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Receipt Printer - Paper spec and Issues

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Written by Kurt Bernhard

The Laundroworks VAC (Value Add Center) Kiosk can be equipped with one of two types of receipt printers:

  1. KP-210:


    This printer stands on a base and has a chrome finish. This is used on newer VAC models.
    ​

  2. C56:


    This is a black printer mounted to the door. This is used on older systems only and is no longer available for purchase.

Printer Paper Specifications

Both the KP-210 and C56 printers use the exact same printer paper.

This paper can usually be found locally, as it's a generic thermal paper roll, where the thermal sensitive side of the paper is on the outside.

In general, you are able to use any thermal paper that has similar dimensions as the paper that comes with the new VACs; but when purchasing replacement paper, be sure to pay attention to the new rolls inner diameter, as that's usually the dimension that is hardest to match.

Provided Printer Paper specification

  • Width of paper roll: 2.25" - 2.32" (57mm - 59mm).

  • Diameter of paper roll itself: > 96mm (~3.8")

  • Thermal sensitive side: Outside

  • Paper roll inner diameter: >19mm (>~0.75")
    the paper roller rod is slightly larger than 19mm, so any paper roll you get must have an inner diameter that's larger than this (for example, the provided paper has an inner diameter of about 1"

Below are pictures showing the dimensions of the provided printer paper roll:

We recommend you get a larger roll, like in the picture above, so you don't need to replace the printer paper as often.

It is not recommended to purchases small rolls intended for small credit card terminals for this reason, as well as smaller rolls will typically have a small inner diameter which will not be big enough to fit onto the printer's paper holding roller.

Recommended Printer Paper Supplier:

If you're unable to find the correctly sized printer paper locally, you are able to purchase, the exact same printer paper rolls that are shipped with the system, from the same paper supplier we purchase the rolls from in the first place.

Below is the contact information for the paper supplier we use:

You can place your order from their main website above (curcomp.com) directly; or use their secondary ordering site below, if the main site isn't working for you.

The Part Number for the printer paper you're looking for is:

or

  • Part #: 4-T1214385 (for 4 cases of 12 rolls each) which can be ordered from their secondary order site: https://flash.curcomp.com/

If both ordering sites are not working for you, feel free to reach them via phone, or email, and place your order with them directly; they ship to all US states.

KP-210 Printer


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Installing Printer Receipt Paper

Slightly push the green tab (shown above) to the left to release the platen (the platen is the flap (flat platform) that holds the paper down).
​

Place the paper on to the printer (just before the blue slot of the printer), then push the platen back down until it clicks and locks into place:

Be sure to route the paper OVER the silver bar, you should NOT route the paper underneath the silver bar:

Note: the paper must be fed from the top side of the roll; if flipped around, the receipts will come out blank (see troubleshooting section below)

Testing the Receipt Printer

On VACs equipped with a touch screen

Trigger a test print using a Management Card

The recommended way to test a receipt printer is to trigger a test print, from the VAC's touch screen, using a Management Card.

This can only be done when a VAC is equipped with a 2nd Generation VAC Control board (which will be Black in colour):

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You are able to trigger the printer to print a test receipt when using a Management Card at the VAC:

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To trigger a test print, place any Management Card into the VAC's card holder;

this will bring up the Management Login screen, but DO NOT log in with your management card's PIN.
​

Instead, click on the System Status button on the lower right hand side of the Management Login Screen:

At the bottom of the following page, you will find a Print Test Receipt button that will trigger a test receipt to be printed:

Note: if you do NOT see the Print Test Receipt button, you either have an older VAC control board, or will need your VAC's software updated
​

Get in touch with our support team to have your VAC's software updated.

On All VAC models

Trigger a test print using the Printer buttons

On ALL VACs, you're able to trigger the printer to do a test print by using the TEST button on the side of the printer itself:

  • FEED Button:
    if you press and hold the FEED button for 2 seconds, the printer should feed about 1 inch of paper out of the printer (a quick press of this button will not trigger the printer to do anything)
    ​

  • TEST Button:
    if you press the TEST button (or press and hold this button for 2 seconds), the printer should do a test print showing some printer information and a QR code:

Re-Printing Old Receipts

If you have a customer who needs a copy of a receipt, from any previously approved credit/debit card purchase transactions; you're able to get a copy of those receipts from either the Card Tracker for that card, or from the VAC log report.

