Epson ET-8550 Won’t Power On: Can XP-15000 Parts Be Used for Repair?

Question:
My Epson ET-8550 was printing fine until recently, when it suddenly stopped printing white ink, shut down, and now won’t power back on at all. This happened while I stepped out of the room, and I came back to find the printer completely dead. I have two XP-15000 printers—can I use parts from those to try repairing the ET-8550 myself, or would it be better to send it in for service?

1. Understanding the Power Failure

When an ET-8550 suddenly shuts down and refuses to power back on, it is typically caused by a mainboard failure or, in some cases, a damaged power supply. The fact that it first stopped printing white ink before dying suggests the issue began in the printhead circuitry. If liquid ink or cleaning fluid made contact with the printhead’s electronics, it could have caused a short that damaged the mainboard, which then led to the printer powering down entirely.

2. Compatibility with XP-15000 Parts

Unfortunately, there is almost no part compatibility between the Epson XP-15000 and the ET-8550. While both printers are six-color systems and share some similarities in print quality, their architecture, boards, power supplies, and printhead assemblies are significantly different. Attempting to swap parts between these two models is not recommended, as it will not resolve the issue and could create further damage.

3. Repair Options

The most direct solution for your situation is a mainboard repair or replacement. At BCH Technologies, we do accept mail-in mainboard repairs for models like the ET-8550. This is a much more reliable path than attempting to mix parts from the XP-15000. If the power supply also shows signs of failure, that would need to be addressed during evaluation, but the mainboard is the primary suspect in this case.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. For this reason, we’re unable to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We do offer in-person evaluations and mail-in repairs through our printer repair service center (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Because of high demand, repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, which may mean a wait time of a few weeks before we can process your printer. Our services can cover complete printer repair or specific part-level repairs like the mainboard. That said, we recognize our rates may not always be the most economical, so we also recommend exploring self-help resources. A great place to start is our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search feature on the channel page (next to “About”) to quickly find videos related to your issue. With over nine years of tutorials, this is the most efficient way to locate content, and YouTube may also suggest additional videos from other creators that could assist you.

Thank you once again for bringing this question to us. We appreciate your trust in BCH Technologies and your continued support of our work to help the printing community.