Epson ET-15000 Printing Blank Pages After Printhead Replacement? Causes and Fixes Before Replacing the Mainboard

Question

I watched your video about ET-15000 repair, including uncasing the printer, removing the scanner, and replacing the mainboard. I have a quick question: would replacing the mainboard fix a problem where the printer only prints blank pages?

I bought a second-hand Epson ET-15000, and it shows that only about 50 pages have been printed. I've already tried several things:

• Cleaned both the dampers and ink tanks

• Flushed the ink tubes

• Replaced a badly clogged printhead

The printer seems to operate normally, but it still prints completely blank pages. Do you have any suggestions on what might be causing this?

Answer

From your description, a mainboard replacement is usually not the first thing to try when an Epson ET-15000 prints completely blank pages-especially when the printer appears to function normally and has such a low page count. In most cases, blank pages indicate either ink is not reaching the printhead or the printhead is not firing electrically. Let's walk through several steps that may help identify and resolve the issue.

1. Perform a Park and Prime Procedure

With only 50 pages printed, it's possible that the printer's ink delivery system is not fully primed. This situation can occur when a printer sits unused or when thicker inks (such as DTF ink) are used.

To begin, you should park the printhead on the capping station:

1. Turn the printer on.

2. Allow the printhead to move and settle naturally onto the capping station.

3. It is safe to perform the priming process while the printer is powered on.

Once the printhead is parked, locate the waste ink line and attach a syringe with tubing.

Start by gently drawing 4-6 ml of air from the waste line.

Observe what happens:

• If you only draw air:
  The printhead may not be properly parked, or the capping station seal may be leaking.

• If you feel complete resistance and cannot draw anything:
  The capping station may be clogged, preventing suction.

• If you feel slight resistance:
  This is normal and indicates the system is pulling through the printhead.

During this process, you may hear the damper membrane crinkle, which indicates the nozzles are opening.

Next:

• Slowly draw the syringe until the plunger reaches the 2 ml mark.

• Ensure the black rubber plunger passes the 2 ml mark, then hold the vacuum for about 10 seconds.

This process helps pull ink through the system and re-prime the printhead, which is often necessary for printers that have been sitting or have recently had ink system work performed.

2. Run a Standard Cleaning Cycle (Carefully)

After priming, run the printer's regular cleaning cycle from the maintenance menu.

Important precautions:

• Avoid strong cleaning cycles within 12 hours.

• Do not run multiple cleaning cycles back-to-back.

• Allow the printer time to rest between cleanings.

Excessive cleaning can cause overheating and potential printhead damage, especially with Epson piezo printheads.

After cleaning, print a nozzle check pattern to see whether ink is starting to flow.

3. Check the Mainboard Fuse

If priming and cleaning do not produce any ink output, the next possibility is an electrical issue.

Epson mainboards typically include a small protective fuse that protects the printhead firing circuit. If this fuse blows, the printer will still operate normally-moving the carriage, feeding paper, and completing print jobs-but no ink will be fired, resulting in blank pages.

A blown fuse can occur if:

• A printhead cable is connected or disconnected while the printer is powered

• A previous printhead shorted

• Electrical damage occurred during maintenance

If this fuse is blown, replacing it may restore printing.

4. Inspect the MOSFET Driver Circuit

If the fuse is intact, the next step is checking the MOSFET driver transistors on the mainboard. These components control the high-voltage pulses that fire the ink nozzles.

When MOSFET drivers fail, symptoms can include:

• Completely blank prints

• Missing colors

• Partial nozzle firing

Testing these components requires basic electronics testing using a multimeter.

You can see how to check these components in this video:

Check Printer Mainboard Fuse and MOSFET Drivers
(https://youtu.be/RMCq5wXQNlI)

This video explains how to locate and test the relevant components on the board.

5. Other Things Worth Checking

Even after replacing the printhead, a few additional issues may still cause blank prints:

Air in the Ink System

Air trapped in the dampers or ink tubes can prevent ink from reaching the printhead.

Capping Station Seal Problems

If the capping station does not seal properly, the printer cannot prime or clean the printhead correctly.

Ribbon Cable Connection Issues

Check the printhead ribbon cables carefully:

• Ensure they are fully seated

• Make sure there are no bent or damaged pins

A damaged ribbon cable can also prevent the printhead from firing.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of many printer problems. Because of this, we're unfortunately not able to provide remote troubleshooting or direct repair guidance. However, we do offer in-person diagnostic and repair services through our local repair facility. You can find details here: BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to high demand, repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take a few weeks before a drop-off appointment becomes available. Our services can cover either complete printer repairs or specific component repairs, and we provide clear instructions for submitting equipment. That said, we recognize our repair services may not always be the most economical option. For that reason, we strongly recommend exploring self-help resources online. A good place to begin is YouTube, especially the BCH Technologies YouTube channel homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). You can use the search icon next to the "About" section on the right side of the menu bar to find videos related to your specific issue. We receive dozens of questions every day asking whether we have a video on a particular repair topic. After creating videos for more than nine years, it's difficult to remember every single one. Using YouTube's search feature is usually the fastest way to locate the right video, and YouTube may also suggest helpful videos from other channels that can assist with your repair.

Thank you again for reaching out and for supporting BCH Technologies. We truly appreciate your engagement and hope the information above helps point you in the right direction for resolving your printer issue.