Epson FX-980 User Guide

Control Panel Buttons and Lights

Font button

Selects the font.
See Chapter 5.

Font lights

Indicate which
font is selected.

Pitch button

Selects the font size.
See Chapter 5.

Pitch lights

Indicate what font
size is selected.

Tear Off/B in but ton

Advances continuous paper to the

●

tear-off position.
Feeds continuous paper backward

●

from the tear-off po sition to the top-of­form position.
Selects a cut-sheet feeder bin when the

●

cut-sheet feeder is installed.
Turns on the card mode to print on

●

postcards and envelopes. See
Chapt e r 3 .

Tear Off/Bin lights

when continuous paper is in the

●

f f

tear-off position.

when bin 1 of the optional cut-

●

o n

sheet feeder is selected.

when bin 2 of the optional cut-

●

n o

sheet feeder is selected.

when the printer is in the card

●

n n

mode.

n = On
f = Flashing
o = Off

Pause button

Stops printing

●

temporarily, and
resumes printing when
pressed again. When
pressed for 3 seconds,
turns on the *micro
adjust mode. To turn
off, press again.

Paper Out light

On when no paper is

●

loaded in the selected
paper source or pa per
is not loaded correctl y.
Flashes when paper

●

has not been fully
ejected or a paper jam
has occurred.

Pause light

On when the printer is

●

LF/FF button

Feeds paper line by

●

line when pressing
shortly.
Ejects a single sheet

●

or advances
continuous paper to
the next top-of-form
position when held
down.

Operate button

Turns the printer on
and off. The printer
is off when the top
of this button is
even with the
button protectors.

Load/Eject button

Loads a single sheet of

●

paper.
Ejects a single sheet of

●

paper if a sheet is
loaded.
Loads continuous paper

●

from the standby
position.
Feeds continuous paper

●

backward to the
standby position in
micro adjust mode.

*Micro Adjust m ode

When you hold down the Pause button for three
seconds, the printer enters the micro adjust m ode. In
this mode, you can pres s the LF/FF
buttons to adjust the top-of-form or tear-off position.
See Chapter 2.

and Load/EjectU

D

®

9-Pin Dot Matrix 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
CORPORATION. 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 CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of
this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by the 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 EPS ON CO RPORA T ION ’s ope ra ting and mainte nanc e in stru ct ions.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION 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
CORPORATION.

EPSON and EPSON ESC/P are registered trademarks of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.
Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.

General Notice:

may be trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those
marks.

Copyright © 1998 by SEIK O EP SON CORPORATION, Nagano , J apan.

Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and

User’s Guide

FCC Compliance Statement

N

For United States Users

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits f or 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 equip ment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instr u ctions, may cause
harmful interferenc e to radio or televi sion
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 tha t 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 invalidat e
the FCC Ce rtification of this dev ice and may
cause interference levels which ex ceed 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 Cl ass B dig it a l ap p aratu s co mplies wi t h
Canadian ICES-003.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme
à la norm e NM B-003 du Ca n a da.

Declaration of Conformity

According to I SO/IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014

Manufacturer:
Address: 3-5, Owa 3-cho me, Suwa-shi,

Representative: EPSON EUROPE B.V.
Address: Prof. J. H. B av inckl aan 5 1183

Declares that the Product :

Product Name: Dot Matrix Printer
Model: P922A

Conforms to the following Directive(s) and
Norm(s):

Direc t i ve 73/23/ EE C :

Directive 89/336/E EC:

March 1999
H. Horiuchi
President of EPSON EUROPE B.V.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIO

Nagano- ke n 392-8502 Japan

AT Amstelveen
The Netherlands

EN 60950

EN 55022 Class B
EN 61000-3-2
EN 61000-3-3
EN 50082-1
IEC 801-2
IEC 801-3
IEC 801-4

ii

iii

iv

Contents

Getting to Know Your Printer

Easy-to-Use Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Available Paper Paths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Printing on continuous pape r. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Printing on single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Important Safety Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Print Head Caution Symbol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

