Troubleshooting Your Procolored L1800 Panda Printer: Power Button Issues and Solutions

Question:

Thank you for all the helpful online videos! I have a Procolored L1800 Panda printer that I bought used, and it's been quite a challenge. I recently replaced the motherboard and print head, and while it worked fine initially, I'm now facing issues with the front power button not responding. Sometimes it powers up, but often I have to try multiple times. When it does turn on, all three buttons—power, paper, and ink—flash faintly. I'm at a loss and wondering if I can send the printer to you for repairs, as I can't afford a new one.

Answer:

We appreciate you reaching out and are glad you enjoy our YouTube channel, BCH Technologies. Thank you for participating; your support is critical for us to improve our technical prowess.

It's good that you purchased a used DTF printer. It will be challenging to repair them. However, manufacturers need to provide support for their new printers. After reading your description, I noticed a few problems that might be due to a PS malfunction.

In the first place, if your front power button only works sometimes, then that might also mean that the printer is not getting a clean power source. The back power switch usually turns on everything, but the printer and the front button have to be pressed for the 

Most DTF printers have Epson's OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) power supplies (if they have done it correctly), and it is essential to determine what type of supply your printer utilizes. Procolored also often employs third-party PS, which may not be as consistent as Epson OEM models. The power supply of an Epson unit has two voltage outputs. The print operation needs 42 v and a low voltage driver signal processing. The 3rd party power supply could be more reliable regarding voltage when compared. Most 3rd party power supplies differ from what I'd trust to power motors, etc. Though not with 3rd party power supply for that, I wouldn't trust these to power the printer reliably. In addition, the 3rd party power supply powers to WIMS, vacuum platform, and various other stuff, so it will be at capacity when printing. You can open the printer and check your power supply - if it's a 3rd party unit, please consider replacing it an Epson OEM power supply to ensure consistent long term support for your mainboard/printer.

However, regarding repairs, our mail-in service has already been pushed back until 2025 since more repair requests always tend to occur during concert seasons, and we are all booked for now. We will revisit this situation in 2025; however, it is possible you could be without mail-in repairs for quite some time. However, we do provide a mainboard repair service that, if that is the problem, could save you some money.

Printers are complex due to the hands-on nature of printer issues. Therefore, we cannot provide assistance over the phone with printer repairs. We prefer to have you evaluated in person and bring your vehicle to our nearest Diagnostic facility (see more details here). Unfortunately, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis so it may be weeks before we can get around to helping you if you can drop your printer off or mail it in.

We can perform complete printer repairs or specific part replacements with clear instructions for mail-in or local drop-off. While we know our rates may be a bit more expensive, look into self-help through online resources. If you are a visual learner, you may be interested in our YouTube channel, "BCH Technologies," where the video library is indexed by clicking the magnifying glass next to "About" on the menu bar. As we have nine years of video content, casuals need help remembering everything covered, so using the YouTube search function is a more effective method of finding information you are interested in. You may also be able to find other channels that have helpful videos for your problem.

Thanks again for getting in touch and good luck with your printer!