Epson 24-Pin Problems and Solutions

7-4 Troubleshooting

R4C4620

Rev. C

A5 size TRBLE.FM

6/14/00 Pass 3

LProof Sign-off:

SEI Y.Ohkawara T.Takahashi

T.Takahashi

SEI M.Kauppi K.Blair

Problems and Solutions

Most printer problems are easy to solve. Use the in formation in

this section to find the source of and solution to any printer

problems that occur.

Determine the type of problem that occurred, and see the

appropriate page below:

Power supply problems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7-5

Single-sheet paper loading or

feeding problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7-6

Continuous paper loading or

feeding problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7-8

Wrong top-of-form position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7-9

Wrong tear-off position. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7-10

Printing or printout quality problems. . . . . . . page 7-11

You can also use the self test feature to determine whether the

printer or the computer is causing the pro blem. See “Printing a

Self Test” on page 7-18 for instructions on printing a self test.

To pinpoint communication problems, experienced users may

want to use the printer’s hex dump mode, described on “Printing

a Hex Dump” on page 7-19.

To clear a paper jam, see “Clearing Paper Jams” on page 7-16.

Contents

Main User's Guide User's Guide / R4C4620 A5 size COVER.FM Control Panel Buttons and Lights Users Guide 24-Pin Dot Matrix Printer ii L A5 size FRONT.FM 6/14/00 Pass 3 Contents iv L Page vi Page viii Getting to Know Your Printer 2 Easy-to-Use Features Page 4 Available Paper Paths Printing on continuous paper Using the push tractor Using a pull tractor 6 A5 size INTRO.FM rear Using the push and pull tractor in combination rear push and pull Printing on single sheets Loading paper in the top slot 8 Loading paper in the front slot Options Ribbon Cartridge Important Safety Instructions 10 K Print Head Caution Symbol K ENERGY STAR Compliance S 12 For United Kingdom Users Use of options Safety information How To Use Your Manuals w Warnings, Cautions, and Notes c Page Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer 1-2 Unpacking the Printer Choosing a Place for the Printer 1-4 Positioning the continuous paper supply Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge 1-6 Page 1-8 Page 1-10 Attaching the Paper Guide Page Plugging in the Printer 1-14 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Page 1-16 Installing the Printer Software Installing the printer software in Windows 95, 98, or NT 4.0 Page 1-18 Installing the printer software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x For DOS programs Page Chapter 2 Printing on Continuous Paper 2-2 R4C4620 Setting the Paper Release Lever Printing on Continuous Paper 2-3 The table below describes each paper release lever position. 2-4 Setting the Paper Thickness Lever Page 2-6 Using the Push Tractor Loading paper onto the push tractor Page 2-8 Page 2-10 Removing a printed document from the push tractor 2-12 Removing the push tractor Reinstalling the tractor in the push position 2-14 Using the Tractor in the Pull Position Installing the tractor in the pull position Page 2-16 Loading paper onto the pull tractor Page 2-18 R4C4620 Page 2-20 Removing the paper from the pull tractor 2-22 Using two tractors in the push/pull combination c 2-24 Removing the pull tractor Page 2-26 Loading Multipart Forms Loading Continuous Paper With Labels 2-28 Removing continuous paper with labels Switching Between Printing on Continuous Paper and Printing on Single Sheets Switching to printing on single sheets 2-30 Switching to printing on continuous paper Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position 2-32 Page 2-34 Advancing the Paper to the Tear-Off Edge Using the Tear Off/Bin button Advancing the paper to the tear-off position automatically Adjusting the tear-off position 2-36 Chapter 3 Printing on Single Sheets 3-2 Using Single Sheets Available paper types and paper slots Page 3-4 Loading single-sheet multipart forms Loading envelopes 3-6 Loading postcards Page 3-8 Loading Single Sheets in the Top Paper Slot Page 3-10 Loading Single Sheets in the Front Paper Slot 3-12 Page Page Chapter 4 Using the Printer Software 4-2 About Your Printer Software Using the Printer Driver With Windows 95 and 98 4-4 Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu 4-6 Paper menu Graphics menu 4-8 Device Options menu Utility menu 4-10 Using the Printer Software 4-11 A5 size SOFTWARE.FM You can change the following settings: Click the Default button to revert all items to the default settings. 