ENERGY STAR C om pliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

For United Kingdom Us ers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Use of options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Safety information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

How To Use Your Ma nuals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Warnings, Cautions, and N o tes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-2

Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-4

Positioning the continuous paper s upply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-5

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-6

Attaching the Paper Guide Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 - 12

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-13

Connecting the Printer to Your C o mputer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-14

Installing the Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-17

Installing the printer software in Windows 98, 95,

or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18

Installing the printer software in Windows 3.1

or NT 3.5x. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-19

For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-21

iii

Chapter 2 Printing on Continuous Paper

Setting the Paper Release Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2

Setting the Paper Thickness Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4

Using the Rear Push Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Loading paper onto the rear pus h tra ctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Removing a printed document from the rear push

tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Using the Front Push Tr actor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -12

Loading paper onto the front push tr a ctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -12

Removing a printed docume nt from t he front push

tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Removing the front push tractor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -18

Reinstalling the tractor in the front push position . . . . . . . 2-19

Using the Tractor in the Pull Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Installing the tractor in the pull position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Loading paper onto the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -23

Removing the paper from the pu ll tractor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-28

Using two tractors in a push/pull co mbination. . . . . . . . . 2-29

Removing the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-31

Loading Multi-Part Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-33

Loading Continuous Paper With Labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-34

Removing continuous paper with labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-36

Switching Between Printing on Continuous Paper

and Printing on Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-37

Switching to printing on single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-37

Switching to printing on continuous pa per. . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-38

Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-39

Advancing the Paper to the Tear-Off Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -42

Using the Tear Off/Bin button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-42

Advanci ng the paper to the tear-off position

automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-43

Adjusting the tear-off position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-43

iv

Chapter 3 Printing on Single Sheets

Using Single Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2

Available paper types and paper slo ts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2

Loading single-sheet multi-part forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-4

Loading envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-6

Loading postcards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-7

Loading Single Sheets in the Top Paper Slot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-8

Loading Single Sheets in the Front Paper Slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-11

Chapter 4 Using the Printer Software

About Your Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4- 2

Using the Printer Driver With W indows 95 or 98 . . . . . . . . . . . .4-3

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications.4-3

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu. . . . . . . .4-5

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5

Using the Printer Driver With W indows 3.1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-9

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications.4-9

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel . . . . .4-11

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11

Using the Printer Driver With W indows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-13

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications.4-13

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu. . . . . . . .4-15

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15

Using the Printer Driver With W indows NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . .4-18

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications.4-18

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel . . . . .4-20

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-21

Using the EPSON Remo te! Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4- 23

Installing EPSON Remot e ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-23

Accessing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-23

v

Chapter 5 Changing Printer Settings From the Printer’s Control
Panel

Selecting a Built-In Font . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2

About Your Printer’s Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

Changing default settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9

Chapter 6 Using EPSON Status Monitor 2

About the EPSON Status Monitor 2 Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

Installing EPSON Status Monitor 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3

Accessing EPSON Status M o nitor 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Checking Printer Status Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Using the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5

Using the Printer Status window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

Making Monitoring Preference Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

Turning on background mo nitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-13

Background monitoring icon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-14

Chapter 7 Troubleshooting

Using the Error Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2

Problems and Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4

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

Single-sheet paper loading or feeding problems . . . . . . . . 7-6

Continuous paper loading or feedin g problems . . . . . . . . 7-8

Wrong top-of-form pos ition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 -9

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

Printing or printout quality problem s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11

Clearing Paper Jams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-16

Aligning Vertical Lines in Your Print o ut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-17

Printing a Self Test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-18

Printing a Hex Dump. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19

vi

Appendix A Enhancing Your Printer With Options

Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-2

Paper handling options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-2

Optional interface cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-3

Using the Optional Cut-Sheet Feed ers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A - 4

Installing the high-capacity or double-bin cut-sheet

feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-4

Loading paper in the high-capacity cut-sheet feeder . . . . .A-6

Selecting the paper source (bin 1 or bin 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-10

