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Epson L1800 Motherboard Changed, No Ink Ejected Troubleshooting
- By Kevin Day
- On Jan 30, 2025
- Comment 0
Question:
We had a problem where the motherboard on our Epson L1800 printer was blown, and the F1 fuse was blown. We replaced the mainboard, the printhead, the printhead ribbon cables, and the waste capping station. The printer runs cleaning cycles and spits ink into the waste capping station, but it will not print when commanded — no ink is ejected. There is also no LED activity on the breakout board that connects the printhead to the motherboard. What is the possible problem?
Answer: Thank you for your question! (Then you also know there can be silence just because and at least that much upon a possibly late response is made both) I am sorry it took me so long to get back to you. Printer difficulties are always trying, and I appreciate your patience. From all of us here at BCH Technologies (https://bchtechnologies.com), thank you for your likes and subscribes, especially over at our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your comments help us improve our technical skills even further.
So, below, we will go through the steps to solve your Epson L1800 printer problem.
Symptoms of the Issue
- Cleaning cycles work fine on the printer.
- The excess moisture is sucked back into the waste capping station.
- Print jobs are not emitting any ink.
- This is an L1800 motherboard converted into an L805 by using a breakout board.
- No activity on breakout board LEDs (but this may not indicate failure)
Possible Causes and Solutions
Electrical Issues: F1 Fuse and Printer Driver Chip Failure
Since the original motherboard was fried and kept blowing the F1 fuse, potential issues include:
- The new motherboard’s F1 fuse may have blown again.
- The printer driver chip (MOSFET or transistor switch) responsible for printhead operation may have failed.
How to Check the F1 Fuse:
- Find the F1 fuse on the motherboard (at the printhead ribbon cable slot).
- Use a multimeter in continuity mode:
- When you put a probe on each end of the fuse, if it beeps, the fuse is good.
- There is no continuity; the fuse has blown and needs replacing.
- Please check if it continues blowing the fuse for shorted ribbon cables, breakout boards, or printheads.
Printer Driver Chip Failure:
- A driver chip is used to control power on the printhead.
- It can signal the printer if compromised but will not provide enough power to trigger the nozzles.
- You might need to repair or replace the motherboard if it is a faulty chip.
Compatibility Issues Between the Breakout Board and Printheads
Input signal converter between L1800 motherboard and L805 printhead. If it doesn't, the printer will not shoot ink.
Potential Issues:
- Power Supply Issue: Some breakout boards need an external voltage source.
- Faulty Ribbon Cable Connection: Loose or damaged cables can prevent signals from reaching the printhead.
- Signal Conversion Issues: If the breakout board is faulty or incompatible, printhead firing signals won’t be transmitted properly.
Troubleshooting Steps:
- Please ensure all ribbon cables on the breakout board and printhead are correctly seated.
- Test another known-good set of ribbon cables.
- Measure voltage output at the printhead connection using a multimeter on the breakout board.
- Test the setup with another L805 printhead to confirm/ensure it is not a printhead failure.
Problems in Printhead Power and Signals Transmission
The printhead needs a specific voltage applied so that it fires nozzles. If the cleaning cycle is functional, the printhead is probably physically functioning but not firing.
Check Printhead Power & Communication Steps:
- Could you check the voltage at the printhead connector on the breakout board with a multimeter?
- You can go to your printer and run an internal nozzle check (not a print job from your PC). Because the printer does not attempt to fire nozzles when a self-test is run, this is probably a power or motherboard problem.
- Could you check the ribbon cable contacts to the printhead for ink, corrosion, or damage?
General motherboard and firmware considerations
- Some L1800 motherboards anticipate an L1800 printhead and will not open nozzles if the breakout board does not translate signals correctly.
- Could you ensure the motherboard fully works with your printhead and breakout board setup?
- If the motherboard was repurposed for DTF printing, could you check with the board modification modulating signal?
Summary of Troubleshooting Steps
✔ Use a multimeter to test the F1 fuse. Inspect for shorts and replace them if blown.
✔ Check the printer driver chip. If this is faulty, the motherboard must be repaired or replaced.
✔ Check that all ribbon cables are seated, not damaged, and correctly oriented.
✔Verify voltage output and signal conversion from the breakout board. ✔Run a nozzle check from the printer panel to see if the printer tries to fire ink.
✔ If you have one, swap in a different printhead to eliminate the possibility of a bad one.
✔ Check if the breakout board and printhead are compatible with your motherboard.
Final Thoughts
If both the F1 fuse and driver chip are good, the most common problem is either breakout board signal translation errors or a broken printhead ribbon cable. Careful checking of each component should help you pinpoint the problem.
Update us on what you discover, and we will provide further troubleshooting steps if necessary!
When to Get Professional Help
Printer issues can be tricky business to resolve because they are physical problems. So, we cannot provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or printer repair support. If you are located near our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service), we do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service; however, due to our rare availability, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and as such, it can take a few weeks before a technician can evaluate your printer.
We provide printer repair or individual part replacement with code instructions to follow. That said, our rates aren't always the cheapest. Hence, we suggest to take a try with self-help through the internet research. Search YouTube or head to our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies).
Look for the search icon next to “About” on our channel to search for specific videos. We get plenty of requests from users for videos on specific topics, and as we have produced hundreds over the past nine years, using YouTube’s search function is the easiest way to find what you are looking for. YouTube may also recommend relevant videos from other channels that can help you.
Thank you very much for your support and interaction with BCH Technologies. We hope this guide helped you troubleshoot your Epson L1800 printhead problems for you. Please feel free to contact us if you have additional questions. We appreciate your feedback on how to help us improve and are glad to assist!
Visit our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) for additional troubleshooting suggestions.