WHAT TO DO IF...
...it's not printing the right colors.
...there are ink smear or drops of ink.
...it's not printing the right colors.
The reason a print is coming out with the wrong colors is simply that at least one of the colors is not laying down the appropriate amount of ink. This can either be because:
- A cartridge is out or very low on ink.
- The cartridge we refilled was refilled with the wrong color.
- The print head is clogged.
- The Cartridge is broken (rare but can certainly happen.)
Unclogging your print head is a standard maintenance item on any ink jet printer. You access it from the MAINTENANCE TAB from the print box that pops up when you are choosing your settings. There are full directions in our manual or watch the video below. After you have completed a head cleaning, print a nozzle check test page. You may need to do multiple head cleanings. Sometimes but rarely, a head cleaning through the printer won't work. Click here to see a video on a manual head cleaning.
...there are lines in the print.
...there are ink smear or drops of ink.
...it's not printing the right colors.
Evenly spaced lines or overall poor print quality are typically due to not having all the proper settings. From the PROPERTIES tab on the print menu you must check the box for:
- PHOTO
- PHOTO PAPER luster finish
These two setting tell the printer to slow down and print at high quality. If changing to the proper setting doesn't fix the issue, click here for more complete troubleshooting and directions.
...there are ink smear or drops of ink.
...there are ink smear or drops of ink.
...there are white edges that show when framed.
Obviously some ink is dripping out of the cartridges. This is typically due to over filling the cartridges or just a pressure build up from recently filling them and usually fixes itself in a print or two. It can also be due to a leaking seal from an old cartridge. If the problem isn't fixed by a head cleaning or doesn't clear up in a few prints, replace the cartridge that is leaking. Page 9 of the manual covers this in more detail.
...there are white edges that show when framed.
...the printer says I'm out of ink but the cartridges still have ink in them.
...there are white edges that show when framed.
ALWAYS TRUST THE PRINT PREVIEW. If you see white edges, there is probably a setting that needs to be changed. Almost in all circumstance white borders on prints are due to choosing the wrong size paper for the image or the computer is following a default to reduce the image slightly to fit on the paper.
All operating system are different but make sure it is printing at ACTUAL SIZE or 100%. Wide white borders at top and bottom on the panoramics are due to trying to print a 6”x22” design (the licensed jersey stitch print and campus letter art require longer frames and paper) on a 6”x18” paper. Full directions are on page 9 of our manual.
...the printer says I'm out of ink but the cartridges still have ink in them.
...the printer says I'm out of ink but the cartridges still have ink in them.
...the printer says I'm out of ink but the cartridges still have ink in them.
Remember the printer doesn’t have a "magic dipstick" to tell if the ink in a cartridge is REALLYout. It only THINKS you should be out based on how much ink has passed through and Epson doesn't care if you are wasting ink. They want to sell you more.
Epson doesn’t know you are refilling your cartridges, so the computer will still give you the “ink out” signal or might say "cartridges cannot be recognized" when you have plenty of ink left. No worries. Simply go through the motion of replacing the cartridges to trick the printer that the cartridges were replaced.
...there are errors or flashing lights I don't understand.
...the printer says I'm out of ink but the cartridges still have ink in them.
...the printer says I'm out of ink but the cartridges still have ink in them.
The lights are standard indicators for things like the paper is out or not loaded properly or it "thinks" the ink is out. For a full list of what the lights mean click below.
DIRECTIONS FOR 3 MANUAL PRINT HEAD CLEANING METHODS
Clean Sponges with Distilled Water.
- Turn off the printer and open the top. You should be able to see the printhead assembly.
- Look for a small plastic level, which will pop up when the printer isn’t printing, to the left of the assembly. Move it forward and down to release the printhead, then push the assembly to the right. It may only move an inch or less at first, but when you push it to a stop, it will click. This fully releases the assembly so you can push it to the side.
- If there is no lever next to your printhead assembly, print a page with the top up and unplug the printer with the assembly in the center, unlocked.
- You should see sponges, which store ink from the cartridges in the carriage. Using an eyedropper or plastic syringe, saturate the sponges with distilled water or Windex solution.
- Move the assembly back over the sponges as far right as it will go.
- Let the distilled water set for at least fifteen minutes. For the best results, consider letting the printer soak overnight.
- Print six to eight pages dense with text and images until your prints are come out clean and crisp. If you are still not getting good results, consider moving on to the next step in cleaning your printhead.
Distilled Water in Ink Port.
- Remove the ink cartridges from your printhead carriage.
- With the ink cartridges removed, you will see small cone-shaped indents which take the ink from the cartridge to the printhead. These are ink ports, and there should be one for each color/black cartridge.
- Using an eye dropper or plastic syringe, put a couple of drops of distilled water or printhead cleaner into the ink port that may be plugged. Do not put cleaner into all of the ports! If you’re unsure, which color is which, look at the bottom of the ink port for color residue. Usually, yellow is the color on the far right, and going left it’s magenta, cyan, and, finally, black on the far left.
- Replace ink cartridges and wait for the printer to set up the new cartridge. If any water or solution dripped from the printhead, wipe it up with a paper towel before proceeding.
- Print out six to eight pages of text and images to test clarity. Still not getting good results? Try this next procedure:
Cleaning the Printhead with Paper Towels.
- Turn your printer off.
- Tear a single sheet of paper towel in half and fold it lengthwise until it is about one-half inch wide.
- Open the top of your printer and look for a rubber roller that transports paper through the feed system. This feed system is where the printhead runs over when printing.
- Secure the paper towel to the roller with tape and apply several drops of distilled water or cleaner near the middle of the towel.
- Move the printhead assembly over the paper towel and let it rest for at least fifteen minutes. Allow time for the dried ink on the printhead to begin to dissolve. In time, you will see a collection of black ink on the paper towel—this is more than just the black ink, it’s actually a combination of all colors into one pool.
- Repeat with fresh damp paper towels until you start to see individual colors from each ink port. You may need to repeat the process several times to see good results.
- Next, you will want to turn your printer back on. Before you do so, make sure the printhead assembly has returned to its ready position, rather than resting in the center.
- Print several pages to make sure each of the ports are cleared.
Learn More with the full article
This article explains WHY these clogs happen in the first place and helps you learn to avoid these situations.