How to Fix Black Dots on Prints from Epson ET-8550 and L18050 Printers

Question:
I am having a peculiar problem with my Epson ET-8550 and L18050 printers. Aliquot black dots appear in the same row in the whole A4 print. Nozzle check: no issues for either printer. What could be causing this?
 
Answer:
Thanks for contacting us, and I'm sorry for the delayed response. I totally get how urgent printer problems can be, and I want to make sure you get a comprehensive and detailed reply. Everyone here at BCH Technologies appreciates your support, including subscribing to our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your feedback is critical in designing our technical training.
Based on the photos you’ve provided, the small black dots do not appear in the same position on every print, but they consistently appear in the same row across your A4 prints. That tells me there may be an issue with the ink accumulation on the bottom of the printhead. This is not an abnormal situation in printers where the ink tends toward build-up, and once it exceeds a certain point, it drips or leaks down to the print surface.
 
Here’s what could be going on:
 
Dried Ink on the Printhead:
Depending on the nature of a printer, tiny amounts of ink can build up over time in the printer head, most notably waste toner inside the print head in which the variety of nozzles the cheapest ink is utilized during printing. When it exceeds an established limit, this accumulation can drip down — perhaps explaining why you see the black dots in the same row each time. However, since the build-up is not always uniform, the precise spot at which the ink drips can differ slightly.
 
Solution: The Shoe Shine Approach
Here’s an option to overcome this: use the method referred to as “shoe shine.” This means carefully wiping the bottom of the printhead with a lint-free cloth or an ordinary soft tissue while the printhead is parked. This is so you can remove any excess ink or gunk that might have built up there. You can do this by turning off the printer and manually moving the printhead to reveal the area beneath. Just be careful not to apply too much pressure since you don’t want to damage the printhead.
You can also use a printer-cleaning solution and run it through the printhead. This solution will help to dissolve and remove the ink that has built up while not damaging the printhead.
 
Additional Checks:
Even if the nozzle check is good, it's best to run a head cleaning cycle after performing the shoe shine method. This will help ensure the printhead is operating at optimal performance and will clear out any residual ink that might be related to the dots.
If the problem still occurs, you should look into other causes, like the printhead's alignment or positioning. Sometimes, the printhead could be misaligned, resulting in inconsistent ink distribution on the page.
 
Troubleshooting printers can be a very complex task due to the physical nature of the problem. So, we cannot offer remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or advice on fixing printers. Based on our local diagnostic facility, we provide an in-person evaluation and repair service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service), and due to high demand, everything is handled on a first-come, first-serve basis. So it could be three weeks before we can get your printer to take it off your hands. What it looks like to repair an entire printer or physical parts of what you do with direct guidance. But we understand our rates are not the cheapest. So we strongly recommend going online to self-research the solution. You can search on YouTube or go to the homepage of our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Then, pick our search icon on the menu bar beside the "About" button. Dozens of people ask me daily, What about videos for [specific topic]?) Over nine years of making videos, it‍’‍s like trying to remember every videos. So, it's best to use YouTube's search function. YouTube may also let you know about related videos from other channels that might help.
 
Thanks again for your question. I hope you find this information helpful in resolving your printer's issue! If you need any more help, please feel free to reach out.