Switching between continuous paper and single-sheet

paper in the cut-sheet feeder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-11

Using the Roll Paper Holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-12

Assembling the roll paper holder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A- 12

Installing the roll paper holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A- 13

Loading roll paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-14

Removing roll paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-16

Installing an Interface Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A-17

Appendix B Cleaning and Transporting the Printer

Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-2

Transporting the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3

Appendix C Specifications

Printer Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-2

Mechanical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-2

Electrical. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-4

Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C- 5

Paper alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-8

Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-9

Safety approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-11

CE marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-11

vii

Command Lists. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12

EPSON ESC/P contr ol codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-12

IBM 2380 Plus emulation control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C -16

Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-17

International character sets for the Italic table . . . . . . . . . . C-28

Appendix D Customer Support Information

Contacting Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

For North American Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

Electronic support services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2

Automated telephone services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3

For United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland Users . . . . . . D -4

Enquiry Desk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4

Customer Support. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4

Faxon EPSON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D -5

EPtec - Bulletin Board Service for latest drivers and

utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

World Wide Web. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-5

For Australian Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

EPSON FAXBACK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

EPSON Bulletin Board System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D -6

Internet URL http://www.epson.com.au. . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

Your dealer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-6

EPSON Helpdesk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-7

For Singapore Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-7

For Hong Kong Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

Internet home page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

Electronic bulletin board system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

Technical support hotline. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-8

For Philippines Users. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-9

Glossary

Index

viii

Getting to Know Your Printer

Your EPSON® FX-980 9-pi n dot matrix prin ter provides
high-quality print ing and great performance in a compact design.
Features in clude:

❏ a variety of paper paths to suit your prin ting needs
❏ the ability to handle a wide range of paper types, including

continuous paper, multi-part forms with one original and
up to six copies, labels, single sheets, envelopes, and
postcards

❏ high-speed printing of up to 569 characters per second at

12 characters per inch

❏ equipped with built-in parallel and serial interface board

Your printer also com e s with printer driver software, the
EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility for Microsoft
98 that lets you check the status of your print er quickly and easily,
and other softw are. In addition, many options are available to suit
your individual needs.

Getting to Know Your Printer

®

Window s® 95 or

1

Easy-to-Use Features

This section highlights some easy-to-use features that you’ ll

find helpful.

❏ Use the tear-off feature

If you load paper in th e rear or front push tractor , you can use
the tear-off fe ature to advance your continuous paper to the
printer’s t ear-off edg e when you finis h printing. Then you can
easily tear off printed sheets and save paper normally lost
between d ocuments. For more info rmation, see C hapter 2.

❏ Use the paper release lever to change the paper path

without r e moving continuous paper from the tractors.

to save paper

.

Using the paper release lever, you can easily switch to
printing on single sheets without r emoving the co ntinuous
paper loaded in the rear or front push tractor. You can also
easily switch to printing on continuous paper on a different
tractor. For more information, see Chapter 2.

2

Getting to Know Your Printer

paper rel ease
lever

❏ Use the micro adjust feature to adjust the top-of-form and

tear-off positions. (See the Glossary for explanations of the
top-of-form and tear-off positions.)

The micro adjust feature allows you to move the paper forward
or backward in 1/216 inch increments so that you can make
precis e a dju stme nt s to t he t op-o f-f or m a nd te a r-o ff p osi ti ons . Fo r
more information, see Chapter 2.

Available Paper Paths

Your print er provides a variety of paper paths for prin ti ng on
continuous and single-sheet paper. As described below, paper
can be fed into the printer from the top, front, bottom, or rear. You
can select the paper path that best suits your current printing
needs.

Getting to Know Your Printer

3

Printing on continuous paper

You can choose from t hree tractor p ositions (front push, rear

push, an d pull) and three paper entry slots (front, rear, and

bottom) for continuous pa per printing. Th is section help s you

determin e which paper paths and tractor positi ons are best fo r

your continuous paper printing needs . S ee the appropriate

sections in Chapter 2 for tractor installation and paper loading

instructions.

