Print head is leaking ink on to the shirt

1. Dirty or clogged capping station 
**Clean the capping station by applying window cleaner on the capping pad . Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 

2. Ink build-up around the print head 
**Clean build-up around the bottom of the print head with a soft damp cloth. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine.

3. Excessive ink build-up on the print head wiper assembly 
**Clean the wiper blades with a damp paper towel. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine.

4. Damaged print head from slamming into a shirt board 
**Replace the print head. Prevention: Always check platen height.  

Printed colors are not correct or not the same as the computer screen 

Reasons and Solutions: 
1. One or more of the CMYK color channels are not printing
**Print head needs to be primed by doing a few head cleanings .
**Bottle of ink has run empty. Fill the bottle and ink tubes and prime the print head with head cleanings .   

Prevention: Top off ink bottles regularly.  
**Open any valves that may be off. 
** Print head is clogged. Use head cleanings or flush with cleaning solution. If that doesn't work replace the print head .   

Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again.  
** Damper has hole or is clogged. Replace damper. 

2. Computer monitor needs to be adjusted 
**Make sure the RGB (Red Green Blue) values are balanced. 
**Adjust the brightness if necessary. 

3. Color profiles are being used in graphic program such as Photoshop.  
**During the print process from the graphic program make sure that no color management is selected. RIP pro will handle the color profiling.    

One or more of the LED Ink chip lights are flashing 

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Printer thinks the ink cartridge is running out of ink 
**Because the DTG uses a Bulk Ink System the standard Epson ink chip counters often need resetting. Because so much White Ink is used the white ink chips usually need resetting. Turn the machine off and unplug the power cord to reset the ink chips. Prevention: Turn the machine off and unplug to reset the ink chips every 5 to 10 shirts depending on how much white ink is being printed.  

One or more of the LED Ink chip lights are solid Reasons and Solutions 

1. Printer thinks the ink cartridge is out of ink 
**Because the DTG uses a Bulk Ink System the standard Epson ink chip counters often need resetting. Because so much White Ink is used the white ink chips usually need resetting. Turn the machine off and unplug the power cord to reset the ink chips. 
Prevention: Turn the machine off and unplug to reset the ink chips every 5 to 10 shirts depending on how much white ink is being printed.    

The shirt is showing through the underbase.  

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Not enough White Ink pre-treatment 
**Increase the amount of spray. 

2. Not setting the White Ink pre-treatment correctly on the heat press 
**Press the pre-treated shirt for no more than 10 seconds. 

3. Not enough pressure on the heat press 
**Increase the pressure slightly. Increase more if needed. The heat press should flatten the surface of the cotton. 

4. Not the right RIP Pro settings for the color of shirt 
**White Ink requires a health coat for good results. The darker the shirt the more coverage it needs. Setting a higher DPI for the White underbase increases the amount ink that is printed. 

5. White Ink is not primed in the print head    
**Run at least 10 head cleanings using the ink button on the control panel and try a test print. Repeat if it improved but needs more. 

6. White Ink jets are clogged  
** Flush the inks with distilled water thoroughly. Flush the lines with cleaning solution to remove most of the residue. Run head cleanings from the control panel with cleaning solution in the print head just like ink. Let cleaning solution soak in the print head for a few hours and run a few more head cleanings with the Ink button on the control panel. Flush cleaning solution and refill the system with ink. Print a nozzle check or a test image to see if the jets are unclogged.  

**Replace print head .   

Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again. 

7. White Ink damper or dampers are clogged or clogging 
**Replace dampers    

Banding   

Reasons and Solutions 

1. Print head is not primed 
**Run several head cleanings using the Ink button on the control panel. 

2. Print head jets are clogged 
** Flush the inks with distilled water thoroughly. Flush the lines with cleaning solution to remove most of the residue. Run head cleanings from the control panel with cleaning solution in the print head just like ink. Let cleaning solution soak in the print head for a few hours and run a few more head cleanings with the Ink button on the control panel. Flush cleaning solution and refill the system with ink. Print a nozzle check or a test image to see if the jets are unclogged.  

**Replace print head .   

Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer than a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again. 

3. Damper is clogged 
**Replace damper Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again. 

4. Damper has a hole 
**Replace damper 

5. Capping Station needs cleaning 
**Use the syringe to apply window cleaner on the capping pad . Push the Ink Fill button to draw the window cleaner through the Waste Ink system. 
**Clean the rubber rim around the capping pad to remove any strands of dry ink that could interfere with the capping station forming a seal with the print head. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 

6. Blocked breather holes on ink bottle caps 
**Make sure the small holes on the caps are not blocked or clogged. Clear anything that is blocking the hole. Make sure no debris falls into the ink. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 

7. Printer needs a head alignment   
Run a head alignment from the maintenance section of the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 driver. Head alignment can not be run with white ink in the system. It must have seven colors .    

