Epson LQ-2080 User Guide

Control Panel Buttons and Lights

Font button

Selects the font.
See Chapter 5.

Font lights

Indicate which
font is selected.

Condensed bu tton

Turns on the
condensed mode.

Condensed light

Lights up when the
condensed mode is
on.

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.

Pause but t on

Stops printing
temporarily, and
resumes printing when
pressed again.

Pause light

On when the printer

●

is paused.
Flashes when the

●

printer is in the micro
adjust mode.

LF/FF button

Feeds paper line by

●

line.
Ejects a single sheet

●

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

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.

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.

n = On
f = Flashing
o = Off

Micro Adjust

When you hold down the Pause button for three
seconds, the printer enters the micro adjust m ode. In
this mode, you can pre ss the D and U buttons to adjust
the top-of-form or tear-off position. See Chapter 2.

®

24-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 RPOR AT ION ’s op era ting and mainte na nce inst ruct ion s.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORAT ION shall not be liable for any damages or problems arisi ng
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 regis t e red trademarks and EPSON ESC/P 2 is a trade mark
of SEI KO EP SON CORPORA TION.

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.

Copyri ght © 1998 by SEIKO EPSON CO RP ORATION, Nagano, Japan.

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 o r a Cl as s 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 m e nt
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instr uctions, may cause
harmful interference to radio or televisi on
recepti o n. 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 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 norme NMB- 00 3 du Ca n a da.

Declaration of Conformity

According to I SO/IEC Guide 22 and EN 45014

Manufacturer:
Address: 3-5, Owa 3-chome, 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: P911B

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

Direc t i ve 73 /23/EEC :

Directive 89/336/E EC:

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

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIO

Nagano- ken 392-8502 Japan

AT Amstelveen
The Netherlands

EN 60950

EN 55022 Clas s 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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-3

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

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 -5

Attaching the Paper Guide and P a per Separator . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-11

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-12

Connecting the Printer to Your C o mputer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 - 1 3

Installing the Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-15

Installing the printer software in Windows 95, 98,

or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-15

Installing the printer software in Windows 3.1 or NT 3.5x .1-17

For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18

iii

Chapter 2 Printing on Continuous Paper

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

Setting the Paper Thickness Lever . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

Using the Rear Push Tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2- 5

Loading paper onto the rear pus h tra ctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5

Removing the printed document fro m the rear

push tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9

Using the Front Push Tr actor (o ptional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Installing the tractor in the front push position . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

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

Removing the printed document fro m the front

push tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16

Removing the front push tractor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Using the Tractor in the Pull Position (optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19

Installing the tractor in the pull position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20

Loading paper onto the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21

Removing paper from the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-27

Using two tractors in a push and pull combination. . . . . . . 2-27

Removing the pull tractor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-30

Loading Multipart Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32

Loading Continuous Paper Wi th La bels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-32

Removing continuous paper with labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-34

Switching Between Printing on Continuous Paper

and Printing on Single Sheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2- 3 5

Switching to printing on single sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3 5

Switching to printing on continuous pa per. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-36

Adjusting the Top-of-Form Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -37

Advancing the Paper to the Tear-Off Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-40

Using the Tear Off/Bin button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-40

Advancing paper to the tear-off position automatically . . . 2-41

Adjusting the tear-off position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 -41

Chapter 3 Printing on Single Sheets

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

Available paper types and paper slots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2

Loading single-sheet multipart forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4

iv

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-10

Chapter 4 Using the Printer Software

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

Using the Printer Driver With W indows 95/98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-8

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications. .4-8

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel . . . . . .4-10

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-10

Using the Printer Driver With W indows NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-12

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications. .4-12

Accessing the printer driver from the Start menu. . . . . . . . .4-14

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-14

Using the Printer Driver With W indows NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-17

Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications. .4-17

Accessing the printer driver from the Control Panel . . . . . .4-19

Printer driver settings overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-20

Using the EPSON Remo te! Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 - 2 2

Installing EPSON Remot e ! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 -22

Accessing EPSON Remote! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4-22

Chapter 5 Chang ing Prin ter Setti ngs From the Printer’s Control
Panel

Selecting a Built-In Font and Condensed Mo de . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-2

About Your Printer’s Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5-4

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

v

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Checking Printer Status Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Using the EPSON Status Monitor 2 window . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4

Using the Printer Status window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 -9

Making Monitoring Preference Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1 0

Turning on background mo nitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-11

Using the background monitoring icon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-12

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 - 1 7

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

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

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 Feeders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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-1 0

vi

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

Using the C82305✽ or C82306✽ serial interface card . . . . . .A-1 8

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-5

Environmental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-5

Paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-6

Paper alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C -9

Printable area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-10

Safety approvals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-12

CE marking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-12

Command Lists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-13

EPSON ESC/P 2 co ntr ol codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-13

IBM 2391 Plus emulation control codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-17

Character Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .C-18

International character sets for the Italic table. . . . . . . . . . . .C-2 9

Appendix D Customer Support Information

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

For North American Us ers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-2

vii

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® LQ-2080 24-pin dot matrix printer 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 plus
up to five copies, labels, single sheets, envelopes, and
postcards

❏ high-speed printing of up to 400 characters per second at

10 characters per inch

Your printer also com e s with printer driver software, the
EPSON Status Monitor 2 utility for Microsoft
that lets you check the status of your printer quickly and easi ly,
and other software. In addition, several options are available to
help suit your individual needs.

®

Window s® 95/98

Easy-to-Use Features

This section highlights some easy-to-use features that you ’ll
find hel p ful.

❏ Use the tear-off feature

to save paper.

Getting to Know Your Printer

1

If you load paper o n the rear of fr ont ( optio nal ) push tr actor ,
you can use the tear-off fea ture to advanc e your printed
document to the printe r’s tear-of f edge when you finish
printing. Then you can easily tear off the printed sheets and
save the paper normall y lost between documents. For more
information, see Chapter 2.

❏ Use the paper release lever

without removing the paper.

Using the paper release lever, you can easily switch to
printing on single sheets without r emoving the co ntinuous
paper loaded o n the rear or fr ont (op tional) push t ractor. 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

to change the paper path

paper rel ease
lever

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

tear-off positions. (See t he 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 1/180-inch increments so that you
can ma ke prec ise adjus tment s to the to p-of- for m and te ar- off
positions. For more information, see Chapter 2.

Available Paper Paths

Your printer prov i des a vari ety of paper paths for pri nting on
continuous and single-sheet paper. As described below, paper
can be fed into the print e r from the top, front, bottom, or rear.
You select the paper pat h that best su its your current printing
needs.

Note:

When using continu ous paper, the rear push tractor only can be used
as standard. To use the tractor in the front push and pull positions, you
need to purchase the optional tracto r unit .

Getting to Know Your Printer

3

Printing on continuous paper

You can choose from th ree tractor p os itions (front push, rear
push, and pull) and three paper entry slots (front, rea r, and
bottom) fo r continuous paper printi ng. This secti on helps you
determin e which pape r paths and tractor positio ns are best for
your continuous paper printing needs. See 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 ord ers o r sales slips), it is
best to use a push tractor. This allows you to use the printer’s tear­off 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 co ntinuous paper.

There are two push tractor positions: front and rear. The tractor
can be used only in the rear push position as standard. To use the
tractor in the front push position, y ou need to purchase the
optional tra ctor unit. See the table below for details about the
push posi tions and the corresponding paper-feeding paths.

Note:

The tractor in the rear push position cannot be removed.

4

Getting to Know Your Printer

Tractor position Description

To use this tractor, load paper in the rear slot.

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

rear pu sh

front push

slot; the labels may come off th eir backing sheet
inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

To use the front push tractor, you need to purchase
the optiona l tracto r uni t (C80 03 2✽) and install it in
the front push position.

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, load it in the front
paper slot because the paper path from this slot is
almost straight. This reduces the chance of paper
jams.

Using a pull tractor (optio nal)

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 po sition. The pul l tractor provide s 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 tractor.

Note:

If you plan to use a pull tractor, you can purchase the optional pull
tractor (C80032✽) and install it in the pull position. See Chapter 2 for
instructions.

Getting to Know Your Printer

5

As shown in the table below, three paper entry slots are available
for use with the pull tractor: front, bottom, and rear.

Paper sl o t Descrip t io n

If you print on thick paper such as multi part forms
or continuous paper with labels, load it using the
front paper slot because the paper path from this
slot is almost straight. This reduces the chance of
paper jams.

front

Because the bottom paper slot has the straightest
paper path, it is ideal for p rinting on thick paper,
such as multipart forms or contin uous paper with
labels.

Note:

When loading paper in the bottom slot, be sure to
use a printer stand with an opening large enough

bottom

so that the paper can feed through it without
obstruction

You can also load continuous pa per onto the pull
tractor using the rear slot.

Note:

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

.

rear

6

Getting to Know Your Printer

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.

Using the push and pu ll tractor s in combination

To improve continuous paper feeding and reduce paper jams,
you can use two tractors at the same time. This is especially
helpful for printing on continuous pre-printed forms, multipart
forms, or labels, and for printing high-quality graphics. When
using two tractors in combination, yo u can load p aper either in
the front pa pe r slot onto the front push tractor and the pul l
tractor, or in the rear paper slot onto the rear push tractor and
the pull tractor.

Combination Description

To use the rear push tractor with the pull tractor, you
need to purc hase the optional pull tractor
(C80032✽) and install it in the pull position.

Note:

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

rear pu sh

and pull

Caution:

Do not load continuous paper with labels onto
the rear push tractor even when it is used in
combination with the pull trac tor. If you load
continuou s paper with labels ont o the 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 two optional pull tractors
(C80032✽). Mount the two tractors in the front push
and pull positions.

front push

and pull

Note:

For more informatio n on using two tractors in a push and pull
combination, see page 2-27.

Getting to Know Your Printer

7

Printing on single sheets

As shown be l ow, your printe r has two paper e ntry slots for
printing on single sheets: top and front. When continuous paper
is loaded on the front o r re ar push tractor, you can load single
sheets in the top or fro nt slot without remo vi ng the continuous
paper.

This section helps you det ermine which paper slot best suits y our
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 multipart forms,
envelop es, or postc ards in the to p slot.

Note:

Load envelopes only in the top slot.

8

Getting to Know Your Printer

Loading paper in t he front slot

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

Note:

Always use the front paper slot to load single-sheet multipart forms that
are bound by line gluein g only at the side.

Options

Your printe r comes with everything necessary to print on
continuou s pa per and single she e ts using a variety o f paper
paths. By addin g o ptions, such as a cut-sheet f eeder , pu ll t ract or
unit, or roll paper holder, you can further expand your printer’s
versatility. Optional interface cards are also available to
supplem e nt your printer’s bui lt-in parallel interface. For m ore
informatio n on options for your printer, see Appendix A,
“Enhancing Your Printer With Options”.

Getting to Know Your Printer

9

Ribbon Cartridge

Your printe r uses the fol lowing ribbo n cartridge:

EPSON black ribbon cartridge S015086

When printi ng becomes f aint, you need to replace the ribbon
cartridge. Genuine EPSON ribbon cartridges are designed and
manufactured to work properly with your EPSON printer. They
ensure proper o peration an d long life of the print head and other
printer parts.

To replace a used ribbon cartridge, follow the instructions under
“Installing or R e pl acing the Ribbon Cartridge” on page 1-5.

Important Safety Instructions

Read all o f 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 op e nings in the print er’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 groun ded power outlets.

Avoid using out lets on the s ame circuit as ph otocopiers or air
control systems that regularly switch on and off.

❏ Do not use a da maged or fray ed power cord.

