How to Fix Ink Charging Issues After Installing the Wrong Ink in an Epson Printer for Sublimation

Question:

I recently received a new Epson printer as a gift and plan to use it for sublimation printing. However, in excitement, I accidentally filled it with the wrong ink. I’ve since removed and refilled the incorrect ink with sublimation ink, but now the printer won’t charge it properly. How can I get the printer to print again, and is this something BCH Technologies can help with?

Answer:

About Your Printer Ink Charging Issue:

You’re certainly not alone—accidentally filling a new printer with the wrong ink is a common mistake, especially when transitioning into specialized printing like sublimation. Fortunately, it’s usually recoverable with a few careful steps.

Let’s walk through how to resolve this and get your printer charging the sublimation ink correctly:

1. Understand What Ink Charging Does

The “ink charge” function on Epson printers is a robust operation designed to suck ink forcefully from the tanks through the ink lines, into the dampers, and finally into the printhead nozzles. It’s typically used only once during initial setup or after a deep flush.

However, it should be used cautiously again, especially after switching inks. Overuse can stress or damage the printhead.

2. Best Fix: Manually Prime the Dampers

Here’s a more efficient and safer alternative than relying solely on the ink charge:

• Use syringes to draw ink manually through the ink lines and into the dampers.

• This ensures the dampers are filled with sublimation ink and purges residual ink.

• After priming, run the built-in cleaning cycles (under the printer's maintenance settings) to gently push ink into the printhead.

This method avoids excessive strain on the printer and is ideal after switching ink types.

3. Use the Ink Charge or Power Clean with Caution

If the printer still refuses to print, you have two more options:

Option 1: Reinstall the Epson Printer Software

• During the setup process, you’ll be asked if the printer is charged or not.

• The software will trigger an initial ink charge cycle if you say it isn't.

• Use this only if manual priming and cleaning didn’t help.

Option 2: Power Cleaning

• Access it via:
  Printer Preferences → Maintenance → More Options → Power Cleaning

• This is a strong purge and can help push out trapped air or ink remnants.

• Important Warning:
  Epson officially discourages frequent use. If you must run it, wait at least 12 hours before doing a second cycle.

Can BCH Technologies Help In-Person?

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs.

We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. So, it might take a few weeks before we can get your printer to drop it off. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed.

However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies).

Look for specific videos using the search icon next to “About” on the right-hand side of the menu bar. We receive dozens of queries daily asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be most efficient. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thanks again for reaching out to us! We genuinely appreciate your support and hope this helps bring your sublimation printer back to life. Feel free to stay in touch, and best of luck on your creative printing journey!