Print Head Cleaning; Aligning The Print Head; Cleaning The Printer - Epson Printer Overview

2.

Print Head Cleaning

One of the most common problems with ink jet prints that
don't look right is a clogged head. Typically, you'lI see
streaks of colors or actual lines of white where ink did not
print. I've even seen clogged heads that printed oddly
colored photos. This can also happen when your ink is low,
so check that.
To fix a clog, you need to clean the print head. This will use
up some ink, so, you don't want or need to clean a head
until it shows a clog and really requires the cleaning. When
it does, cleaning is well worth this small sacrifice.
On Epson printers you can clean the head in two ways: on
the printer or through software. There is a cleaning button
on the front of the printer (check your manual for exact
placement). Hold it down for three seconds and the unit will
start a cleaning cycle.
There is a head-cleaning utility in the software. You get to it
through the printer driver. You can right-click the printer icon
in the Windows taskbar (or get to it through the Start menu,
Settings, and Printers) and select Head Cleaning. Or, open
the File menu in a Mac and choose Page Setup or Print.
Then you click the Utility and Head-Cleaning buttons in that
order. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Whichever technique you use, the printer will make a bit of
noise while it works. This is normal. The green power light
will flash while it is working. Be sure that you do not turn the
printer off while it is cleaning its heads.
Once done, you should use the head-cleaning utility to
check the nozzles on the head. Click on Print nozzle check
pattern, then Print. Check your page when it comes out. If
the printed pattern is nice and solid with no gaps or lines,
the head is clean. If it is streaky, try cleaning again.
Excerpt from Epson Complete Guide to Digital Printing by Rob Sheppard, published by Lark Books. © 2003, Rob Sheppard.
If you do this a few times and you still see streaking, you can
try turning the printer off and letting it sit overnight. According
to Epson, this allows dried ink to soften. Then try cleaning
again. You may also find that the old ink cartridge just isn't
helping. You can install a new one and the heads may clean
better.
Clogged heads can come from using non-Epson ink cartridges.
Epson wants its customers to have success with their prints, so
they have a very high standard of ink quality. Not all
independent cartridges will meet those standards. This can be
a big problem because the head is built into the printer and
cannot be easily cleaned if clogged by bad ink. So, to minimize
clog problems, use Epson ink.
3.

Aligning the Print Head

You may never have to align your printer's head. This is not a
preventative maintenance procedure. You only need to align the
head if your prints show vertical lines that don't connect.
Print head alignment is done through the Epson printer
software, so the ink jet must be connected to the computer.
Open the printer utilities as described above, but instead of
choosing head cleaning, you will choose the Print Head
Alignment button. From here, you follow the instructions on the
screen. You will be making a test print then choosing lines that
look most precisely aligned. I find that this is best done quickly.
If you agonize over the choices, it can be really hard to see the
differences.
4.

Cleaning the Printer

A printer gets dusty over time. To keep it at its peak, clean it a
few times a year. This is a pretty simple thing to do, but be sure
you disconnect both the power plug and the computer cable
before starting.
Use a soft brush to clean dust and dirt from the sheet feeder.
You can use the same brush inside the printer, but avoid the
All Epson
gears. A can of compressed air can be used to get rid of dust
printer drivers
and debris, but never shake it or get the nozzle too close to
have a utility
moving parts. Clean ink out of the inside of the printer with a
section
soft, slightly damp (not wet) cloth. Use a soft, slightly damp
for printer
cloth on the outside as well.
maintenance.
Never use any solvents or oils, especially cleaners with alcohol,
as this can damage the plastic. Don't use the cleaning sheets
that sometimes come with printing papers as these can
actually cause problems, including jamming inside the printer.