Epson STYLUS900 - Stylus Color 900 Inkjet Printer, Stylus COLOR 900G Product Information Manual

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EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

sheet feeder

left edge guide

thickness lever

paper support

right edge guide

output tray extensions

ink cartridge clamps

printer cover

output tray

control panel

Media

Paper name Size Part number

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

EPSON Photo Paper 4 x 6 inches S041134

EPSON Photo Stickers Kit (CD-ROM/paper) EPSON Photo Stickers (refill)

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

EPSON Ir on-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

Letter S041060

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041059

Letter S041111

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041117

Letter S041062

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041061

Legal S041067

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041054

8 x 10 inches S041122

Letter S041141

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041140

Panoramic (8.3 x 23 inches) S041145

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches)

Letter S041072

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041071

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041107

Letter S041064

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041063

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041106

Letter S041153/

S041144-KIT

S041144

S041155

Accessories

User Replaceable Parts

Part name Part number

Paper support assembly 1040662

Printer cover assembly 1042793

Logo plate 1044907

Ink Cartridges

Cartridge Part number

Black T003011

Color T005011

Printer Specifications

Printing

Printing method On-demand ink jet

Nozzle configuration

black 192 nozzles color 288 nozzles (96 each cyan, magenta,

yellow)

Resolution Maximum 1440 × 720 dpi

Input buffer 256KB

Print direction Bidirectional with logic seeking

Control code ESC/P 2™ and raster graphics code,

EPSON Remote, and IBM emulation code

Character tables 1 italic and 12 graphics character tables

Character sets 14 international character sets and 1 legal

character set

X24E

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EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

Paper

Paper type Size Paper types Thickness Weight

Single sheets Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)

Transparencies and glossy film

Photo Paper 4 × 6 inches (102 × 152 mm)

Photo stickers A6 (105 × 148 mm) with 16 fr ames Photo stickers distributed

Self adhesive sheets and iron-on cool peel transfer paper

Envelopes #109.5 × 4.1 inches (240 × 104 mm)

Cards A6 (105 × 148 mm)

A4 (210 × 297 mm) A5 (148 × 210 mm) B5 (182 × 257 mm) Legal (8.5 × 14 inches) Half letter (5.5 × 8.5 inches) Executive (7.5 × 10 inches)

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) A4 (210 × 297 mm) A6 (105 × 148 mm, glossy film only)

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) A4 (210 × 297 mm) Panoramic (8.27 × 23.4 inches, 210 × 584 mm)

A4 (210 × 297 mm) Letter (8.5 × 11 inches; iron-on cool pe el

transfer paper only)

DL 8.7 × 4.3 inches (220 C6 4.4 × 6.4 inches (114 × 162 mm) Note card envelope 5.2 × 8.7 inches (132 × 220 mm)

8 × 10 inches (203 × 254 mm; ink jet cards only)

110 mm)

Plain paper and special ink jet papers distributed by EPSON

Transparencies and glossy film distributed by EPSON

Photo Paper distributed by EPSON

by EPSON

Self adhesive sheets and iron-on cool peel transfer paper distributed by EPSON

Plain, bond, or air mail paper

Ink jet cards and note cards distribute d by E PSON

0.003 to 0.004 inch (0.08 to 0.11 mm)

——

0.006 to 0.02 in ch (0.16 to 0.52 mm)

——

17 to 24 lb (64 to 90 g/m

12 to 20 lb (45 to 75 g/m

)

Note: Print only under these conditions: Temperature: 59 to 77 °F (15 to 25 °C) Humidity: 40 to 60% RH

Store glossy film and self adhesive sheets under these conditions: Temperature: 59 to 86 °F (15 to 30 °C) Humidity: 20 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 use of any particular brand or type of paper. Always test samples of paper stock before purchasing large quantities or printing large jobs.

Poor quality paper may reduce print quality and cause paper jams and other problems. If you encounter problems, switch to a higher grade of paper. Do not load curled or folded paper, envelopes, or transparencies.