Using a push tractor

If you often need to tear off sheets of continuous paper (for

example, if you are printing purchase orders or sales slips), it is

best to use a push tractor. This allows you to use the printer’s tear-

off edge to easily tear off printed sheets of continuous paper at

the perforation. Also, when continuous paper is loaded on a push

tractor, you can load single sheets of paper from the paper guide

without removing the continuous pa per from the tractor.

There are two push tractor positions: front and rear. The tractor

is installed in the front push and rear push positions when the

printer is shipped. See the table below for details about the push

positions and the corresponding paper-feeding paths.

Note:

❏

Always load multi-part forms with seven parts (one original plus
six copies) from the front or bottom slot onto the pull tractor.

❏

The rear push tractor cannot be removed.

4

Getting to Know Your Printer

Tractor position Description

rear push

front push

Using a pull tractor

To use this t ractor, l oad paper in t he rear slot . When
you print on multi-part forms that are bound on
only one side by point gluing, load them i n the r ear
paper slot; the front push tractor cannot feed this
type of form.

Note:

Because thick multi part forms require a straight
paper path, load them in the front slot.

Caution:

Do not load continuous paper with labels in the
rear slot; the labels may come off th eir backing
sheet inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

To use this tractor, load paper in the front slot. If you
print on thick paper such as multi- part forms or
continuous paper with labels, use the f ront paper
slot because t his pa per path fro m this slot is alm ost
straight. This reduces the chan ce of paper jams.

If you often print on thick or heavy continuous paper, such as
multi-part forms or continuous paper with labels, use a tractor in
the pull position. The pul l tractor provides you with the best
paper jam prevention, and allows you to load continuous paper
from the front, rear, or bottom of the printer. However, you cannot
use the tear-off feature with the pull tra ctor.

Note:

If you plan to use a tractor in the pull position, you can remove the tractor
from the rear push positi on a nd reinstall it in the pull position, or you
can purchase an op tional addition al tracto r unit (C80033✽) and install
it in the pull positio n. See Ch apter 2 for instructions.

Getting to Know Your Printer

5

You can us e the front, bottom, or rear pape r slot with the pul l

tractor.

Paper sl o t De sc r i p t io n

If you print on thic k pape r such as mult i-pa rt for ms
or continuous paper with labels, use the front
paper slot because this paper path is almost
straight. This reduces the chance of paper jams.

front

The bottom paper slot has the straightest paper
path, so it is the best slot to use when printing on
thick pape r, such as mu lti-par t forms or con tinuous
paper wit h labels.

Note:

When loadin g pape r in th e bot tom slot, be su re to
use a printer stand with an opening large enough

bottom

rear

for the paper to feed through it without obstruction

You can also load continuous paper from the rear
pull tractor position.

Note:

Paper loaded from the rear s lot r esult s in a curved
paper path, which may affect loading
performance, so use the front or bottom slot
whenever poss i bl e .

Caution:

Do not load con tinuous paper with labels in the
rear slot; the labels may come off their backing
sheet inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

.

6

Getting to Know Your Printer

Using the push and pu ll tractors in combination

You can improve paper feeding and reduce paper jams by using
two tractors at the same time. This is especially helpfu l for
printing on continuous pre-printed for ms, multi-part forms, or
labels, and for printing high-quality graphics. When using two
tractors in combination, you can load paper eith er in the front
paper slo t bo th the front pus h tractor and the pull tractor, or in
the rear pape r slot with both the rear pus h tractor and the pull
tractor.

Combination Description

To use the rear push tractor with the pull tractor, you
need to remove the standard tractor that comes in
the front push pos ition and install it in the pull
position.

Note:

Because thick multi-part forms require a straight
paper path, load them in the front slot.

rear push

and pul l

Caution:

Do not load continuous paper with labels onto
the rear push tractor even when it is used in
combination with the pull tractor. If you load
continuou s paper with labels onto t he rear push/pull
tractor, the labels may come off their backing sheet
inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

To use the front push tractor with the pull tractor, you
need to purchase the optional pull tractor
(C80033✻) and install it in the pull posit ion.

front push

and pul l

Note:

For more informatio n on how to use two tractors in a push and pull
combination, see “Using t wo tractors in a push/pull combination” on
page 2-29.

