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Epson R1800 Printer Support Page
 
Please read this page to ensure your getting the best use out of your Epson R1800 printer in terms both of results and reliability.
TOPICS (click to jump)
Printer Head Cleaning
Printer Banding / Incomplete Nozzle Check
5 C.I.S Tips for Reliable Use
C.I.S Inkjet Reservoir Recovery
Inaccurate Colour / Installing Profiles
Further Help

Printer Head Cleaning
 
Before each printing session, carry out a nozzle check to ensure that all ink channels are firing. If they are not, make sure that you have not run out of ink, and then perform up to a maximum of four nozzle checks and cleans to restore a good nozzle print out .

THE BEST TIP OF ALL:
Problem prevention is always better than problem solving!

Turn you printer on for a few minutes once every few days - especially when you are not using your printer for long periods. When you turn a printer on, it goes through a mini head-clean which can prevent the build up of dried ink on the underside of your ink head. - If you go on holiday, why not leave your printer switched 'on' and connect your print to the mains through an inexpensive central heating timer switch, set to turn on for a few minutes every other day - when you return, your print head will be in perfect order, ready to print.

For dirty rollers we recommend Platen Cleaner Spray. This will remove any build-up of dried ink or paper fibres. We advise you to use this spray applied to a sheet of paper to create a cleaning sheet, which will maintain your inkjet roller friction, and maintain good paper feed characteristics.
 
Printer Banding / Incomplete Nozzle Check
 
There are many causes of printer banding and these are often simple mistakes which can be easily corrected. Before you attempt any printer cleaning methods we suggest you go through this fault finding checklist:

• You have a perfect nozzle check and the text underneath is clear and crisp. (performed in printer drivers utility)

• You have a perfect head alignment. (performed in printer drivers utility)

• The CIS containers are at least 50% full

• The CIS tubes are not kinked or damaged

• The print resolution is correct (mostly 'Best Photo').

• High speed is un ticked unless your profile settings say otherwise. (set in printer driver properties)

• You have the selected the correct media setting. (set in printer driver properties)

- If this is unsuccessful, read on:

Problem with a single channel (e.g. black):

The aim of this printer head cleaning technique is to attempt to force ink through the nozzles, thus clearing any dried ink.
• Produce a solid block of the colour you are experiencing problems with in Adobe Photoshop. This is done using the paint bucket tool.
• Print it up to 6 times A3 size on 'Best Photo' setting.
• Keep printing until you get a solid colour.
• If you are experiencing a problem with a certain channel using a bulk system please ensure the bottle is filled to the top, and the tubes are not pinched off or damaged in any way.

If you have problem with more than one channel you may like to run a purge file at 1440dpi in order to gain a complete nozzle check. Right click here and select "save target as" save this in any folder or on your desktop - you can then open this up in Photoshop for printing. Print this up to 6 times or until your nozzle check come good.

If your printer is still banding after you have tried the above, please refer to the C.I.S Tips for Reliable Use directly below: You may also like to refer to the C.I.S Inkjet Reservoir Recovery (cartridge re-priming method) found under the tips for reliable use.
 
5 C.I.S Tips for Reliable Use:
 
The use of a Lyson bulk ink feed system is very simple as long as you remember five important points:-

1. Before switching your printer on to start printing, make sure the reservoir filling caps are turned to the ‘open’ position. This is where the arrows molded into the black rubber caps are pointing at the arrows molded into the top of each reservoir.

2. Top up the reservoirs regularly with ink, and try and keep all the ink levels at the same height with each other. Be aware that certain colours will be used more quickly than others depending on what type of printing you do. For instance, the black ink will be used quicker than the other colours if you print a lot of text. Or, if you print mainly photos, then the cyan and magenta will run down first. Never let the ink levels drop below the 20 mark on the reservoirs and don’t fill above the 100 mark.

3. The ink level monitor on your computer may still work and show the ink levels dropping in the cartridges. Don’t worry as this is normal. If an ink colour shows low or empty, simply stop printing, switch of your printer, wait 10 seconds and then switch your printer back on. This will reset the ink level to full on your computer. You may also get the occasional warning on your computer screen to tell you that you are not using Epson original inks. Just confirm that you are happy to continue and the warning will go away.

4. When you have finished printing, always turn your printer off and turn the reservoir filling caps through 90º to the shut position. This where the arrows molded into the black rubber filling caps are pointing at the adjacent filling caps (pointing away from the arrows on the reservoir at a right angle).