Printer is printing vertical or horizontal gaps in the image 

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Vertical gaps is either a dirty encoder strip or a damaged encoder strip **Clean or replace encoder strip. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 

2. Horizontal gaps is a misaligned encoder wheel sensor 
**Call support for help to determine if it can be repaired or if it needs replacing.    

Printer is printing but no ink is coming out.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Valves are closed 
**Set valves to draw ink. 

2. Print head is not primed 
**Prime print head by running a few head cleaning cycles using the Ink button on the control panel. 

3. Damper has come loose causing a lose of pressure in the ink system **Reseat damper. 

4. Capping Station has become severely dirty or clogged 
**Clean the capping station. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 

5. Print head is severely clogged 
**Replace print head . Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again.    

Error eject is flashing

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Flashing together with LED Ink lights 
**Data spooling is incomplete or interrupted. Power off and unplug to reset the printer. 
**If resetting the printer did not solve the problem the encoder strip may be dirty. Clean the encoder strip with a damp cotton swab. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 
**The print head or tray bed movement is being interfered with. Oil the print head carriage bars. Check the tray bed movement when loading and ejecting for friction or something foreign interfering. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine. 

2. Flashing alternately with LED Ink lights 
**Waste Ink counter has exceeded its limit. Waste Ink counter needs to be reset. 

3. Flashing with Power button 
**Machine has been powered on with a print job in the print queue. Remove all jobs from the print queue and reset the printer. 

4. Flashing rapidly 
**This indicates something abnormal with the circuits. Contact your dealer for support.    

Tray bed does not load all the way.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Flashing Load button indicates laser has stopped the loading 
**Eject the tray bed and check the height of the platen. Adjust as necessary and reload. Prevention: Always check the platen height. 

2. Something is jamming the movement of the tray bed 
**If something is jamming the tray bed a loud grinding noise will be heard. Stop the printer immediately and find the object that is causing the jam. Prevention: Follow suggested maintenance routine.    

Blurry prints or over-spray

Reasons and Solutions 
1. The printing surface is too low 
**Adjust the tray bed knob using the height measuring jig to bring the surface as close as possible without touching the measuring jig. If the surface is not completely level then make sure that the lowest point from the measuring jig does not exceed 1/8 in or 3 mm. Prevention: Always check the platen height. 

2. Printer needs a head alignment 
**Run a head alignment from the maintenance section of the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 driver. Head alignment can not be run with white ink in the system. It must have seven colors.    

White underbase starts out printing good but begins to fade as it prints

Reasons and Solutions 
1. The print head has lost its prime 
**Prime the print head by running head cleanings using the Ink button on the control panel. Run 10 head cleanings or enough to prime the white ink so it returns to normal coverage.    

Yellow prints out green or White Ink looks muddy or grey.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Other colors of ink have back-flushed into the yellow damper 
**Run several head cleanings using the Ink button on the control panel. This will flush out the contaminating colors. Prevention: After filling all the ink colors set all valves to draw ink. Press and hold the Ink Fill button for 5 - 10 seconds. Run several head cleanings cycles after that.    

Load and Eject buttons go inactive when Eject is pressed and held in the eject position.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. The eject and load sensors have lost orientation when the tray bed moves further out 
**Turn machine off and power back on. Prevention: There is no need to press and hold the Eject button after the tray bed is ejected.   

Printed colors are not correct or not the same as the computer screen

Reasons and Solutions: 
1. One or more of the CMYK color channels are not printing 

**Print head needs to be primed by doing a few head cleanings . 
**Bottle of ink has run empty. Fill the bottle and ink tubes and prime the print head with head cleanings . Prevention: Top off ink bottles regularly. 
**Open any valves that may be off. 
** Print head is clogged. Use head cleanings or flush with cleaning solution. If that doesn't work replace the print head . Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again. 
** Damper has hole or is clogged. Replace damper. 

2. Computer monitor needs to be adjusted 
**Make sure the RGB (Red Green Blue) values are balanced. 
**Adjust the brightness if necessary. 

3. Color profiles are being used in graphic program such as Photoshop. 
**During the print process from the graphic program make sure that no color management is selected. RIP pro will handle the color profiling.    

Fonts are not printing correctly or not printing at all.    

Reasons and Solutions 
1. True Type Fonts in vector graphics can have issues printing trough postscript printer drivers. 
**If printing 7 color with out RIP Pro convert the letters to a bitmap or raster image. 
**If printing with RIP Pro, go to the DTG Kiosk w/White Ink driver and find the setting for True Type Fonts. Make sure it is set to Substitute with Device Font . 

White underbase prints out a box instead of the image shape.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. The background is not 100% white. 
**Use your graphic software to select the background pixels and make the 100% white.   

Printed from graphic program but the printer did not print. Reasons and Solutions

1. The wrong printer was selected during printing 
**Make sure the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 is selected when printing without the White Ink upgrade and RIP Pro. 
**Make sure the DTG Kiosk w/White Ink is selected when printing with the White Ink upgrade and RIP Pro. 

