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Posted on Mar 07, 2008
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Brother MFC-820CW Unable to print. The following error message appears on printer display Unable to print Machine Error : 46 Can anyone advise how to rectify the problem please. Many thanks Kelvyn

  • kelvyn506N Mar 07, 2008

    Thank you for responding.

    Followed the instructions but no joy when I get to 6.
    6) Press the 9 key twice to return to the standby state.

    After I have pressed the 9 key twice the screen shows Machine Error46 but remains in the maintenance mode.

    Any other suggestions please.

  • kelvyn506N Mar 07, 2008

    I have followed previous suggestions regarding the Machine Error : 46 message on my Brother MFC - 820Cw Fax/Printer but the error message remains and I am still unable to use the machine.Has anyone else any suggestions?The ink reservoirs do not appear to be flooded.

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5 Answers

Ginko

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  • Posted on Mar 07, 2008
Ginko
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You can refuse the solution times and times again but machine error 46 is waste ink full, you have to do waste counter reset !! that is all
Here is general procedure for brother mfc printers, I assume it works on yours one as well, as I didnt find specific service manual for your machine;

1. press the Menu & Mono start keys. next press the up arrow key 4 times to make the machine enter the maintenance mode.

2. Enter 8 & 0 by using the up arrow key & SET keys.

3. press the mono start key several times untill the purge count appears on the LCD.

4. enter 2 7 8 & 3 by using the up arrow key & set keys to reset the purge count to zero

5. press the stop/exit key to return to the initial stage of the maintanance mode.

6. enter 9 twice by using the up arrow & set key's to exit from maintenance mode.

If it did not work there are 2 possibilities
1)you did procedure wrong, then did it again

2) You really need to empty your waste tank and eventually replace sponge , do it

You can refuse this answer but if you get error 46 on a brother, no mistakes, this is the case, waste tank ink

regards

  • 1 more comment 
  • Ginko
    Ginko Mar 07, 2008

    The procedure above may be slightly different to the one for your model. Follow procedure at page 4-21 of following manual. It will work. After you reset machine you may need to change your firewall settings, as machine IP will change

  • Ginko
    Ginko Mar 07, 2008

    Here is alternative reset procedure, this worked for mfc8500. Press function, *, 2,8,6,4 all within 2 seconds to place the machine into the maintanence mode. Press 0,1 to perform a parameter reset. this will restore the machine to factory default settings. press 9,9 to exit maint mode.



    In any case all you need is doing reset factory for your model. There is no service manual for 820c online, therefore I am not sure on which one is the right procedure for your machine. Try the one above



    regards

  • Ginko
    Ginko Mar 07, 2008

    The following procedure works on some brother mfc as well. Give it a try:



    1) Unplug machine.
    2) Hold down menu key. Plug in machine.
    3) Release menu key.
    4) Enter 91
    5) Enter 99
    6) Machine will warm up.

    it is a reset procedure, it works on all intellifax, mfc9700 and many other models.



    regards

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  • Posted on Mar 07, 2008
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  • Anonymous Mar 07, 2008

    1) Enter machine maintenance mode (on MFC210C all four
    photo/copy/fax/scan lights flash in maintenance mode). Care is needed
    in maintenance mode, otherwise critical settings may be inadvertently
    corrupted.

    FAX models with numerical keypads: Press the
    Menu/Set, *, 2, 8, 6 and 4 keys within two seconds. (if you fail to
    complete the correct key sequence within two seconds, press the Stop
    key to try again).

    Other (non-FAX) models: Press the Menu/Set
    and Black Start keys. Next press the “up arrow” key four times to enter
    the maintenance mode).

    2) Press the 8 then 0 keys in the initial
    stage of the maintenance mode to call up the machine's log information
    list (function code 80).

    3) Press the Black Start key several
    times to scroll through the log information list to reach the purge
    counter. The purge counter is the 25th item in the list.

    4) Press the 2, 7, 8, and 3 keys in this order to reset the purge count to zero.

    5) Press the Stop/Exit key to return to the initial stage of the maintenance mode.

    6) Press the 9 key twice to return to the standby state.

    thank you good luck

    dont forget to rate the solutions

  • Anonymous Oct 12, 2011

    Excellent this has worked on my MFC-820CW. Great work thanks.

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  • Posted on Mar 07, 2008
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Machine Error 46 – Purged Ink Box Full MFC620CN/420CN/410CN/210C and FAX2440C

The machine counts all purge (cleaning) operations in order to prevent the internal ink absorber box from overflowing with purged ink. An “initial purge”, for example, advances the purge counter by 187 + 420 = 607. When the purge counter approaches 6400, an internal "Machine Error 46" is generated. Further purge operations are prohibited, and therefore the printer becomes unuseable.

When an internal Machine Error 46 is generated, the user will see an “Unable to Clean” external message and will be unable to use the printer. The “Unable to Clean” external message can relate to many different internal error codes however.

The user can establish the internal Machine Error Code as follows: pull the mains cable out of the machine (power off), hold down the Menu/Set key, re-insert the mains cable into the machine (power on). The internal Machine Error Code will be displayed.

If there is a Machine Error 46, it is necessary to dismantle the printer, replace the ink absorber box (or possibly break the ink absorber box open and clean its absorbent sponges under a tap), re-assemble the printer and reset the purge counter to zero.


Resetting purge counter MFC620CN/420CN/410CN/210C and FAX2440C

1) Enter machine maintenance mode (on MFC210C all four photo/copy/fax/scan lights flash in maintenance mode). Care is needed in maintenance mode, otherwise critical settings may be inadvertently corrupted.

FAX models with numerical keypads: Press the Menu/Set, *, 2, 8, 6 and 4 keys within two seconds. (if you fail to complete the correct key sequence within two seconds, press the Stop key to try again).

Other (non-FAX) models: Press the Menu/Set and Black Start keys. Next press the “up arrow” key four times to enter the maintenance mode).

2) Press the 8 then 0 keys in the initial stage of the maintenance mode to call up the machine's log information list (function code 80).

3) Press the Black Start key several times to scroll through the log information list to reach the purge counter. The purge counter is the 25th item in the list.

4) Press the 2, 7, 8, and 3 keys in this order to reset the purge count to zero.

5) Press the Stop/Exit key to return to the initial stage of the maintenance mode.

6) Press the 9 key twice to return to the standby state.

Carry on printing !!

Damen Wong

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  • Posted on Mar 07, 2008
Damen Wong
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Hi,

Did you try disconnecting the printer from both the power and Pc overnight? Also, take out the cartridges. Then the following day reconnect everything and insert the cartridges. This might solve your problem. Let me know how it goes.

Anonymous

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  • Master 1,512 Answers
  • Posted on Mar 07, 2008
Anonymous
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Hi there

You need to reset the purge counter

Go to this FixYa solution for a cure for your error 46

cheers

regards
Graeme

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