Got a little-used Canon MF4150 laser all-in-one that has worked fine for
16 years but has just started double feeding paper.

It picks up and starts to feed the first sheet--then a half-second
later, pulls a second sheet which causes a jam and error light coming on.

Tried several different kinds of fresh 20 pound paper fanned and stacked
properly, pickup roller is clean, everything looks ok.

Printer works fine if I only load a single sheet in either the main
paper bin or the single sheet feed slot.

Wade,

When this same problem started happening on my HP LaserJet 4050TN, it
turned out that the solenoid in the paper feed mechanism was 'sticking'.

This is usually because they put a piece of adhesive felt on the 'arm'
that is attached to the solenoid to cut down on clicking noise.

After a number of years, the felt wears away and the sticky adhesive
remains. The solenoid will activate to allow a sheet to feed, but when
it is deactivated the adhesive causes the arm to stick a while before it
returns and another sheet is feed before its time.

The solution was to remove the solenoid and clean off the adhesive.
Replacing the adhesive felt is optional.

If you are reasonably mechanical, I imagine you can do this, IF it turns
out to be the problem.

Good luck.

Hugh Hood

On 7/4/2022 8:34 AM, Wade Garrett wrote:
> Got a little-used Canon MF4150 laser all-in-one that has worked fine for
> 16 years but has just started double feeding paper.
>
> It picks up and starts to feed the first sheet--then a half-second
> later, pulls a second sheet which causes a jam and error light coming on.
>
> Tried several different kinds of fresh 20 pound paper fanned and stacked
> properly, pickup roller is clean, everything looks ok.
>
> Printer works fine if I only load a single sheet in either the main
> paper bin or the single sheet feed slot.
>

On 7/5/22 12:04 AM, Hugh Hood wrote:
> Wade,
>
> When this same problem started happening on my HP LaserJet 4050TN, it
> turned out that the solenoid in the paper feed mechanism was 'sticking'.
>
> This is usually because they put a piece of adhesive felt on the 'arm'
> that is attached to the solenoid to cut down on clicking noise.
>
> After a number of years, the felt wears away and the sticky adhesive
> remains. The solenoid will activate to allow a sheet to feed, but when
> it is deactivated the adhesive causes the arm to stick a while before it
> returns and another sheet is feed before its time.
>
> The solution was to remove the solenoid and clean off the adhesive.
> Replacing the adhesive felt is optional.
>
> If you are reasonably mechanical, I imagine you can do this, IF it turns
> out to be the problem.
>
> Good luck.
>
>
>
>
> Hugh Hood
>
>
> On 7/4/2022 8:34 AM, Wade Garrett wrote:
>> Got a little-used Canon MF4150 laser all-in-one that has worked fine for
>> 16 years but has just started double feeding paper.
>>
>> It picks up and starts to feed the first sheet--then a half-second
>> later, pulls a second sheet which causes a jam and error light coming on.
>>
>> Tried several different kinds of fresh 20 pound paper fanned and stacked
>> properly, pickup roller is clean, everything looks ok.
>>
>> Printer works fine if I only load a single sheet in either the main
>> paper bin or the single sheet feed slot.
>>
>
Hugh, thanks. I'll take a look...but I have a feeling that degree of
disassembly is probably above my pay grade and I'd end up with a
workbench full of printer parts.

The machine is actually a spare and used only occasionally by my wife to
make copies. She said she doesn't mind the single sheet feed-- so it
might be better to just leave well enough alone!

I took the machine out of service several years ago because Canon
stopped updating the drivers for it and I couldn't use it any longer
with the then-just-updated Mac operating system. Interestingly, I
noticed that Canon now has issued drivers for the current Mac OS on
their website.

I was ticked off back then when they obsoleted a perfectly running
machine and I complained to their customer no service department and
escalated the call. The "supervisor" said I needed to buy a new
printer...and I said I would-- but sure as hell not a Canon ;-)