Why is the Ricoh printer's red light on? A student, schoolchild or employee will be delighted! Full analysis of Ricoh SP150su

We were all schoolchildren/students and not all of us had a printer and scanner at home, much less all at once.
Let’s say I had to spend money on printing work and the amounts were quite large: printing one sheet cost from 3 to 7 rubles, depending on the location of the printing point.

I studied at school, then at university. We won’t count school, but university is an average of 10 subjects per semester, for each of which you need to print something out 1-3 times (and sometimes more). Let's take the text size to be 10 pages. Can you already imagine how big these numbers are?
If I had released ricoh by the first year, it would have been a HUGE budget savings.

So here it is.
The printer has a small size: approximately 30x20x12 cm. It is lightweight, so with such dimensions it can be placed almost anywhere and your workplace will not decrease too much.

Working with it will not be difficult for anyone: handling it is easy and simple. You don't need to be very smart to understand everything.

If the printer is turned on, the green button is lit. If there are any problems - red.

Green button

Read more about the "red button". The exact problem will be indicated on the computer program, whether it is a paper jam or no feed. Once you know the problem, you can easily fix the problem.

Inside you can see the working mechanism: everything here is beautiful, but not entirely clear. Haha. For information.

Internal mechanism

Well, here we come to the very program that will be your guide to the world of printing and scanning.
It's called Ricoh printer and is installed along with installing the printer on your computer. (the instructions will describe everything in more detail).

program

The functionality of the printer cannot but rejoice:

1. Print.
In the left corner you can monitor how full the toner is and can refill it at any time, so to speak.
Device Status indicates the status of the printer at at the moment(the same “red button” may be indicated there.

Typing is insanely simple: open the program, open the file and print it (in word or excel)

The paint is applied smoothly and there are no gaps. The test will be clearly visible on paper.

2. Scanning.
Scanning also always goes well. I scanned the book and my documents (passport) without any problems. There was no need to remove the cover or press the item more tightly to the printer - the Ricoh SP 150su calmly coped with it without this.

Scanning

3. Copying.
I don’t think it’s worth telling here, everything can be seen clearly.

Copy

4. Parameters.

Settings

If you are an employee, the printer is yours personally and you would not want anyone to use it, then you can set your password in the settings.
Also, when printing, you can set additional location text, which allows you to print in any format.

The Ricoh SP 150su laser printer is truly one of the best and relatively budget printers today, which has such powerful and huge functionality.
The paint is not used up quickly, in my opinion, so you won’t have a huge need for monthly refills.
If you are a student or worker, be sure to purchase this cool model. Moreover, in many stores there are discounts on this model, so it can be purchased at an attractive price in the range from 2500 to 4000.
If you are the parent of a student, then I think, to save money family budget A printer comes in handy if you often deal with papers.
I've been using it for almost a year now and haven't found any problems.)

Ricoh SP150 printers and MFPs are a completely new printing platform in which Ricoh engineers took into account the shortcomings of previous devices (SP100 / SP111). Together with new platform The device received new hardware and software. If the previous generation of service devices used hidden possibilities supplied with the Smart Organizing Monitor utility, a new utility called CE Tools was developed for the Ricoh SP150.

The CE Tools utility is not supplied with the device and is available only to authorized service centers. The utility weighs only 1.8mb and does not require installation. The functionality of the utility is quite broad and allows you not only to reset errors, but also to carry out full diagnostics of the device. The structure of the utility is very well thought out and after just a couple of minutes of communicating with the utility, you get the feeling that this is not the first time you have worked in it. The utility is connected exclusively via a USB cable; if it is impossible to connect to the device, the utility reports this.

I used this utility only once, when I received a device from a client with error SC542. The cause of the error was that a piece of Lace chip got into the stove, which led to the temperature sensor not recording the temperature rise within a given time interval and, as a result, error SC542.

Instructions for resetting error SC542/541

Resetting the error is quite simple, open the utility, go to the “Output Check” section, select “FusingSCReset” from the drop-down list and press the “On” button.

