Epson Stylus C86
Printer Parts
Left edge guide
Ink button
Power button
Paper button
Paper support
Printer cover
Right edge guide
Output tray
extension
Output tray
Parallel port
USB port
Paper
Paper name* Size Part number
Epson Premium Bright White
Paper
Epson DURABrite Ink Glossy
Photo Paper
Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet
Paper
Epson Glossy Photo Paper or
Epson Photo Paper
Epson Matte Paper
Heavyweight
Epson Double-Sided Matte
Paper
PremierArt Matte Scrapbook
Photo Paper for Epson
Epson Premium Semigloss
Photo Paper
Epson Ink Jet Transparencies Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041064
Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet
Cards
* The availability of paper types and sizes varies by location.
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041586
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041731
4 x 6 inches S041734
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041062
A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041061
Legal (8.5 x 14 inches) S041067
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041141
S041649
S041271
S041272
A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041140
4 x 6 inches S041134
S041671
S041458
S041809
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041257
8 x 10 inches S041467
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041568
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) SCR1002
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches) S041331
A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041054
User Replaceable Parts
Part Part number
Paper support 1262104
Power cord 2068927
Accessories
Ink Cartridges
Cartridge Part number
Black (high capacity)* T043120
Black (standard capacity)* T044120
Cyan T044220
Magenta T044320
Yellow T044420
Color multipack (cyan, magenta, and yellow) T044520
* Availability of black ink cartridge types varies by location.
To order Epson ink cartridges, and paper, contact your dealer
or call Epson at (800) 873-7766 or visit the Epson Store at
www.Epsonstore.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call
(800) 463-7766 for dealer referral.
Printer Specifications
Printing
Printing method On-demand ink jet
Nozzle configuration
Black 180 nozzles
Color 177 nozzles (59 each: cyan, magenta,
yellow)
Print direction Bidirectional with logic seeking
3/04 Epson Stylus C86 - 1
Epson Stylus C86
Mechanical
Paper feed method Friction
Paper path Sheet feeder, top entry, front out
Sheet feeder
capacity 120 sheets of 24 lb (90 g/m
2
) paper
Dimensions
Storage Width: 18.1 inches (460 mm)
Depth: 9.5 inches (242 mm)
Height: 7.5 inches (191 mm)
Printing Width: 18.1 inches (460 mm)
Depth: 17.2 inches (437 mm)
Height: 11.9 inches (302 mm)
Weight 10.5 lb (4.8 kg)
Electrical
Input voltage 120 or 220 V (90 to 266 V)
Rated frequency
range 50 to 60 Hz
Input frequency
range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz
Rated current 0.2 A (Max. 0.4 A)
Power consumption
Approx. 19 W (ISO 10561 Letter Pattern)
Approx. 4.5 W in standby mode
Approx. 0.8 W in power-off mode
Environmental
Temperature
Operation 50 to 95 °F (10 to 35 °C)
Storage*
−4 to 104 °F (−20 to 40 °C)
1 month at 104 °F (40 °C)
Transit* –4 to 140 °F (–20 to 60 °C)
120 hours at 140 °F (60 °C)
Humidity (without condensation)
Operation 20 to 80% RH
*
Storage
*Stored in shipping container
5 to 85% RH
Safety Approvals
Safety standards UL 1950, EN 60950, CSA C22.2 No. 60950
EMC FCC part 15 subpart B class B
CSA C108.8 Class B
Ink Cartridges
Caution: To ensure good results, use genuine Epson cartridges and
do not refill them. Other products may cause damage to the printer
not covered by Epson’s warranty. Don’t use an ink cartridge if the
date on the package has expired.