Using either the Card Tracker, or the VAC log, just locate the transaction record, for the approved credit/debit card payment processing transaction record (these transaction records will have a blue background), and you can click on the blue Tran ID number, to bring up a copy of the receipt for that transaction:​

Clicking on the blue Tran ID number, will bring up a pop up window with a copy of the receipt the VAC would've printed.
​

From here, you can click on the Print button, to either print the receipt using a printer connected to your computer (you cannot trigger the VAC to re-print this receipt directly); or you can save a copy of the receipt as a .PDF file (by clicking the Print button and selecting the printer destination as "save as PDF"). This will download a copy of the receipt to your computer, which you can then email over to the customer who requested it:

Troubleshooting

If you're having an issue with your receipt printer, first check the LaundroPortal to see if the VAC status is displaying an error related to the printer:

If an error is present, follow the troubleshooting steps for the specific printer error:

If no VAC Status error is present, follow the troubleshooting steps for the specific symptom you're experiencing:

VAC Status printer errors

VAC Status error: Printer out of order

Hardware related issue with printer

For this error, first thing to check is that the printer is powered ON.

Check the left side of the printer (when viewing it from the back) to see if any lights are ON. These printers have a Green light to indicate when it's powered ON, and a RED light to indicate if it's detecting a printer error:

If no lights are shown, check the printer's power switch to ensure it's in the ON position.

If the switch is in the ON position but still no Green light, check the printer's power cable to ensure it's fully plugged into the printer, and that it's plugged into it's power supply correctly.

Note: some printers will receive power from an external power supply, or from the VAC control board directly. For the VAC control board connection, review our VAC Control Board Connectivity article for details on where the printer's power cable should be plugged into the VAC control board.

If the printer is powered ON, but you're still seeing the out of order message, check the printer for a RED flashing error light. If present, follow the troubleshooting section for a flashing RED error light.

If the printer is powered ON, and no flashing RED error light; but the VAC still displays an out of order error;

check to ensure the VAC's Data cable is connected to the VAC control board correctly.

These printers can either use a USB data cable, or a Serial data cable; so ensure whichever data cable it's using is fully plugged in on both ends:

Once you've confirmed the type of Data cable your printer is using for communication, log into the LaundroPortal and go to the VAC configuration menu to ensure the printer setting matches the type of Data cable being used to connect the printer to the VAC control board:

If all settings are correct, the printer is powered ON, but the VAC still displays an out of order message, it is likely a hardware issue with the printer itself, and the printer would need to be replaced to correct this issue.

VAC Status error: Printer out of paper

Printer out of paper, or paper sensor issue

In most cases, you'll find the receipt printer is out of paper, and installing a new paper roll will clear this error.

However, if paper is installed while the VAC status displays this error, it either means the paper has been installed incorrectly, or the printer's paper sensor is experiencing a hardware issue.

First try reinstalling the printer paper.

If the error is still present, remove the printer paper and use compressed air to clean the area where the paper sits (under the Platen that holds the paper down):

If the error is still present after cleaning, and reinstalling the printer paper, the printer's paper sensor has suffered a hardware failure and the printer will need to be replaced to correct this issue.

VAC Status error: Printer jam

Hardware related issue with printer

In most cases, you'll find that the printer paper is bunched up inside the printer, and reinstalling the printer paper will correct this issue.

If your printer is constantly running into paper jams, it's possible something inside the VAC is disrupting the paper from rolling freely, or there's an issue with the printer itself (possible the paper cutter is not cutting receipts after they are printed, causing customers to rip the paper out and causing a jam).

If the paper cutting stops working, try cleaning the area with compressed air. If that doesn't resolve the issue, the printer itself would need to be replaced.

Printer issues by Symptom

Symptom: All Receipts are coming out blank

Check printer paper orientation

In most cases, especially if happening after a new paper roll has been installed; the issue is the paper's thermal side is upside down, resulting in all receipts being blank.

Ensure you're feeding the paper from the top side of the roll (the receipt paper only has one thermal side)


​If you've confirmed the printer paper is installed correctly; try using a different roll of paper, just incase the current roll is defective.

If you've confirmed you're using a good roll of thermal paper, or if the printer was working before, with the same paper roll; it's likely the printer has suffered a hardware issue (printer head not getting hot enough to printer) and would need to be replaced to correct this issue.