I’ll say right away that I won’t post a link to the utility. Resetting the error is the final operation, and you need to start with a full diagnosis of the fusing unit (stove). It is necessary to remove the stove from the device and make sure that there is no foreign objects, damage to the Teflon or pressure shaft, make sure that the temperature is taken correctly by the temperature sensor, ring the thermal fuse, and so on. And only after the stove has been diagnosed and, if necessary, repaired, can you begin to reset the error.

To sum it up.

First of all, I want to address the users and “ system administrators», install a full set of drivers and utilities from the disk, not the stubs that winwdows installs in automatic mode. The devices do not have a display and all errors are displayed in the supplied utilities. All calls to the office begin with everyone saying - The red light is on and the printer does not print.

As for the reliability of the printing platform itself, this platform seemed to me much more reliable than the more advanced 200 series. I have not yet encountered a false alarm of a thermal sensor, and there are more than enough devices in service; I even resoldered torn USBs. By the way, the glass in the scanner is not re-glued, but is held on by plastic supports, like in A3 format copiers. In the Ricoh SP150, the case is not rigid enough and if the user handles the device carelessly, the scanner glass flies off the stops and blocks the scanning line.

As for the stove itself, its design is very reliable, but the Teflon shaft unfortunately sits on bushings, and not on rolling bearings like in the Ricoh SP325.

Ricoh printers are multifunctional devices that are compatible with most operating systems. Like all modern ones electronic devices, they are provided with software capable of monitoring the optimal operating mode and carrying out a self-diagnosis procedure in real time.

Monochrome MFP Ricon

Define possible malfunction will help light indication printer control buttons. For example, the Ricoh sp 150su printer is equipped with only two control buttons, which, depending on the state of the MFP, can blink at certain intervals, or constantly light up in blue, green, red and orange flowers. In some devices, explanations of possible problems are displayed on the display. In the photo you can see what it looks like.

Printer display shows error

Constant red light, main reasons

Most of the data is displayed in the form of an indication on the “POWER” control key (power button). The most common situation is when the indicator lights up constantly in red.

In case of an error, the button indication turns red

A complete explanation of all possible problems with the device in such a situation can be found in the operating instructions for ricoh printers, but the main reasons for the constant light of the light bulb may be:

1. Paper is jammed or wrinkled. This situation does not happen very often, this problem mainly occurs in the ricoh S100/SP111 models, where the pick-up roller was mounted on a plastic rod.
2. The cartridge is not installed or installed incorrectly.
3. The waste toner bottle is overfilled.
4. The toner (ink) is running low.
5. The printer cover is open.
6. Critical error due to a faulty device board.

The cause of the error may be the absence of a cartridge in the device

In the latter case, no independent attempts to return the device to working condition will help, unless of course the owner is a specialist in repairing such devices.

Another reason when the red light on a ricoh printer is on may be a banal poor-quality connection between the device and the computer (cable integrity failure, lack of contact in USB).

Only a specialized service center will be able to not only troubleshoot problems, but also carry out preventive maintenance of the entire device in order to establish optimal operating modes for the MFP.

Don't forget to check the integrity of the USB cable

Elimination of causes

Some problems can be identified and fixed on your own. You can replace the paper, check the position of the printer cover and reinstall the cartridge yourself. But if the red indicator light continues to light, then this is at least a signal that the cartridge needs to be refilled. Most manufacturers mislead consumers by claiming that cartridges cannot be refilled. What is required is to purchase a new set of original consumables. The peculiarity is that these models do not have a sensor for monitoring the toner level in the cartridge. The built-in chip, which is responsible for the level of ink consumption depending on the number of printed pages, will be blocked when the maximum set values ​​are reached. The printer will stop printing. But the situation can be fixed.

If the red light is on on the Ricoh sp 150 printer and the diagnostic test using the software (Smart Panel) shows that there is not enough ink, then you should simply refill the cartridge with original ink. Reset the printed page counter and continue working. Ricoh cartridges, which are positioned by manufacturers as disposable, work quietly even after 2 refills.

