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Q&A
Commonly asked questions about the following scanners are answered here. Click on the scanner of choice for more support:
2500 / DX FLATBED SCANNERS

Q. The instructions for replacing the bulb in my transparency option do not match the transparency option that I have. Is there more than one type of transparency arms?

There are 2 types of arms. Yours is the original style.

Q. How do I replace a lamp for the "Original Style" 2500 Transparency Arm?
  • Remove the Trans Arm from the scanner.
    On the large end of the Transparency Arm, remove the 4 screws (2 large and 2 small) that hold on the plastic end cover.
  • Unplug the Black (outside) and White (inside) wires.
    With a .05" Allen key, loosen the setscrew holding the Fiber Optic cable in place and unplug it. Be careful when removing the large end of the fiber optic cable, some Trans-arms have a small round filter at the end of the cable. Do not lose the filter.
  • Remove the 2 Phillips head screws from the far end of the Trans Arm.
  • Partially slide the lamp holder out the small end of the arm, only slide it out far enough to remove the bulb.
    Caution: Do Not Slide The Lamp Holder all the way out.
  • Replace the bulb.
  • Slide the Lamp Holder back into the Trans Arm.
    You may need to guide the ends of the wires down the Trans Arm; they tend to catch on the inside of the housing.
  • Plug the cables in and tighten the setscrew on the Fiber Optics cable.
  • First replace the filter if your trans arm has one.
  • Replace all 6 screws.



Q. What causes the display to cycle between ER and 80?

Error 80 indicates that the scanner does not see enough light to calibrate. Causes could be weak or a defective lamp, a damaged or dirty calibration strip or anything else that will prevent the light from going through the slot in the calibration strip.

Q. I am getting streaking in my images. How can I get rid of them?

Streaking is normally caused by dust in the light path during calibration. Make sure that the calibration strip and platen under the calibration strip are clean and undamaged. If the problem persists, try cleaning the underside of the platen and, if necessary, replace the lamp.

D4000 and Scanmaster 4500 DRUM SCANNERS
Q. What causes my D4000 or 4500 drum scanner to come up with an F705 error?

An F705 error indicates that the scanner has data in its buffer that it has tried to pass over to the host computer, but the computer has not accepted it. There are a number of things that can cause this error. Among them: no terminator or a passive, instead of active, terminator; a poor quality or damaged SCSI cable; a full or fragmented hard drive or a large disk cache (we recommend that disk cache be set to the minimum 32k).

Q. What causes F702 errors?

This error normally indicates a drum speed error. Check the drum drive belt for damage or excessive wear. The drive belt is a consumable item and there should always be a spare belt on site. After removing the belt, check the pulleys for any debris before installing the replacement belt.

If replacing the belt does not solve the problem, a service call is likely to be necessary.

Q. I get a "Lamp/mirror error" on my scanner. It also displays F719. What does this mean?

It means that the scanner is not getting enough light to calibrate. In the upper right corner of the display it should also have an R, G, B or combination of those. If it shows RGB, no light is getting to the scanner’s optics. If it displays one or two of those, light is getting through, but it is not intense enough in those channels for the scanner to calibrate.

Push the view port lever all the way to the rear (see "Manual focus" in user's manual) and ensure that the lamp is turning on. Try the opposite mode, that is, if you are trying to scan in Tran missive mode, switch to reflective, and vice versa. Ensure that there is nothing in the calibration area of the drum, either on the white calibration strip, or the clear area between the white strip and the scribe line. Check to see that the lamp assembly is installed correctly and that the reflector is not skewed. With the lamps on, the beam of light should be centered on the fiber optics bundle. If all else fails, call Howtek Technical Support for service.

Q. I get streaks through my scans. They show up a horizontal on the monitor (in the direction of the drum rotation). What can cause this?

Streaking can be caused by a number of things. Lamps flickering, debris in the calibration area of the drum, optical alignment being out of adjustment or worn wear pads on the drum are a few of the possible causes.

Old lamps can start flickering as they weaken. This is often hard to determine visually. Try replacing the lamp assembly.

The calibration areas of the drum need to be clean and undamaged. If there is tape, part of the original image, fingerprints or any other debris on either the white calibration strip or the clear calibration area of the drum, streaking may occur. Damage to either area may also cause streaking. The white calibration strip is an operator replaceable consumable and the operator should have a spare strip on hand in case the one on the drum becomes damaged.

6500/7500 SERIES DRUM SCANNERS
Q. I get an E142 error on my 7500. What does this mean?

The error indicates "get window failed". It means that the scanner cannot read the size of the drum. It normally indicates that there is no drum in the scanner when the scanning software is launched.

Q. What causes an error E118?

An E118 error just means that the scan has aborted due to a previous error.

Q. I get "calibration abort" in my control panel display. How do I know what the problem is?

Flash revisions R012 and higher have an error log loaded into them to allow the user to determine what is failing when calibration aborts. Earlier revisions sequenced the error codes on the display, but did not save them so that if more than one error occurred, it would not be possible to determine what the errors, other than the final one, were.

Q. How do I get to the error log?

Hit the enter key to put the scanner in the off-line state and then hit the right arrow key until "Error log" is displayed. Hit the enter key again and it will list the number of failures. Use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the errors. Report the listed errors to tech support.

Q. I get a chattering sound as the carriage moves, especially when using the large drum. How can I get rid of this?

The lead screw may be dry. Lubricate the lead screw only with Kubler Isoflex Topaz NCA-52 lubricant. Wipe down the lead screw before lubricating it to remove any excess grime. Once the new lubricant is on, run the carriage back and forth a few times to work in the lubricant. Caution: Excessive lubricant will attract dust and debris and may cause excessive wear of the backlash nut, which may affect image quality.

Q. What causes H1045 errors?

H1045 indicates a problem moving the carriage. Make sure that there is nothing restricting the movement of the carriage. Try cleaning and lubricating the lead screw (see above).



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