Spare parts for a Hewlett Packard printer

[SteveD]

I have a Hewlett Packard Deskjet 5550 printer. Unfortunately, a small, easily accessible and replaceable plastic component has broken rendering the printer unuseable. Does anyone have any information about where I could obtain a replacement part?

The component in question is the tiny, spring-mounted piece of black plastic which pushes against a lug on the colour ink cartridge when the blue locking arm is pushed down and clicked into place.

I built it up with Araldite some time ago, but that has now failed.

It would be so easy to remove one of these silly little pieces of plastic from a "dead" printer and use it to repair mine. I'll go and look in our local recycling "dump" where they have a special container for computer stuff, but does anyone have any other ideas?

[Buenchico]

The only 'official' source would be one of the firms listed here:
http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/part_reselle rs.asp?cc=EMEA

or you might try an email to
[email protected]

However, since new printers are so cheap these days, you might find that the cost of a spare part is dearer than that of a new printer.

Chris

[ACtheTROLL]

Bue is right.

why not invest in a tube(s) of araldite ... if that won't hold .... a binbag and a letter to santa

[SteveD]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, printers are cheap but the ink isn't!

Very soon after buying a new printer you have to buy new ink cartridges and my HP printer currently has one brand new colour cartridge and one half-full black one. The little piece of plastic I need is about the size of a thumb nail and would be easy to fit.

I'd like to find an on-line exploded drawing of the ink cartridge carriage assembly of the Deskjet 5550 so that I can identify the part required and then contact HP. I suppose it's possible that they use the same assembly for more than one printer.

[Buenchico]

Does this help?
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main

Chris

[SteveD]

Thanks for the replies. I have written to HP and, while waiting for a reply, will indulge in some skip diving to see if I come across a deceased 5550 or something which has the same parts.

If I have any luck, I'll report back.

[SteveD]

They are a very friendly lot at our local dump and, of course I would ask before rummaging about in the skip. In the mean time I have received a reply from HP and, unsurprisingly, as nieldownx forsaw, they say that this is a non-user-serviceable part and invite me to select a new printer from their range.

I understand this but it is very frustrating as it would be easy to repair the printer myself if only I could get my hands on a replacement for this stupid little piece of plastic.

I'll put the printer on one side and keep looking.