In the future, you will have to remove the used toner, and this will require partial disassembly of the device, which is not recommended to be done on your own. After refueling, it is enough to flash the device software (the chip does not have a protection function). Having at hand necessary equipment And software, you can do this yourself. But the best option there will be an appeal to specialists service center, where they will not only perform the firmware using Smart Organizing Monitor, but also, if necessary, install a new chip. There they will also be able to reinstall device drivers, the need to update which may be indicated by an exclamation mark icon.

Hello, dear readers of my blog!
In today’s review, you will get to know one of the representatives of very inexpensive laser printers, which is currently on sale for about 3,600 rubles.
This is a company printer Ricoh models SP 150. There are other models in this series - with Wi-Fi and even MFPs, but I will talk specifically about the SP 150. The model is quite affordable in price and should be ideal for home use or small offices.
Japanese company Ricoh– is not new to the copying and printing technology, however, it is not yet very well known to the average household user, which is surprising, since the company Ricoh has been present in our country since the times of the USSR! Well, anyone who wants can find interesting information about Ricoh on the Internet, and I’ll just add that the company now even owns the world-famous Pentax brand, which has released and continues to produce many famous models of cameras and lenses. By the way, all photographs in this review were taken with a Pentax camera.

Specifications

Model name:Ricoh SP 150
Warm-up time:25 seconds
First page out time:11 seconds
Print speed:22 pages per minute
Dimensions (W x D x H):351 x 266 x106 mm
Weight:6.5 kg
Power supply:220 - 240 V, 50/60 Hz

PRINTER

Printer language:GDI
Print Resolution:Max. (1200 x 600 dpi)
Interface:USB 2.0
Supportoperating roomssystems:
OS Windows:Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 10
OS MacOS:Macintosh OS X v10.8 - v10.11
Virtual control panel:Windows, Mac

PAPER HANDLING

Paper size:standard paper tray A4, A5, A6, B5, B6
Maximum input tray capacity:50 sheets
Paper weight:60 - 105 g/m²

ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Power consumption:Max: 880 W
Working power:350 W
Ready mode:50 W or less
Sleep mode:1.2 W

CONSUMABLES

Cartridge resource (standard):700 prints
Cartridge resource (increased):1500 prints
Starter cartridge resource:700 prints
Method for estimating the life of consumables:ISO/IEC19752

Packaging and accessories

The packaging shows an image of the printer and briefly lists its main characteristics that are relevant to the consumer. highest value- connection type, case height, paper tray volume. It also says here that when you activate the toner saving mode, you get a 50% saving, while the printed text and graphics become slightly less contrasting, but do not lose much in quality.

As is customary normal manufacturers, the packaging of the printer is made of very high quality and has color printing. The cardboard is thick, inside the box the printer is fixed with foam inserts. The package consists of the printer itself, a set of documentation and a disk with drivers, a power cable and USB. I was especially pleased with the presence USB cable, because usually printer manufacturers, even the most famous ones, “forget” to complete the printer with this necessary accessory and then you have to buy it separately, since at the time of ordering the printer you don’t think about the little things at all.

The USB cable is 2 meters long, which is sufficient for most printer placements in a home or office environment.

The printer, like the fuses on a fighter's weapon, is covered with stickers made of adhesive tape; all of them must be removed before turning on the printer, and be sure to remove them from inside the printer as well.

Appearance

On the front of the printer there is a power button, behind which a multifunctional LED is hidden, as well as a slot for exiting printed sheets of paper from the printer path. The LED lighting modes are quite varied, but are listed in detail in the Operating Manual, so I will not describe them.

On the back of the printer there is a power cord socket and a USB socket. There is also a plate with the name of the printer model and its electrical characteristics- supply voltage (220-240 V AC), maximum printer power consumption (880 W) and current (5 A).

