Epson 300 User Manual

Color Ink Jet Printer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SEIKO EPSON CORP. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.

Neither SEIKO EPSON CORP. nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly comply with SEIKO EPSON CORP.’s operating and maintenance instructions.

SEIKO EPSON CORP. shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products by SEIKO EPSON CORP.

Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

Printed on recycled paper.

User’s Guide

FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT

For United States Users

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.

❑ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. ❑ Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. ❑ Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the

receiver is connected.

❑ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

For Canadian Users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.

Safety Information

Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-1

A few precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-2

Chapter 1

Printer Parts and Control Panel Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

NERGY STAR C

Options and Consumable Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Where to Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

Chapter 2

Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Attaching the Paper Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Using a printer stand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Installing the Ink Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Connecting the Printer to Your PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Installing the Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11

Installing the software for Windows 95 or Windows 98 . . 2-12

Installing the software for Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Making diskettes of the printer software . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Getting to Know Your Printer

ompliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Setting Up the Printer

iii

Chapter 3 Starting to Print

Loading Plain Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Accessing the Printer Driver and Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

From Windows applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

From Windows 95 or Windows 98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

From Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

Getting Information Through Online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

From Windows applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

From Windows 95 or Windows 98 Start menu . . . . . . . . 3-7

From Windows 3.1 Program Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Chapter 4 Printing on Special Paper

Setting the Paper Thickness and Adjust Levers . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Setting the paper thickness lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

Setting the adjust lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3

Loading Special Paper and Other Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4

About special media cleaning sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Loading Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6

Chapter 5 Maintenance and Transportation

Replacing the Ink Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

Cleaning the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Aligning the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9

Transporting the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10

Chapter 6 Troubleshooting

Diagnosing the Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Error indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Printer operation check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Power supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6

Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7

Paper handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Printing quality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-15

Increasing the Print Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-21

Fixing Ink Cartridge Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-22

Appendix Printer Specifications

Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2

Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

Ink Cartridge (S020138) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5

Mechanical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6

Electrical . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7

Safety Approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-7

Glossary

Index

Safety Information

Important Safety Instructions

Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer.

Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a

❑

radiator or heat source.

Place the printer on a flat surface. The printer will not

❑

operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s cabinet.

❑

Do not insert objects through the slots.

Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s

❑

label.

Connect all equipment to properly grounded power

❑

outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.

Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.

❑

If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure

❑

the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.

Unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp

❑

cloth only. Do not spill liquid on the printer.

Safety Information

Except as specifically explained in this guide do not

❑

attempt to service the printer yourself.

Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service

❑

personnel under the following conditions:

If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered the printer; if the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged; if the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.

If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the

❑

following:

To provide adequate short-circuit protection and overcurrent protection for this printer, the building installation must be protected by a 16 Amp circuit breaker.

Bei Anschluß des Druckers an die Stromversorgung muß sichergestellt werden, daß die Gebäudeinstallation mit einem 16 A-Überstromschalter abgesichert ist.

A few precautions

Even if you are familiar with other types of printers, be sure to read through the following list of precautions before operating your ink jet printer.

Do not put your hand inside the printer or touch the ink

❑

cartridge during printing.

Do not move the print head by hand; this may damage the

❑

printer.

Safety Information

Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of ink

❑

cartridges. If ink gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

❑

Do not dismantle ink cartridges or try to refill them. This

❑

could damage the print head.

Once you install an ink cartridge, do not open the ink

❑

cartridge clamp or remove the cartridge except to replace it with a new one. The cartridge may become unusable otherwise.

Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it

❑

from its package. Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in reduced print quality.

Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the

❑

cartridge carton. For best results, use up the ink cartridges within six months of installing them.

Do not shake an ink cartridge; this can cause leakage.

❑

Always turn the printer off using the power switch. The

❑

power light flashes until the print head is capped, which

means it is at rest in the far right position. Do not unplug the printer or turn off the power to the outlet until the

power light stops flashing. The printer caps the print

head when no data is received for several seconds.

Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is

❑

in the far right position and the ink cartridge is in place.

Safety Information

Chapter 1

Getting to Know Your Printer

Printer Parts and Control Panel Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

NERGY STAR C

Options and Consumable Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Where to Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7

ompliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-1

Printer Parts and Control Panel Functions

paper support

edge guides

left edge guide

lock lever

sheet feeder

power

light

ink out

light

paper out

light

paper thickness

lever

power

switch

control

panel

printer cover

cleaning

button

load/eject

button

adjust lever

1-2

ink cartridge clamp

Getting to Know Your Printer

Buttons

Button Function

Loads or ejects paper if pressed and released

Load/Eject

Cleaning

within 2 seconds. Resumes printing if pressed after a paper out error.

