Postage Meters - Top Tips For Troubleshooting And Fixing Basic Problems
Postage meters are a great help to small businesses as it helps them optimize their mailing systems and save on expenses, time, and resources by avoiding trips to the post office. Postage meters, like any other machine can develop problems or even break down. While federal regulations mandate the troubleshooting of postage meters by authorized suppliers and technicians only, straightforward problems can be corrected by you only.
This article discusses some of the most common problems seen with postage meters and how to remedy them. We take the example of Pitney Bowes, the largest provider of postage meters in the market.
Display not turning on
If the display of the postage meter is not switching on, check if the:
* unit is plugged in correctly
* batteries are installed correctly
* postage meter is in sleep mode
You can verify the postage meter is in sleep mode by checking the indicator light. It will be yellow. Hit any button to bring the postage meter to active mode again.
Display is on but not showing any text
If you cannot see any text on the display screen, you should check the contrast. From the main menu on the postage meter select Options, and then select Adjust the contrast. Scroll up or down to set the contrast for better visibility.
Unable to print
If the postage meter is unable to print properly, check if:
* the printing deck is not jammed. If it is, follow the instructions in the accompanying manual to clear it.
* the printer cartridge needs replacement. To do that, you have to open the cartridge guard, pull out the old cartridge, and slide in the new one.
Print quality is poor
If the printer is working but the quality is bad, you should again check the cartridge is not empty or dried up. If that is not the case, you should purge the nozzles of the printer. This can be done by going to the Main Menu and selecting Options. Then, under Advanced Features, go to Maintenance Mode. Here, select the Printer Maintenance menu option. Finally, select the option Purge to clean out the printer nozzles.
Issues with connectivity
Sometimes the postage meter may be unable to connect to the Data Center and print out postage. This can be a connectivity issue. Check the phone line is functioning and you have access to the online service. If you rely on a DSL connection, you might need to install a filter between the wall unit and the phone line.
Software related issues
You may be using a software based postage meter solution wherein you manage your mailing system settings. In case of any divergence from expected results, verify the configurations in the Internet Settings option in the Data Center. You can try reverting to the default settings and reset your options from scratch.
These easy tips can help you out with simple problems that you encounter with your postage meter. This saves you from relying on a technician for small problems. Technicians should only handle issues that you cannot troubleshoot yourself.
About the Author:
Daljeet Sidhu. Read postage machines and postage meter blog. Compare postage meters quotes.
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