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Printable Area

Single sheets and cards

Envelopes

A The minimum top margin is 0.12 inch (3.0 mm).

When printing multiple sheets of EPSON Photo Quality Glossy

Film, the minimum top margin is 1.2 inches (30 mm). BL The minimum left margin is 0.12 inch (3.0 mm). BR The minimum right margin is:

0.35 inch (9.0 mm) for letter and legal

1.10 inches (28 mm) for #10 envelopes

0.28 inch (7 mm) for DL envelopes

0.12 inch (3.0 mm) for all other paper sizes and C 6 envelopes.

C1 The minimum bottom margin is 0.55 inch (14.0 mm) using the

Standard printable area setting. C2 The minimum bottom margin can be decreased to

0.12 inch (3.0 mm) using the Maximum printable area setting.

However, the print quality in the expanded printable area may be

reduced.

Note: Always load paper into the sheet feeder short edge first except envelopes. Load envelopes long edge first.

BR C1

Ink Cartridges

Specification

Color(s) Black Cyan, magenta, and

Print capacity* 1200 pages (A4, ISO/IEC

Cartridge life 2 years from production date and up to within

Storage temperature

Transit temperature

Freezing temperature**

Dimensions 1.1 (W) × 2.6 (D) × 1.6 (H)

* The print capacity may vary depending on how often you clean the

print head and use the printer.

** The ink thaws and is usable after approximately 3 hours at 77 °F

(25 °C).

Black ink cartridge (T003011)

10561 lette r pattern); 840 pages at 5% coverage at 360 dpi)

6 months after opening package at 77 °C (25 °F)

–4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C) 1 month at 104 °F (40 °C)

–22 to 140 °C (–30 to 60 °F) 1 month at 104 °F (40 °C) 120 hours at 140 °F (60 °C)

3.2 °F (–16 °C) –0.4 °F (–18 °C)

inches

28.9 (W) × 67.4 (D) ×

41.8 (H) mm

To ensure good results, use genuine EPSON cartridges and do not refill them. Other products may cause damage to your printer not covered by EPSON’s warranty.

Do not use an ink cartridge after the expiration date on the package.

Color ink cartridge (T005011)

yellow

570 pages (A4, 5% coverage at 360 dpi)

2.1 (W) × 2.7 (D) × 1.6 (H ) inches

54.0 (W) × 67.4 (D) ×

41.8 (H) mm

Mechanical

Paper feed method Friction with auto sheet feeder, rear entry

Sheet feeder capacity Maximum 100 sheets of 17 lb (64 g/m

paper

Dimensions

Storage Width: 18.4 inches (467 mm)

Depth: 11.7 inches (269 mm) Height: 7.8 inches (199 mm)

Printing Width: 18.4 inches (467 mm)

Depth: 23.4 inches (594 mm) Height: 12.8 inches (325 mm)

Weight 18.5 lb (8.4 kg) without the ink cartridges

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EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

Electrical

Specification 120 V Model 240 V Model*

Input voltage range 99 V to 132 V 198 V to 264 V

Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz

Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz

Rated current 0.7 A 0.4 A

Power consumption Approx. 30 W (ISO 10561 Letter Pattern)

* Also designed for IT power systems with Phase to Phase voltage

220–240 V

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* 5 to 85% RH

*Stored in shipping container

Safety Approvals

Safety standards UL 1950 with D3, CSA C22.2 No. 950

EMC FCC part 15 subpart B class B

Interfaces

Parallel interface

Forward channel

Specification Description

Data format 8-bit parallel, IEEE-1284 compatibility mode

Synchronization STROBE

Handshake timing BUSY and ACKNLG

Signal level TTL compatible

Connector 57-30360 Amphenol connector or equivalent

Reverse channel

Specification Description

Transmission mode IEEE-1284 Nibble mode

Adaptable connector 57-30 360 Amphenol connector or equivalent

Synchronization Refer to the IEEE-1284 specification

Handshaking Refer to the IEEE-1284 specification

Signal level IEEE-1284 Level 1 device

Data transmission timing Refer to the IEEE-1284 specification

Serial interface

Specification Description

Standard Based on RS-423

Synchronization Synchronous

Bit rate Approximately 1.8 Mbps

Handshaking X-ON/X-OFF and DTR protocol

Word format Data bit: 8 bits

Connector 8-pin mini-DIN

Recommended cable ImageWriter

pulse

Parity bit: Non e Start bit: 1 bit Stop bit: 1 bit

signals

II cable (preferably Belkin brand)