Black Ink Cartridge (high capacity) - T043120
Color Black
Capacity* 1350 pages ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern
950 pages of graphics at 5% coverage
Cartridge life 6 months at 77 °F (25 °C) after opening
the package
Temperature
Storage –4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C)
1 month at 104 °F (40 °C)
Transit –22 to 122 °F (–30 to 50 °C)
10 days at 122 °F (50 °C)
Freezing** 3.2 °F (–16 °C)
Dimensions 0.9 × 2.9 × 2.2 inches (W × D × H)
22 × 73.5 × 55.3 mm (W × D × H)
Black Ink Cartridge (standard capacity) - T044120
Color Ink Cartridges (Cyan - T044220, Magenta T044320, and Yellow - T044420)
Color Black, cyan, magenta, yellow
Capacity (black)* 600 pages ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern
420 pages of graphics at 5% coverage
Capacity (color)* 450 pages of graphics at 5% coverage
Cartridge life 6 months at 77 °F (25 °C) after opening
the package
Temperature
Storage –4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C)
1 month at 104 °F (40 °C)
Transit –22 to 122 °F (–30 to 50 °C)
10 days at 122 °F (50 °C)
Freezing** 3.2 °F (–16 °C)
Dimensions 0.5 × 2.9 × 2.2 inches (W × D × H)
12.7 × 73.5 × 55.3 mm (W × D × H)
* The figure given is based on continuous printing after ink
replacement. Cartridge yields will vary with images printed, print
settings, paper types and frequency of use.
** Ink thaws and is usable after approximately 3 hours at
77 °F (25 °C).
2 - Epson Stylus C86 3/04
Epson Stylus C86
Paper
Media type Size Paper types Thickness Weight
Single sheets A4 (8.3 × 11.7 inches)
DURABrite Ink Glossy Photo
Paper
Matte Paper Heavyweight Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
Double-Sided Matte Paper
Premium Semigloss Photo Paper
All-Purpose Glossy Paper
PremierArt Matte Scrapbook
Photo Paper for Epson
Ink Jet Transparencies
Premium Bright White Paper
Envelopes No. 10, 4.1 × 9.5 inches (104 × 241 mm)
Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
Ink jet cards A6 (105 × 148 mm) Ink jet cards distributed by Epson —
Glossy Photo Paper (Photo Paper) Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
A5 (5.8 × 8.3 inches)
A6 (4.1 × 5.8 inches)
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
Legal (8.5 × 14 inches)
Half-letter (5.5 × 8.5 inches)
Executive (7.3 × 10.5 inches)
4×6inches
5×7inches
3.5 × 5 inches
8 × 10 inches
User Defined up to 8.5 × 44 inches
Letter (8.5 x 11 inches)
4×6inches
8 × 10 inches
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) Double-Sided Matte paper, Premium
DL, 4.3 × 8.7 inches (110 × 220 mm)
C6, 4.4 × 6.4 inches (114 × 162 mm)
Legal (8.5 × 14 inches)
A4 (210 × 297 mm)
A4 (210 × 297 mm)
4 × 6 inches
Plain bond paper 0.003 to 0.004
DURABrite Ink Glossy Photo Paper
distributed by Epson
Matte Paper Heavyweight distributed
by Epson
Semigloss Photo Paper, All- Purpose
Glossy Paper, PremierArt Matte
Scrapbook Photo Paper, Ink Jet
Transparencies, Premium Bright White
Paper distributed by Epson
Plain bond paper or air mail paper — 12 to 20 lb
Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper distributed
by Epson
inch (0.08 to
0.11 mm)
—
—
—
—
17 to 24 lb
(64 to 90 g/m
—
—
—
(45 to 75 g/m²)
—
—
Glossy Photo Paper (Photo Paper)
distributed by Epson
—
—
2
)
Note: Poor quality paper may reduce the print quality and cause
paper jams or other problems. If you have print quality problems,
switch to a higher grade paper.
Do not load curled or folded paper.
Use paper only under these conditions:
Temperature: 59 to 77 °F (15 to 25 °C)
Humidity: 40 to 60% RH
Since the quality of any particular brand or type of paper may be
changed by the manufacturer at any time, Epson cannot guarantee
the quality of any non-Epson brand or type of paper. Always test a
sample of paper stock before purchasing large quantities or printing
large jobs.
