Troubleshooting Cyan Ink Issues on Epson ET-8550 Printer

Question: My new Epson ET-8550 printer isn't printing cyan. I have not been able to use my printer at all. When I first set it up and did a nozzle check, the cyan was there. However, after another nozzle check, the cyan ink stopped appearing entirely. What could be the issue?

Answer:

Thank you for reaching out to us at BCH Technologies. We greatly appreciate your engagement and support, especially regarding our YouTube channel BCH Technologies on YouTube. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us enhance our technical expertise.

Given your description, there are several steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve the cyan ink issue with your Epson ET-8550 printer:

1. Contact Epson Support: Since your printer is new, your first step should be to contact Epson's support line at 1 (800) 463-7766. They can provide specific guidance and support for your new printer.
2. Inspect the Cyan Damper: From the picture you sent, it appears that the cyan damper is not filled with ink. This damper should be filled after the printer's initialization. Check the tubing for any constraints that might be blocking the ink flow.
3. Check Damper and Printhead Carriage Contact: It’s possible that the damper doesn’t have good contact with the printhead carriage. If the seal isn't tight, air can leak in, preventing the damper from drawing ink properly. This model is known for having this problem. You can use a product like Silicone Washer Gasket Seal Pad for Epson ET-8550 to improve the seal.
4. Manually Fill the Dampers: You can try to manually fill the dampers by parking the printhead at the capping station and drawing ink from the waste tube. Since your printer can print with a small amount of cyan ink, it indicates that the printhead is likely fine. The main issue seems to be with the ink supply.

Addressing printer issues can be complicated due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility. Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. So, it might take a few weeks before we can get your printer to drop it off or mail it to us. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed if you opt for mail-in or local drop-off services. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage. Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be most efficient. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thank you once again for contacting us. We hope these steps help resolve the issue with your Epson ET-8550 printer. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out.