Procolored L1800 DTF Printer Not Printing After Installing a New Printhead - Possible Causes and Fixes

Question:
I have a Procolored L1800 DTF printer. The white ink stopped printing correctly, and I followed all the troubleshooting videos provided by the manufacturer, but nothing fixed the problem. I then purchased and installed a brand-new printhead from them. Now the printer does not print anything at all. What could be causing this?

Answer:

From what you described-white ink failing first, followed by a completely non-printing printer after installing a new printhead-there are several areas we should examine. In many cases with Epson-based L1800 DTF printers, the problem is not necessarily the printhead itself.

1. Check the Capping Station First

Before suspecting electronic components or the printhead, the capping station should always be inspected. The capping station is responsible for sealing the printhead and creating suction during cleaning cycles. If it is clogged, leaking, or unable to seal properly, the printer may fail to draw ink into the printhead.

A common symptom is white ink printing poorly or not at all, which eventually leads to full nozzle starvation.

Another sign of capping station trouble is unusual mechanical noise, such as squeaking or screeching sounds. If you hear these sounds, you may want to review the following videos:

• Fixing Screeching Sound in Epson Printer (https://youtu.be/MjArYM-QnfU)

• Another Example of Capping Station Noise Troubleshooting (https://youtu.be/TNOG_1TtN6g)

If the capping station itself needs attention, these guides may help:

• Removing and Installing the Capping Station (https://youtu.be/_cZEkmgIZYc)

• Unclogging the Capping Station (https://youtu.be/WbY_6O1-w2c)

• Capping Station Maintenance Tips (https://youtu.be/5yjq3ZN0qv8)

• Repairing the Capping Station (https://youtu.be/5UC2IMu9V90)

• Rewiring Capping Station Tubes (https://youtu.be/J9im3s8UJfo)

If the capping station cannot form a proper seal, the printer cannot prime ink into the printhead, which makes it appear as though the new printhead is defective even when it isn't.

For a complete teardown and rebuild guide, we also provide a detailed tutorial here:
Capping Station Assemble/Disassemble Guide (https://bchtechnologies.com/products/video-capping-station-assemble-disassemble-guide-for-l1800-1390-artisan-1430-and-1400).

2. Perform a Park-and-Prime Procedure

After confirming the capping station is functional, the next step is to prime the printhead manually.

Here is the recommended method:

1. Turn on the printer and allow the printhead to move and park naturally on the capping station.

2. Connect a syringe and tube to the printer's waste ink line.

3. Gently pull 4-6 ml of air from the tube.

Pay attention to the following responses:

If you only pull air:

• The printhead may not be parked correctly.

• The capping station seal may be leaking.

If you cannot pull anything at all (strong resistance):

• The capping station may be clogged and preventing suction.

If you feel light resistance:

• This usually means the system is sealed correctly.

Continue slowly pulling until the syringe reaches the 2 ml mark, ensuring the rubber plunger passes that mark, then hold it there for about 10 seconds. You may hear the damper membrane crinkle slightly-that's a sign the nozzles are opening and ink flow is starting.

Afterward:

• Run a normal cleaning cycle.

• Avoid power cleaning or strong cleaning within 12 hours.

• Do not perform multiple cleaning cycles back-to-back; allow the printer to rest.

This step is especially important for DTF printers, because DTF ink is thicker than standard ink and sometimes requires additional priming after installing a new printhead.

3. Possible Mainboard Damage (Fuse or Driver Chip)

If the printer does not print anything at all after installing the new printhead, another possibility is damage to the mainboard electronics.

Two components are commonly involved:

Printhead Fuse

Many Epson boards include a small surface-mounted fuse protecting the printhead circuit. If the printhead cable was connected or disconnected while power was present, the fuse may blow.

Symptoms include:

• Printer moves normally

• Cleaning cycles run

• No ink fires from the printhead

Printhead Driver Chip

The driver IC controls the electrical pulses sent to the printhead. If this chip fails:

• The printer may still power on normally

• The printhead receives no firing signal

• No ink prints despite proper ink flow

Unfortunately, diagnosing this requires multimeter testing or board replacement.

4. Printhead Cable Issues

Another issue sometimes seen after installing a new head is a misaligned or damaged FFC cable.

Check that:

• The cable is inserted straight.

• The blue side faces the correct direction.

• There are no bent pins.

• The cable has no burn marks or creases.

A damaged cable can prevent the printhead from firing and may also damage the mainboard.

5. Rare but Possible: Dead New Printhead

Although uncommon, a new printhead can occasionally arrive defective. However, in most cases where a printer stops printing entirely after replacement, the root cause is actually:

• Mainboard fuse failure

• Driver chip damage

• Cable issues

• Lack of priming or capping station problems

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. Unfortunately, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our local diagnostic facility. You can learn more here: BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Because demand is high, repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take a few weeks before we can accept a printer for drop-off.

Our services are structured to repair either a complete printer or individual components, with clear instructions on how to proceed. That said, we understand our rates may not be the most economical option. For that reason, we strongly encourage exploring self-help resources online. A good place to start is YouTube or our channel homepage here: BCH Technologies YouTube Channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Use the search icon next to the "About" tab on the right side of the menu bar to look for specific repair topics. I receive dozens of questions every day asking whether we have a video on certain issues. After producing videos for more than nine years, it's hard to remember them all, so using YouTube's search function is the fastest way to locate helpful content. YouTube may also suggest videos from other creators that could assist you further.

Thank you again for reaching out and for supporting BCH Technologies. Your questions and engagement help us continue developing better resources for the printer repair community. If you run into additional issues, feel free to reach out again.