Always load paper into the sheet feeder with the short edge first.
Load envelopes flap edge left with the flap side down.
Printable Area
A
B-L B-R
Normal
C
Envelope
Borderless*
A The minimum top margin is 0.12” (3.0 mm).
B-L The minimum left margin is 0.12” (3.0 mm).
B-R The minimum right margin is 0.12” (3.0 mm).
C The minimum bottom margin is 0.12” (3.0 mm).
D The minimum bottom margin is 0.78” (20 mm) for envelopes
* When printing with the borderless feature, print quality may
decline in the expanded area. Before printing large jobs with the
borderless setting, print a single sheet to check print quality.
3/04 Epson Stylus C86 - 3
Epson Stylus C86
Control Panel
To diagnose some problems, check the printer’s control panel,
as described below.
Paper button and
paper out light (also
cancels print jobs)
Ink button
and ink out
light
Follow the guidelines in this table when you check the control
panel lights:
Green power
light flashes
Red paper light
is on
Red paper light
flashes
Red ink light
flashes
Red ink light is on One of the cartridges is out of ink or not installed.
Green
light and red ink
light are on
Green power
light is off; red
alternately
Green power
light is off; red
Green power
light is off
power
paper and
ink lights flash
paper and
ink lights flash
The printer is receiving a print job, charging ink,
cleaning the print head, or ink is being replaced.
Your paper ran out. Load more and press the
paper button.
Paper is jammed in the printer. Press the
paper button to eject the jammed paper. If
the light is still flashing, open the cover and
remove all paper, including any jammed or torn
pieces. Then reload paper and press the
paper button to continue printing.
One of the cartridges is low on ink. Check the
message that appears on your screen to
determine which cartridge is low. Make sure you
have a replacement cartridge.
Make sure you have a replacement cartridge.
If you have just installed a new cartridge, it may
be incompatible with the printer or incorrectly
installed. Reinstall it or replace it with the correct
cartridge.
One or more ink cartridges is not installed
correctly. Reinstall cartridges.
Paper may be blocking movement of the print
head. Turn off the printer, open the cover, and
remove any jammed paper or other foreign
objects. Turn the printer back on again. If the
lights are still flashing, contact your dealer or
Epson.
The printer may have an internal error. Turn off
the printer, wait a few seconds, and turn it on
again. If the lights are still flashing, contact your
dealer or Epson.
The printer is not receiving power. Make sure the
printer is on. Turn off the printer, plug in the
power cord securely, and turn the printer on
again. Make sure the outlet is working and is not
controlled by a switch or timer. If in doubt, try
another outlet.
Power
button and
light
Replacing an Ink Cartridge
❏ When the red ink light flashes, one or more ink
cartridges are low on ink.
❏ When the red ink light stays on, you need to replace the
cartridge(s).
When you print, you’ll also see a message on your screen
telling you which cartridge is low or empty.
When a cartridge is more than six months old, you may need
to replace it if printouts don’t look their best. If the quality
doesn’t improve after cleaning and aligning the print head,
you can replace the cartridge even if the red ink light is off.
Checking the Ink Supply
To check your ink supply, do the following:
❏ Windows: Double-click the icon on the Windows
taskbar.
Note: If you don’t see the icon, go to your printer properties
window, click the Maintenance tab, then select Status Monitor.
You see a window like this:
❏ Macintosh OS X: Double-click the
icon in the Applications folder. Choose
click
OK. Then click Epson Status Monitor. You see a
window like this:
❏ Macintosh OS 9: From the File menu, select
click the ink icon.
Epson Printer Utility
C86 Series and
Print, then
4 - Epson Stylus C86 3/04
Epson Stylus C86
Ink Cartridge Precautions
Warn ing: Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children and do not
drink the ink.
If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and
water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.
Caution: Don’t remove the cartridge label, or ink will leak.
Don’t remove the green IC chip from the cartridge. Installing a
cartridge without an IC chip can damage the printer. Avoid touching
the green IC chip, as this can damage the ink cartridge.
