FARGO ID Card Printers Troubleshooting

HDP8500

The printer won’t load my cards (errors #14 & 81).

The printer is unable to feed a card from the card feeder.

• Verify the card thickness setting is set to the thickness of your cards.
• Verify the Cleaning roller is properly installed on the Ribbon Cartridge.
• Check for card slippage. If necessary, run the Printer cleaning routine.
• Verify that your cards are within the accepted card size range.
• Verify the cards are not sticking together.

My cards get stuck in the printer (errors # 82, 83, 112, and 200). What do I do?

Clear the jam and try the following options:

• Run a cleaning cycle.
• Try different cards.
• Manually clean the rollers.
• Update the printer driver and firmware to the latest on Fargo’s website.

A card is jammed in the printer's lamination module.

• Open the printer's module’s front cover and remove the overlaminates.
• Clear any cards in the Lamination Module by using the Forward Arrow and/or Back Arrow buttons located on the Printer’s LCD display. The Printer’s Front Cover must be open for use of the Forward and Back buttons.
• Re-insert the overlaminate(s) and close the Lam Module’s Front Cover.
• Press the Resume button located on the Printer's LCD display to continue printing.
• To cancel the print, press the Cancel Print button from the Driver's display dialog or the
• Cancel button on the Printer's LCD display.

My ribbon keeps breaking (error #99, 108, and 109).

If your Fargo HDP 5000 is breaking ribbons, try the following:

• Run a self-test to determine if the problem comes from the printer, software or computer. To do so, press and hold the Pause button during the power-up sequence.
• Try a different ribbon.
• Calibrate the ribbon sensor.
• Update the printer driver and firmware to the latest on Fargo’s website.
• Try different cards.
• Verify that you are using the correct power supply.
• Manually clean the rollers with Fargo 82133 cleaning card.
• Lower the dye sub intensity in the print driver.

Note that you can still use a ribbon that broke by taping it back on to the take- up core.

I get a ‘Laminator Film Break/Jam’ error message.

The printer has determined that one or both overlaminate films have either jammed or broken.

• Open the Laminator Cover and remove the Laminator Cartridge(s). If overlaminate is jammed, remove jam and tighten the material
• Clear any cards in the printer by using the Forward and/or Back buttons located on the Printer's LCD display.
• Tape the ends of the overlaminate together and wind any excess onto the Take-up Spool of the Overlaminate.
• Re-install the Laminator Cartridge(s), close the Laminator Cover and press the Resume button located on the Printer's LCD display to continue printing.
• To cancel the print, press the Cancel Print button from the Driver's display dialog and the Cancel button located on the Printer's LCD display.

I get a ‘Calibrate Failed’ error message (#155 & 170).

Try the following options:

• Update your printer firmware and driver to the latest on Fargo’s website
• Try the calibration again: go to ‘Printing preferences’, click on Toolbox (Card tab), select the ‘Calibrate ribbon’ tab, and press ‘Calibrate’.
• Verify that you are using the correct Power Supply

I get a ‘Calibrate Film error message (#159).

Follow the following procedure:

• Go to ‘Printing preferences’
• Click on Toolbox (Card tab)
• Select the ‘Calibrate film’ tab
• Press ‘Calibrate’.

How do I clean the printhead?

Clean the Printhead every time the Print Ribbon is changed to maintain consistent print quality, as instructed below. This procedure should also be performed approximately every 1,000 prints in order to maintain consistent print quality.

• Remove watches, rings, bracelets and other jewelry.
• Disconnect the Printer Power Supply and if applicable the Lamination Power Supply.
• Open the front cover. Remove the Ribbon and Film Cartridges
• Use a Printhead Cleaning Swab (squeeze to saturate the tip) from the Printer Cleaning Kit to firmly wipe back and forth across the surface of the Printhead.
• Reinstall the cartridges and close the cover once the Printhead is completely dry.

How do I clean the printer and rollers?

Perform this procedure approximately every 1,000 prints to maintain a consistent print quality.

• From the HDP8500 Driver, click on the Toolbox button to bring up the Clean Printer tab.
• Remove cards, film, laminates from the printer and close the covers.
• Remove the paper back from both sides of the Cleaning Card (P/N: 082139). (Note: DO NOT remove the left liner if a Magnetic Encoding Module is installed in your printer.)
• Insert the Cleaning Card into the card hopper 2.
• Click on the Clean button. The Printer will pull in the Cleaning Card. The Printer will then perform an automated cleaning procedure. This procedure is designed to thoroughly clean the Platen and the Card Feed Rollers inside the Printer.
• Once the cleaning card is ejected, discard it and reinstall film, cards and laminates.
• You can also launch a cleaning cycle from the LCD display:
• Set up the printer as in option 1.
• From the HOME Menu
• Select the MENU SETUP icon
• Select the TOOLS icon
• Select the CLEAN PRINTER option