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HP Designjet 500 and 800 Series Printers - Removing Media Jams

If the front panel displays the following message, there may be media jammed in the printer:
  • Open window
  • Switch power off
  • Clear media path
  • Switch power on
  • Align printheads
Media jams can have various causes:
  • The media is too thick or too thin for the printer or is otherwise not supported.
  • The media is creased, misaligned, or bubbled.
  • Too much ink is being placed on the media causing it to cockle or bubble.
  • The end of the roll of media is glued to the core and won’t advance further.
  • Pieces of media or media powder are clogging up the cutter guide or other moving parts.

To remove jammed media:

  1. Open the window.
    Figure : Opening the window
  2. Switch the printer off.
    Figure : Switching the printer off
  3. If necessary, carefully move the printhead carriage out of the way - if possible all the way to the enclosed area on the left or the right. Which way you are able to move it depends on where the media is jammed.
      caution:
    When moving the printhead carriage, touch only the black plastic parts.
  4. If necessary, carefully move the media cutter out of the way to the left, or to the right depending on where the media is jammed (though if moved right it may block the media path).
      caution:
    The cutter is easily moved by holding it as close as possible to the guide running across the width of the printer. Be careful not to touch the metal slider bar that runs across the printer. (See Figure 3 below.)
    Figure : Top arrow pointing to the slider bar, bottom arrow pointing to the guide
  5. If necessary, lift the blue media lever to release any trapped media. Remember to lower it again when you have finished.
    Figure : Lifting the blue media lever
  6. Carefully remove any of the jammed media that you can easily lift up and out from the top of the printer.
  7. Carefully pull the rest of the roll or sheet down and out of the printer.
  8. Check that the printing zone, including the cutter guide, the media path, and the area where the printhead carriage is parked, is clear and clean; remove any media powder by brushing it away or using a vacuum cleaner.
      caution:
    The area where the printhead carriage is parked can get quite dirty; be careful not to get ink on your hands.
  9. Close the window and turn the printer on.
  10. Wait for the printer to finish initializing.
  11. Press the Form Feed and Cutkey on the front panel to eject any small pieces of media that are still in the media path.
  12. Reload the media as normal. If you are using roll media you may need to trim the edge first to ensure that it is straight.
    note:
    If there is still media left in the path, try loading a sheet of stiff or rigid media into the printer, such as heavy coated or matte film; this will help to force out any jams in the media path.
  13. If the cutter seems to be causing the problem, check the User’s Reference Guide on the Using Your Printer CD to make certain that the printer supports the type of media. Try disabling the cutter from the front panel. Select:
    Cutter
    Off
  14. HP strongly recommends using the Align Printheadsprocedure after clearing a jam as the problem may have caused the printheads to be misaligned. From the front panel, select:
    Align Printheads
    Standard alignment
    note:
    You do not have to interpret the patterns printed by the Printhead Alignmentroutine.