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USB interface

Specification Description

Standard Based on Univer sal Serial Bus Specifications

Bit rate 12 Mbps (full speed device)

Data encoding NRZI

Adaptable connector USB Series B

Recommen ded cable length

Revision 1.0, Universal Serial Bus Device Class Definition for Printing Devices Version 1.0

6.5 feet (2.0 me ters)

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black cartridg e color cartridge

Remove the yellow tape

EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

Control Panel

The four lights on your printer’s control panel show the printer’s status and alert you to problems like paper jams.

paper out light

black ink out light

color ink out light

cleaning button

is on The

flashes When the

is on When the

flash

are on

and

flash, and

and

are on

P S B A

flash

P S B A

are off

power light is on when the printer is on and ready to

print. It flashes when the printer is receiving a print job or performing a maintenance operation, such as cleaning the print head.

Turn off the printer and gently pull out all paper. Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Then reload the stack against the right edge guide and slide the left edge guide over to the paper’s left edge. Th en turn the pr inter on.

incorrectly loaded. Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Then reload the stack against the right edge guide and slide the left edge guide over to the paper’s left edge. Press the button to resume printing.

When an ink out light flashes, your ink supply is low. Make sure you have a replacement cartridge.

When an ink out light comes on, you need to replace th e ink cartridge. See page 8 for instructions.

When the

may be blocking movement of the print head. Turn off the printer, wait a few seconds, and turn it back on. If no paper ejects, turn off the printer, remove the jammed paper, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash or stay on, contact your dealer or EPSON.

When all the lights flash, your printer may have an internal error. Make sure you removed all the packing material as described on the unpacking sheet in your printer box. Then turn off the printer, wait a few seconds, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash or stay on, contact your dealer or EPSON.

When all the lights are off, the printer is not receiving power. Try these solutions:

❏ ❏

❏

black and

Make sure the printer is turned on. Turn off the printer, plug in the power cord securely,

and turn on the printer again.

Make sure the outlet is not controlled by a switch or

timer and is operable.

power button

load/eject button

paper out light flashes, you have a paper jam.

paper out light comes on, your paper is out or

power and

color ink out lights come on, jammed paper

paper out lights flash and the

power light

load /ej ect

Installing an Ink Cartridge for the First Time

1. Plug the power cord into a grounded outlet.

Don’t use an outlet controlled by a wall switch or timer, or one that uses the same circuit as a large appliance. This may disrupt the power, which can erase the printer’s memory or damage its power supply.

2. Remove the ink cartridges from their foil packages. Then pull off only the yellow part of the tape seal on the top of each cartridge. It is okay if a bit of the yellow tape remains on the cartridge. Don’t pull off the blue part.

You must remove the yellow tape seal f rom the top of the cartridge or you will permanently damage it. Don’t remove the tape seal from the bottom.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

3. Lower the output tray and open the printer cover.

Be sure the tape securing the print head has been removed.

4. Press the P power button to turn on the printer. The P power light flashes, the B black and A color ink out lights come on, and the black ink cartridge holder moves slightly left to the installation position.

Always use the off. Never use an external switch, such as on a power strip.

5. Lift up the black ink cartridge clamp.

power button to turn the printer on or

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6. Place the black ink cartridge in its holder with the label facing up and toward the back of the printer. Then press down the clamp until it locks into place.

7. Press the

R cleaning button to move the color ink cartridge

holder into the installation position.