Moves the print head to the ink cartridge replacement position if pressed for 3 seconds

while the Returns the print head to its home position after ink cartridge replacement. Performs print head cleaning if pressed for 3 seconds when the

ink out light is flashing or on.

ink out light is off.

Lights

The lights turn on or flash to indicate the printer status.

——

—

= on, F = flashing, — = irrelevant

Printer Status

Printer is on. Receiving data, replacing an ink cartridge,

charging ink, or cleaning the print head. Paper is out. Load paper in the sheet feeder;

then press the

printing. Paper jam. Take all the paper out of the feeder,

and reload the paper. If the light continues to

flash, turn off the printer and gently pull all the paper out of the printer.

Ink low. The ink cartridge is nearly empty. Obtain

—

an ink cartridge (S020138). Ink out. The ink cartridge is not installed or is

empty. Install or replace the ink cartridge

—

(S020138).

load/eject button to resume

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-3

System Requirements

To use your printer with a PC, you need Microsoft® Windows

3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Window 95, or Windows 98; and a shielded, twisted-pair parallel cable.

The following table shows the system requirements for using just the printer software (printer driver and utilities) included on the CD-ROM packed with your printer.

Minimum system Recommended system

80386/25 MHz processor Pentium or higher processor

16MB RAM 32MB RAM or more

20MB hard disk space 50MB or more free hard disk space

VGA monitor VGA or better monitor

NERGY STAR Compliance

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has determined that this product meets the

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

The International

NERGY STAR Office Equipment Program is a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.

NERGY

1-4

Getting to Know Your Printer

Options and Consumable Products

Interface cables

EPSON supplies several types of interface cables. You can use any interface cable that meets the specifications listed below. See your computer manual for any additional requirements.

Parallel Interface Cable (shielded) C83602✽ from D-SUB

25-pin (computer) to 36-pin Amphenol 57 Series (printer)

Note:

The asterisk (✽) is a substitute for the last digit of the product number, which varies by country.

Ink cartridge

Color ink cartridge S020138

EPSON special media

Paper specifically designed for ink jet printers will meet most high-quality printing needs.

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper (A4) S041025

S041059

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper (Letter) S041060

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (A4) S041026

S041061 EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (Letter) S041062 EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (Legal) S041067

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Card (A6) S041054

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film (A4) S041071 EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film (Letter) S041072 EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film (A6) S041107

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-5

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper (A4) S041126 EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper (Letter) S041124

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies (A4) S041063 EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies (Letter) S041064

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheet (A4) S041106

EPSON Photo Paper (4 x 6 in.) S041134

Note:

Ink jet printers are particularly sensitive to the condition of your paper. Keep unused paper in its original packaging and store it in a cool, dry place.

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

Observe the Warnings, Cautions, and Notes in this manual as follows:

Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer.

1-6

Getting to Know Your Printer

Where to Get Help

EPSON provides technical assistance through electronic support services and automated telephone services 24 hours a day. The following tables list the contact information:

Electronic support services

Service Access

World Wide Web From the Internet, you can reach EPSON’s

Home Page at http://www.epson.com.

EPSON Internet FTP Site

EPSON Download Service

EPSON Forum on CompuServe

If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or other software for FTP downloading) to log onto ftp.epson.com with the user name anonymous and your e-mail address as the password.

You can call the EPSON Download Service at (800) 442-2007. Set your communications software to 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Modem speed can be up to 28.8 Kbps.

Members of CompuServe can type GO EPSON at the menu prompt to reach the Epson America Forum. For a free introductory CompuServe membership, call (800) 848-8199 and ask for representative #529.

Automated telephone services

Service Access

EPSON SoundAdvice

EPSON FaxAdvice

EPSON Referral Service

For pre-recorded answers to commonly asked questions about EPSON products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call (800) 442-2110.

Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling (800) 442-2110. You must provide a return fax number to use this service.

For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or Customer Care Center, call (800) 442-2110.

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-7

To speak to a technical support representative, dial (310) 974-8550 (U.S.) or (905) 709-2567 (Canada), 6 am to 6 pm, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Toll or long distance charges may apply.

Before you call, please have the following information ready:

Product name

❑

Product serial number

❑

Computer configuration

❑

Description of the problem

❑

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, manuals, accessories, and parts from EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

Note:

If you need help using another manufacturer’s software with an EPSON product, see the documentation for that program for technical support information.

1-8

Getting to Know Your Printer