Understanding the 7-Tube Ink Delivery System in ET-8550 DTF Conversion

Question:

In your Pro-Level ET-8550 DTF Conversion: Install Ink Delivery System—Complete Course (Part 1) video, I noticed you used seven tubes in the drag chain, even though the Epson ET-8550 only has six ink tanks. Is the extra tube for a waste tank?

Answer:

7 Tubes vs. 6 Tubes for the ET-8550 DTF Conversion

Full DTF (Direct to Film) conversion requires white ink circulation and maintenance. In contrast to regular color inks, white DTF ink separates quickly and can cause clogs in the printhead if left idle for a long time. However, this does not happen if you add a separate (7th) tube to bring distilled water to the printhead.

How Does This Work?

The white damper is replaced with a connection for distilled water when the printer is not printing white ink.

So the white ink system can be flushed when needed, reducing clogs and keeping the printhead in peak condition.

There is still some white ink left in the ink lines for a few hours while printing, but this system can prolong the life of the printhead and minimise maintenance.

Why Not Just Use 6 Tubes?

If you only have six tubes (1 per ink tank), it can be challenging to finesse cleaning fluid or distilled water into the system without manually popping off tubes. A 7th tube is added to change the 4print system from printing to maintenance mode without constant disassembly, saving time and increasing assurance of the parts inside the extruder.

Further Item & Support choices for Diagnostic

Diving into a printer conversion or DTF setup requires significant hands-on work, and remote technical troubleshooting can often be complex. We do not provide remote repair support, but do offer in-house inspection and repair service at our local diagnostic center [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service], though with high demand and first-come, first-served basis, you may need to wait until your printer can be dropped off for service. Whatever may be found out now, with step-by-step instructions on moving forward, whether you require a complete repair or just a particular segment replaced. But at the same time, we know that professional repair services can sometimes be prohibitively expensive, so we always recommend looking into DIY options and self-diagnosing whenever possible.

You can reference [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies] for more information and tutorials. Use the search bar next to “About” on the white menu bar on the right-hand side to find specific videos. Over the years, hundreds of videos have been published, so searching by topic is faster than updating many links, etc. On top of that, YouTube may recommend helpful videos from other creators that will help make the DTF setup process more manageable.

Thank you for your question and for being a part of our community! Your statement would answer your concern. Happy printing!