Fixing Poor Nozzle Tests and Ink Flow Issues on Converted Epson Printers

Question:
I’ve converted my printer, but the printhead nozzle test is coming out very poorly. I’ve already tried replacing the printhead, but the results are the same. I suspect it might be due to low voltage as the printhead firing seems weak. Can you help me configure my printer settings to fix this issue?

Answer:

Though low voltage seems the likely cause, Epson printers utilize piezoelectric chips in their printheads which are unlikely to experience firing issues that are voltage dependent. Instead, the issue might have to do with the viscosity of the ink, or a printhead that wasn’t primed correctly. It is thicker than normal ink, so depending on your printer, you may get clogs or have to prepare it to flow properly through the printer.

Step your troubleshooter: make sure the printhead is parked on the capping station. Power on the printer and let the printhead rest naturally on the station. Then attach a syringe and tube to the printer’s waste line and pull 2 ml of air slowly. Pull 1.5 ml at the beginning; you should feel a little resistance. If you’re only sucking air, this may be symptomatic of the printhead not being parked properly, or a failure in the seal of the capping station. If you start to feel full resistance and nothing comes out, the capping station itself may be full and will need to be tended to before continuing.

The damper membrane creaks when the nozzles are open, so you will get the sound once you draw 1.5 ml. Draw it back very slowly to the full 2 ml mark and make sure that the black rubber part gets there and keep it there for about 10 seconds. After that you can let the standard cleaning routine on the printer complete the cycle. Do not execute a strong cleaning cycle less than 12 hours apart, and do not conduct back-to-back cleanings without allowing the printer rest time in between.

Additional Guidance:

The conversion of printers and their ongoing maintenance is a capable and often hands-on process. Sadly, there is no way to support these cases remotely. But we do provide both evaluation and repair services at our local diagnostic center (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service) where we specialize in in person repair services of all major printer brands, but these sevrices are booked first-come first-served as we maintain an extended waiting list.

If you need additional assistance, check out our Youtube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies), where we post videos that include printer maintenance and troubleshooting. Find DTF conversions and nozzle cleaning articles using the search bar under the “About” tab. YouTube might also point you toward helpful videos from other creators.