Troubleshooting Epson L1800 DTF Printer: Fatal Errors, Ink Flow Issues, and Fixes

Question:

Recently, I acquired a pre-owned Epson L1800 DTF printer. The seller said the red ink wasn't printing because it was clogged, but there was never a print test before the purchase. After I’d brought it home, I attempted a few remedies:

• Swapped out the print head — no better.
• I replaced all the CISS lines and dampers and found clogged tubes in both white ink tanks, which I could clean.
• New lines, dampers, and a new print head were installed.
• Primed the dampers, using a syringe so that ink reached the back of the print head.
• I performed test prints and nozzle checks — every page was blank.
• I tested the motherboard F1 fuse for continuity, and it was good.

I then saw two red lights flashing on the paper and ink buttons, signaling a fatal error. After reinstalling and removing the board, the printer stopped responding. The capping station pad is dry, showing no sign of ink movement. Why might this be the case, and how can I resolve it?

Answer:

Cap Station & Ink Flow Problem

A dry capping station pad shows that ink is not getting drawn through the print head. Here’s what you can do:

Draw ink manually: Using the syringe on the waste tube from the capping station. If you receive air only or the resistance is too high, the capping station may not be sealing properly.

Inspect Printhead Positioning: If the printhead is not parking properly over the capping station, it won’t prime ink.

Check the Waste Pump – If this is blocked or is faulty the ink will not be able to flow through the ink system. Experiment with manually flushing it to see if ink flows.

Electrical Problems & Fatal Error (Two Blinking Red Light)

Because the deadly error happened after the board had been re-enabled, it’s probably electrical:

In order to Fix the issue, Perform the following steps: Check Ribbon Cable Connections: Check that any FFC cables that connect to the printhead and motherboard are properly oriented and fully seated. A slightly loose or out of alignment connection can lead to communication errors.

Check Other Fuses: The F1 fuse could be just fine and other components still shorted. Inspect the motherboard for any burnt fuses.

Carriage Motor & Encoder Strip: If the carriage movement is blocked, so the printer can log the fatal error. It will help clean and make sure the encoder strip is working.

Next Steps

If you still have the original printhead, refit it temporarily to eliminate the possibility of a faulty replacement printhead.

Run a pressure test to ensure you are delivering ink properly.

Do a full power reset, disconnecting the printer for a minimum of five minutes before turning it on again.

If the error continues, further examination of the motherboard might be required to diagnose the cause of electronic failures.

Print problems can be tricky to solve because they often require some hands-on troubleshooting. Repairs are highly technical and, as such, we cannot provide remote diagnostics. At the same time, we do in-person printer repair (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service) service in our local shop. Service is offered on best-effort basis due to high demand, and so it may take a couple of weeks to have your printer evaluated. Fixup printers -- We can sometimes fix each individual part of your printer or run full diagnostics. So we strongly encourage you to explore self-help resources like this YouTube channel (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). There’s a search icon inline with the “About” tab that you can use to find specific videos about your issue(s).

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Let us know what you discover after those troubleshooting steps and we’d be happy to assist further!