Symptom: No receipt coming out at all

hardware issue with the printer

Check the LaundroPortal for any printer related errors in the VAC status:

Following the troubleshooting steps for the specific printer error if present.

If no printer error is present, follow the steps for "VAC Status error: Printer out of order".

If the printer sounds like it's attempting to push receipts out, there may be something on the inside of the VAC cabinet that's preventing the paper roll from being feed through the printer without resistance. Check to ensure no wiring, or other components inside the VAC cabinet are contacting the paper roll while the VAC door is closed.

If the receipts print without issue while the VAC door is open, but don't print when the VAC door is closed; you most likely have something obstructing the printer paper causes excess resistance that the printer cannot overcome.

Symptom: Flashing RED Light on the physical printer

hardware issue with the printer

When the printer is powered ON (Printer's Green LED is ON), if the printer itself is detecting an error, it will flash it's RED error light in a specific pattern to indicate the type of error it's experiencing.

You can use the chart below to figure out what type of error the printer is indicating, based on the amount of times the RED light flashes before the pattern repeats:

As a general rule:

  • Flashes 3 times means you should also be getting the VAC Status error "Printer out of paper", so follow the troubleshooting steps from that section.
    ​

  • Flashes 6 times means the Platen is not fully pressed down:


    check to ensure it's fully clicked into place.

    If it is, the printer's Platen sensor has malfunctioned and the printer will need to be replaced.
    ​

  • The other 3 possible errors indicate a hardware malfunction with the printer and the printer will need to be replaced.

Symptom: Printer not working, no error codes present

hardware issue with the printer

If the printer's Green LED light is ON, and there are no flashing error codes on the printer, and no VAC Status errors;

it's recommended to first lift up the platen (the part that holds the printer paper down) and make sure the error light flashes 6 times when the platen is UP (this will confirm that the RED error light is indeed working).

If the error light is working, but does not flash when paper is installed, and there are no VAC Status errors present try using the FEED and TEST buttons, on the side of the printer, to see if it will react to either button:

You'll want to press these buttons 1 at a time, to see how the printer reacts:

  • FEED Button:
    if you press and hold the FEED button for 2 seconds, the printer should feed about 1 inch of paper out of the printer (a quick press of this button will not trigger the printer to do anything)
    ​

  • TEST Button:
    if you press the TEST button (or press and hold this button for 2 seconds), the printer should do a test print showing some printer information and a QR code:


    If the printer does not react, when either button is pressed, this usually indicates a hardware issue and the printer will need to be replaced.


​

Symptom: Printer has a blue light that flashes at the front of the VAC

printer paper sensor is detecting a phantom receipt

Under normal operation, the printer will have a flashing blue light after a receipts been printed but hasn't been picked up by the customer.

If the printer is incorrectly detecting that a receipt is still present, this blue light will remain flashing even after a receipt has been removed:

To correct this issue, first try powering the printer OFF and back ON, as that is usually sufficient to reset the printers receipt sensor and stop the light from flashing erroneously.

If it's still flashing, you'll need to uninstall the printer paper, and use compressed air to clean the area that paper sits under the printer's Platen:

Once cleaned, reinstall the printer paper, and power the printer OFF and back ON to see if that blue light has now stopped flashing.

​​

C56 Printer

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Paper specification

These printers use the same paper we recommend in the paper specification section of this article; however as an additional not when sourcing your own paper:

  • We do not recommend you use 2.25" width paper for this printer. Doing so may result in a higher likelihood of paper jams.

This paper can be ordered from Curcomp.com as well:

  • Part #: T1214385

As well as from Telpar.com:

  • ​Part#: DAS251068-4010

Feeding Paper and servicing

The paper should be fed in as shown below. The printer should automatically sense and grab the paper.

If the unit is not printing:

  • If it is producing blank receipts, make sure the that the Thermal sensitive side of the paper is on the Outside.
    ​

  • Also check for paper jams. Some jams could end up inside the main printer head.

Symptom: Paper is jamming

Pull the two blue rods to release the printer head and inspect it for jams:


Video showing how to clear the internal gears when you've experienced a paper jams:

You always want to follow the instruction in the above video if you have a C56 printer that had a paper jam.

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