If the print head doesn’t move to the color ink cartridge installation position, hold down the cleaning button for three seconds until the print head moves to the color ink cartridge installation position.

8. Repeat steps 5 and 6 to install the color ink cartridge.

9. Press the

R cleaning button to begin charging the ink

delivery system and then close the printer cover.

Charging takes about two minutes. The

P power light flashes,

and the printer makes various sounds until it is finished. Don’t turn off the printer or interrupt the charging process or it will start over and you’ll use more ink than necessary. Charging is complete when the

P power light stops flashing

and is stays on.

Never turn off the printer when the flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made any noise for more than five minutes.

power light is

Testing the Printer

You can run a printer check to determine whether the problem comes from the printer itself or some other source. Follow these steps to run the printer check:

1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

2. Disconnect the interface cable from the printer.

3. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer.

Load paper that’s at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide. This prevents ink from spraying inside the printer and smudging your printouts.

4. Hold down the E load/eject button, then press and release

Ppower button. Continue holding down the E load/

the eject button until the release it.

The printer prints one page showing its ROM version number, ink counter, and a nozzle check pattern in black, magenta, cyan, and yellow. Only the nozzle check pattern is shown below.

5. To end the check, turn off the printer after it prints the check page. Then reconnect the interface cable and turn on your printer and computer.

❏ If the results are satisfactory, the problem lies in your

software settings, the interface cable, or your computer.

❏ If the check page does not print correctly, you may have

a problem with your printer. First try cleaning the print head (see page 10). Then try the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” in the Printer Basics book or “Troubleshooting” in the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

Ppower light starts to flash, then

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setting for regular paper

setting for envelopes and thick paper

Printing on Special Media

Whether you print on plain paper or special media, you need to make sure you select the correct Media Type setting in the printer software, as shown in the following table.

Then select this Media

For this media name...

Plain paper, letter size Plain paper

Envelopes

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper Photo Quality Ink Jet

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

EPSON Photo Paper Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film Photo Quality Glossy

EPSON Photo Stickers

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies Ink Jet Transparencies

Use the Flip Horizontal option to reverse your image before you

print it—especially if it includes text—so the image will appear correctly when it’s transferred.

Type setting in your printer software...

Paper

Film

❏ Load paper only up to the arrow mark on the left edge

guide.

❏ Remember to select the correct Media Type and Paper Size

for your paper.

❏ If the special media has protective sheets between the sheets

of media, be sure to remove the protective sheets before printing. After printing, cover the printed side of your media with these sheets before storing.

❏ Use ink jet papers within one year of purchase. Use glossy

film and transparencies within six months. Return unused sheets and envelopes to their original packages as soon as possible. See “Paper” on page 2 for more media storage information.

position when you print on

❏ Set the thickness lever to the

envelopes or if ink smears when you print on other thick media. Open the printer cover and position the lever as shown below. Then close the cover and print. (Make sure you return the lever to the

position before you print on

regular media.)

Media Loading and Handling Guidelines

Don’t use any cleaning sheets included with special media; they may jam inside the printer.

The type of paper or other media you use is one of the most important factors in determining the quality of your printed output. The following tips will help you get the best results on any type of paper or other media:

❏ Always handle sheets by the edges, and don’t touch the

printable surface.

❏ Be sure to load the printable (whiter or glossier) side of the

media face up in the sheet feeder.

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Replacing an Ink Cartridge

When the B black or A color ink out light flashes, the indicated cartridge is low on ink. This is a good time to make sure you have a new cartridge. When the light stays on, the cartridge is empty and you need to replace it. You cannot print if either ink cartridge is empty.

You can also check your ink levels using Status Monitor 2 (not available for Windows 3.1). See your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual for details.

Use these EPSON ink cartridges within six months of installing them and before the expiration date on the package:

❏ Black ink cartridgeT003011 ❏ Color ink cartridge T005011

To ensure good results, use genuine EPSON ink cartridges and do not refill them. Other products may cause damage to your printer not covered by EPSON’s warranty.