If you remove an ink cartridge temporarily, protect the ink supply port
on the bottom of the cartridge from dirt and dust. Place it in a small
box, or, if you have the original packaging, return it to its own box.
Store ink cartridges in the same environment as the printer. Stand the
cartridges upright (the label identifying the color should be on the
top).
Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges
Be sure you have a new ink cartridge before you begin. Once
you start the ink cartridge replacement procedure, you must
complete all the steps in one session.
1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing. The
power light should be on, but not flashing.
2. Lower the output tray and open the printer cover.
❏ If more than one ink cartridge is empty, the next
cartridge moves under the mark. This happens after
you press the ink button for every ink cartridge that
needs to be replaced.
❏ If all the empty cartridges have been identified, the print
head moves to the ink cartridge replacement position.
5. Open the cartridge cover.
3. Press the ink button for one second.
If the ink light is off, go to step 5.
If the ink light is on or flashing, the print head moves to the
left, and the cartridge that needs to be replaced stops under
the mark. The power light also begins to flash.
Caution: Don’t press the ink button for more than 2 seconds,
or the printer will start to clean the print head.
To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by
hand.
4. Press the ink button again.
6. Pinch the back tab of the empty cartridge as you lift it out of
the printer. Don’t take the used cartridge apart or try to
refill it.
Warn ing: If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with
soap and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them
immediately with water.
3/04 Epson Stylus C86 - 5
Epson Stylus C86
7. Before you remove the new cartridge from its package,
shake it four or five times.
8. Remove the cartridge from its package and lower it into the
cartridge holder. Push down gently until the cartridge is
firmly seated.
Printing on Special Media
Select the correct Type or Media Type setting so your printer
knows what kind of paper you’re using and adjusts the ink
coverage accordingly.
Paper name
Plain paper sheets or envelopes
Epson Premium Bright White Paper
Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards
Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight
Epson Double-Sided Matte Paper
PremierArt Matte Scrapbook Photo Paper
for Epson
Epson DURABrite Ink Glossy Photo Paper DURABrite Ink Glossy
Epson Photo Paper
Epson Glossy Photo Paper
Epson Premium Semigloss Photo Paper
Epson All-Purpose Glossy Paper
Epson Ink Jet Transparencies Ink Jet Transparencies
Media/paper Type
setting
Plain Paper / Bright White
Paper
Matte Paper - Heavyweight
Photo Paper
Glossy Photo Paper
Printing Borderless Photos
9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 for each cartridge that you need to
replace.
10. Close the cartridge cover.
11. Close the printer cover and press the ink button for one
second. The printer moves the print head and begins
charging the ink delivery system.
The green power light flashes and the printer makes
noise. Charging takes about one minute. When it’s finished,
the power light stops flashing and stays on.
Caution: Never turn off the printer while the green power
light is flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise
for more than 5 minutes.
You can print your photos with no margins, extending the
image all the way to the edges of the page.
Although borderless printing is a bit slower, you get beautiful
snapshots and enlargements, without trimming, on these
papers and sizes:
Paper name Sizes
Epson Matte Paper
Heavyweight
Epson Photo Paper 4 × 6
Epson Glossy
Photo Paper
Epson DURABrite
Ink Glossy Photo
Paper
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
8 × 10
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
4 × 6
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
4 × 6
Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)
Media/paper Type
setting
Matte Paper Heavyweight
Glossy Photo Paper
DURABrite Ink Glossy
Photo Paper
With proper care, photographs from your Epson Stylus
printer will last for many years. The special Epson DuraBrite
inks designed for your printer are formulated to achieve
improved lightfastness when used with Epson papers for prints
that are properly displayed or stored. For best results, always
use Epson papers.
6 - Epson Stylus C86 3/04
Epson Stylus C86
As with traditional photos, Epson recommends proper care
that will minimize color changes and lengthen display life:
❏ Frame prints under glass or a protective plastic sleeve to
protect them from atmospheric contaminants like
humidity, smoke, and high levels of ozone.
