Ricoh aficio cl3500n reads replace colr pcu what is this?

Hi, thin black lines are most likely (but not definitely) caused by something in the black PCU (photoconductor unit), either the drum or the charger. Replacing the black PCU will likely get rid of your lines. The Ricoh code for a black PCU if you don't already have one is 402448.

replace the black pcu(drum unit).
the life of the pcu(s) are 15k each(blk & col) .
the machine will work but copy quality will reduce and the error will be there.
replacing the cartridge has nothing to do with this error.

Never clean or touch the Transfer Roller (spongey rooler) unless your using a dry cloth or vaccum as last measure.

Usually the transfer roller sits on a drum/pcu specific to that color. If you can tell which color is sitting on to of the roller replace that drum/pcu.

The voids and blotches can be a bad black pcu, the voids san also be toner on the glass slat obove the pcu,s there are 4 slats one for each color, on the pcu itself on the upper side is a narrow long opening, the glass slat is above this opening when the pcu is in the printer. It will take a flashlight to see any toner on the glass.
-Carl

The SC 441 is a color pcu motor lock. One of the waste toner augers is clogged with waste toner not letting the drum turn. The only real fix is to replace the color pcu unit. If you could get the auger and drum out it might be possible to free it up, but you will probably damage the drum in the process.

I have run into this several times with these printers. In every case, it has been the CMY PCU. These run about $300.

I have read that by cleaning the PCU, you can get it to work sometimes. So far, I have not been lucky enough for it to work.

These machines were actually made by Panasonic and they eat PCU's there is no rhyme or reason, they just do. I would replace all of them as soon as possible. These printers were pretty much interim technology for Ricoh until they developed thier own engine. I highly recommend the new 400 color series, low cost per page, vg color and consumables last a long time!

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replace the PCU (photo conductor unit)

One of our Ricoh CL3500N printers- less than a year old- gave us a "color regist error" after changing the transfer belt.

Ran the "adjust color regist" without results. It would just finish and pop back up with the same error.

Color test page printed no color, just BW

I reseated everything, and even replaced the PCU without positive results.

A couple hours later I went back, took everything out (be sure to keep the pcus out of the light!), and vaccuumed the heck outta that printer.

For whatever reason- maybe there was a chunk of toner hanging out, maybe I knocked something loose or back in place, whatever- but when I put all the parts in and turned it on, the error was gone and color printed great!

If the lines are blue, check the color PCU.