How to Identify and Fix Printhead Issues on the Epson L1800 (DTF Banding and White Ink Problems)

Question:

My friend told me that she ordered her Epson L1800 printheads from you, and I urgently need one if you have one in stock. But I’m not entirely convinced my printhead is the problem. My printer prints well, except for a fair bit of banding in the white ink. There are no clogs, but I do need help diagnosing the problem.

Answer:

First, let me guide you through determining whether your L1800 printhead needs replacement and performing banding troubleshooting in white ink.

Do You Need an Epson L1800 Printhead? 

The prescribed printhead for your good Epson L1800 is available for sale here:

➡ Purchase Epson L1800 Printhead (https://bchtechnologies.com/products/no-return-printhead-for-epson-1390-1400-1410-1430-l1800-l-18001500w-artisan-1430-dtf-dtg-sublimation?_pos=7&_sid=38ee4528d&_ss=r)

L1800 vs L805 Printhead Identification Guide

Make sure your printer uses an L1800 printhead before purchasing it. However, the other type of some printers is a conversion board, which makes it possible for the L1800 to use the L805 printhead.

Not sure? Please send us a photo of your mainboard connections for identification.

Verify whether your printer has this conversion breakout board (https://bchtechnologies.com/products/printhead-conversion-breakout-board-l1800-1390-to-l805-l800-adapter-riser-card-1).

You can replace your printhead with L1800 even if you have this board; Just detach the board and directly connect the printhead’s FFC cable.

White ink banding Issue — Read How to fix White ink banding Issue

In case your L1800 printhead is functioning but you face white ink banding, these are your troubleshooting steps:

Ensure the Printhead Is Properly Parked on the Capping Station

• Turn ON the printer and let the printhead settle on the capping station by itself.
• As DTF ink is more viscous than regular ink, properly sealing is essential for keeping the ink flow.

Capping Station Syringe Vacuum Test

• Put a syringe and tube on the printer’s waste ink line.
• Air was pulled through the capping station 2 ml by ultra-gentle.
• You should feel slight resistance at 1.5 ml—this is where the printhead nozzles are being opened.
• If you can only draw air, the printhead isn’t parked correctly, or there is a leak in the seal around the capping station.
• You may need to replace the capping station (if you’re feeling complete resistance, that usually means the capping station is clogged with dried ink and you’re not getting any ink out at all).

Rotate the White and Color Dampers (Color Rotation Method)

For all printers, the white dampers can be swapped with color dampers, and switching them will improve the ink flow in case of misfiring of white nozzles.

• Please take out the png white ink dampers and insert them into the color damper slots.
• This involves pushing the color dampers into the white damper slots.
• DTF Colour Rotation 
• ➡ DTF Color Rotation Tutorial: https://youtu.be/Ey3wsy9V4zs?si=cTenFwPcJCWCJ2KV
• This practice helps diagnose the issue with the printhead or the ink delivery system.

Cleaning Dampers and Ink Tubes

If you see air bubbles in ink tubes, the ink will starve, resulting in banding in white prints and ink starvation.

• Look for bubbles in the air inside the dampers and ink tubing.
• Syringe ink into dampers to prime them manually

Utilize the Correct settings for RIP Software

Improper RIP software settings can as well lead to white ink banding.

Here are some changes to test out:

✔ Reduce the ink speed to keep the ink laying evenly.

✔ Make the white underbase less dense for a smoother ink spread.

✔ Change the print density – some configurations can cause ink starvation and banding.

Need Further Assistance?

Ink banding troubleshooting is done by hand while determining the printheads. Remote troubleshooting services are not available. To acquire diagnostics and repair services, visit our BCH Technologies repair facility (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Please note that work is carried out during busy periods on a first-come, first-served basis, with wait times varying.

We recommend starting your diagnostics by checking YouTube. Go to our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) and use the search box next to "About" to find a specific troubleshooting topic.

Thank you for your understanding and support! Please reply if you need a clarification. Happy printing!