HP Customer Service Sucks!

I'm looking for the part 8121-0517

HP didn't know what part number it was! I told them the printer type and they still didn't know. Two hours later, they have it.

I've just got off of chat with a guy called 'Nate' (foreboding). Apparently the part is out of production in the UK and USA even though the printer was bought 6 months ago! [The chat was on a company website btw lol not random]

Printer parts must go obsolete fast. So anyway this is a rant at HP and also asking where I could possibly get the part from. Its a power cord.

The problem we're having is when we plug a power cord in only the LCD screen comes on then goes off as though there isn't enough power to power the parts (fax, scanner etc). Is that the right diagnosis? Wrong power cord...

Nate said he would try and source me one but could take a few days
Its ridiculous!

Sounds like you have a multi-function printer/fax/scanner/copier. I had a similiar problem and it ended up being the internal power supply, not the cord. If you still need the cord, try this website:

Hewlett Packard (HP) Part Number 81210517: PC / Server Power Cords Part Numbers

HP usually makes good printers, but I have sinced swithed to using a Brother mutifunction printer and it has been working for several years without a problem.

Good luck.

Well if you're using the power cord that came with the printer then it's not the wrong one. Again if it powers up at all then it's very unlikely to be the power cord.

As CJR says, it sounds more like an internal fault or the power brick if there is one.

Thanks. It doesn't appear on that site though. What complicates matters further is I need a site that delivers to the UK as well.

I guess we can try the power cord since they're quite inexpensive (compared to a new printer), its just a matter of finding one.

We recently moved offices so I thought maybe it got damaged in transit but we have lost the power cord as well. Which is grey. And we have no grey power cords. Just about fifty black ones

PS we have been trying loads of different black power cords. But since the specification says the product's cord is flint/gray I think we're not using the right lead.

PPS the LCD screen comes on for about 30 seconds and you hear the parts moving and everything trying to turn on. Gets quite noisy but its always been a noisy printer

Again, if it powers up then it's not the cord per se...i.e. power is getting to it. Either insufficient power is getting to it which suggests the power brick (if there is one) isn't putting out enough or the internal power transformer isn't putting out enough power or there is another problem.

I did have one of these multifunction printers and as I recall it had a strange bespoke connector with three sockets on, is that true with this one as well?

This is a three pin male connector on the printer, and uses the type of cable used to power Desktop PC's etc although it is a different specification/output to those.

How much is it to repair the PSU or power brick? Or even to make sure they are the fault? I'm hoping its the power lead and thinking the current leads we have aren't powerful enough to supply a fax, printer, scanner and copier all at the same time.

They are standard IEC connectors, commonly called kettle connectors. If that's supplying power then it's working end of story. I'm not sure what you mean by different spec/output - all they do is carry current.

Leads.

Usually that connects into the power brick which then outputs a lower voltage (12v maybe) to the printer via a figure 8 or in my case a custom lead. Without the model I'm just guessing here of course. Sometimes they will connect directly to the printer but not usually on the domestic MFDs.

Look at the power output and see if you can find one that supplies the same basic output. Getting it repaired is probably a non started. There's a fair degree of tolerance on these things and so long as it's close it should be fine (within 10%).

You're not having a good time with technology lately, are you!

No, technology doesn't like me!

18AWG is the output, I typed it in but nothing came up.

AWG=American Wire Gauge:

Conversions to metric.

"AWG: In the American Wire Gauge (AWG), diameters can be calculated by applying the formula D(AWG)=.005·92((36-AWG)/39) inch. For the 00, 000, 0000 etc. gauges you use -1, -2, -3, which makes more sense mathematically than "double nought." This means that in American wire gage every 6 gauge decrease gives a doubling of the wire diameter, and every 3 gauge decrease doubles the wire cross sectional area. Similar to dB in signal and power levels."

AWG is not so much a measure of output but of capacity limits (based on wire cross-section). 18 AWG is fine for use in a MFD at 240v.

Load Limits. (scroll down)

Sorry I can't help technically, but I will agree about HP customer service. It sucks!

I am find that most major companies are "outsourcing" their customer support and it's getting to the point that I hate calling for assistance.
Sometime I have to stay on the line for 15-20 minutes (unless I happen to get cut off) and once someone does come on the line, I can't understand their language.

Luckily they weren't outsourcing, but I rang up five times and it was the same girl FOUR times! So maybe they don't have many staff

Also they have the WORST 'hold music' ever...American stuff that I forget the name of...*shudder*

Consumer customer service for most large companies sucks, HP is no exception.

I am an HP business customer and there's a noticeable difference, though I seldom have call to use it when I do I find it OK.

Yes good point. I have a hard time understanding them and they often get rude.

I disagree, the last time I contacted them they were very helpful and they fixed something for free that really was not their problem.

While English is their second language (most of the time) I found that outsourced departments pick up faster and are great at handling the more simple issues with anything, when you get into problems that are unusual they may have some problems, but that is the result of poor training not the fact they are outsourced, the same thing happens here in the U.S. if the representatives are not trained but just handed a script to go by.

Uncut you make the comment they are "rude" but I believe (and from experience) that when a customer gets confused/does not understand/frustrated they begin to get more demanding and consequently rude, hence the representative also becomes rude. The next call after that the representative is normally still quite irritated and may continue to be "rude" and that may just be a natural response less a problem with a outsourced departments. Another problem is that outsourced representatives may be required to go in a certain order to do things, and if customers disagree it may be quite heated, again its not the representatives fault, the company who hired them has forced this as a requirement of their job.

Most of the problems are from a companies lack of training and stupid requirements placed on them (sometimes due to a lack of training), not the fault of outsourcing.

Robert (Customer Service Tech)

Edit- May I also note that on a day too day basis I deal with 3-4 outsourced companies and 3-4 U.S. companies. Outsourced companies are the nicer ones, while calls to them take a bit more time, I get through to them faster. The U.S. companies I end up on hold a lot longer though they normal solve the problem faster, in my experience the American techs are much more unmotivated and rude (Especially Verizon)