This issue, we’re exploring this specific set of machines due to the sheer volume of them sold in the field. They’re great for being compact, relatively quick (especially the 55 ppm 3655) and reliable. The knock against them is that they are not good for printing on envelopes. Let’s focus on rebuilding the fuser modules as some really good aftermarket heat rolls and pressure sleeves are now available.
There are two versions in this series so far. First came the 3655FA fusers for the WC-3655/3615 and Phaser 3610. These are usually sold in a maintenance kit along with the BTR assembly (transfer roll) 115R00084 (115R84). Valid part numbers for the fusers alone would be 126K30919, 126K35550 or 126K35551.
The newest models in the “3655 style” are the VersaLink B405 and B400. These have an extremely similar fuser. The heat roll, pressure sleeve and most other parts interchange nicely, but the fuser itself is not interchangeable. The B405 fuser also usually sells in a maintenance kit (115R00119), although again there are a few valid part numbers for the fuser alone: 126K36841, 859K00950 or 126K36840.
One thing that differentiates the two fusers is an indexing resistor on board, which has different ratings the machine will recognize for the right fuser. The other difference is a new feature on the B405/B400 fuser—the manufacturer added two little gray sliding pieces, one near the top front and one near the top rear. These are designed to change the pressure in the fuser so it can handle envelopes better, but it is a rather impractical fix. If the customer wants to run envelopes, they need to stop the machine, allow it to cool down for a while, turn the machine around and open the back door to access the fuser. They then have to slide the two little gray pieces to the envelope position. When done with envelopes, they need to remember to return the slides to the regular paper position.
This type of fuser has a typical heat roller and a pressure sleeve which slips over a core with a fabric-like Slip Sheet inside, and a pair of oil wicks/pads. They should have enough slip sheet lube inside to make it turn with as little friction as possible. Good lubricant in there may well turn out to be the most important key to getting good longevity out of your rebuilt fusers.
TOOLS NEEDED:
- 2 Philips head screwdriver
- T-10 safety torx driver (or bit)
- Needle-nosed vice-grip pliers
PARTS YOU MAY NEED:
- Fuser heat roller (3655FHR)
- Fuser pressure sleeve (3655FPS)
- Fuser heat roll bushings (heat sleeves) (3655FHS) and bearings (3655FHRB)
- Pressure sleeve lubricant (PSL)
Before you begin, take a look at photo #1 so you’re clear when we reference top versus bottom, front versus rear and inner face versus outer face.
REBUILD PROCEDURE:
1. Secure the picker fingers which are mounted to the exit chute (top inner cover). When the exit chute is off, the picker fingers will fall off easily. Use masking tape to keep them in place (photo #2). The tape will also be helpful later when you’re reassembling—when you install this exit chute, you need to keep the fingers away from the heat roller. Holding all four fingers up at once is tricky without tape.
2. With the fingers secured, remove the Exit Chute (two screws, photo #3).
3. Extract the two pressure springs (needle-nosed vice grips work well for this, photo #4). These are fairly heavy springs, so make sure to grip them tightly or you could lose them.
4. Remove the two green tension release levers. Use a small flat-head screwdriver blade to pry them gently away from the metal bracket in which they’re seated. (photo #5)
5. Take off the outer cover (the one with the temperature warning). Start by removing two screws (photo #6) from the outer face—one near the front end and one near the rear end, tucked into alcoves near the gray locking knobs. Then fully open the jam clearance gate and pivot the outer cover upward. Next, shift the cover toward the gate to extract the two nubs which seat it in place (photo #7). CAUTION—the exit gate is fragile (yep, I broke one already), so remove it now to help protect it.
6. Hinge the pressure sleeve assembly away, and slide it up and off the two metal pivot brackets (photo #8). Once it’s off, remove the two pivot brackets from their pivot points.
7. Take apart the pressure sleeve assembly. Look it over closely first, because it will fall apart once the two hubs/ends come off and the old sleeve is slipped off. (photo #9).
8. Inspect the pressure sleeve’s slip-sheet. This piece must not be grossly distorted, nor torn. Lubricate both sides of the slip sheet with slip-sheet lube, working the oil into the fabric-like surface to give it as much slip as possible. Also, add some lube to the two wicks—wick 1 is mounted to the metal core, wick 2 is on one of the two plastic core pieces (photo #10). These wicks serve as a reservoir for the lube.
9. Remove the contact/clip from above the indexing resistor (at the front end of the fuser, photo #11). Release the larger bottom contact/clip where it hangs onto two plastic nubs, and the indexing resistor’s shuttle will slide out (photos #12 & 13).
10. Remove the metal guide bracket (two screws, one at either end). Be careful not to lose the metal contact piece after the rear end’s screw is out—once the bracket is off, the contact is only loosely mounted to it.
11. Remove the heat control/electrical cover. This requires peeling off the small square sticker from the center of the cover which has the wrench symbol crossed off. Next, you’ll need to remove one screw (T10 safety torx, photo #14). Flex the cover to unseat it at the front and rear ends. Note that the little white idler gear at the rear end can fall off easily once this cover is removed. Remove this gear now, so you don’t lose it.
12. Release the thermostat (thermal fuse) and pop the front heat lamp log off the thermostat (photo #15).
13. Pull the red heat lamp terminal and its spade lug through the lower frame. Then lift the front end of the heat roller out of the lower frame and slide it off over the end of the heat lamp (photo #16).
14. On the heat roll you will find a pair of bushings under a pair of bearings. Replace these pieces and add some high-temperature grease as needed.
15. Reassemble everything. Note that you will want to reinstall the two green tension levers before you put the springs back on.
Nice work! You just saved your customer some money while keeping a perfectly good piece of equipment out of a landfill.
Resetting the Fuser Counter:
For WC-3615 / WC-3655:
- Press the “Machine Status” button.
- Touch the “Tools” tab.
- Next touch “Admin Settings” followed by “Service Tools.”
- Touch “Reset Transfer Unit/Fuser,” followed by “Reset.”
- Finally press “Yes, Reset.”
For WC-3655 (you need to first log in as administrator):
- Press “Login/Logout” and enter the username (default is ‘admin’), then enter the password on the next screen (default is ‘1111’).
- Press the “Machine Status” button.
- Next touch the “Supplies” tab.
- Then touch “Supply Counter Reset,” followed by “Reset CRU Life.”
- Finally press “Reset Counter.”
For VersaLink B405 / B400:
- Press the “Home” button.
- Choose “Maintenance” (gears icon).
- Touch “Supplies.”
- Touch “Maintenance Kit.”
- Press “Reset,” followed by “Confirm,” and “Close out.”
