Genicom 3600 - Manual (Page 83)

Troubleshooting
4-13
4
To check for communications problems
1. Check the cabling from the printer to the host system.
2. Check the interfacing of the devices that are communicating with the
printer.
3. Check the printer for proper electrical operation of the serial
communications port.
4. Test to see that the host system is not overrunning the printer’s input
buffers.
5. Check to see that the data string being sent to the printer contains the
correct information.
Environmental Problems
Symptoms associated with environmental problems are printing garbage,
resetting, or total lockup. One way to discover if the problem is environmental
is to see if the problem goes away when the printer is moved to a new location.
If it shows up in a printer recently moved from another area, the problem is
probably environmental. The following is a discussion of different types of
environmental problems.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)
ESD can cause failure or weakening of affected components. Typically, ESD
occurs when a person with a large electrical potential unintentionally
discharges that potential by touching the conductive surfaces of the equipment.
Static charge is created through friction from people walking, conveyor belts,
paper moving through a printer, and wheelchairs. The solution is to reduce the
charge by grounding and by employing prevention measures such as antistatic
bags for ICs and PCBs, grounded antistatic mats, antistatic spray for carpeting,
antistatic clothing (no wool), antistatic wax for tile floors, conductive floor
materials, air ionizers, and antistatic cleaners for plastics. To further protect
against ESD, use shielded cable for interface cables, and tie the shield to metal
backshells at both ends of the cable. Do not connect the shield of the cable to
the chassis ground or signal ground of the interface (metal backshells will be
tied to the chassis).