Getting to Know Your Printer

7

Printing on single sheets

As shown below, you can load single sheets from the top or the

front of the printer. You can load ordinary single sheets from

either position, even with continuous paper already loaded in the

front or rear push tractor.

This section helps you determine which paper slot best suits your

single-sheet printing needs. See Chapter 3 for paper loading

instructions.

Loading paper in t he top slot

You can load ordinary single sheets, single-sheet multi-part

forms, envelopes, or postcards in the top slot.

Note:

Load envelopes in t he top slot only.

8

Getting to Know Your Printer

Loading paper in t he front slot

You can load ordinary single sheets, single-sheet multi-part
forms, or postcards in the front slot.

Note:

Always use the front paper slot to load glue-fastened single-sheet multi­part forms bound at the side of th e form.

Options

Your printer comes with everything necessar y to print on
continuous paper and single sheets using a variety of paper paths.
By adding opt ions, su ch as a cut-sheet f eeder, pu ll t ractor unit, or
roll paper holder, you can further expan d y ou r printer’s
versatility. Optional interface cards are also available to
supplement your printer’s built-in parall el inter face and built-i n
serial interface. For more information on options for your printer,
see Appendix A, “Enha ncing Your Printer With Opti ons”.

Getting to Know Your Printer

9

Ribbon Cartridge

Your print er uses the follo wing ribbon car tridge:

EPSON black ribbon cartridge S015091

When printi ng becomes f aint, you need to replace the ribbo n

cartridge . Ge nuine EPSON ribbon cartrid ges are designed and

manufactured to work properly with your EPSON printer. They

ensure proper operation and long l ife of the pr int head and ot her

printer parts.

To replace a used ribbo n ca rtridge, follow the inst ructions in

“Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge” on page 1-6.

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 f lat surface. The printer w ill not operate

properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

❏ Do not block or cover the openings in the pri nter’s cabinet.

Do not insert objects through the slots.

❏ Use only th e ty pe 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 photocopie rs or air
control systems that regularly switch on and off.

❏ Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.

10

Getting to Know Your Printer

❏ If you use an e xtension cord with the printer, make sure t he

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

❏ Unplug the printer before cleaning, and clean it with a damp

cloth only.

❏ Do not spill liquid on the printer.
❏ Except as specifica lly expl ained i n this gui de, do n ot at tempt

to service the printer yourself.

❏ Unplug th e pri nter and refe r servicing to qualified

personnel under the following conditions:

If t he po wer cord or plug i s d amage d; i f l iquid has en tered the
printer; if t he printer has bee n dropped or the cabinet
damaged; or 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.

❏ Printer parts marked with this symbol may be hot.

K

Turn of f the printer and let it cool for a few minutes
before y ou touch any printer part marked with this
symbol.

❏ 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 instal lati on
must be protected by a 16 Amp circuit breaker.

Note for Germ an-speaking users:

Bei Anschluß des Druc kers a n d ie St romv ersorgung muß
sichergestellt werden, daß d ie Gebäudeinstallation mit einem 1 6
A-Überstromschalter abgesichert ist.

Getting to Know Your Printer

11

Print Head Caution Symbol

The sym b ol on the print head indicate s that this
part may be hot. Never touch the print hea d just

K

after the printer has been used. Let the print head
cool for a f ew minutes before touching it.

ENERGY STAR Compliance

E

As an

determined that this product meets the

S

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

NERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has

E

NERGY

The International

is a volun t ary partnership with the comput er and offic e

equipment industry to promote the introduction of

energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax

machines, copiers, and scanners, in an effort to reduce air pollution

caused b y power genera t ion.

