Paper For HP97

[jyl]

I should be receiving my HP-97 soon. Where can I get thermal paper for it and what size/type should I be looking for? Also, if I use I on AC power, do I need to worry about the condition of the battery? Thanks, everyone.

[Randy]

Any 2-1/4" thermal paper will work in a 97. 57mm x 26 meter long rolls fit fine, if you buy longer rolls, you'll have to cut some layers off so they fit properly. Don't use old HP paper that may come with the unit as it is quite stale and will not give good print quality.

A 97 CANNOT and WILL NOT work on ac power alone. Restated: You ABSOLUTELY need a good battery for a 97 to function properly.

If your printer prints irregular length lines, it's almost always a bad battery.

If the unit has not been recently reconditioned, you're almost guaranteed to have card reader and printer problems.

[Dia C. Tran]

May be I am lucky but the 97 I got for several years doesn't have card reader problem although I had to replace the printer idler gear. I get the unit from the original owner and I know it has not been serviced. However, I believe he may not use the card reader very often.

[David Smith]

It is time, not use that kills the reader drive wheel. The polyurethane they used was unstable and reverts back to its primordial goo. It WILL need replacing.

Interestingly, it is lack of use that causes the HP97 paper feet rollers to go bad. The worst one that I have ever seen were on New-In-Box, never used machines.

[jyl]

Thanks, everyone. I will check out those possible problem spots on the machine.