On the right side of the case there is a hole with a grill, through which cool outside air enters, necessary for cooling the heated
during the printing process of printer parts. There are also slots on the bottom of the printer, also designed to provide additional air intake, so the printer must be installed so that all its rubber feet are on a flat surface.

Well, so that the hot air flow comes out, a small fan is installed on the left side of the printer.

The paper support cover is located on the top of the printer body. This cover must be lifted to insert paper into the tray.

To access the cartridge and also solve possible problems with a paper jam, you need to lift all the black paper from the front edge top part printer.

Starting standard cartridge installed in RicohSP150 already from the very beginning, there is no need to tear out any protective tapes from it. As you can see, on the right, closer to the front edge, there is a blue lever inside the printer; it is this that you need to pull up all the way if the paper suddenly gets stuck in the printer, then carefully pull the sheet out of the input tray or out of the output tray, depending on where you can see it from. jammed sheet of paper.

Even inside the printer in front of the cartridge, if you look closely, there is a drawing of what needs to be done in this case. This whole procedure is also described in detail in the instructions, so I won’t dwell on it.

Cartridges for everything 150 series of printers and MFPs Ricoh identical. They are very compact in height, just like all other cartridges for laser printers, they have chips for remembering the toner level. Before putting the cartridge into operation, you need to swing it left and right 5-6 times to level the toner level. This is also written in the instructions, so read it first, and then start connecting the printer.

The paper size limiter allows you to set required format from A4. The edges of the limiter simultaneously move relative to the center. Printing occurs on the top side of the sheet, that is, facing the person looking at the printer.

The lateral non-printable margins of the printer are relatively narrow, only 4.2 mm.

Under the top lift-up cover of the printer RicohSP150 glossy plastic surface.

The printer in working condition looks modest, but very neat.

Software installation

Be sure to start the installation according to generally accepted rules - first start installing software or drivers, and then, when the program asks you to connect the USB cable and turn on the device, do so.

Now the printer installation is complete, the printer appears in the list of installed devices.

Now, by right-clicking, you can go to the printer properties and see the printing settings options.

From here you can also test print a test page. It printed perfectly.

Scanned originals printed on a laser printer Ricoh SP 150 pages, available via Yandex disk at the link:
https://yadi.sk/d/bCaG6wbVuYjxG
Pages are scanned at 600 dpi, one file at 1200 dpi, and saved in compressed TIFF format, for a total of six files of 196 MB.
If you go to the print settings, you will see all the widest possibilities for customizing the printing options for yourself. I also recommend turning on the toner saving option; the print quality practically does not drop, but the savings can be 50%.

Settings for paper type, print quality, type of printed content, print quality, ability to print multiple pages on one, duplex printing option...

Additional options include scaling, printing headers, footers, watermarks, booklets...

All this needs to be approached thoughtfully, it is also time-consuming, so it is very helpful that you can create many of your own profiles, in which all the options will already be set for a specific printing task.

By the way, after installing the printer, a RICOH Printer shortcut appears on the desktop, by launching which you can see the control panel (MFPs have two more options added to it), but it is of dubious benefit for the printer.

Checking print quality and speed

When testing, we used test images that we could find on the Internet, as well as one full-size source photo of our own production. On the left there will be a small image of the original image from which the print was made, and on the right there will be a small image of the scanned printed sheet. Scanning was carried out on an HP ScanJet G4010 scanner. After scanning, the images turned out to be less contrasty than they actually are, but this is already the fault of the scanner settings. You can see that the test image did not print completely due to the printer margins, but this can be corrected in the settings so that the image is scaled to fit the page.

The originals are available at the link: https://yadi.sk/d/bCaG6wbVuYjxG
The Ricoh SP 150 conveys halftones quite well, although this is done through rasterization with dots of different diameters.

Well, a real photo with a resolution of 14 megapixels, printed at a resolution of 600x1200 pixels.