E

NERGY STAR Office Equipment program

For United Kingdom Users

Use of options

Epson (UK) Limited shall not be liable against any damages

or problems arising from the use of any options or consumable

products other than those designated as Original EPSON

Products or EPSO N Appr oved P rod uct s b y Eps on (UK ) Lim it ed.

12

Getting to Know Your Printer

Safety information

Warning:

w

If you have to fit a plug:

As the colours of the mains lead of this appliance may not match
coloured markings used to identify the terminals in a plug, please
proceed as follows:

The gree n a nd yellow wire must be connected to the term inal in
the plug which is marked with the letter E or the Earth symbol (

The blue wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug
marked wi th the letter N.

The brown wire must be connected to the termi na l in the plug
marked wi th the letter L.

This appliance must be earth e d . Re fer to the rating plate
for voltage and check that the appliance voltage corresponds to
the supply voltage.

Important: The wires in t h e mains lead fitted to this applia nc e
are coloured in accorda nc e with the following code:

Green and yellow — Earth
Blue — Neutral
Brown — Live

G

).

If damage occurs to the plug, replace the cord set or consult a
qualified electrician.

Replac e f uses only with a fuse of the correct s iz e and rating.

Getting to Know Your Printer

13

How To Use Your Manuals

This

User’s Guide

and using you r printer. The

comes with the printer summarizes basic information on how

to use the p rinter.

provides detailed information on setting up

Quick Reference Gui de

that also

Warnings , Cautions, and Notes

This guide uses the following conventions:

Warnings

must be followe d to avoid bodily injury.

w

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment

c

Notes

contain importan t information and useful tips on the operation

of your printer.

.

14

Getting to Know Your Printer

Chapter 1

Setting Up the Printer

Unpacking the Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

Positioning the continuous paper s upply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-5

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6

Attaching the Paper Guide Base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

Connecting the Printer to Your C o mputer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14

Installing the Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 -17

Installing the printer software in Windows 98, 95, or NT 4.01-18

Installing the printer software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x . 1-19

For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-21

1

Setting Up the Printer

1-1

Unpacking the Printer

Besid es this gu ide, your p r inter box should include an EPSON
printer software disk, a Notice Sheet, and the fol lowing items:

printer

power cord

screwdriver

paper guide base

ribbon cartridge

Note:

Depending on your printer model, the power cord may be permanently
attached to the printer. Also, the shape of the power cord plug v ari es
depending on the country of purcha se; be sure the plug y ou have is the
right one for your locati on.

1-2

Setting U p the Pr inter

Caution:

c

You must remove all protective materials packed around and

inside your printer before you set it up and turn on the power.

Follow the directions on the Notice Sheet (packed with the

printer) to remove the se materials. A screwdrive r has been

provided for removing the transportation screw.

Save all pack ing an d protective materials , incl uding the

transportation screw and the protective locking clips on the paper

tension unit, in case you need to ship the printer in the future. It

should always be transported in its original packaging or

equivalent materials.

There are several models of the print er d esig ned for different
voltages, and it is not possible to adjust the printer for use with
another voltage. If the lab el on the back of the printer does not
show the correct voltage for your country, contact your dealer.

1

Setting Up the Printer

1-3

Choosing a Place for the Printer

Follow the guidelines below when selecting a location for your
printer.

❏ Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. T he prin ter w ill not

operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

❏ Place the prin ter where y ou can eas ily connect i t to a network

interface cable, if necessary.

❏ Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation

and maintenance.

❏ Avoid using or storing the printer in places subject to rapid

changes in temperature and humidity. Keep it away from
direct sunlight, strong light, heat sour ces , or excessive
moist ure or dust.

❏ Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations.
❏ Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily

unplug the power cord.

Note for French-s peaking us ers:

Placez l'imprimante près d'une prise de contact où la fiche peut être
débranchée facile ment.

❏ Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or

automatic timers. An interruption in power can erase
informat ion in the mem or y of your printer o r computer.
Also av oid outlets o n the same circuit as large motors or
other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations.

❏ Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources

of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the
base units of cordless telephones.

1-4

Setting U p the Pr inter