Printer not switching on unless fuse is flipped

[negt]

Good evening all. Despite of being utterly ignorant on the subject, I have an issue which tickled my curiosity and would like some assistance to understand.

I have a printer (although I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter what appliance it is) that, sometimes, doesn't switch on. After numerous tests, I found out that, if I take out the 13V fuse and turn it around, it does switch on.

Although my tests are not quite scientific, I tried the following:
- Changed fuse
- Switched cable with another one
- Switched mains I was testing it with
And, invariably, the behaviour is always the same: turning around the 13V fuse is the only thing that works.

Also, once the printer is on, it stays on for as long as I like.

Could anybody explain to me why this might happen?

 

[static zap]

Try doing similar actions , just don't turn fuse around .
a) Time related
b) Loose connection nearby disturbed by these actions .
Is fuse in plug ... hence cable /socket /plug all suspects
If fuse in printer ... (jostling it about disturbs it enough)
...Does sound mechanically intermittent
- a pain to find unless logical .

(could even be fuse its self - get a matching one )
( One on my old clonkers-had an exact power up sequence ,
to keep USB connection happy- Including time delays )

 

[negt]

a) Time related

sorry I don't get you

b) Loose connection nearby disturbed by these actions .

Like wires popping out of the wall?

Is fuse in plug ... hence cable /socket /plug all suspects
If fuse in printer ... (jostling it about disturbs it enough)

fuse in plug, hence why I had tried another cable and another socket - all same behaviour

No intermittent (or other) noise neither from device nor plug

 

[static zap]

Time as in ,turn off so long fiddle , back on = works.

I like IT crown ,OFF /ON again gag .

 

[Strima]

Unplug, leave it for a minute, plug back in.

 

[westward10]

It sounds like it may be a lose connection internally at the fuse carrier and pulling the fuse and reinstating it temporarily rectifies it.

 

[telectrix]

and iof the printer still won't work, there's always vistaprint.

 

[dmxtothemax]

The fault could also lie in the printers power supply,
Most printers use a SMPS these supplies use a start up circuit,
If this start up circuit is beginning to fail, then sometimes it will not
start up, quite often turning it on and off several times will start it.
your supply might be on the way out !