L805 1390 and L1800 White Ink Clogging Problems in DTF Printers

Questions: Greetings, and I hope you are well. I’m facing a significant issue with frequent clogging of white ink in DTF printers, specifically in the Epson L805 and L1800 models. The modified Epson printers and Chinese DTF printers here are experiencing this problem. The ones I use have a motorized stirring system, but I’ve heard that continuous stirring might make the issue worse. Some systems incorporate ink circulation from the white ink tank to the dampers and back to the tank. Does this help, or could it make the clogging worse? Should the circulation and stirring of white ink be continuous or at intervals? Finally, are there different types of white ink, and how can I choose the best one to prevent clogging?

Answer:

We really appreciate your trust and kind words, especially on our YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]; any constructive criticism helps us become more knowledgeable in technology.
Next, we will discuss the common issue of white ink clogging in your Epson L805 and L1800 DTF printers.
The Root of the Problem: The Epson R1390, L805 and L1800 were originally dye printers, primarily suitable for photos here and there per day. However, by altering them to deal with thicker, high-viscosity white pigment ink, we are forcing these things further than they were ever meant to go. Both of these printers work extremely hard, and due to the nature of white ink settling/clogging, having a rigorous maintenance schedule is critical in preventing any issues.
Ink Stirring: All I can say is if you even stir your white ink… then that’s better than nothing. You also mentioned continual agitation as a solution, but the issue is that it prevents inks from resting and can cause more clogs down the road. It would be best if you stirred the thing repeatedly, not 24/7. This method of programming their system to run for some time or in a timed manner is much more effective than constantly running the stirs, something many manufacturers have programmed. This is the case for DTF printers from FColor https://www.fcolor.com.cn/products2120904/DTF-Printer.htm, for example, it equip with timed mixer rather than continuous ones. Fcolor made very solid machines and I have a couple of them in my office. I can recommend their printers. You can mention my name and they will treat you well.
Furthermore. I also start my day by moving the white ink with a National Geographic Rock Roller to keep it mixed nicely without beating the system too much. Check out the process in my video on it here [https://youtu.be/khto7DkPKyg]
Ink Circulation to Dampers: You also talked about circulating the white ink to dampers and returning it to the T-line. The "direct-to-damper" system is a crucial step in ensuring no clogging occurs. Regular circulation keeps the ink from settling in the pipes and dampers, which is what a clog actually comes down to. Thus, this system is good most of the time, yes, but it should also be capped on how frequently it activates. Also, I recommend having a secondary tank next to the damper, so the printer can handle large prints. Also, a secondary tank reduce the interference of ink pressure from the pump. So your printer will not be interrupted if the pump is running in the middle of printing. 
I suggest that only white ink enters the head when you are in printing action. The only drawback if done by hand is at the end of your print run you need to flush the system which will require two cartridges filled with distilled water to be placed in the printhead so that it can clear white ink out. After printing, also remember to "wet cap". This entails draping a moist towel over the print head to help it not dry out and get clogged… You can watch the whole thing in more detail on this video [https://youtu.be/44WEw6UKp2A]
Preventive Maintenance Tips:

1. Do regular color channel rotation so as not to stress the white ink lines too much. This makes sure that blobs do nothang everything up in one line. You can see my doing this in a video here [https://youtu.be/Ey3wsy9V4zs]
2. Keep a wet cap on your printer during all standby stages. This is the most crucial step in avoiding obstructions.
3. Always flush the white water-based ink with distilled water after every job to prevent this.

Selecting a White DTF Ink: When it comes to white inks for DTF, there are mainly two types of ink — white American-made and some Chinese-made inks, which may be cheap. To my surprise, the cheaper Chinese DTF inks clog less! The American inks usually have a better coverage but it tends to manufactured toward a higher end of printheads such as i3200. If using in the cheaper printheads, I would pick Chinese ink. However, white ink is a topic where everyone has their own experiences and preferences regarding how well they perform in specific machines; however, I stick with Chinese DTF ink as this type will have the least amount of clogs. You should stick with a few brands to find out what works best for your specific configuration, but it's been durable in terms of clog prevention.
 
You can also buy DTF inks from my shop, which produce a much more clog-free, high-quality finish. Not bragging, I did receive feedbacks that my ink is the only ink doesn't let customer's ET-8550 clog. Or, maybe they watched my videos and did the correct maintenance, and also bought my ink. Dealing with printer problems can be a mess and intimidating for many reasons, mainly because the things that may go incorrect are challenging to fix. As a result, we cannot do remote troubleshooting or get advice on repairing a printer. BCH Technologies provides a walk-in assessment and repair service at our local diagnostic facility [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service], which is in high demand. 
 
We are done on a first-come, first-served basis, so it may take weeks before you can send your printer for dropping or mailing.
We offer repair services for the whole printer or only particular parts. If you choose to use our mail-in or in-person drop-off services, we will explain exactly what steps you need to take. That said, we know that our prices are not the cheapest. We advocate for do-it-yourself repair, which you can learn about by visiting our YouTube channel. You can search on the channel's front page for a topic that will interest your subscribers. It might also recommend more useful videos from other channels.
 
Thank you for contacting me again. I hope that the above suggestions can solve your problem of clogging appearing after some prints on the DTF printer. Thank you for supporting BCH Technologies!