Problem Solver

Diagnosing the Problem

Using the error indicators
EPSON Status Monitor 3
Printing a Self Test
Printing Hex Dump

For problems that may be related to USB connections, see Correcting USB Problems for details.

If your problem is not USB related, troubleshooting printer problems is best handled in two easy steps; first diagnose the problem, then apply likely solutions until the problem is fixed.

The information that you need to diagnose and solve most common problems is provided by the printer's control panel, EPSON Status Monitor 3, or by printing a self test or Hex Dump. Refer to the appropriate section below.

If you have a specific problem relating to print quality, a printout problem not related to print quality, or a paper feeding problem, or if the printer does not print at all, refer to the appropriate section in this chapter.

To solve a problem, you may need to cancel printing. For details, see Canceling Printing.

Using the error indicators

You can identify many common printer problems using the lights on the control panel and messages on the LCD panel. If your printer stops working and one or more control panel lights are on or flashing and a message appears on the LCD panel, or the printer beeps, use the following table to diagnose and fix the problem. If you cannot fix your printer problem using this table, see Problems and Solutions.

State of panel lights and message on the LCD	Beep pattern	Problem
		Solution
Error: Paper out Paper Out Pause		No paper is loaded on the selected tractor.
		Load paper in the printer or select a different tractor by pressing the Front/Rear button.
		The paper is not loaded correctly.
		Remove your paper and reload it correctly.
Error: No paper loaded Paper Out Pause		Continuous paper is not fed to the standby position.
		Tear off the printed page at the perforation; then press the LF/FF Load button. The printer feeds the paper to the standby position.
Error: Paper jam Paper Out Pause		Paper is jammed in the printer.
		To clear the paper jam, see Clearing Paper Jams.
Error: Switching not completed Pause		The printer fails to change the paper.
		Cut the paper at the top of it and press the Pause or Front/Rear button.
Error: Ribbon jam Pause		Ribbon has jammed.
		Remove and re-install the ribbon cartridge. See Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge for instructions.
Error: Ribbon out Pause		Ribbon is not installed.
		Install the ribbon cartridge and press the Pause button. See Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge for instructions.
Error: Cover open Pause		The printer top cover is open.
		Close the cover.
Print head hot Please wait Pause	—	The print head is overheated.
		Wait for a few minutes; the printer resumes printing automatically once the print head cools.
Error: xx Turn off printer Paper Out Pause Tear Off Top of Form Front Rear		An unknown printer error has occurred.
		Turn off the printer and leave it off for several minutes; then turn on the printer again. If the error recurs, contact your dealer.

= short series of beeps (three beeps),

= long series of beeps (five beeps)

Note:

The printer beeps once if you press a control panel button when the corresponding function is not available.

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EPSON Status Monitor 3

EPSON Status Monitor 3 provides status messages and a graphic display showing the current status of the printer.

If a problem occurs while printing, an error message appears in the Progress Meter window.

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Printing a Self Test

Running the printer's self test helps you determine whether the printer or the computer is causing the problem:

If the self test results are satisfactory, the printer is working properly and the problem probably results from your printer driver settings, application settings, computer, or interface cable. (Be sure to use a shielded interface cable.)

If the self test does not print properly, there is a problem with the printer. See Problems and Solutions for possible causes and solutions to the problem.

Follow these steps to perform a self test:

Make sure that the printer is turned off and that the paper is set on the front or rear tractor.

Caution:

Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise you may damage the printer.

To run the test using the Draft font, turn on the printer while holding down the LF/FF Load button. To run the test using the printer's NLQ font, hold down the Top of Form button while you turn on the printer. Either self test can help you determine the source of your printing problem; however, the draft self test prints faster than the NLQ test.

After a few seconds, the printer loads the paper automatically and begins printing the self test. A series of characters is printed.

Note:

To temporarily stop the self test, press the Pause button. To resume the test, press the Pause button again.

To end the self test, press the Pause button to stop printing. Tear off the page if necessary, and then turn off the printer.

Caution:

Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the self test. Always press the Pause button to stop printing and then turn off the printer.

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Printing Hex Dump

If you are an experienced user or a programmer, you can print a hexadecimal dump to isolate communication problems between the printer and your software program. In hex dump mode, the printer prints all data it receives from the computer as hexadecimal values.

Note:

The Hex Dump feature is designed for use with DOS-based PC.

Follow these steps to print a hex dump:

Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off.

Caution:

Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise you may damage the printer.

To enter hex dump mode, turn on the printer while holding down the Top of Form and LF/FF Load buttons.

Open a software program and send a print job to the printer. Your printer prints all the codes it receives in hexadecimal format.

By comparing the characters printed in the right column with the printout of the hexadecimal codes, you can check the codes the printer is receiving. If characters are printable, they appear in the right column as ASCII characters. Nonprintable codes, such as control codes, are represented by dots.

To turn off hex dump mode, press the Pause button, and then turn off the printer.

Caution:

Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the hex dump. Always press the Pause button to stop printing and then turn off the printer.

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