Epson L1800 Prints Dark Red at First - Understanding the Burned Printhead Problem and Possible Fixes

Question:
I have an Epson L1800 printer that prints reds much darker at first, and then the color returns to normal after about a minute. What could be causing this issue?

Answer:

Regarding your concern about the Epson L1800 printing dark red at first before normalizing, this issue is likely related to an ink imbalance within the printhead, often caused by wet capping or minor delamination in one or more ink channels. Let's break down what's happening.

When your printer is idle, the capping station keeps the printhead moist to prevent drying. If the cap is too wet, excess fluid can partially mix or dilute the ink in certain channels. This imbalance becomes evident during the first few prints-hence the darker reds that gradually even out as printing continues and the ink flow stabilizes.

Epson's printheads use chip-on-film technology, where each nozzle has a microchip that drives ink through a thin film. The film connects two microchannels: a wide one leading to the nozzle and a narrow one connecting to the ink supply. Under normal operation, most ink flows cleanly out of the nozzle. However, when delamination (a slight separation of the film layers) occurs in the narrow supply channel, the ink may leak sideways or mix into other channels. As a result, certain colors-like red-can appear oversaturated or dark at first.

Once the printhead warms up and the ink viscosity normalizes, the flow pattern stabilizes, and the print quality improves. This phenomenon is relatively common with aging or refurbished printheads. While it may sound alarming, in most cases, the printhead remains functional and can continue to produce acceptable results.

A few key points to remember:

• Avoid frequent power cleanings. Aggressive cleaning cycles can worsen delamination and shorten printhead life.

• Print regularly. Consistent use keeps the ink channels balanced and reduces the likelihood of uneven pressure or ink mixing.

• Monitor your capping station. Make sure it's not overly saturated or contaminated, as that can contribute to ink blending between channels.

• Temperature matters. Warm-up printing can help stabilize ink flow faster, especially if the printer has been idle for a while.

While this issue often can't be fully reversed, careful handling and moderate use can extend the printhead's life significantly. I've even seen heavily delaminated heads continue to print high-quality images with the right adjustments.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting or repair assistance. We do, however, offer in-person diagnostic and repair services (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Because of high demand, our facility operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so it may take a few weeks before your printer can be evaluated. We handle full printer repairs or specific component fixes with detailed guidance throughout the process.

If you prefer self-repair, we recommend researching through our YouTube channel or by using the search function on YouTube to find relevant videos. With hundreds of tutorials produced over the past nine years, using YouTube's search icon (next to "About") is the fastest way to find help. You may also discover other helpful creators addressing similar issues.

Thank you once again for your patience and for being part of the BCH Technologies community. Your curiosity and dedication to keeping your printer in great shape inspire us to continue creating valuable content for everyone in the printing world.