Epson DTF Printer Lost Power After White Ink Refill: What Causes No Power, Blown Fuses, and Board Damage (XP-15000/L1800-Style Systems)

Question: My printer was printing fine yesterday, but it ran out of white ink and I didn't realize it. After refilling and pulling ink into the dampers, I did a head cleaning and then it wouldn't print anything (it acted like it was printing). I cleaned the station, cleaned the printhead, put it back together, and when I turned it on the head moved left and then I got paper and ink flying at the same time. I powered it off and back on, the head moved back to the station, and then the power shut off. Now I have no power at all. I checked components: F1 fuse reads 0.4, transistors 1 & 3 read 29.8, 2 & 4 read 43, and QF601 reads 66. What would cause my printer not to turn on? I also have a spare board and plan to send my board in for repair.

Answer: 

From what you described, there are really two problems happening in sequence:

1. Printing failure after the white ink event (it "acts like it's printing" but nothing comes out), and then

2. A sudden mechanical/electrical failure that ends in "no power."

Below are the most common causes that match your symptoms, and the most practical way to confirm what happened.

1) Why it "prints" but nothing comes out right after a white-ink runout

When white ink runs dry, it often introduces air into the ink path (dampers/lines/manifold). Even after refilling, the printer may:

• Move as if it's printing, but no ink fires because the nozzles are air-bound or clogged.

• Trigger aggressive cleanings that overwork the pump/capping system.

• Overheat/stress components if multiple powerful cleanings are run back-to-back.

What to watch for

• A nozzle check that is completely blank (or almost blank).

• The printer "completes" prints with little/no ink on media.

This part is usually recoverable-until the second part happens: the sudden spray/chaos + shutdown.

2) "Paper and ink flying" + carriage movement + shutdown: what that usually indicates

That combination typically points to a mechanical jam/mis-seating that turns into an electrical overload:

Common mechanical triggers

• Carriage strike / head crash: If anything is out of position (wiper blade, cap top assembly, a displaced tube/line, station parts not seated), the head can strike it. The impact can fling ink and even pull media.

• Encoder strip contamination or misalignment: Cleaning work can accidentally smear or displace the encoder strip or sensor area. When the printer can't read position correctly, you can get erratic carriage movement.

• Paper path interference: A misfed sheet, swollen media from ink, or scraps can cause sudden paper pull or fluttering while the head is moving.

How that becomes "no power"

Once there's a crash, short, or stall, the printer can blow protective circuits or power components:

• A shorted head cable / damaged head FFC (very common after a head crash or ink contamination) can overload the mainboard.

• A shorted driver transistor/MOSFET on the board can trip protection or blow a fuse.

• Ink contamination (white ink is especially messy) can create conductive bridges on connectors or boards.

3) About your electrical readings (F1 fuse, transistors, QF601) and "no power"

You mentioned these measurements:

• F1 fuse reads 0.4

• Transistors 1 & 3 read 29.8

• Transistors 2 & 4 read 43

• QF601 reads 66

Because different meters and measurement modes (ohms/diode/continuity) change what those numbers mean, the pattern matters more than the absolute numbers you wrote. In general, with a printer that's now completely dead ("no power"), the usual culprits are:

A) Blown fuse / open protection device

• If F1 is a main board fuse, it should normally show continuity (very low resistance).

• If it's open, the board may appear completely dead.

B) Shorted switching component (MOSFET/transistor)

• When a MOSFET shorts, it can immediately kill power rails and sometimes pops protective fuses.

• This can be triggered by a short downstream-like a damaged head, head cable, or ink-contaminated connector.

C) Power supply issue (external adapter/internal PSU)

• Sometimes the board is fine, but the power supply is in protection mode or failed.

• However, in your story the failure happened during a mechanical/electrical event, so board or head-related shorts are more likely than a random PSU failure.

Important practical note: If you install a "known good" spare board without isolating a possible shorted head/cable, you can blow the spare board too. If there's any chance that the printhead, head FFC, or carriage board is shorted, the safest approach is to isolate components before powering up.

4) How to identify the last stored error (and why it matters)

Even if the printer now won't fully turn on, when it was still powering up, Epson printers often store a "last error" in memory. Your most efficient next step (and the one you already pointed toward) is to retrieve the logged error using Epson's service utility.

Using Epson's Adjustment Program to read the last error

1. Open the Adjustment Program.

2. Select the USB port with your printer's name from the dropdown list.

3. Choose Particular Adjustment Mode.

4. Scroll down and choose Printer Information Check.

5. Click Check.

6. Look at the most recent logged error-usually shown at the top as Error Number 1.

How to interpret the code

Once you have the code, search "BCH Epson Error" and use our guide to decode Epson's "Triple Secret" style error reporting. Many DTF-related failures show up as sensor errors (for example, an APG sensor-related issue can appear depending on the model and setup), but the key is: the stored code tells you what the printer believed went wrong first, which often points straight to the root cause.

For a quick video walkthrough of how to check printer info / pull the last error, here's our short video:
YouTube walkthrough (Adjustment Program / error lookup) (https://youtube.com/shorts/FPZzpyYuZLE)

Note: The Adjustment Program is typically intended for Epson technicians, but it's sometimes distributed by DTF sellers. If you don't have it, you may need to search online or request it from the supplier of your DTF system.

5) Most likely root causes (based on your exact sequence of events)

Given your timeline-ran white ink dry → refilled → maintenance work → sudden violent motion/ink fling → shutdown → no power-these are the top suspects:

• Head crash leading to damaged head cable (FFC) or shorted head circuitry

• Ink contamination at the carriage/head connectors

• A station/wiper/cap assembly piece not seated correctly, causing carriage strike

• A driver transistor/MOSFET on the mainboard failing due to overload

• A fuse/protection device opening after the overload

The Adjustment Program's stored error (when available) is the best way to narrow it down to a specific subsystem (carriage, APG/positioning sensors, PF/motor, etc.).

Addressing printer issues can be complicated because they're very hands-on, and what looks like a "simple ink problem" can quickly become a mechanical and electrical problem once a crash or short happens. That's why we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility: Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to the high volume of requests, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take a few weeks before we can accept your printer for drop-off. Our services can be structured to repair the entire printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. We also understand our rates aren't the most economical, so we strongly encourage self-help through online research first. You can start with YouTube-especially our channel homepage: BCH Technologies on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar to find the most relevant videos fast. I receive dozens of questions every day asking which video covers which topic, and after nine years of making videos it's difficult to remember every single one-YouTube search is truly the most efficient method, and it may even recommend helpful videos from other channels too.

Thank you again for contacting us and for supporting BCH Technologies. I truly appreciate it, and I hope this points you toward the most likely causes and the safest next steps-especially before powering up a replacement board.