How to Diagnose a Faulty Printhead on the Epson XP-15000 After a Blown F1 Fuse

Question:

Is there a pinout chart available for the Epson XP-15000 printhead? I accidentally blew the F1 fuse and would like to test whether the printhead is damaged before replacing the fuse.

Answer:

Why a Blown F1 Fuse Points to a Faulty Printhead

The F1 fuse on the XP-15000 mainboard is designed to protect the motherboard and related circuits from overcurrent, which is most commonly caused by a shorted or damaged printhead. A printhead with internal electrical faults (like a short between nozzle drivers or heater lines) can draw too much current, causing the F1 fuse to blow.

Because of this, many experienced technicians take a blown F1 fuse as a reliable sign that the printhead is already beyond safe use. Testing it directly—without a confirmed pinout chart—can also risk damaging a new fuse or, worse, the mainboard itself if the short remains.

Safer Next Steps

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Don’t just replace the fuse and try again. If the short still exists, you may blow the replacement fuse instantly and potentially harm your mainboard.

2. Inspect the printhead externally. Look for burn marks or smell for any unusual burnt-plastic odor, which are classic signs of internal shorting.

3. If in doubt, replace the printhead before replacing the fuse. This is the safest route and, in many cases, the only way to ensure the issue doesn’t persist.

4. Use a multimeter (with extreme caution): If you’re technically inclined and willing to experiment, you can measure resistance between specific pins to look for very low ohm readings that might suggest shorts, but this requires knowing the expected values, which Epson doesn’t provide.

Addressing printer issues can be tricky due to the hands-on nature of diagnostics. As a result, we cannot offer remote troubleshooting or technical support for hardware repairs. However, we provide in-person diagnostic and repair services at our local facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Please note that we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and depending on demand, there may be a wait of several weeks for drop-off and service. While our repair services cover complete printer restoration or targeted part replacements, we also understand that our pricing may not be the most budget-friendly. That’s why we encourage self-troubleshooting as a primary approach. Consider searching our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) using the search icon next to the "About" section. We’ve developed hundreds of videos over the years, and while it’s hard to recall every single one, a targeted keyword search often yields the fastest results, sometimes even from other helpful creators.

Thanks again for contacting us. We appreciate your interest and support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out again as you move forward.