Is the Epson L1800 Printhead Compatible with the Procolored L1800? Here's What You Need to Know

Question: I have a Procolored L1800 printer, and I’m wondering if the Epson L1800 printhead from your store would be compatible. The two printers appear identical, and the Procolored model uses Epson software, but their printheads are currently out of stock. If yours works, I’d prefer to go that route. Can you confirm compatibility?

Answer:

Thank you for reaching out to us! I’m sorry we couldn’t get back to you sooner—I completely understand how important printhead compatibility is when your printer is down, especially when dealing with DTF systems like the Procolored L1800. We at BCH Technologies want to provide you with the most accurate and detailed information possible. Also, thank you for your continued support of our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies)—your questions and feedback are essential to helping us improve our content and technical resources.

Now, let’s get into the details of your question about the Epson L1800 printhead and how it may—or may not—work with your Procolored L1800 printer.

Compatibility Between Epson L1800 and Procolored L1800 Printheads

At first glance, the Procolored L1800 looks identical to the standard Epson L1800, and both typically run on the same firmware and driver packages. However, Procolored often includes aftermarket modifications under the hood—especially in their DTF printer conversions. One common modification involves the use of an “overwrite board” that allows the printer to use a cheaper L805 printhead instead of the native L1800 printhead.

Here’s how to determine which setup you have:

1. Check for an Overwrite Board (Signal Converter)

This is the critical factor. Some Procolored L1800 printers ship with a small daughterboard—usually mounted near the printhead or on the carriage itself—that converts signals from the Epson L1800 mainboard to be compatible with an Epson L805 printhead.

• If your printer has this converter board installed, it's currently set up for an L805 printhead, not an L1800 one.

• If you want to switch back to using the L1800 printhead, you’ll need to remove the board and plug the ribbon cable (FFC) directly into the L1800 printhead.

So yes—the L1800 printhead will physically and electrically work, but only if your printer is wired for it. If it’s currently using the L805 setup with a converter, you’ll need to reverse that modification.

2. Confirming Printhead Type Before Ordering

To avoid damaging your printer or the new printhead:

• Open the top cover and inspect the printhead carriage.

• Look for an extra circuit board between the FFC cable and the printhead.

• If present, this board typically has a few SMD components and is slightly thicker than a standard FFC pass-through. It often has markings or labels that indicate it's an “L805 Adapter.”

If there’s no adapter present, then your printer is likely still using the original Epson L1800 printhead interface, and the replacement from our store is fully compatible.

You can find the product listing here:
No-Return Printhead for Epson 1390, 1400, 1430, L1800, Artisan 1430, etc.
(https://bch-youtube-fan-store.myshopify.com/products/no-return-printhead-for-epson-1390-1400-1410-1430-l1800-l-18001500w-artisan-1430-dtf-dtg-sublimation)

Can I Permanently Switch Back to the L1800 Printhead?

Yes. If you're determined to use the L1800 printhead instead of the L805 variant, you can simply remove the adapter board, discard it, and reconnect the flat cable from the mainboard directly to the L1800 printhead.

Just make sure you’ve:

• Verified fuse integrity on the mainboard before installing the new head.

• Checked that your ribbon cables are clean, undamaged, and properly aligned.

• Avoided running power cleans right after installation—let the system rest between cleaning cycles to protect the printhead membrane.

Due to the physical and technical nature of printer diagnostics, we’re unable to offer one-on-one remote troubleshooting or advice. However, we do provide in-person printer diagnostics and repair services (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service) at our North Carolina-based facility. This service operates on a first-come, first-served basis, and wait times may vary depending on demand. We handle both full unit repairs and individual component diagnostics. That said, we understand that shipping a printer in for service may not be the most cost-effective solution for everyone. That’s why we encourage checking our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies) for repair and upgrade videos using the search bar under the "About" tab. YouTube may also suggest helpful videos from other creators tackling similar issues.

Thanks again for your great question—and for trusting BCH Technologies as your go-to printer support team. Let us know if you need help sourcing a replacement FFC cable or fuse kit, and we’ll do our best to assist!