Finally, check the printer speed. The manufacturer stated a printing speed of 22 pages per minute, let's check if this is true. We will print a page with 5%
filling with toner, this is an average parameter for the bulk of tests and calculations. To more accurately measure the speed, we will use the formula for the number of copies printed: Y=1+(2*X), where X is the manufacturer’s declared printer performance in pages per minute. One is added because it is the starting one and we will not take it into account in the calculations later. From the above calculations, it turns out that 45 sheets need to be printed on the Ricoh SP 150. For objectivity, a video of the printing process was filmed.

And what happened? Here's what!
Warm-up time: 21 sec (stated 25 sec),
First page out time after warming up: 4 sec,
Print speed 44 sheets: 1 min. 56 seconds, that is real speed exactly matches 22 ppm.
Well, thanks to Ricoh for an objective reflection of the printer’s characteristics.

Conclusion

Printer Ricoh SP 150 It can be recommended for use by students, schoolchildren, representatives of creative professions, private doctors and in general all people who periodically need to print several dozen pages. Time will tell how reliable it will be, but in any case, the printer is quite cheap and should quickly pay for itself.
All photos of the printer from the review are available in higher resolution in my album Ricoh SP 150.

Pros

>high-quality manufacturing and good “pedigree” of the Ricoh company,
>print is very good quality with good halftone reproduction,
>USB cable included,
>low price.

Cons

>there is no paper output tray,
>paper input tray capacity is only 50 sheets.

The computer peripheral market has recently seen the appearance of a very interesting printer from Ricoh - Ricoh SP 150. Its cost currently ranges from 3,500 to 4,000 rubles. In this case, the printer has laser technology seal, collected in a neat white and black box. There are several modifications of this device, including the Ricoh SP 150SU MFP.

For a fairly low price, the user receives high-speed monochrome printing- 22 ppm Paper density 60-105 g/sq.m. Thus, Ricoh SP 150 is an excellent solution for office or home printer with a small print volume.

Now let's talk about what you came to this page for, namely, the cartridge, its refilling and chip firmware.

So, Ricoh SP 150LE and Ricoh SP 150HE cartridges are designed for a resource of 700 and 1500 pages, respectively. The cartridge itself is very similar in design to the Ricoh SP 100 cartridge. However, there are no plugs on the body that are accessible without disassembling for refilling the cartridge. To clean the waste and refill it will be necessary to disassemble the cartridge. A printer with a used cartridge will display an error reading “No toner”.

Which toner should you choose?

For refilling, toner for the Ricoh SP 100 or, in worst case scenario, Samsung ML-1210/1710 (in the worst case scenario), is perfect. The cartridge is refilled through the side plug, which becomes accessible after disassembling the cartridge. It is necessary to periodically clean the dispensing blade from adhering toner, otherwise printing defects will appear and the surface of the development roller will cut over time.

How to flash a cartridge chip?

First, you need to understand the firmability of the chip in this cartridge. As you can see in the photo, the chip has four contact fields. On back side is glad electronic components, the main one being the eight-legged chip. A search on the datasheets showed that the microcircuit is a regular EEPROM, similar to 24C02. And the purpose of the output is as follows: GND - VCC - CLK - DATA (count from the hole on the right). This chip is flashed using any adapter that is suitable for Samsung chips (for example SCX-4200).

The first thing I did was read a Ricoh SP 150 dump from a used cartridge. I see no point in posting a dump of this firmware.

It is worth noting that the chip blocks printing, so updating the firmware when refilling the cartridge is simply necessary.

I don’t see any point in posting the firmware on 700 pages, so I suggest it for download firmware for Ricoh SP 150 chip, 1500 pages absolutely free. The archive is password protected, you can ask for the archive password by phone 8-937-24-555-42 (dial 9 in the self-service menu) c working hours. This is necessary to track territorial interests in the firmware.

Gratitude for FREE Please leave the firmware for Ricoh SP 150 in the comments below.

There are quite a lot of offers on the Internet for purchasing firmware for this device. I ask you not to be fooled by these offers, because the firmware there is merged with errors from already initialized cartridges and they last for 200-500 pages. Consumers will be extremely unhappy with this volume of printing.