Epson L1800, 1390, and 1430 Printer Capping Station Alignment and Repair

Question:

My printer is an Epson L1800, and I think the capping station is misaligned. It is you get 52h and 5h errors during prints and the latch pops up and blocks the printhead. I already swapped the motherboard, encoder, CR motor, and pump. There are no other visible blockages, and the printer works smoothly until the latch issue occurs. Is it some misaligned capping station?

Answer:

Now, getting to your question, yes, your problem is very likely being caused by a misadjusted capping station. Because the capping station is out of alignment, the printhead can foul it causing the latch to pop up. This obstruction may show up in the form of error codes 52h and 5h, signaling that there is a mechanical blockage, or something has stopped the printer's mechanical parts from working as they should.

How to Align Capping Station

Check for Misalignment:

Turn on the printer and watch the capping station move.

If the latch pops up at an unexpected location in the print cycle, it most likely is out of alignment.

If a misalignment is fairly minor, try rebooting the printer on and off.

Manual Gear Alignment:

It may require realignment of the gears manually if restarting the printer does not solve the problem.

Being a part of BCH Technologies you'll agree, this process would be much easier with our dedicated video guide on how to align the gear — Check it here (https://youtu.be/mTDHAXg98M0)

This video demonstrates how to make sure the capping station and associated devices are in the right position.

Inspect the Latch Mechanism:

For the latch, check that the latch is not broken or that dried ink, dust, or debris is not stuck.

Use the spare controller to get it unlatched, clear any debris buildup around the capping station and latch.

Check Gear And Motor Functionality:

You have changed many main parts (motherboard, encoder, CR motor, pump); make sure that they are placed correctly and their connections are tight.

Check the pump gear and capping station motor to ensure they spin freely (not binding).

If the above does not help, we are either dealing with a bad replacement part (plausible, as they are not cheap!) or the deeper sonn mechanism of the printer. If that isn't the case, further diagnostics or parts replacement may be needed.

Printer problems are a tricky business to deal with; they tend to be hands-on, and sometimes you might even figure it out without help. This means we cannot make remote troubleshooting, tip over the phone or help for printer repair. Using our local diagnostic facility, we provide an in-person assessment and repair (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service) service. Since the demand is so high we do operate on a first come first serve basis which means it may be a few weeks before we are able to get your printer checked in. We provide services regarding either entire cartridge repair or the specific parts, along with precise information about how to take the next step. However, we understand that our rates may not be the cheapest option. So, we strongly recommend that you try self-help through some Googling.”

And please, also check our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) where you can find specific videos by clicking the search icon, which is located near the right side of the menu bar, next to the band "About". I’ve been creating videos for over nine years and, while I can’t recall each and every one, that’s yet another area where YouTube’ search function works best for me to find relevant information. And YouTube might recommend videos from other channels to help you.