Epson 1390 DTF Film Advance Switch Moves the Printhead: What to Check
- By Ellen @BCHTechnologies
- On Oct 23, 2026
- Comment 0
Question:
On my Epson 1390 DTF printer, pressing the film advance toggle makes the printhead move left or right. The encoder strip is clean and correctly positioned. What should I check?
Answer:
Thank you for contacting BCH Technologies, and I'm sorry our reply took longer than expected. Printer problems can be urgent, and we wanted to give you a careful, detailed answer. We also appreciate your support of BCH and our YouTube channel.
The film advance switch should control film feeding, not command the carriage to move sideways. Since the carriage moves when you press the switch, stop using it until the conversion wiring and controller are checked. A clean encoder strip is useful information, but it does not rule out a switch wiring error, a loose or damaged 13-pin carriage cable, a carriage sensor connection problem, or a controller fault. Those are possibilities, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Turn the printer off and unplug it. Compare the switch wiring, controller connections, and carriage cable orientation with the wiring diagram for your exact Epson 1390 DTF conversion. Look for loose plugs, bent contacts, pinched cable sections, or wires connected to the wrong terminals. Do not probe live circuits or force the carriage by hand. If the cable has exposed conductors or the switch is causing erratic movement, leave the printer powered off until the wiring is corrected.
The 13-pin carriage cable featured in the video may be relevant if its connection is loose or damaged, but replacing it without checking the conversion wiring could leave the actual cause unresolved. If the wiring looks correct, ask a technician familiar with your particular DTF controller to test the switch input and carriage circuit. Please send the controller or board revision and clear photos of the switch wiring and carriage connections so BCH can narrow down the next step.
You can search the BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@BCHTechnologies] for Epson 1390 DTF conversion wiring, carriage movement, and 13-pin cable repair. If you'd like hands-on help, contact BCH Technologies repair service [https://bchtechnologies.com/collections/printer-repair-service] to ask whether this converted model can be evaluated before shipping it. Service availability and scope should be confirmed for the exact printer.