Phantom Paper Jam After DTF Ink Leak on Epson 8550: Troubleshooting & Solutions

Question:

After installing a DTF CISS system on my Epson 8550, white ink leaked into the printer, and now I have a phantom paper jam that I can't decode. Could the problem be resolved through new cables?

Answer:

Let us explore your problem with a phantom paper jam on your Epson 8550 printer after a DTF ink leakage. This seems a common problem, especially with DTF inks, which can often cause problems, most notably with white inks due to their thickness.

Phantom Paper Jams — Possible Causes and Fixes

Contamination of the Paper Feed Sensors

• Start by checking the paper feed sensor. This is an optical sensor that detects when paper is in the printer. Camouflage the sensor: If even a little bit of ink has bled onto this sensor, the light beam can be obstructed, or the signal can be scattered and cause the printer to start thinking that a paper jam is occurring when, in fact, it's not. Fortunately, the fix is simple: gently clean the sensor with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth until you're sure it's free of ink.

Encoder Strip Contamination

• The encoder strip is another potential offender as well. This is a clear plastic strip that moves parallel along with the printhead and helps the printer track the location of the printhead while printing. If some ink, particularly from a DTF leak, gets stuck on the strip when it dries, it can confuse this tracking system and cause what is known as a phantom jam. Use isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth to scrub the encoder strip and gently remove dried ink.

Encoder Wheel Issues

• The ink leak may also damage the encoder wheel, which reads the paper feed movement. If ink has smeared the wheel, the printer may be unable to correctly sense the paper's movement, causing mistakes like the phantom jam you're facing. See if there's ink buildup around the encoder wheel, and clean it.

Ink on Rollers and Platen

• The ink that seeps into the rollers or platen can also cause problems. The rollers assist with feeding the paper through the printer, and if they get gunky from the ink, they sometimes cause the printer to register paper getting caught, resulting in those jam errors. The platen is where the paper sits while printing, and this, too, can be impacted. If you do not take it out, check the rollers and platen for any ink residue and clean with a lint-free cloth.

Capping Station and Printhead Carriage

• For example, if the ink has gone and soaked back into the capping station (or underneath the printhead carriage), it may jam the printhead from moving. Non-smooth motion can imitate the situation of a paper jam. Check these surfaces for ink buildup and, if necessary, rub a printer-safe lubricant on the printhead carriage rail.

FFC Cable Short or Damage

• Ink may have reached the sensor or flat flexible cable (FFC) and affected contact points. If the ink has damaged the FFC, it could cause intermittent errors or phantom jams. Replacing the FFC cable will be a cheap solution and may fix the issue if any ink has corroded or shorted it.

Mainboard and Firmware Glitch Ink

• If ink has managed to touch the mainboard, it can cause damage to the circuits responsible for the paper detection. This type of damage requires more extensive repairs or even replace the mainboard. And firmware bugs can also sometimes make sensor faults worse. In the case of firmware, try resetting the printer to factory settings or updating the firmware, but this is less likely to result in an issue if the problem starts immediately after the leak.

Malfunction of the paper eject sensor.

• If your print head is clogged or not working correctly, it can cause the paper eject sensor to become clogged or misaligned due to ink buildup. This sensor senses when the paper has left the printer; when it is not working properly, it can be susceptible to phantom jams. Check the paper exit area for any ink residue or misalignment, and clean it well.

General Ink BuildupBuildup and Clogs

• If the ink has entered places that are difficult to reach (for example, behind the paper path or around the maintenance box), you can prevent the printing process and lead to ink obstruction that allows the jam error. A budget-friendly option is to use compressed air to blow out the hidden ink particles but take extreme care not to blow it further into sensitive areas.

Purge Pump Issues

• Although the purpose of the purge pump is to "suck" out excess ink from the printhead, it can get "clogged" with ink. If the pump is not operating correctly, it may produce phantom jam errors. Check the purge pump area and clean it to ensure it functions properly.

Calling in a professional repair service:

When the phantom jam persists, you will find the FFC cable is dirty; if it does not help, you can replace the FFC cable directly. — If, after checking these issues and replacing the toner, we still have problems with the printer, BCH Technologies has diagnostic facilities for evaluation and repair services in person (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Still, please note that due to the high volume of repairs, we can only process units in the order in which they arrive (first-come, first-served). It may take a few weeks before we can evaluate your printer. If you're handy with repairs yourself, you can check to see other online resources (including our YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies), where you can find many such troubleshooting videos. Go to our channel's page (you can see the link in the "About" section), and to the right of the blue button is the YouTube search icon where you can find the specific video topic.