❏ As with all photographs, keep your prints away from direct
sunlight.
❏ For proper storage, keep your prints in a photo album or
plastic photo storage box in acid-free, archival sleeves
commonly available from most camera stores.
❏ Always keep unused paper in the original package.
Loading Paper
Load paper as shown below.
Insert paper against
the right edge
Caution: When you don’t turn on your printer for a long time, print
quality can decline, so turn it on and print a few pages at least once a
month to maintain good print quality.
Running the Head Cleaning Utility
1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the
red
ink light is off. (If the ink light is flashing or on,
you need to replace a cartridge.)
2. Windows: Right-click the printer icon on your taskbar
(in the lower right corner of your screen). Select
Cleaning
Note: If you don’t see the icon, go to your printer properties
window, click the Maintenance tab, then select Head Cleaning.
.
Macintosh OS X: Open the Applications folder and
double-click
the printer list, click
Epson Printer Utility. Select Stylus C86 in
OK, and select Head Cleaning.
Macintosh OS 9: Open the File menu and choose
Setup
or Print. Click the utility button, then click the
Head Cleaning button.
You see a screen like the following:
Head
Page
Slide the left
edge guide
against the paper
❏ Always load the short edge first, even for printing landscape-
oriented photos.
❏ Load the printable side face up. It’s usually whiter or
brighter than the other side.
❏ Make sure the paper is under the tabs on the left and right
edge guides.
❏ Check the paper package for more loading instructions.
Cleaning the Print Head
If your printouts are unexpectedly light, or dots or lines are
missing, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs
the nozzles so they can deliver ink properly. Print head
cleaning uses ink, so clean it only if quality declines.
This section explains how to clean the print head using the
Head Cleaning utility.
You can also clean the print head by holding down the
button on the printer for three seconds. (This only works
when the red light is off.)
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to clean the print head.
Cleaning takes several seconds. The printer makes noise and
the green power light flashes.
Caution: Never turn off the printer while the green power
light is flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise
for more than 5 minutes.
4. When the green power light stops flashing, make sure
paper is loaded in the printer, then do the following:
Windows: Click
Print.
Macintosh: Click
Print nozzle check pattern. Then click
Confirmation, then click Next.
The nozzle check pattern prints (see “Examining the Nozzle
Check Pattern” on the following page for details).
3/04 Epson Stylus C86 - 7
Epson Stylus C86
5. If the nozzle check pattern has no gaps or white lines, click
Finish.
If the pattern has white lines, click
Clean to clean the print
head again.
You can also turn the printer off and wait overnight—this
allows any dried ink to soften—and then try cleaning the
print head again.
Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern
Examine the nozzle check pattern you printed. Each staggered
line should be solid, with no gaps, as shown.
❏ If your printout looks okay, you’re done.
❏ If you see any gaps (as shown below), clean the print head
again.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to print a black
vertical alignment test page. You see a screen like this:
5. Look at the five sets of patterns in your printout. For each
set, if you see a pattern with no visible vertical lines, enter its
number in the corresponding box on the screen and click
Next.
If you can’t find a pattern without any vertical lines, select
the best pattern. Click
Realignment and then Print to
print another alignment sheet and repeat this step.
6. Click
Print to print the color vertical alignment sheet. You
see a screen like this:
Aligning the Print Head
If your printouts look blurry or grainy, or you see light or dark
horizontal banding, you may need to align the print head.
Note: Banding may also occur if your cartridges are low on ink or you
need to clean the print head.
1. Turn on the printer.
2. Load several sheets of paper.
3. Windows: Right-click the printer icon on your taskbar
(in the lower right corner of your screen). Select
Alignment
Note: If you don’t see the icon, go to your printer properties
window, click the Maintenance tab, then select Print Head
Alignment
.
