Epson L1800 Troubleshooting: Red Lights Flashing and Ink Fading Issues

Question:

How can I fix my Epson L1800 printer where the yellow ink has become lighter, and the red lights are flashing alternately after cleaning the capping station?

Answer:

Thank you for contacting us! At BCH Technologies, we appreciate your continued support and engagement with our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your questions help us improve and refine our technical expertise, and we're happy to assist you.

Could we talk about the issues you're having with your Epson L1800 printer?

Issue 1: Flashing Red Lights on the Epson L1800

If both red lights are flashing alternately on your Epson L1800, this typically indicates that the waste ink pad counter is full. The printer tracks the amount of ink flushed into the waste ink pad over time, and once it reaches a certain limit, it signals that the waste pad is complete to prevent ink spillage.

You will need to reset the waste ink counter to fix this issue. This can be done using Epson's Adjustment Program. Since your original USB drive with the software got damaged, I recommend the following:

Purchase the Epson L1800 Adjustment Program – You can find it on eBay by searching for "L1800 Adjustment Program." Ensure you confirm with the seller that the software has enabled the waste pad reset function.

Use a Reset Key—If you can't find a reliable version of the Adjustment Program, another option is to purchase a reset key from InkChip.net (https://inkchip.net). You can use the coupon code kevin9966 for a potential discount, though this may or may not work. The key will allow you to reset the waste ink counter and get the printer back to functioning.

Also, I always recommend you make a backup copy of the software once you've acquired it to avoid future problems if the original gets corrupted.

Issue 2: Yellow Ink Appearing Lighter Than Usual

The yellow ink issue, which appears lighter even after multiple print head cleanings, could be caused by clogged nozzles or an air bubble trapped in the ink system. Epson’s built-in cleaning routines, including Power Clean and Ink Purge, may not fully resolve the issue, especially if severe blockage or air has entered the ink channels.

Here’s a more practical solution:

Print a Nozzle Check – Print a nozzle check to identify whether the yellow nozzle is partially or fully clogged. If the nozzle check shows gaps or missing lines in the yellow section, this confirms a blockage.

Manually Prime the Printer – One of the most efficient methods to clear blockages and remove air bubbles is to prime the printer manually. Since you’ve already mentioned cleaning the capping station, you can use the syringe technique:

Could you place the print head in the capping station?

Could you attach a syringe to the waste ink tube and gently pull the ink through? This action helps remove air bubbles and ensures ink flows smoothly into the print head.

This method works exceptionally well with printers like the L1800, which share standard components with DTG printers.

Avoid Overusing Power Clean – Overusing Epson's built-in Power Clean can sometimes worsen the issue by forcing air into the ink system. It's better to manually prime the ink flow using the method above instead of relying solely on the printer’s automatic cleaning functions.

Following these steps can restore the normal yellow ink flow and achieve better print results.

In-Person Printer Repair Services

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we cannot provide remote troubleshooting or repair support for printers. However, we offer a full in-person evaluation and repair service at our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to the high demand for our services, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so there might be a few weeks before we can inspect your printer.

Our services include repairing whole printers or specific parts, with detailed instructions on how to proceed, whether you choose a local drop-off or a mail-in option. However, our repair rates might be less budget-friendly, so we encourage self-help options through online research.

To help you, we recommend visiting our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) and using the search icon to find relevant videos. This approach ensures that you'll locate content efficiently from our channel or other helpful sources.

Thank you again for your continued support. We hope this solution resolves the issues you're facing with your Epson L1800. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any more questions or need clarification.