Your Samsung Xpress SL-M2885FW multifunction printer is recognised by the operating system, accepts print and scan jobs, makes a clicking noise after the print job and reports ‘finished’ – but nothing happens: no printing, no scanning.
Reinstalling the drivers brings no improvement, or at most only a short-term improvement. After switching on, the printer’s display shows the date ‘01-01-2000 00:00’.
If these symptoms apply, it is highly likely that the printer’s CMOS battery is empty. This battery powers the printer’s internal clock and memory. After about ten years, it is depleted – batteries are simply wear parts.
Unfortunately, the engineers have installed the battery inside the device in such a way that it is not accessible to users. The user manual makes no mention of this issue, while the service manual simply states: ‘Lithium battery not replaceable by user’.
It is neither in the customer’s nor the environment’s interest to dispose of a functional device because of an empty battery worth around one euro.
With a little manual skill and material costs of around £3 for a new battery and a battery holder, you can give your printer a new lease of life, avoid buying a new device and protect the environment at the same time.
Notes
► These instructions are intended for laypersons with basic technical and manual skills.
► Please observe the relevant safety regulations.
► Repairs are carried out at your own risk.
► No guarantee is given for the accuracy or completeness of these instructions.
Tools & materials
► Phillips screwdriver (short or electric with angle screwdriver attachment)
► Soldering iron and solder
► CR2032 battery (standard button cell, as used in PCs)
► Battery holder (optional)
► Adhesive tape (to secure the control buttons)
Preparation
► Unplug the power cord.
► Remove the toner cartridge and paper tray.
Instructions
☻ Open the control panel
► Secure the control buttons with adhesive tape so that they do not fall out during disassembly.
► Lay the printer on its side.
► Loosen the three Phillips screws (red markings) under the control panel. Note: Two screws are somewhat difficult to access – a short screwdriver or an angle screwdriver attachment is helpful here.
red = Phillips screws, yellow = clips
► Carefully pull the cover forward, releasing the four plastic clips (yellow markings) near the screws.
► Fold the cover back. It is connected to the circuit board via three pin connectors with relatively short cables. Take care not to put any strain on the cables. It is not necessary to remove the connectors (they are very secure).
☻ Expose the circuit board
► Loosen the four Phillips screws that secure the circuit board to the underside of the control unit (red mark).
► Carefully remove the circuit board. To do this, gently press the fastening tabs on the edge (green mark) to the side.
► Turn the circuit board over without putting too much strain on the connected cables.
red = screws, green = mounting tabs, yellow = cable connector, blue = CMOS battery
☻ Replacing the battery
► The permanently soldered CMOS battery (CR2032) is located on the unpopulated rear side of the circuit board.
► Desolder the old battery and solder in the new battery. Be sure to observe the polarity!
Solder points of the CMOS battery on the component side of the circuit board: red = positive terminal, black = negative terminal
► Tip: Instead of soldering the new battery directly, it is recommend installing a battery holder with cables. This will make future battery replacement much easier. Position the holder so that it is not located under a plastic bar on the cover and remains easily accessible.
Caution: Some battery holders have an on/off switch – make sure that it is set to ‘On’.
☻ Assembly and commissioning
► Reinsert the circuit board into the housing shell and screw it in place.
► Attach the control unit to the printer housing.
► Insert the toner cartridge and paper tray.
► Plug in the power cord and switch on the printer.
► Set the current date and time in the display under Device Setup.
If necessary, reconfigure any other user-specific settings (e.g. Wi-Fi access data).
Done! Congratulations, you have saved your printer’s life 🙂