4-12 Using the Printer Driver With Windows 3.1 Page 4-14 Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel Print or Print Setup dialog box Options dialog box 4-16 Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 4.0 Page 4-18 Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu Page Setup menu 4-20 Advanced menu Page 4-22 Utility menu Page 4-24 A5 size SOFTWARE.FM You can change the following settings: Click the Default button to revert all items to the default settings. Using the Printer Driver With Windows NT 3.5x 4-26 Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel 4-28 Document Properties dialog box Advanced Document Properties dialog box 4-30 Using the EPSON Remote! Utility Installing EPSON Remote! Accessing EPSON Remote! Chapter 5 Changing Printer Settings From the Printers Control Panel 5-2 Selecting a Built-In Font and Pitch Page 5-4 About Your Printers Default Settings Changing Printer Settings From the Printers Control Panel 5-5 A5 size CHANGE.FM Page length for tractor This setting allows you to set the page lengt h (in inches) for continuous paper. 5-6 Skip over perforation Auto tear off Auto line feed Print direction Software 0 slash High speed draft I/F (interface) mode Page International character set for Italic table Font Manual feed wait time Buzzer (beeper) Roll paper Changing default settings Page Page Using EPSON Status Monitor 3 6-1 Chapter 6 Using EPSON Status Monitor 3 6-2 About the EPSON Status Monitor 3 Utility Accessing EPSON Status Monitor 3 Printer Status window Page Chapter 7 Troubleshooting 7-2 A5 size TRBLE.FM Using the Error Indicators Troubleshooting 7-3 A5 size TRBLE.FM 7-4 Problems and Solutions Power supply problems The control panel lights come on briefly, but then go off and stay off. w 7-6 Single-sheet paper loading or feeding problems The printer does not load single-sheet paper or does not feed it properly. The printer does not fully eject a single sheet. The optional cut-sheet feeder does not feed your single-sheet paper properly. 7-8 Continuous paper loading or feeding problems The printer does not load continuous paper or does not feed it properly. The printer does not feed continuous paper to the standby position. Wrong top-of-form position Printing starts too high or low on the page. 7-10 Wrong tear-off position The printer prints on (or too far away from) the perforation of your continuous paper. Printing or printout quality problems The printer does not print when the computer sends data. The printer makes noise, but nothing prints or printing stops abruptly 7-12 The printout is faint. The printout has gaps. Part of the printout is missing, or dots are missing in random positions. Lines of dots are missing in the printout. All the text is printed on the same line. The printout has extra blank lines between lines of text. 7-14 The printer prints strange symbols, incorrect fonts, or other inappropriate characters. Vertical printed lines are not aligned. 7-16 Clearing Paper Jams Aligning Vertical Lines in Your Printout 7-18 Printing a Self Test Printing a Hex Dump 7-20 Appendix A Enhancing Your Printer With Options A-2 Options Paper handling options Page A-4 Optional interface cards Using the Optional Cut-Sheet Feeders A-6 Installing an optional cut-sheet feeder Page A-8 Loading paper in the single-bin cut-sheet feeder Page A-10 Page A-12 Loading paper in the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder Page A-14 Page A-16 Assembling the double-bin cut-sheet feeder Selecting your paper path (bin 1 or bin 2) A-18 Switching between continuous paper and single-sheet paper in the cut-sheet feeder Switching to continuous paper Switching to single-sheet paper in the cut-sheet feeder A-20 Using the Roll Paper Holder Assembling the roll paper holder Installing the roll paper holder A-22 Loading roll paper Page A-24 Removing roll paper Using an Optional Front Sheet Guide Installing the front sheet guide A-26 Loading paper in the front sheet guide A-28 Installing an Interface Card A-30 B Cleaning and Transporting the Printer B-1 Appendix B Cleaning and Transporting the Printer B-2 Cleaning the Printer B Transporting the Printer Page Appendix C Specifications C-2 Printer Specifications Mechanical Page C-4 Electrical C-6 Environmental Paper Page C-8 Page C-10 Paper alignment Printable area C-12 Page C-14 Safety approvals CE marking Command Lists EPSON ESC/P2 control codes C-16 Barcode commands Barcode data C-18 IBM 2390 Plus emulation control codes C-20 Character Tables PC 437 (US Standard Europe) Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page C-30 Italic table International character sets for the Italic table Page Appendix D Customer Support Information D-2 Contacting Customer Support Customer Support Information D-3 A5 size SUPPORT.FM For North American Users Automated telephone services Electronic support services D-4 For United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Users Enquiry Desk Customer Support D-6 Faxon EPSON EPtec-Bulletin Board Service for latest drivers and utilities World Wide Web For Australian Users EPSON FAXBACK EPSON Bulletin Board System Internet URL http://www.epson.com.au D-8 For Singapore Users For Hong Kong Users Internet home page Electronic bulletin board system Technical support hotline D-10 For Philippines Users Glossary 1 Glossary 2 Glossary 3 4 Paper positions Page IN-1 Index A B C D IN-2 M O P R S T U Page Printer Parts Page User's Guide User's Guide /