Unable to Print 50, not fixed

Did you have a paper jam before this happened? If yes then the paper must have pushed the encoder strip out of alignment.

hen you open the printer so that you can see the print head, move the print head with your hands, pull it to the middle. The space immediately to the front of the printer is blocked by the plastic shield. you can curl your fingers down under this shield. you will feel the encoder strip, which is about 8 mm wide, and is a plastic ribbon, or strip. It runs from left side to right side across the printer, in a vertical orientation. This is the encoder strip. Past this you can feel a longer rubber belt, which is about 3 mm wide. This is not the encoder strip, it is a belt and you don't need to be concerned with this.

Place your fingers on the encoder strip on either side of the print head, and flex it, bending it up and slightly back and then release it. Try this several times. Do this with power on. Once the encoder strip is back into it's slot the printer will start a cleaning cycle and start working.

Solution found here originally.

Hi,
I had this same problem and it is an easy fix. It is similar on all brother printers but mine was a 5860CN.

Lift the lid on your printer and at the back you can see the opening where the print head is.
With the power off, use your finger to move the print head into the middle.
Now feel under the lip of the cover at the front of the gap and you will find a plastic strip that runs from one side to the other. This is the encoding strip and it what the print head uses to read where it is. This encoding strip is easily pushed out of position when a paper jam occurs and all you need to do is to get it back into position. Using both hands use a finger on either side of the print head and lift the encoding strip upwards slightly and move slightly towards the back of the printer. This will locate it back into the correct position in the print head when you release. You can feel this with your fingers. Power back on and the problems will be gone!
Remember and be gentle so as not to damage the encoder strip!

the encoder strip is probably out of its socket. its a long mylar strip that goes from one side to the other, and goes underneath the printhead.

check to see if the encoder strip is outside of the printhead assembly.
you will need to slide the printhead al the way to the left and see if the encoder strip is in the printhead groove.

This error is usually caused by the Carriage Encoder Strip being dislodged from
the sensor mounted on the Print Head/Carriage Assembly.

Unfortunately, you will need to remove the scanner assembly, and top cover assembly to check to see if the encoder strip has come out of the printhead assembly.

the encoder strip which gives the printhead the position is out of place (error 50). You have to open the printer and reinsert the strip:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t211210-brother_mfc845cw

Stick a 1.5 inch tape onto the printhead cover where the strip runs thru. This will prevent this accident in future!

I can't find the "50" as part of the "Unable to print" error. Usually when you get "Unable to print", it means there's a torn piece of paper, paperclip, some foreign object in the machine somewhere. Check under the scanner lid and inside the machine, look thoroughly; you may find a piece of paper blocking a sensor. If the error message continues, follow these steps before disconnecting the MFC so you won't lose any important messages. Then, disconnect the MFC from the power source for several minutes (which will erase all faxes), and then reconnect it. Check whether the MFC has faxes in memory: 1. Press Menu/Set, 9, 0, 1. 2. If the MFC has no faxes, disconnect the MFC from the power source for several minutes and then reconnect it. ?OR? If faxes are present, you can transfer them to another fax machine. Go to Step 3. 3. Enter the fax number to which faxes will be forwarded. 4. Press Black Start. 5. After faxes are transferred, disconnect the MFC from the power source for several minutes and then reconnect it. You can transfer the Fax Journal report to another fax machine by pressing Menu/Set, 9, 0, 2 in Step 1. Let me know if it helps!

See picture how to do that :-)

Sure. Its a new common problem of brother printers. The paperjam lifted the encoder strip (a foil strip) out of position. The encoder strip gives positioninfo to the printhead. You have to disassemble the printer and simply fix the encoder strip in its position upon the printhead. To avoid this prob in future stick a 3cm tape with a 1cm plastic strip in the middle onto the position where the encoder strip runs thru the printhead. The plastic foil avoids a sticking contact of the encoder strip.

The CR encoder strip is not in position. Its the encoder strip which gives the printhead the position. It runs upon the printhead (a small foil strip). BTW this happens quite often because the jammed paper lifts the strip out of position. You ve to open the printer and simply put the encoder strip right into its rail between the senor upon the printhead again.