Inspire A3 Printer PW Sensor Error and Blinking Lights: How to Fix

Question:
My Inspire A3 printer functioned well for about four days and 30 pages. Today was a day off for the unit, but it began doing automatic head cleaning and white ink circulation every few hours (the rear switch is on, but the power button in the front is not).
In one of those self-cleaning cycles, the two lights flashed, and an error popped the PW sensor dirty or PW sensor fault. However, as discussed earlier, this printer does not use a PW sensor; it is a cheap board.
I swapped the board with an L1800 board from Epson, but the issue remains. I remember you said this printer and the L1800 either have different boards. Could this be the issue? And do you sell the encoder board for the Inspire A3?
 
Answer:
Thank you for reaching out! I'm sorry for not getting back to you sooner. I understand how complex printer issues can be and would like to address your question deliberately. We at BCH Technologies (https://bchtechnologies.com) greatly value your engagement and support, particularly our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Your feedback is an invaluable part of our process for sharpening our technical expertise.
Now, we'll be able to explore your PW sensor error and some possible fixes.
 
Understanding the Issue: PW Sensor Dirty or Failure Error
PW sensor error usually refers to the page width sensor (PW sensor), which detects media size and positions. However, since you installed a different board (your Inspire A3) with no PW sensor, this error likely results from presumed firmware inconsistencies or software settings conflicting with the new board.
An Epson L1800 board on the Inspire A3 is not necessarily compatible due to slightly different firmware and sensor configurations. A board with a different encoder layout according to the Inspire A3 may be fixed, causing the retained error.
 
Steps to Fix the Issue
Change the Paper Size Setting at the RIP software

• Open your RIP software, and go to:
• Printer → Check Paper Size
• Set this option to OFF
• If the error is gone, restart the printer.

In some cases, faulty paper size detection activates sensor errors, and turning off this option may help bypass this problem.
 
Could you make sure the encoder board is compatible?

• If you think the problem is with the encoder board, switching the board from the L1800 might generate incompatibility issues.
• While some components are inter-compatible, the firmware may anticipate a different signal from the native encoder board on the Inspire A3.
• If this does not help, you may want to source an encoder board for the Inspire A3 instead of using the L1800 board.

Check the Ribbon Cables and Connections

• Could you check that the FFC (flat flexible) cables are seated and not broken or loose?
• Reefit the cables to the mainboard; sensors can throw false errors due to slight misalignment.

Reinstall Drivers and Reset the Printer

• You can give it a hard reset by unplugging the printer for a few minutes and turning it back on.
• Reinsert drivers and RIP software because there could be something in the settings that was changed when swapping the board.

Inspire A3 Encoder Board: Do We Sell It?
For printer modifications, repairs, and troubleshooting, the focus is not on selling Inspire A3 encoder boards, but this is a natural choice for BCH Technologies. Although those supplies are available on the website, I’d still suggest exploring third-party printer suppliers or specialized distributors that deal with DTF and adapted Epson printers.
 
Printer problems can be a pain in the neck, particularly if you have a modded or homemade system. I'm sorry, but we cannot help with remote troubleshooting or direct repair. We do have a diagnostic/repair service in-person at our BCH Technologies repair center (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service); however, due to high demand, we take in our customers on a first-come, first-served basis with potentially long wait times to see a tech. We fix complete printers or just parts, with lots of clarity on what to do next. But our service is not for everyone, so we always recommend do-it-yourself troubleshooting first.
For self-help solutions, go to our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) and use the search function next to the "About" section. Searching on YouTube itself is probably the best way to find comprehensive guides. At the same time, YouTube will likely recommend helpful videos from other creators that may offer even more insights.
Thanks for contacting us again! I hope this is of some help, and I’d be very grateful if you could write back to me and let me know if the fixes I’ve suggested resolved your Inspire A3 printer’s issue. Happy printing!