If you are trying to print cards with your Evolis Pebble printer and find it not functioning properly, some setup changes or adjustments may be needed. If you notice that all the lights are on (indicator lights above the main power button/light), follow the steps below to see if the problem can be fixed.
Verify Printer Set-up:
- Make sure cards are loaded into the card hopper, the card hopper is properly fitted to the printer, and there are no obstructions in the hopper or the card input path.
- Check the card thickness gauge and set it to a value just above the thickness of your cards. (e.g. – if you use standard 30 mil cards, set the gauge lever just above 30, to approximately 32 or 33).
- Make sure you have print ribbon remaining on the current spool, and that it is loaded properly. If you are unsure about the proper fitment of the ribbon, there is a manufacturer’s sticker on the inside of the ribbon cover that depicts the proper placement.
- Verify that the USB or the network connection is firmly attached to both the printer and the host computer or network jack or switch.
- Ensure the power connectors are firmly and properly seated at each of the wall-plug, the AC/DC adapter, and the printer. While doing so, also verify you have the correct power adapter – Evolis original-equipment AC/DC adapters are branded as either “Evolis” or “SwitchBox”, and have output power of 72w (24v @ 3A).
Verify Computer Set-up:
- Open the Windows “Devices and Printers” view (“Printers and Faxes” if Windows XP). You can find this link from Windows Control Panel.
- See if you have just one, or multiple instances of the Pebble printer listed (e.g. – “Evolis Pebble”, “Evolis Pebble (Copy 1)”, etc.). If multiple instances exist, the ones that are “greyed out” can and should be removed sequentially by right-clicking on each icon, then selecting “Remove this Device”. You should then be left with just one, functional instance of the printer/driver.
- Disconnect the power to the printer, or power off with a 2 second push of the printer power button.
- Clear the Windows print queue by right-clicking on the Evolis Pebble printer and selecting “See What’s Printing”. When the print queue view opens, if any pending or in-process print jobs are present, click “Printer” on the menu bar, and then click “Cancel All Documents”. Verify with “OK” if requested. Wait for all jobs to clear before closing the queue view.
- Determine which ribbon is in the printer and ensure the Windows print-driver is set for use of this ribbon type as follows:
- Locate then right-click on your Evolis Pebble printer, then select “Printing preferences”.
- Near the top of the “Graphics” tab, you will see a ribbon designation, and a drop-down box that allows you to set the ribbon type manually. Ensure this setting matches the ribbon you have loaded in the printer. The most common settings will be the R3011 ribbon, when printing full-color cards, or R2011 when printing black-only, monochrome cards.
- Reconnect or power-up the Pebble printer again.
Confirm the Results:
- Once again open the Windows “Devices and Printers” view (“Printers and Faxes” if Windows XP).
- Locate the Pebble printer, then right click on it and select “Printing Preferences”.
- Select the “Tools” tab, then click the “Test Card” button on the top-left of the screen.
- If a test card prints normally, you have verified that the printer is set up properly, and that Windows has been set up properly as well.
Verify the Software Set-up:
There are a variety of card-printer software packages available, so our advice here is limited and generic:
- Open the software program you use for card-printing;
- In your printer settings, ensure that you are directing card output to the Evolis Pebble printer;
- Verify that any document or page set-up options, including portrait/landscape orientation, margins, paper (card) size, and range / record selections have been made properly.
- If one card template or file is causing issues, try another to see if it works. If one works, but another does not, your problem is with the setup options of the non-working card file.
Following the steps above will usually resolve a Pebble printer issue when all the lights are on, If the problem persists, additional steps may be needed to reset the printer. Evolis printers purchased from Safe-Card ID come with free telephone technical support for the life of the printer. If you are such a client and need personalized assistance, we’d be happy to help you! Contact us toll-free at +1 888.485.4696, and have your customer or invoice number handy, along with the printer serial number for fastest service.
Hi Mattias – when the Evolis Pebble4 ribbon light is illuminated and steady, it’s generally one of just a few potential issues:
1. The most basic and simple reason is that no ribbon is present, the end of the ribbon has been reached, or the ribbon is incorrectly inserted (observe the threading instructions visible on the underside of the ribbon cover when it is raised);
2. The next most likely is that the ribbon setting in the driver does not match the ribbon that is inserted in the printer. Check this by navigating to the Windows printer-center (Control Panel, then ‘Printers and Faxes’ if WinXP; ‘Devices and Printers’ if Win7; ‘Settings’, then ‘Devices and Printers’ if Win8.1. Find the Evolis Pebble4 in your list of devices, the right-click with your mouse, and select ‘Printing Preferences’. Then select the ‘Graphics’ tab. Ensure that the ribbon selected matches the ribbon you’re using. NOTE – if using Win7 or Win8.1, you will need Windows administrator privileges to effect any change on this screen.
3. If the issue persists, clear the job-queue and reset the printer (disconnect, then reconnect the power). You can clear the queue by double-clicking on the printer in the Windows printer-center, then selecting ‘Printer’, and ‘Cancel All Documents’. Once cleared, and the printer has been reset, you can send a test card from the printer-driver direct to the printer to ensure it is functioning properly. If the driver’s test card works, try again with the program you are attempting to print cards from. If still not working properly, clear the queue once again, and then carefully check the settings in your software to ensure it is calling for the ribbon that is installed.
4. The other possibilities that can cause this error are a bad ribbon sensor in the printer, a bad RFID chip on the ribbon hub, or a ribbon that is not a genuine Evolis ribbon.
Good luck, and let us know if we can help!
Hi I got problem with my Evolis Pebble 4 the ribbon light is on all the time I cant print. Do you have any advice you can provide me to do to make it work?
Regards Mattias Shaffi