Today we’re going to be setting up an Epson Ecotank printer. I’ll also be sharing three of my favorite tips for doing so. The first step we will take is to fill up the tank. If you buy third-party ink bottles, that’s okay, but you’ll find that they fill the tank really slowly. This is because the bottles are designed to be upright, but the third-party models have to be compatible with many models. To achieve this, they make the holder thinner, making it so it can’t hold its position.

All of this means that we will need something to push the bottle down, while also maintaining its upright position. I usually use a set of pliers for this, and just set them on top of the bottle(s). If the bottle is still pouring out too slowly, you can try taking it out, turning it 180 degrees, and putting it back.

This issue and solution only apply to third-party bottles. If you buy Epson bottles, this won’t be a problem for you. If you use Epson bottles, you’ll notice that there’s always a little bit of ink left in the bottle after you fill the tank. I’ll also briefly explain how to use those last few drops.

After filling all four tanks, you will need to initialize the printer. Epson will prompt you to hold down the question mark button for five seconds, then push start. Doing so will suck ink into the printer. That will, therefore, leave more space in the ink tank for you to fit in those last few drops.

Once the initialization is complete, you should always make an adjustment to print out another ink check. Nine out of ten times, you’ll get a perfect nozzle check and be able to start using the printer. The yellow lines will be pretty light, so always make sure to check that they’re visible on the paper.

If the first printout is not perfect, that doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. Try printing out a second test page before you get too worried. If there are still missing spots on the printed page, pay attention to whether or not the missing pixels are moving around or remaining in the same place.

Do a few more cleanings and continue checking the number and locations of the missing spots. When the spots are moving around, keep running the program until it comes out perfect. Chances are, they’re just air bubbles in the ink coming out when it tries to print. After you run enough cleanings, it should stop happening. I don’t recommend doing more than four cleanings.

If you find that you have a case where the missing pixels are not moving around, do not keep cleaning and cleaning it repeatedly. Air bubbles do not cause those kinds of missing pixels. They are caused by the solution that Epson puts in the printer for transport.

If you keep cleaning it too much, the Epson system will determine that you have a malfunctioning printer, even if that isn’t the case. That will only cause you more trouble than you already have. All you need to do in this situation is leave the printer untouched for 12 hours, then try again. The transport solution should dissolve into the ink by that time. If the problem is not resolved, repeat the process until it is.

We hope you found this blog useful! Visit BCH Technologies online or at our location in Greensboro, North Carolina for more great advice for fixing and maintaining your printers. Cheers!