ET-8550 DTF Conversion: How to Run Water Through the White Ink System for Daily Maintenance (Power Cleaning vs Regular Cleaning)

Question:
I ordered all the parts for converting my Epson ET-8550. For daily maintenance on the white ink system, how do I run water through the system-do I use Power Cleaning, or is there a different way?

Answer

For daily water circulation/maintenance on the white ink side, you generally do not want to rely on Power Cleaning as your routine method. Instead:

1. Manually fill/prime the maintenance module's water tank (if your setup uses a water tank feeding the cap/flush system), and then

2. Use regular cleaning cycles as needed to draw water through the cap station and flushing path.

That approach is safer and more consistent for daily upkeep.

How to run water into the system for daily white-ink maintenance

1) Fill the maintenance module water tank (priming step)

As you mentioned, the best way to get water into the maintenance module is:

• Use a syringe to draw and/or push water to fill the water tank in the maintenance module (the tank that supplies the cap/flush side of the system).

• The goal is to ensure the maintenance module has enough water available so the printer can pull that water through during normal cleaning actions.

Tip: Go slowly and avoid forcing too much pressure-gentle syringe pressure is best. If you force fluid too hard, you can create leaks, dislodge tubing, or flood areas that should stay dry.

2) Let regular cleaning pull water into the unit

Once the maintenance module water tank is filled:

• A regular cleaning cycle is typically enough to draw water into the cap station/maintenance path and keep the system wet and functional.

• If your intent is daily maintenance, think of regular cleaning as "maintenance flow," not "deep recovery."

Why regular cleaning works:
During standard cleaning, the printer uses the cap station and pump system to move fluid. If the maintenance module has water available, the system can pull it through as part of that process.

Should you use Power Cleaning for daily maintenance?

Usually, no-Power Cleaning is more of a "heavy-duty" procedure.

Reasons to avoid Power Cleaning as a daily habit:

• It can be more aggressive than necessary.

• It may waste a lot of fluid and generate more waste.

• It can put extra load on the pump, cap, and seals, especially on converted systems.

• On some setups, frequent Power Cleaning can increase the chance of introducing air, aggravating clogs, or overworking the maintenance station.

When Power Cleaning makes sense

Power Cleaning can be useful when:

• You have severe nozzle loss that regular cleaning won't recover

• You have air in lines that standard cleaning can't purge

• You recently changed components and need a stronger pull occasionally (not daily)

If you see error messages or codes during cleaning, note the exact text/code and what action triggered it (regular cleaning vs power cleaning), because that helps pinpoint whether the issue is pump-related, cap seal-related, or sensor-related.

Common mistakes that stop water from drawing correctly (and how to fix them)

The cap seal isn't airtight

If the cap top isn't sealing well against the printhead, the pump can't pull fluid effectively.

What you'll see:

• Cleaning runs but no movement

• Persistent nozzle dropouts

• Little to no fluid seen in waste line (depending on design)

Fixes:

• Re-seat/align the cap

• Check for a warped cap top

• Confirm the head is parking correctly onto the cap

Air leaks in tubing or loose connections

Even a small leak can prevent proper suction.

Fixes:

• Check tube connections and clamps

• Look for wet spots, bubbles, or "dry" tubes that never show movement

• Ensure the syringe priming doesn't introduce air pockets

Maintenance module tank is empty or not feeding

If the tank is empty (or the feed path is blocked), cleaning won't pull water.

Fixes:

• Refill the tank

• Confirm the line isn't kinked

• Confirm the intake is submerged and not sucking air

Addressing printer issues can be tricky because so many problems are hands-on and depend on what the machine is doing physically. Because of that, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or direct support for printer repairs. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility: printer repair service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to high demand, everything is first-come, first-served, and it may take a few weeks before you're able to drop off your printer. Our service options cover either full-printer repair or specific part repair, with clear steps on how to proceed. That said, we recognize our rates aren't the most economical-so we strongly recommend self-help through online research first. A great place to start is YouTube, especially our channel homepage: BCH Technologies on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). To find the most relevant content fast, use the search icon near the "About" area on the right side of the menu bar. I receive many messages every day asking if we have a video for a specific issue, and after nine years of uploading, it's hard to remember every single one-YouTube search is the quickest route, and it may also recommend helpful videos from other creators.

Thanks again for reaching out and for supporting BCH Technologies. If you run into any specific error codes during cleaning (regular or power), please write down the exact code/message and what you were doing when it appeared-that detail matters a lot.