HP Color LaserJet CP3525 is a photocopier-style printer that specializes in quick printing even in duplex and produces good professional-looking text prints and images. It’s a nice printer for school and business that needs a lot of printing. However, a single HP 504A toner meant for the CP3525 is pretty expensive, and switching out all cartridges can net you up to $500! Meanwhile, you can get aftermarket HP 504A compatible cartridges for as low as $40 each. Buying a set of compatible colored and black cartridges is a much better deal.
While most people are hesitant to buy compatible cartridges, you’ll be surprised how well they work if they are correctly installed. Of course, there must be no damage to the cartridge in the first place. To ensure that you receive the best products only, always look at reviews of the item or the shop before ordering. Laser Tek Services offers great toner cartridge replacements that can help you keep printing with the same quality and yield as OEM cartridges but for a fraction of the price! Items are backed by a money-back guarantee, and you can always rely on the support team for any issues you may face.
With that said, the following are possible solutions to compatible cartridge-related problems you may be experiencing with your HP LaserJet CP3525.
The printer cannot detect the toner cartridge.
Many users often neglect the possibility that the cartridge may not be installed or aligned correctly in the printer. This will cause the printer to not recognize that you have switched to a new cartridge. Sometimes, simply reinserting the cartridge can help way more.
To correctly install CP3525 compatible 504A cartridges, follow the steps below:
1. Plug up your printer and power it on.
2. Open the front access panel of the printer.
3. Pull out the used cartridge.
4. Place the cartridge somewhere safe. You may give it to a local supplies store that offers recycling programs.
5. Get your new compatible toner cartridge and rock it back and forth to redistribute the toner. You may have to do this a few times.
6. Remove the protective cover from the cartridge. Once the cover has been removed, avoid prolonged exposure to light, and do not touch the green roller to avoid damaging the cartridge.
7. Push the toner cartridge into place. Make sure to insert the color cartridge into the correct slot.
8. Close the panel.
There’s also another process you may try to get your printer to recognize the cartridge, though it’s a bit lengthier and may take up your time.
1. Plug up your printer and power it on.
2. Open the front access panel of the printer.
3. Pull out the used cartridge.
4. Place the cartridge somewhere safe. You may give it to a local supplies store that offers recycling programs.
5. Get your new compatible toner cartridge and rock it back and forth to redistribute the toner. You may have to do this a few times.
6. Remove the protective cover from the cartridge. Once the cover has been removed, avoid prolonged exposure to light, and do not touch the green roller to avoid damaging the cartridge.
7. Push the toner cartridge into place. Make sure to insert the color cartridge into the correct slot.
8. Power off your printer and wait for 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Insert the next compatible cartridge.
10. Repeat steps 8 and 9 as necessary.
11. Close the panel.
The panel also won’t close properly if the cartridges have not been slotted correctly. Make sure that the cartridges have clicked into their rightful places.
The print quality is not very good.
A noisy printer that makes squeaky sounds while printing could be indicative of an issue with the transfer belt on your HP CP3525. But what does this have to do with print quality?
Your printer’s transfer belt allows the toner to stick to the paper or “transfer” the toner to the paper. If it isn’t working well, nothing might stick to the paper at all after passing through the printer, or you might get messy prints. Whenever you switch cartridges, it is a good practice to clean parts of your printer including the transfer roller and belt. Maintaining your printer can bring you a long way and do so makes sure your printer experience remains the same as when you just bought your printer.
You might also have to look at other cleaning mechanisms that your HP CP3525 has, such as the toner collection unit where excess toner is stored. Over time, the toner collection tank will get full and the printer will prompt you to replace it. This could be difficult as the CP3525 has already been discontinued, but cleaning it should do the trick.
Check and clean the toner collection
First and foremost, make sure you have a clean working space to clean your printer. Prepare sheets of used paper to make cleaning toner up easier.
1. Open the front access panel of the printer.
2. Gently take out the toner tank on the left corner of the printer.
3. Partly close the printer or move somewhere else to avoid getting toner into the printer.
4. Notice the hole in the toner collection tank. Move it towards a container or plastic bag and tap the container to transfer the toner. Wear gloves and a mask to avoid inhaling the powder. When moving locations, cover the hole with paper.
5. Seal the container with the waste toner and dispose of it.
6. Put back the toner collection tank.
Clean the transfer roller
1. Open the access panel on the side of the printer.
2. There should be a blue lever on the left that allows you to lower the transfer assembly.
3. Push the pin on the release-lever side of the assembly toward the inside of the product to release it, and then lift the assembly.
4. Remove the transfer assembly by grasping the sides.
5. Take out the transfer roller by holding the pins at the sides and lifting it. Do not touch the roller itself as oils from your skin may cause issues when printing.
6. Gently wipe the roller with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Allow it to dry.
7. Put back the transfer roller into the assembly. Make sure the pins on the shaft collars align with the holes on the mounting assembly.
8. Put back the transfer assembly. Press and hold down the blue lever as you reinstall it.
Clean the transfer belt
1. Open the access panel on the side of the printer.
2. There should be a blue lever on the left that allows you to lower the transfer assembly.
3. Once the transfer assembly has been lowered, you will see the transfer belt. 4. Grasp the handles and pull them out until two large handles expand along the right- and left side of the transfer belt.
5. Grasp the handles and pull out the transfer belt. Be careful that you don’t touch the black plastic belt as oils from your skin may cause issues when printing.
6. Place the transfer belt on a flat surface.
7. Gently wipe the plastic belt with linen-free cloth and isopropyl alcohol. Be careful as a broken belt cannot be fixed and must be replaced. Let it dry.
8. Put back the transfer belt into the printer as well as the transfer assembly.
9. Close the access panel.
Final thoughts
Although the HP Color LaserJet CP3525 has been discontinued, you can still find compatible cartridges in the market. Be sure to check if your cartridge is truly the problem before buying a new one as it might just be a matter of cleaning your printer. Maintenance and cleaning can solve many toner issues. So before you throw away the cartridge, try some of these methods first! When in doubt, reach out to the cartridge remanufacturer's customer support for help. Laser Tek always aims to provide the best for its customers!
