and HP REt. Microfine toner

Paper Handling:

A4 paper path. A 100 sheet vertical tray and a priority override slot for 1 page. There is a straight(ish)-through path for wrinkle-free envelope printing.

Media can be paper, envelopes, postcards, labels and suitable transparencies. Media from 60 to 105 gsm can use the 100 sheet paper out bin. Media up to 163 gsm need to use the straight through path.

Media sizes are HPs normal range from 3x5 to 8.5x14 inches (76x127 to 216x356 mm).

Face Down:

Output normally goes from a vertical tray at the back to a vertical tray at the front of the printer where it is organised face-down.

Duplex:

There is no auto-duplex accessory but there is some Windows driver support for manual duplexing.

Processor:

Motorola 68030 at 24 MHz (same as 5L)

Memory:

1MB as shipped which with HP's Memory Enhancement technology (MEt) is sufficient for most uses. There is a standard DRAM slot for expansion to 9MB. However the standard used looks like a Flash card slot but isn't (not quite, its JEDEC)

Interface:

IEEE 1284 compliant parallel port using the large "B" plug.

System Compatability:

Works with DOS and Windows but most systems that can produce PCL 5 will work (Linux CUPS for instance)

Power:

220-240 Volt worldwide model and 120Volt US and Japan models.

Power Consumption:

6 Watts in PowerSave mode and 120 Watt printing.

Dimensions:

336x312x226 mm

Consumables:

Single piece cartridge with toner, developer, drum and waste bottle.

There is no killer chip on the cartridges so compatible and refurbished cartridges are cheap.

C3906A - Black cartridge. Micro-Fine toner. Yield approximately 2,500 pages - C3906A

SI1000M - Silver Reed Black Toner Cartridge MAXI - SI1000M

Fuser:

The 6L doesn't have a fuser assembly, instead it has a heating element and a pressure roller assy.

RG5-3459-040CN Heating element assembly (For 100V to 120V operation). Mounts above the pressure roller - RG5-3459-040CN

RG5-3463-000CN Heating element assembly (For 220V to 240V operation). Mounts above the pressure roller - RG5-3463-000CN

5182-2809 Heating element assembly (For 220V to 240V operation) - In quantity price break packaging. Contains five new heating elements - 5182-2809

RF5-2365 Pressure roller - Shaft/roller with gear on left side of roller located underneath the heating element. RF5-2365-000CN

Maintenance Kit:

A maintenance kit provides fuser parts and rollers. Note that in January 2010 HP is no longer supplying most of the parts for these printers. Some parts are still available from distributors stock.

H3972-60001 Maintenance Kit -120V - Most common wear parts - Includes, transfer roller, pickup roller, separation pad, idler roller assembly, and fusing assembly - Procedure requires service manual aka H3973-60001 and H3973A

H3971-60002 Maintenance Kit - 220V - Most common wear parts - Includes, transfer roller, pickup roller, separation pad, idler roller assembly, and fusing assembly - Procedure requires service manual.

RG5-3463 - Heating Element - Fuser Heater - RG5-3463

Spares:

Note that in January 2010 HP no longer seem to be shipping parts for these printers. Distributors still have some parts at this point.

Paper Feed Repair Kit for Hewlett Packard Laserjet 6L (contains Paper Pickup Assy RG5-3486, separation pad kit RY7-5077 (RY7-5008)

RY7-5077 Paper Separation Kit or use in Hewlett Packard Laserjet 3100/3150 Series Printers RY7-5077-000CN Printer separation pad kit - Includes main pad, spring, and two smaller sub-pads - Also order pickup roller assembly (aka RY7-5008)

RG5-3486 Pickup Roller Assembly For use in Hewlett Packard Laserjet 5l/6L 3100/3150 Printer. Shaft/roller assembly that feeds paper from paper input assemblies - Also order separation pad kit RG5-3486-040CN

Roller - RB1-7226 Idler roller - Shaft with roller on both ends - Part of feed assembly RB1-7226-000CN (No Longer Supplied)

RB2-1634 Pickup Roller - RB2-1634

RB2-1699 Idler Roller - RB2-1699 - Idler roller for feed assembly - RB2-1699-000CN

RF5-1534 Transfer Roller - RF5-1534 Transfer roller - Located underneath toner (EP) cartridge RF5-1534-000CN

RF5-2367 Exit Roller - RF5-2367 Exit roller assembly - Shaft with four black rollers - Rollers are aligned with and work in conjunction with the white 'Multi-ridged' rollers of the delivery assembly - RF5-2367-000CN

RG5-3475 - Separation Guide Assy - RG5-3475

RG5-3497 - Laser Scanner - RG5-3497

Service and Repair

One issue with these printers is that the pickup roller and pad will be nearing the end of their lives. The printer then either fails to pick up paper on the first attempt (probably a roller worn shiny) or pulls several sheets (a worn out pad).

All printers have this fault but on these machines changing the roller means partly dismantling the printer. On more recent models changing the roller has often been made simpler.

Remove the cartridge. Take the cover off the top of the printer - it is held by two screws under the print cartridge lid.

The shaft that holds the pickup roller is visible across the rear of the printer. The whole shaft has to come out.

On the Right side looking at the front the white plastic shaft bearing is secured by a butterfly spring; remove it. The bearing rotates until a locking tab becomes visible inside the chassis, then it withdraws from the chassis leaving the rod unsupported at one side.

On the Left side (looking from the front) the shaft is held by a cog. The cog locks to the shaft by clips into a milled trough, Gently prise the clips open and the cog pulls away from the shaft.

The whole shaft can now be removed from the chassis by tilting the right hand up a bit.

If the pad is to replaced as well (doing so is recommended) then remove the lift plate which partly covers it. The pad and its mounting can then be seen. Watch out for the spring which will make a getaway attempt. The pad assembly is secured in place by a sliding plastic latch at the back of the chassis - it pushes up and out. A new pad can be dropped in place; make sure the spring is placed correctly on the little nub behind the pad.

The kit includes two little pads that glue in place on either side of the main pad.

Replace the pad latch and the lift plate.

The shaft angles back into place. Hold it up against the left hand side whilst replacing the cog. The cog is a bit difficult to get into place as the solenoid release and the other two cogs are in the way and the cog will only slide fully onto the drive shaft and lock into place when both it and the shaft are in exactly the right position.

Now replace the bearing at the other end, rotate it into place and secure it with the butterfly spring. Put the case back on before testing the printer - it won't properly support paper if you do not and the electronic part exposed at the rear is the power supply and carries fatal voltages in use.