When you need new ink cartridges, contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). Or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

If you need to replace an ink cartridge before the lights flash (because the ink is too old, for example), see the instructions in “Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge” on page 9.

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

You can replace a cartridge when the B black or A color ink out light is either flashing or on. (If you perform these steps when both ink out lights are off, the printer cleans the print heads as described on page 10.)

Follow these steps to replace ink cartridges:

3. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing, then open the printer cover.

4. Press the seconds until the print head moves left and the

R cleaning button and hold it for about three

P power

light begins flashing. The print head moves to the black or color cartridge replacement position, depending on which ink cartridge is empty.

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by hand. Don’t open the clamp or remove a cartridge except to replace it with a new one. Once you remove a cartridge, you can’t reuse it, even if it contains ink.

5. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder.

6. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

7. Lower the new ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward the back of the printer.

1. Remove the new ink cartridge from its packaging.

2. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top as

shown to the right. Don’t pull off the blue portion or try to remove the clear seal underneath the cartridge.

Remove the yellow tape

black cartridge color cartridge

You must remove the yellow tape from the top of the cartridge or you will permanently damage it. Do not remove the clear seal from the bottom of the cartridge; ink will leak.

8 - EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

8. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

9. If you need to replace the other ink cartridge, repeat steps 4 through 8 before continuing with step 10.

10. Press the

R cleaning button and close the printer cover.

The printer moves the print head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

P power light flashes, and the printer makes various

The sounds. Charging takes about one minute. When it’s finished, the

P power light stops flashing and stays on.

Never turn off the printer while the flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

power light is

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EPSON Stylus COLOR 900

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

If an ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it. How can you tell? You may notice that your printouts don’t look as good as they used to. If print quality doesn’t improve after cleaning and aligning the print head, you can replace one or both cartridges.

Follow these steps to replace an ink cartridge before the

A color ink out light is flashing or on:

1. Remove the new ink cartridge from its packaging.

2. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top as shown below. Don’t pull off the blue portion or try to remove the clear seal underneath the cartridge.

Remove the yellow tape

black cartridge color cartridge

B black

6. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder.

7. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with water.

8. Lower the new ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward the back of the printer.

You must remove the yellow tape from the top of the cartridge or you will permanently damage it. Do not remove the clear seal from the bottom of the cartridge; ink will leak.

3. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing, then open the printer cover.

4. Press the

E load/eject button and hold it down for three

seconds until the print head moves to the left to the black ink cartridge replacement position and the

Ppower light

begins flashing.

5. If you need to replace only the color ink cartridge, press the E load/eject button again until the print head moves to the color ink cartridge replacement position.

If the print head moves to the home position instead of the color ink cartridge replacement position, try holding down

E load/eject button for three seconds until the print

the head moves to the black ink cartridge replacement position; then press the second to move the print head to the color ink cartridge replacement position.

E load/eject button for half a

9. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

10. Press the

E load/eject button. The print head moves to the

color ink cartridge replacement position. If you need to replace the color ink cartridge, repeat steps 6 through 9. Then continue with step 11.

11. Press the

E load/eject button again and close the printer

cover.

The printer moves the print head and begins charging the ink delivery system. The

P power light flashes and the

printer makes various sounds.

Charging takes about one minute. When it’s finished, the

P power light stops flashing and stays on.

Never turn off the printer while the flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

power light is

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Cleaning the Print Head

If your printed image is unexpectedly light or faint, or dots are missing from the image, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the nozzles so they can deliver ink properly.

Cleaning the print head uses ink, so clean it only if print quality declines. You can clean the print head in either of the following ways:

❏ Using the Head Cleaning utility in your printer software

(when the printer is connected to a local port, not over a network)

❏ Using the printer’s control panel buttons

Always wait until your document has finished printing before cleaning the print head.

If you use special paper that comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use the cleaning sheet with your printer; it may jam inside the printer.

