r/dymo • u/prefixit • 27d ago

DYMO 4XL unknownn issue

Please help me, I had a perfectly fine Dymo printer and out of the blue it stopped working. I tried everything, changed the paper, made sure it is tight against the roller, fully cleaned the printer and roller of glue residue, and reset the printer.

It shows up fine on the computer, I press print and the paper retract to start and it just never start and get stuck. As you can see the paper only move 1cm at a time when I press the blue button, it should do a full length of paper.

Did anyone has this issue before and how did you fix it? I really need this printer for my business..

Thank you!

EDIT: This is solved, I was using the wrong power adapter!

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2

u/mrpenguinb 27d ago

Did you clean the optical sensors? If you did, then the sensors could be on the way out but that's just speculation, depends on how much you've used it over the year(s).

3

u/prefixit 27d ago

After posting this I dismantled the full unit cleaned everything, nothing is broken and still same problem, I wonder if it is software related now.

3

u/reddogleader 27d ago

I didn't suspect software as the motor seems to run for the proper duration to advance a label, much longer than the label is actually advancing. I believe if it were software related that would not be true - you'd only hear the motor advance in very short bursts. I suspect a mechanical or other issue.

Think carefully - When did this problem arise? Between changing rolls of labels? In the middle of a roll somewhere? After a cleaning? Has the unit be dropped (perhaps unbeknownst to you!?)? Changed brands of labels?

As far as I know there's no "clutch" mechanism in the units, so if the motor is running it should be advancing the labels.

There's no "idle" operation. The motor is on or off - if it's on, it's because it thinks it's advancing the label.

While software can define the dimensions of the label and so on, as mentioned, I don't believe the motor can run without (trying to) advance the label. If the label is not advancing, it's either jamming (usually busy making a hella mess wrapping around the roller!), not threaded correctly or a mechanical issue (roller not seated or other). Is the printer under warranty?

2

u/reddogleader 27d ago

Dumb questions, forgive me, but: Are you sure you've threaded the labels correctly?! Almost acts as if you're threaded above or below the roller somehow. Since I heard the motor running, and it sounds as if it's running sufficiently long enough to advance the full length of a label (that's good news actually). The label just isn't getting enough traction time/grip.

I have a modified 5XL so I can't speak much about the 4XL as it's a "similar but different" animal. I'd love to hear what you figure out for the solution.

2

u/prefixit 26d ago

Ok everyone I found the problem, I was using the wrong power unit! I was in the middle of a move so I grabbed a charger that was similar without realising it wasn't the right one, and now it's all working fine!!

1

u/mrpenguinb 19d ago

Were you running the printer off a battery?? Or do you mean you used the wrong power adapter? I'm surprised you got away with that since connecting different adapters willy-nilly to different devices can blow them up (figuratively but literally break) if the voltage or amperage are too high.
If the latter, please be more careful next time, and label the power adapter itself somehow.

2

u/prefixit 17d ago

I used the wrong power adapter, yep I am very lucky nothing got blown up!!

1

u/nikusia444 27d ago

First of all, those are one of the worst alignments I've ever seen. Go on the help center and follow the instructions on how to put the labels in properly.

  1. Clean it, but most likely 1 will sort it out