How to Fix Stubborn Magenta Nozzle Lines on Epson XP-15000 After Sublimation Conversion

Question:

I’ve converted my Epson XP-15000 for sublimation use, but the magenta nozzle isn’t printing correctly—two lines on the upper section of the nozzle check are missing, and I can’t seem to resolve the issue. I’ve already tried several YouTube-recommended methods, including the tissue soaking method with distilled water, multiple head cleanings, and ink purging. These initially helped, but didn’t fully resolve the problem.

I’m hesitant to use cleaning solutions again because I once tried one on my ET-2760, and it made things worse—it started printing blank across all colors and became unusable. Could you recommend a solution and let me know which product might be helpful?

Answer:

1. Stubborn Nozzle Lines and Permanent Damage

When two lines consistently fail on a nozzle check—even after repeated cleanings, purging, and flushing—the issue may go beyond a standard clog. Often, this indicates either:

• Permanent nozzle burn-out or electrical failure, especially common in converted sublimation printers due to the chemical differences in ink formulations.

• Backpressure imbalance or internal ink starvation near the nozzle gate, which can mimic clog-like symptoms.

Given you’ve tried numerous recovery methods (tissue soak, flush, etc.), and the magenta issue remains unchanged, it is likely that the nozzle is no longer salvageable through cleaning alone. In these cases, continuing to clean aggressively can worsen the condition, risking more nozzles or even complete color dropout.

2. Concerns with Cleaning Solutions

Your experience with the ET-2760 is valid and concerning. Many third-party cleaning solutions, especially from non-specialized vendors on platforms like Amazon, can be either too aggressive or improperly formulated, leading to chamber flooding or electrical shorts in the printhead.

We formulate our cleaning solutions with these sensitivities in mind. For your XP-15000, our Unclogging Combo Kit for Epson XP-15000 and XP-6000 Printheads [https://bch-youtube-fan-store.myshopify.com/products/unclogging-combo-kit-for-epson-printhead-xp-15000-xp-6000-dye-pigment-sublimation-maxstrength-cleaning-solution-with-adapter] includes both a gentle-yet-effective solution and the correct adapter.

That said, in your specific case—given your extensive prior cleaning attempts—the cleaning solution may no longer be effective if the nozzles are permanently damaged. Proceeding with more solution-based methods at this stage might not yield much improvement and could introduce further risk if your printhead is already unstable.

3. Alternative Workarounds

Here’s a practical workaround that might help mask the issue temporarily:

• Set your paper type to “Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte” in your printer settings.

• Adjust the print quality to “High” or “Best”.

This forces the printer to slow down the print passes and lay down more ink, which can help hide or bypass missing nozzle lines in moderate cases. It's not a fix, but it’s an effective trick for getting usable prints out of a semi-functional printhead.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Therefore, we're unable 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. Therefore, it may take a few weeks before we can arrange for 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 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. I receive dozens of queries every day 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 the most efficient approach. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thanks again for reaching out and supporting BCH Technologies. We hope this gives you clarity on the issue and a possible path forward.