Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: What is going on with my printer toner?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    1,347
    Blog Entries
    1

    What is going on with my printer toner?

    Whenever I start up my computer I get a notice that my Brother printer is low on toner. Yet when I print something out the print looks fine. Is this just Brother trying to sell more toner ( it's a black and white laser printer) I did the take the cartridge out and shake it thing, but the message is still there.
    Dennis

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Wayland, MA
    Posts
    3,655
    Most printers warn you when the toner is low but not gone so you have a chance to order a new cartridge before it runs out. I think they just count pages, so the estimates can be way off if your printing differs from "average" page coverage. On our HP printer the warnings start when it's down to 3-400 pages left.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,551
    There is a way with Brother laser printers to "reset the counter" so it doesn't nag you, some key combination. I don't recall what that way is and I won't have access to it for a few days. Google should help.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    McKean, PA
    Posts
    15,595
    Blog Entries
    1
    Buy a new toner cartridge and set it to one side. Continue to use your present cartridge until it prints poorly, then change to the new one.
    Last edited by Lee Schierer; 07-19-2020 at 8:45 AM.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
    Go Navy!

    My advice, comments and suggestions are free, but it costs money to run the site. If you found something of value here please give a little something back by becoming a contributor! Please Contribute

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Mtl, Canada
    Posts
    2,379
    Quote Originally Posted by Curt Harms View Post
    There is a way with Brother laser printers to "reset the counter" so it doesn't nag you, some key combination. I don't recall what that way is and I won't have access to it for a few days. Google should help.
    This will work to reset the counter. If you have the factory supplied cartridge it will only print only a few pages.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    2,652
    What Lee said. I have a Brother B&W laser too, and I think it gives a early warning so that you have time to order a new cartridge from Brother, instead of buying one at the local office supply. I think while using it heavily, taking classes, I got about 50-75 more pages before it actually ran dry.

    But the answer is yes. I think all printers are just an ink selling machine. They have low initial prices, because they make it up on the ink. Inkjet Color printers are the worst, because all the colors don't get used up at the same time, so you buy multiple packs of the colored ink.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Putney, Vermont
    Posts
    1,042
    I had the low toner warning on my computer for over 2 years. I bought a cartridge and a bottle extra of toner and just had the Brother printer run out of toner completely this week.
    I put in the new cartridge I had filled and in the instructions were a sequence of things to do to RESET the printer. After doing the reset the warning went away.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Modesto, CA, USA
    Posts
    9,885
    My Samsung printer has a chip onboard the toner cartridge. It counts the number of pages printed and warns you about 200? pages before it shuts down. I can buy a new chip and refill the toner for about $20 or I can buy a new full cartridge for about $18. The older cartridges you could reset the chip somehow.
    I read on this site that office stores had a run on ink for the pandemic so I ordered a new cartridge last week no problems. I paid a little extra to get one sooner from a USA seller just in case. Back to school sales may wipe them out again? Toner does not go bad so i buy a refill as soon as I use one up.
    Bill D

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Minneapolis, MN
    Posts
    5,427
    Quote Originally Posted by roger wiegand View Post
    Most printers warn you when the toner is low but not gone so you have a chance to order a new cartridge before it runs out. I think they just count pages, so the estimates can be way off if your printing differs from "average" page coverage. On our HP printer the warnings start when it's down to 3-400 pages left.
    Exactly. I had a toner cartridge that was showing low and it lasted several more years and over 1,000 more pages before it finally was really out of toner.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    The old pueblo in el norte.
    Posts
    1,846
    Some printers use an indicator mark on one of the gear wheels on the toner cartridge. You can't reset those without disassembly. The low-toner is just a warning that you're running low. People would be seriously mad if they didn't warn them early enough. (from an engineering perspective, I can say, unequivocally, people will complain no matter what you do... but more so by not warning early enough).
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Medina Ohio
    Posts
    4,516
    I always hated my HP laser that had the chipped toner cartridges would not print with full cartridges as the time was up.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    1,347
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    Buy a new toner cartridge and set it to one side. Continue to use your present cartridge until it prints poorly, then change to the new one.
    That's what I did, it will be interesting to see how long it continues to print
    Dennis

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •