Troubleshooting Ink Flow Issues in ET-8550 DTF Conversion: Damper and Ink Flow Fixes

Question:

I have done a damper conversion on the Epson ET-8550 for Direct Film (DTF) printing with the factory-built tanks. I installed the tubing on the dampers but can’t get decent ink to the printhead. What’s causing this issue?

Answer:

First, your issue with ink flow to the printhead on the Epson ET-8550 is virtually the same when using white ink. DTF printing uses a much higher-viscosity white ink than standard CMYK color ink, so you must pay more attention during setup.

Steps To Fix Your Ink Flow Problems:

Prime the Printhead:

Before you begin your print job, you will need to skirt the printhead to ensure the dampers are filled with the white ink. This is important, because the thicker ink will not travel easily through the system if it isn't properly primed.

Park the Printhead:

At first, turn on the printer and let the printhead move naturally on the capping station. Do not try to force the printhead; let it park itself. You can do this safely while the printer’s powered on. For proper priming, the printhead must be in the right place.

Manually prime with a syringe:

When the printhead is parked, hook up a syringe and tube to the printer's waste line. Pulling air gently through the system will allow you to check for flow.

First, add approximately 1.5 ml of air. At this point, you should feel a slight resistance.

If you recover only a mere empty stroke without any resistance, it means either that the printhead isn’t parked well or that a leak exists in the sealing of the capping station.

If you can't pull anything off after 1.5 ml and it feels like it's completely stuck, something may be stuck in the capping station. Should this occur, the clog will need to be resolved before proceeding.

Crinkle Sound + Full Priming:

You may hear a faint crinkling sound from the damper membrane when you reach the 2 ml mark, meaning that the printhead nozzles have opened and ink can flow through them.

Wait for ink to reach the injector tip for 10 seconds by holding the syringe at the 2 ml mark.

Regular Cleaning Cycle:

You can also run the printer’s regular cleaning routine after priming to assist ink flow further. Take care not to run a cleaning cycle immediately using a heavy wash as this can overwork the system. You should also avoid skipping sequential cleanings without allowing the printer time to rest as that might damage components.

Fixing printer problems requires some examination of a physical object, making it a complex endeavor. Unfortunately, we cannot offer remote troubleshooting, recommendations, or printer service assistance. We provide an on-site diagnostic & repair service through our local facility, BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service. We operate on a first-come, first-served basis due to the high demand, so it may take a few weeks before we can drop your printer off at your house. Our services are designed to fix an entire printer or individual parts with specified procedures. But of course, we know that our rates aren't the cheapest, so we suggest you try self-help through an online search. To start, you can check out YouTube (or see the homepage for our YouTube Main channel). Use the search icon next to ‘About’ on the right-hand side of the menu bar to search specific videos. I get dozens of questions every single day asking for videos on certain topics, and having made videos over the past nine years, it’s impossible to keep track of all of them. It would thus be best to use YouTube’s search function. And YouTube may also recommend related clips from other channels that can help.

Thank you again for reaching out, and please let us know if we can provide further assistance!