5. Always try and use your printer at least once a week, and if you are not printing try to turn you printer on for a few minutes once every few days. When you turn a printer on, it goes through a mini head-clean which can prevent the build up of dried ink on the underside of your ink head. - If you go on holiday, why not leave your printer switched 'on' and connect your print to the mains through an inexpensive central heating timer switch, set to turn on for a few minutes every other day - when you return, your print head will be in perfect order, ready to print.
 
C.I.S Ink Reservoir Recovery:
 
If you have a Continuous Ink System and you are experiencing a lack of ink in one (or more) of your channels you may have lost your ink reservoir:

- TECHNIQUE FOR SYSTEMS PURCHASED DURING AND AFTER DECEMBER 2007
• To recover this reservoir, you must take out the cartridge that is causing problems (to do this you will need to move the carriage to the cartridge change position, if you do not know how to do this, the procedure is explained in your original CIS instructions manual) and place it on a piece of tissue paper.
• Take a CIS syringe from your original CIS kit (If you have not got a syringe, you can purchase one from here)
• Remove the bung from the top of the CIS cartridge that is causing problems and insert the Syringe inside the hole of this cartridge.
• Slowly pull up on the syringe until approximately 5ml of ink is present inside the syringe (not just foam or air).
• Take the syringe out of the hole and insert the rubber bung back into the hole on the top of the cartridge.
• Place cartridge back in the printer.
• You can then syringe the ink back into the correct ink container so no ink is wasted.
• Rinse out the syringe with water over a sink and keep safe in case you need it again.
• Perform a nozzle check.
• Please note: You may need to leave the printer for 1 - 2 hours to allow the ink to settle before you obtain a perfect nozzle check.
• If the nozzle check is not complete after no more than 2 head cleans please contact us.

- TECHNIQUE FOR SYSTEMS PURCHASED BEFORE DECEMBER 2007
First of all, clamp all tubes.
• To recover this reservoir, you must take out the cartridge that is causing problems (to do this you will need to move the carriage to the cartridge change position, if you do not know how to do this, the procedure is explained in your original CIS instructions manual) and place it on a piece of tissue paper.
• Release the clamp on the tubes.
• Take a CIS syringe. (If you have not got a syringe, you can purchase this here)
• Insert the CIS syringe into the nozzle of the cartridge that is causing problems.
• Pull out the syringe until approximately 5ml of ink is present inside the syringe (not just foam or air).
• Take the syringe out of the nozzle
• Clamp all tubes.
• Clean any ink around the nozzle using tissue paper then place cartridge back in the printer.
• Release all clamps.
• You can then syringe the ink back into the correct ink container.
• Perform a nozzle check.
• Please note: You may need to leave the printer for 1 - 2 hours to allow the ink to settle before you obtain a perfect nozzle check.
• If the nozzle check is not complete after no more than 2 head cleans please contact us.

For further Epson R1800 CIS support, please refer to this page
We demonstrate further head cleaning methods for printers such as the Epson R1800 in our Bad Nozzle Check Basics training video

Download the Installation Instructions for the Lyson Continuous Ink System for the Epson R1800 by clicking:
here for systems purchased before December 2007
OR
here for systems purchased during and after December 2007
 
Inaccurate Colour/Installing Profiles:
 
First of all, please ensure you have a perfect nozzle check (this is carried out in the utilities section of your Epson printer driver). If you do not have a perfect nozzle check, please refer to this section of this page. Once you have confirmed you have a perfect nozzle check, ensure you are selecting the correct profile and have the correct printer settings in Adobe Photoshop for that profile. These are:

IN ADOBE PHOTOSHOP PRINT WITH PREVIEW:
Select correct profile
Intent: Perceptual
Use Black point compensation: Ticked

IN EPSON PRINT DRIVER:
Media type: Premium semi gloss Photo Paper
Best Photo
High Speed: On
Gloss Optimisation: On
Color Management: ICM
ICC / ICM Profile: Off (No color adjustment)

Epson R1800 inkjet printers do vary quite noticeably one printer to another, so it is advisable to install a free ICC profile for your printer/paper/ink combination. You can download free ICC generic profiles and the installation instructions from here.

For professional photographers and critical enthusiasts, it may be best to commission one custom ICC printer profile for your favourite inkjet media to guarantee best possible colour accuracy and image quality. We have two specialists who look after professional photographers, and one profiling specialist who assists enthusiasts (non-professionals). Please Click here for their links
 
Further Help
 
If you are still experiencing difficulties with your Epson R1800 printer, please contact us and we will do our best to help you.