Epson Workforce 645 Printer Encoder Strips, Printhead Error, etc. Maintenance

Question:
A customer is looking for help with their Epson Workforce 645 printhead question. Could you remove the clear cable of the CR encoder for cleaning? If you are referring to the sensor, I am unsure where it is. Well, I also bought two other printers that were supposed to work, and when they arrived, they didn’t. So I replaced the printhead, and one is possibly killing it, and it still won’t print. The new one has a head problem, and the first one gives me an error that says I need to shut off the power. What can I do to fix them?
 
Answer: 
Thank you for contacting BCH Technologies regarding your printer questions. I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I know that when things are not printing as they should, it can be very frustrating, so I would like to ensure I give you a detailed and well-thought-out answer. We appreciate your continued interactions and support, especially on our YouTube Channel, BCH Technologies, and your feedback inspires us to keep improving our tech skills!
 
Let’s take your concerns individually, starting with cleaning the CR encoder strip and continuing through the issue with your other printers.
 
Could you remove and clean the CR encoder cable?
Yes, you can remove and clean the clear CR (Carriage Return) encoder cable, but mind the following tips:
 
Clean with Lint-Free Cloth: Wipe the encoder strip a few times with a piece of (or part of) a lint-free or microfiber cloth moistened with isopropyl alcohol (70-90%). Do not oversaturate the cloth to avoid excessive moisture seeping into the cable and possibly damaging it.
 
Avoid Pulling Jaw or Bending of the Cable: Please pay attention to the encoder strip when using it. Do not bend or stretch the cable extensively, which can cause it to lose its alignment and damage it permanently.
 
Reinstall the Encoder Strip Correctly: After it’s clean, ensure it’s put back in the same spot. When the strip passes through, the sensor picks up the current position of the carriage(the bit that holds the printhead). Be careful to orient it correctly so the sensor works.
 
Where exactly is the encoder strip sensor?
The printer encoder strip sensor is a rectangular module found on the carriage (the part of the printer that holds the printhead). This sensor reads the motion of the clear encoder strip to find the carriage location. If you can’t locate it, I suggest you refer to the service diagrams for your specific model or watch our YouTube videos demonstrating common troubleshooting steps.
 
How to Troubleshoot Your Printers?
Printer 1: Printheads Killed by Mainboard Suspected
If you have tried a brand new printhead that fails every time, the mainboard may be at fault. Electrical surges or internal short circuits can damage the mainboard. This level of damage usually means the mainboard must be replaced or repaired by a professional. Sadly, there isn’t a quick solution here, and you might need to replace the mainboard.
 
Printer 2: Printhead Jam and Paper Jam Error
This is commonly due to several common issues, which can cause the printhead to get stuck and cause printing paper jam errors.

• Misaligned Encoder Strip: Ensure the encoder strip is adequately aligned, and do not adjust the alignment printhead. That should help clean the strip (as mentioned before).
• Carriage Motor or Sensor Issues: If the motor or sensor that controls the carriage is faulty, it may fail to move the printhead properly, leading to a stuck printhead.
• Paper Path Issues: Ensure that no foreign objects or paper fragments are stuck in the paper path, causing phantom paper jam detections.

In many cases, these problems can be fixed simply by getting at the encoder strip and checking the paper path.
 
Printer 3: Power Off Error
The shutting down message that tells you to power it down is generally a sign that something mechanical/electrical is wrong with the machine's internal parts. This could be caused by:

• Corrupted Firmware: Corrupted Firmware on the printer also stops the Printer Initialization process. Try resetting the printer or updating the firmware.
• The main cause of the power-off error is most likely the failure of the individual sensors or motors. If any of the sensors or motors fail, the printer may not complete its startup process, resulting in a power-off error.

Unfortunately, this error can be challenging to troubleshoot without specialized diagnostic tools. If resetting or running firmware updates doesn’t help, it might be time to evaluate the printer professionally.
 
Tips on Repairing Your Current Printer:

• Isolated Testing of Components: If feasible, test components stand alone, such as the encoder strip, sensors, or printhead, while raw data diagnostic codes may provide insight into what’s going amiss to decipher the issue.
• You can check out Our Guides: Our BCH Technologies YouTube channel has many helpful tutorials. If you’re not sure how to make these repairs, our videos could help you through the process.
• Seek Professional Help: If things are getting too complicated or the repairs have reached a standstill, we strongly suggest you evaluate the printer with a pro. Upon further inspection, printers can often become a string of failure beads, with one failure bringing on another, making fixing the printer more complex.

We understand when you complain about printers that don’t work as they should, mainly because they were meant to work. We’re here to help you troubleshoot with tips on restarting the process to rerun the app. Feel free to contact me if you require further assistance.
 
Printer problems are sometimes complicated matters as they are physical issues. Unfortunately, we cannot offer remote troubleshooting, recommendations, or assistance with printer repair. We provide an in-house evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic shop, Printer Repair Service. Because of the high demand, we work on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning it might take a couple of weeks to check out your printer. Our services appoint either the entire printer or the location to be repaired and provide details on where to send repairs and where to send them in for repairs. But our prices probably aren’t the cheapest. That is why we urge you to self-isolate through online research. We offer troubleshooting videos on YouTube, where you can try visiting and find troubleshooting videos. YouTube’s search function is an excellent way to find specific videos and can even recommend related content from other creators.
 
Thank you for contacting us again. We hope these suggestions will help you get your printers back into working order!