Wet Paper Towel or Hot Rag Unclogging on Epson Printheads: Can Moisture Ruin the FFC Cable or Burn the Printhead?

Question: I used a rag with boiled hot water on the bottom of the printhead to heat it up and make unclogging easier. After that, I realized water vapor might have gotten into the FFC cable. In your videos you mention the printer is "dead" if water gets in-does that include my situation, and can I just let it dry? Also, should my next step be checking the FFC cable connection to the printhead?

Answer: 

Now, to your question: Yes-your situation can absolutely be included in the "water can kill it" warning, but it depends on where the moisture went, how much got in, and whether the head/FFC contacts were already compromised.

Let's break it down clearly.

1) Does water vapor from a hot rag "count" as water damage?

It can.

A lot of people assume the warning only applies if water is poured onto electronics. In reality, warm moisture is sometimes worse because it can:

• Condense inside connectors and under cable insulation,

• Spread conductive contamination (ink residue, minerals from water, cleaning chemicals),

• Create temporary shorts when power is applied,

• Accelerate corrosion over time.

Even "steam" can become liquid once it hits cooler metal parts or the inside of the connector.

Why FFC cables are especially vulnerable

FFC (Flat Flexible Cable) conductors are exposed at the contact ends. If moisture gets into:

• The FFC contact pads,

• The printhead contact area,

• The carriage board connector,
  it can create arcing or overheating as soon as the printer powers up and current flows.

That is why people often see sudden failure right after a wet cleaning attempt.

2) Can you just let it dry?

Sometimes, but it's risky-and drying doesn't reverse electrical burning.

If moisture is the only issue and nothing has been powered on while wet, then drying can help. However:

• If you powered the printer on while moisture was present, the risk of shorting and burning goes up dramatically.

• If the contacts were already damaged, moisture makes it easier for them to arc and burn further.

Also, "dry" on the outside doesn't mean it's dry inside the connector. Water can remain trapped between the FFC and connector contacts.

The main danger isn't just moisture-it's moisture + power.

3) Your proposed answer is a critical clue: burnt FFC connection points

Based on what you described from the video, there are two major red flags:

A) Burnt FFC connection points were already visible

If the FFC contact area is already burnt (darkened, pitted, melted plastic, scorched pads), that usually indicates one of these:

• A prior short,

• A prior arc event,

• Overheating due to poor contact pressure,

• Ink contamination acting like a conductive bridge,

• Or a failing head driver circuit.

Once you see burn marks, it's often not a "simple clog" issue anymore-now it's an electrical reliability issue.

B) Wet towel / wet rag contact can cause immediate head damage

Your answer is also correct on the second point: when the head is in contact with moisture and the system is energized, it can lead to:

• Rapid overheating at the nozzles,

• Electrical leakage paths,

• Burnt head contacts,

• Or a blown head driver on the carriage board/mainboard.

In practical terms: a wet towel method can turn a recoverable clog into a dead printhead if anything gets energized while damp.

4) Should your next step be checking the FFC connection to the printhead?

Yes-checking the connection is a logical step, but with an important warning: do not repeatedly plug/unplug while contaminated, and do not power on until you're confident the contacts are clean and dry.

Here's what "checking the connection" means in a safe, meaningful way:

What to look for at the printhead end

• Burn marks on the gold contact pads

• Discoloration (brown/black)

• Pitting or "spark" marks

• Warped connector plastic

• Ink residue or sticky film on contacts

• Any greenish tint (corrosion)

What to look for at the carriage board end

• Burn marks around the connector

• Ink contamination near the socket

• Bent pins (on models that use pin-style connectors)

• Loose latch / broken locking bar

Why a "bad connection" can burn a head even if it's dry

A partially seated FFC cable can act like a high-resistance connection. High resistance = heat. That heat can:

• Char the connector,

• Warp the latch,

• And permanently damage the head contact area.

So yes, connection quality matters, but if burning already occurred, the failure may already be past the point where reseating fixes it.

5) If the printer still turns on, what error codes might appear?

You didn't list any specific error codes, but moisture/burnt FFC/head issues often show up as:

• Printhead error / printhead not recognized

• Carriage error

• Scanner/carriage jam-style messages (because the carriage can't initialize properly)

• Or a general "printer error" that stops operation.

If your printer shows an exact numeric or letter-based code, that exact code is important-different codes point to:

• Printhead electrical failure,

• Carriage board failure,

• Or mainboard/head driver failure.

6) The hard truth: If contacts are burnt, drying alone won't fix it

Drying is only helpful if the issue is purely moisture. But once you have:

• Burnt pads,

• Melted connector areas,

• Or repeated failures after reseating,

Then the likely outcomes are:

• The printhead is electrically damaged,

• The FFC cable is damaged,

• The carriage board connector is damaged,

• Or some combination of all three.

That's why in the video context you referenced, it's often described as "dead"-because the electrical damage is usually permanent once arcing/burning happens.

Addressing printer issues can be a complicated affair due to the hands-on nature of the problems. So, we're not able to provide remote troubleshooting, suggestions, or support for printer repairs. We offer an in-person evaluation and repair service via our local diagnostic facility, BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Given the high demand, we operate on a first-come, first-served basis. So, it might take a few weeks before we can get your printer in for drop-off. Our services are structured to repair either a whole printer or specific parts, with clear instructions on how to proceed. However, we acknowledge that our rates aren't the most economical. Thus, we highly recommend that you resort to self-help via online research. You can start by checking out YouTube or visiting our YouTube channel's homepage, BCH Technologies on YouTube (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). Look for specific videos using the search icon next to "About" on the right-hand side of the menu bar. I receive dozens of queries every day asking about videos for specific topics. Having created videos over the past nine years, it's challenging to remember every single one. Therefore, using YouTube's search function would be most efficient. Plus, YouTube might suggest relevant videos from other channels that could assist you.

Thank you again for reaching out, and I'm sorry you're dealing with this-it's frustrating when you're trying to do the right thing and a clog turns into an electrical concern. I appreciate you watching the videos and being careful enough to ask before going further.