How to Fix White Ink Not Printing on DTF-Converted Epson ET-8500 with CISS Setup

Customer Question:
I recently converted my Epson ET-8500 for DTF printing and connected it to a Continuous Ink Supply System (CISS). The problem I’m facing is that white ink won’t come out at all, even after trying everything I could think of. The colors print fine, but there’s no background white layer. I'm local and willing to bring the printer in for a fix, but I have a big order to complete soon. What can I do to get white ink flowing again?

Answer:
Issue: White Ink Not Printing from DTF-Converted Epson ET-8500 with CISS

The problem of white ink not coming out—while colors are printing fine—is quite common in DTF setups, particularly with thicker white pigment inks and Continuous Ink Supply Systems. There are a few likely causes:

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. Check Printhead Parking and Suction

To ensure the printhead is seated correctly on the capping station (where it draws cleaning suction and parks):

• Power on the printer and let it fully initialize. The printhead should naturally return and settle on the capping station.

• While powered on and parked, connect a syringe and tube to the waste line (usually accessible behind the printer).

• Slowly draw 1.5 ml of air:

  • If you draw only air, the printhead is not adequately sealed against the capping station, or the cap’s rubber seal is leaking.

  • If there's firm resistance and you can’t pull anything, the capping station may be clogged, which means ink can't flow and the nozzles aren't being primed.

  • If you hear a membrane crinkling sound from the dampers while pulling, this is good—it means the vacuum is opening up the ink channels.

• Continue pulling gently until the 2 ml mark and hold the black rubber on the syringe at that level for 10 seconds. This helps create negative pressure that can draw white ink to the printhead.

2. Avoid Over-Cleaning

Once you’ve done this manually draw:

• Run a standard cleaning cycle through the printer’s menu (not a power clean).

• Do not run multiple cleanings back-to-back—let the printer rest for at least 30–60 minutes between cycles.

• Avoid "Strong" cleaning for at least 12 hours. Aggressive cleaning can damage the printhead or flood ink lines with air bubbles.

3. White Ink-Specific Checks

Because white DTF ink is dense and prone to settling:

• Shake the white ink supply tank gently to remix pigment that may have settled.

• Make sure your CISS lines are free of air pockets, especially on the white ink channel.

• Visually check that white ink is moving through the tube when priming or cleaning.

• If your printer uses separate dampers, ensure the damper for white is not blocked or collapsed.

Additional Tip: Maintain White Ink Circulation

If your setup allows it, consider stirring or agitating the white ink every few hours. White DTF pigment settles quickly, and in CISS setups without circulation, blockages form easily near the damper and printhead. In commercial DTF printers, white ink agitators are standard for this very reason.

Addressing printer issues can be a hands-on, often mechanical process. That’s why we’re unable to offer remote repair support or diagnostics for individual printers. However, we do provide in-person assessments and repair services at our diagnostic facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take several weeks before your unit can be accepted. We can repair full printers or specific components, and we’ll walk you through the process. That said, we know that our repair pricing might not suit everyone’s budget. So we recommend starting with self-help by researching videos—beginning with our YouTube channel homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to the “About” tab to locate videos by model or symptom. Since we’ve built up nearly a decade of content, searching directly on YouTube will help you find videos fast—even from other creators who’ve tackled similar issues.

Thank you once again for reaching out, and best of luck getting that white ink flowing again. We're honored to be part of your printing journey.