2. The printer is not turned on or communication is unplugged **Make sure power is on. 
**Make sure communication cable is plugged in. 

3. There is a driver issue 
**If printing without the White Ink upgrade and RIP Pro make sure the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 driver is installed. If the driver is installed, remove and reinstall. Refer to your manual to make sure you install the proper Epson driver. 
**If printing with the White Ink upgrade and RIP Pro make sure that the inputs and outputs are set correctly. Refer to you DTG RIP Pro manual for proper input and output settings. 

The shirt is showing through the underbase.    

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Not enough White Ink pre-treatment 
**Increase the amount of spray. 

2. Not setting the White Ink pre-treatment correctly on the heat press 
**Press the pre-treated shirt for no more than 10 seconds. 

3. Not enough pressure on the heat press 
**Increase the pressure slightly. Increase more if needed. The heat press should flatten the surface of the cotton. 

4. Not the right RIP Pro settings for the color of shirt 
**White Ink requires a health coat for good results. The darker the shirt the more coverage it needs. Setting a higher DPI for the White underbase increases the amount ink that is printed. 

5. White Ink is not primed in the print head 
**Run at least 10 head cleanings using the ink button on the control panel and try a test print. Repeat if it improved but needs more. 

6. White Ink jets are clogged 
**Flush the inks with distilled water thoroughly. Flush the lines with cleaning solution to remove most of the residue. Run head cleanings from the control panel with cleaning solution in the print head just like ink. Let cleaning solution soak in the print head for a few hours and run a few more head cleanings with the Ink button on the control panel. Flush cleaning solution and refill the system with ink. Print a nozzle check or a test image to see if the jets are unclogged. 
**Replace print head .   

Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again. 

7. White Ink damper or dampers are clogged or clogging 
**Replace dampers Prevention: Run head cleanings on days that the printer is not printing. For periods longer then a week, flush ink out of system using distilled water. Run cleaning solution through the system and leave the cleaning solution in the system until you need to print again. 

Printer stops in the middle of a print.

Reasons and Solutions
1. One or more LED Ink lights are solid and the printer thinks it is out of ink 
**Power off the printer and unplug to reset ink chips. 

2. Computer resources are not adequate 
**Seven color process should have at least a Pentium 3 or higher, 512 MB RAM, Windows 2000 or higher 
**RIP Pro should have at least a Pentium 4 or higher, 1 gig RAM, Windows 2000 or higher Prevention: The more powerful a computer the better. 

3. USB cable may be too long 
**Standard USB cable should not be longer then 10 feet. 
**Image file may be corrupt 
**Try a different image to determine that the image in question is the problem.  

Printer pauses for long periods during printing.

Reasons and Solutions
1. Computer resources are not adequate 
**Seven color process should have at least a Pentium 3 or higher, 512 MB RAM, Windows 2000 or higher 
**RIP Pro should have at least a Pentium 4 or higher, 1 gig RAM, Windows 2000 or higher Prevention: The more powerful a computer the better. 

2. USB cable may be too long 
**Standard USB cable should not be longer then 10 feet. 

3. Vectors with textured fills or large DPI images spooling large amounts of data 
**Convert vectors with textured fills to raster bitmaps. 
**With raster bitmap images the larger the DPI the larger the amount of data to be spooled. 150 DPI at actual image size is all a tee shirt needs. Smooth rigid goods may require a higher resolution. Images should not exceed 300 DPI. Prevention: Images should be high enough in resolution to achieve good results but not so high that they slow down computer resources.  

Printed image is jagged or has visible pixels. 

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Image resolution is to low 
**Obtain better resolution image 
**Web images are not high enough for printing. 

2. Resolution was adequate but the size of the image was increased 
**Obtain image at the right size and the right resolution. Prevention: Set a minimum requirement for images you receive from your customers.   

Image is printing at the wrong size and in the wrong place. Reasons and Solutions 

1. Page size is not set for the DTG 
**Set the page size for 13 X 21 in the graphic program print setup and in the RIP Pro driver DTG Kiosk w/White Ink. 
**If not using RIP Pro, set the page size in the graphic program print setup and in the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 driver.    

Color bleeds or appears splotchy on white underbase.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Too much color ink on the white underbase 
**Decrease the color layer resolution.    

RIP Pro prints programming script instead of image 

Reasons and Solutions 
1. DTG Kiosk w/White Ink driver is configured to print directly to the Epson Stylus Photo 2200 driver 
**Call your dealer for support.       

White underbase has holes where real white should be. 

Reasons and Solutions
1. The color values for the effected pixels are 100% white like the background 
**Use your graphic program to select any pixels other than background and make them a 1% cyan. RIP Pro can then distinguish between background that is not suppose to print and white areas of the image that should print. 
Prevention: Prepare all designs for RIP Pro software. 

White underbase peaks out from under the color layer on one side.

Reasons and Solutions 
1. Choke settings in RIP Pro need to be adjusted

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