Macintosh OS X: Open the Applications folder and
double-click the
C86 in the printer list, click OK, and select Print Head
Alignment
Epson Printer Utility icon. Select Stylus
.
Macintosh OS 9: From the File menu, select Page Setup
or
Print. Click the Utility button, then click the
Print Head Alignment button.
Print Head
7. Look at the four sets of patterns in your printout. For each
set, if you see a pattern with no visible vertical lines, enter its
number in the corresponding box on the screen and click
Next.
If you can’t find a pattern without any vertical lines, select
the best pattern. Click
Realignment to print another
alignment sheet and repeat this step.
8 - Epson Stylus C86 3/04
Epson Stylus C86
8. Click
Print to print a black horizontal alignment sheet.
After it’s printed you see a screen like this:
9. In your printout, select the pattern with no gap or line
between the rectangles. Enter its number in the box on the
screen and click
Next.
If you can’t find an aligned pattern, choose the best pattern.
Then click
Realignment to print another alignment sheet
and repeat this step.
10. Click
Print to print a color horizontal alignment sheet.
After it’s printed, you see a screen like this:
Cleaning the Printer
To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it
several times a year.
1. Turn off the printer, unplug the power cord, and
disconnect the cable.
2. Remove all the paper, then use a soft brush to clean the
sheet feeder.
3. If the outer case or inside of the sheet feeder is dirty, clean it
with a soft cloth dampened with mild detergent. Keep the
printer cover closed to prevent water from getting inside.
4. If ink accidentally gets inside the printer, wipe off the rollers
shown below with a damp cloth.
Clean
here
11. In your printout, find the pattern with no gap or line
between the rectangles and enter its number in the box on
the screen.
If you can’t find an aligned pattern, choose the best pattern.
Then click
Realignment to print another alignment sheet
and repeat this step.
12. Click
Finish to close the Print Head Alignment Utility.
Warn ing: Don’t touch the gears or any other parts inside the printer.
Caution: Never use a hard or abrasive brush, or benzine, alcohol, or
paint thinner for cleaning; they can damage the printer components
and case.
Don’t get water on the printer components and don’t spray lubricants
or oils inside the printer.
Transporting the Printer
If you need to ship your printer, you must prepare it for
transportation by removing the ink cartridges and packing the
printer in its original box or one of a similar size.
1. Turn on the printer.
2. Remove any paper from the printer, then remove the paper
support.
3. Open the printer cover.
3/04 Epson Stylus C86 - 9
Epson Stylus C86
4. Press the ink button. The print head moves to the ink
cartridge replacement position, and the power light
begins to flash.
Note: Don’t press the ink button for more than 2 seconds, or
the printer will start to clean the print head.
Caution: To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print
head by hand.
5. Open the cartridge cover.
7. Close the cartridge cover and press the ink button. Wait
until the print head locks in the far right position. (Don’t
worry if the ink light is on.)
8. Press the power button to turn off the printer. Unplug
the power cord from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect
the printer cable from the printer.
9. Secure the ink cartridge holder (print head) to the case with
tape.
Tape
Caution: Be sure to remove the tape and reinstall the ink
cartridges immediately after installing the printer in its new
location.
6. Pinch the back tab of each cartridge as you lift it out of the
printer. Remove all the cartridges. Store the ink cartridges
in a plastic bag or container, making sure that the tops of
the cartridges are facing up.
10. Close the printer cover, push in the output tray extension,
then close the output tray.
11. Repack the printer and its attachments in the original box
using the protective materials that came with them.
Keep the printer level as you transport it.
After transporting the printer, remove the tape securing the
print head, reinstall the ink cartridges, and test your printer. If
you notice a decline in print quality, clean the print head; if
output is misaligned, align the print head.
Related Documentation
CPD-17833 Epson Stylus C86 Start Here
CPD-17832 Epson Stylus C86 Quick Guide
CPD-17834 Epson Stylus C86 CD-ROM with
User’s Guide
Warn ing: If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with
soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately
with water.
10 - Epson Stylus C86 3/04
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