10

Getting to Know Your Printer

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

total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the extension
cord doe s not exceed th e cord’s ampere rating. Als o, 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 specifi cally explai ned in t his guide, do no t attempt

to servic e the printer y ourself.

❏ Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service

personnel under the following conditions:

If the power cord or plug is da maged; if liqui d has entered
the printer; if the printer has been dropped or the cabinet
damaged; or if the printer does not operate normally or
exhibits a disti nct change in perf ormance. Adju st onl y th ose
controls that are covere d by the operating instru cti ons.

❏ Printer parts marke d with this sym bol may be hot.

K

Turn off the printer and let it cool for a few minutes
before you touch any pri nte r part marked with this
symbol.

❏ If you plan to us e the printer in Ge rmany, observ e the

following:

To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over­current pro tection for thi s printer, th e building installation
must be protected by a 16 Amp circuit breaker.

Note for German-speaking users:

Bei Anschluß des Druckers an die Stro m v 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 symbol on the print head indicates 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 fe w minutes befo re touching it.

ENERGY STAR Compliance

E

As an

determined that this product meets the

S

NERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

E

NERGY

The International

is a volun tary partnership with the computer and office
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 i o n.

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 EP SON App r oved Produ c ts by Ep son (UK) Limited.

12

Getting to Know Your Printer

Safety information

Warning:

w

If you have to fit a plug:

As the colour s of the mains lead of this app liance 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 rat ing 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 your printer. The
comes wit h th e printer summar izes basic information on h ow
to use the printer.

provides detailed information on setting up

Quick Reference Guide

that also

Warnings , Cautions, and Notes

This guide uses the following conventions:

Warnings

must be followed to avoid bodily injury.

w

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment

c

contain important information and useful tips on the operation

Notes

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3

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

Installing or Replacing the Ribbon Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Attaching the Paper Guide and P a per Separator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11

Plugging in the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12

Connecting the Printer to Your C o mputer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13

Installing the Printer Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 -15

Installing the printer software in Windows 95, 98,

or NT 4.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15

Installing the printer software in Windows 3.1

or NT 3.5x . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-17

For DOS programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1-18

1

Setting Up the Printer

1-1

Unpacking the Printer

Besid es this guid e, your printer box should include EPSON
printer software disk, a Notice Sheet, and the fol lowing items:

paper guide

printer

paper separator

power cord

screwdriver 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 in which you bought your printer; be sure the
plug you have is the right one for your location.

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 (packe d with the

printer) to remove these materials. A screwdriver has been

provided for removing the transpo rtation screw.

Save all packing and protective materials, including 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

equival e nt materials.

There are several models of the printer design ed for different
voltages, and it is not possible to adjust the printer for use with
another voltage. If the label on t h e bac k of the printer does not
show the correct voltage for your country, contact your dealer.

Choosing a Place for the Printer

Follow the guidelines below when selecting a location for your

printer.

1

❏ Place the printer on a flat, stable s urface. The prin ter will not

operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

❏ Place the printe r where you can easily connec t it to a network

interface c able, 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. Also keep it away
from direct sunlight, strong light, heat sources, or excessive
moisture or dust.

❏ Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations.

Setting Up the Printer

1-3

❏ Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily

unplug the po wer cord.

Note for French-speaki ng use rs:

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

❏ Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or

automatic timers. An interruption in power can e rase
information in the memory of your pr inter or c o mputer.
Also avoid outlets on the same circuit as la rge motors or
other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations.

❏ Keep the entire computer system away from potential

sources of electromagnetic i nterference, such as loudspeakers
or the base units of cordless telephones.

❏ Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug.
❏ Make sure the paper path is cl e ar and unobstructed before

you print on continuous paper. (See the next section.)

If you plan to us e a printer stand, follow these guidelines:

❏ Use a stand that supports at least 26 kg (57.8 lb).
❏ Never use a stand that tilts the printer. The printer should

always be kept lev e l.

❏ Position your printer’s power cord and interface cable so they

do not interfere with paper feeding. I f possible, se cure the
cables to a leg of the printer stand.

1-4

Setting U p the Pr inter