Epson WF-7710 Ink Pads Soaked: How to Find and Replace the Capping Station Pads and Printer Cleaning Pads

Question

I have an Epson WF-7710, and the ink pads that pull ink during cleaning cycles appear to be soaked. I am also wondering about the long pad that runs across the printer. Do you have a video showing how to replace these ink pads or service that area?

Answer

For the Epson WF-7710, there are a few different "pads" that people may be referring to, so it helps to separate them before replacing anything. The small pads that pull ink during cleaning are usually part of the capping station or cap top assembly. The capping station is the service station where the printhead parks when the printer is idle or when it runs a cleaning cycle. During cleaning, the printer uses suction through this area to pull ink through the printhead and into the waste ink system.

If the pad in the capping station is soaked, stained, or covered with heavy ink buildup, that can cause several problems. The printer may not seal properly against the printhead, the cleaning cycle may become weak, the printhead may dry out faster, or ink may smear underneath the printhead. A dirty or flooded capping station can also make nozzle clogs worse because the printhead is parking on a contaminated surface instead of a clean, absorbent cap.

For your WF-7710, I suggest searching my channel for keywords such as "capping station," "WF-7710," and "WF-3640." The WF-7710 and WF-3640 are not the same printer, but they use a very similar style of capping station design, so some of the service concepts and visual references may still be helpful. With more than nine years of videos and over 1,200 videos on the channel, there is a good chance I have covered something related to this repair, but YouTube's search function usually does a better job than my memory.

To search only inside our channel, go to BCH Technologies on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. Once you are on the channel homepage, click the magnifying glass search icon near the top right of the channel page. Then enter keywords such as:

capping station WF7710
WF-7710 capping station
WF-3640 capping station
Epson capping station cleaning
Epson waste ink pad
Epson service station pad

Searching directly inside YouTube is usually the most effective method because it will show results specifically from our channel. You can also search through Google by typing your keywords followed by site:youtube.com/@bchtechnologies. For example, you could search:

WF7710 capping station site:youtube.com/@bchtechnologies
Epson capping station cleaning site:youtube.com/@bchtechnologies
WF3640 capping station site:youtube.com/@bchtechnologies

However, Google may show fewer results than YouTube's internal channel search, so I would start with YouTube first.

Now, about the "pad that runs across the printer": that is likely not the same as the capping station pad. Many Epson printers have an absorbent strip or sponge-like pad running along the print path, sometimes called the platen pad, overspray pad, or borderless printing ink pad. Its purpose is to catch overspray, especially during borderless printing or heavy ink output. If this long pad is soaked, ink can transfer onto the back of the paper, smear on prints, or create dirty marks as media passes through the printer.

The capping station pad and the long platen/overspray pad have different jobs. The capping station pad is related to printhead parking, suction, cleaning, and nozzle recovery. The long pad across the printer is more related to catching overspray and preventing ink from pooling in the paper path. If both are soaked, that usually means the printer has done a lot of cleaning cycles, heavy printing, sublimation work, or flushing.

For the capping station area, you may not always need to replace the entire assembly immediately. Sometimes the cap top can be cleaned carefully if it is only dirty. However, if the rubber seal is deformed, the pad is saturated beyond recovery, the pump is not pulling ink properly, or the waste line is clogged, replacing or servicing the capping station may be necessary. A weak cap seal can cause poor nozzle checks even if the printhead itself is not badly clogged.

Before replacing parts, you can inspect a few things:

First, check whether the printhead is parking correctly on the capping station. If the carriage is not seating properly, the cap may not seal against the printhead.

Second, check whether the capping station pad is only wet or actually flooded. A wet pad is normal after cleaning cycles, but a flooded pad with standing ink may indicate poor drainage, a clogged waste tube, or a saturated waste ink system.

Third, check the waste ink tube connected to the pump. If the tube is clogged, pinched, disconnected, or full of dried ink, the cap may fill up because ink cannot drain away properly.

Fourth, check whether the pump is working during cleaning cycles. If the pump is weak or clogged, the printer may not pull ink efficiently through the printhead.

Fifth, inspect the rubber rim around the cap top. If the rubber is warped, hardened, swollen, or contaminated with dried ink, it may not seal well enough for proper cleaning.

For the long pad across the printer, cleaning can be messy. You need to be careful because pushing too much liquid into the printer can spread ink into areas where it does not belong. Use lint-free materials and avoid leaving fibers behind. If the pad is heavily saturated, replacement may be cleaner than trying to wash it in place, but replacement usually requires disassembly. Also remember that these pads can hold a surprising amount of ink, so wear gloves and protect the work surface.

One important thing to understand is that soaked internal pads may also relate to the printer's waste ink counter. Epson printers track cleaning cycles and estimated waste ink accumulation. Even if you physically clean or replace pads, the printer may still have a waste ink counter that needs to be addressed separately. If the printer eventually reports a service-required message related to the ink pads or waste ink, replacing the pad alone may not clear the error. The physical waste ink system and the electronic counter are two different issues.

If your WF-7710 is used for sublimation, DTF, or other converted printing, the service station may get dirty faster than it would with standard ink. Converted ink systems often require more cleaning cycles, and non-OEM inks can behave differently in the capping station and waste system. This is why regular inspection of the cap top, wiper blade, waste line, and platen area is important.

In your case, I would start by searching for capping station videos using "WF-7710," "WF7710," "WF-3640," and "capping station." The WF-3640 search term is useful because that printer has a similar capping station style, and videos for that model may help you understand the mechanism and cleaning process. Then determine whether your problem is only a soaked pad, a clogged waste line, a failed pump, or a damaged cap top. If the printer still prints well and the only problem is excess ink buildup, cleaning may be enough. If cleaning cycles are not restoring nozzles or the cap station stays flooded, then you may need to service or replace the capping station or waste ink drainage path.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair because many repairs require hands-on inspection and testing. For that reason, we are not able to provide remote troubleshooting, detailed repair suggestions, or ongoing support for individual printer repairs. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility, BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]. Because demand is high, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, so it may take a few weeks before we can arrange for your printer to be dropped off. Our services are structured to repair either an entire printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we understand that our rates may not be the most economical option for everyone. Therefore, we strongly recommend using self-help through online research whenever possible. You can start by checking YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel homepage at 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 search for specific videos. I receive dozens of questions every day asking about videos for specific topics, and after creating videos for more than nine years, it is difficult to remember every single one. Using YouTube's search function is usually the most efficient way to find the right video, and YouTube may also suggest relevant videos from other channels that could help.

Thank you again for reaching out and for watching our videos. I hope this helps you narrow down whether you need to clean the capping station, inspect the waste ink drainage path, replace the cap top, or address the long platen/overspray pad inside your WF-7710.