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Follow these steps to run the Head Cleaning utility:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and both the

2. Access the printer settings dialog box.

3. Click the (Macintosh).

4. On the Utility menu, click the

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to clean the print head. Cleaning takes a little over a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

6. When the P power light stops flashing, run a nozzle check to test the results and reset the cleaning cycle.

B black and A color ink out lights are off.

tab (Windows) or the Utility icon

Utility

Head Cleaning icon.

P power light flashes.

Never turn off the printer while the flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

power light is

Using the Control Panel

Follow these steps to clean the print head:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and both the

2. Press the seconds. Cleaning takes a little over a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

3. After the P power light stops flashing, print a page to test the print quality and reset the cleaning cycle.

If you’re connected directly to the printer, run a nozzle check. Go to step 4.

If you’re using DOS or printing over a network, open an application and print a document containing black and color data. Then go to step 8.

4. Start an application, open a document, and access the printer settings dialog box.

5. Click the (Macintosh). You see the Utility menu.

6. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer, click the

Check

on the printer; see “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern” on page 11 for details.

7. If the nozzle check pattern is filled in completely, click

Finish

If the pattern is missing dots, click head again.

8. If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning two or three times, then try the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” in the Printer Basics book or “Troubleshooting” in the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

B black and A color ink out lights are off.

R cleaning button and hold it down for three

P power light flashes.

Never turn off the printer while the flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

tab (Windows) or the Utility icon

Utility

icon, and click

. The nozzle check pattern prints

power light is

Nozzle

to clean the print

Clean

Make sure paper is loaded in the printer and click

(Windows) or

nozzle check pattern

(Macintosh). Then click

Confirmation

. The nozzle check pattern

prints; see “Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern” on page 11 for details.

7. If the nozzle check pattern is filled in completely, click .

Finish

If the pattern is missing dots, click

to clean the print

Clean

head again. Then try the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” in the Printer Basics book or “Troubleshooting” in the EPSON Stylus COLOR 900 Manual.

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Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Examine the nozzle check pattern you print. It should look something like this:

Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If your printout looks okay, you’re done. If any dots are missing, as shown below, clean the print head again; see page 10 for instructions.

missing dots

Aligning the Print Head Using the Control Panel Buttons

If you cannot use the print head alignment utility program that came with your printer, follow these steps to align the print head.

1. Make sure that letter-size or A4-size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.

2. While holding down the

power button

to turn on the printer. Then release both

R cleaning button

buttons.

3. The

paper out light flashes for about three seconds. While

it is flashing, press the

load/eject button.

The printer prints a sheet of instructions in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese explaining how to align the print heads. Follow these instructions.

If the

load/eject button isn’t pressed while the

out light is flashing, the printer enters default-setting mode. If this happens, turn off the printer and repeat steps 2 and 3.

4. After aligning the print head, turn off the printer to exit print head alignment mode.

press the

paper

Aligning the Print Head

If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, you may need to align the print head. Your printer must be connected to a local port, not on a network, to use the Print Head Alignment utility.

If you are using DOS, follow the instructions in “Aligning the Print Head Using the Control Panel Buttons” instead.

Follow these steps:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and letter-size paper is loaded.

Load paper that’s at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide. This prevents ink from spraying inside the printer and smudging your printouts.

For the best results, load EPSON ink jet paper in the printer whenever you check the print head alignment.

2. Access the printer settings dialog box.

3. Click the (Macintosh). You see the Utility menu.

4. Click the

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to print a test page and select the correct alignment.

tab (Windows) or the Utility icon

Utility

Print Head Alignment

icon.

Cleaning the Printer

To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year. Follow these steps:

1. Turn off the printer, unplug the power cord, and disconnect the printer cable.

2. Remove all the paper from the sheet feeder.

3. Clean the exterior of the printer with a soft, damp cloth.

4. Clean ink out of the printer’s interior with a soft, damp cloth.

Don’t touch the gears inside the printer.

Never use alcohol or thinner for cleaning; they can damage the printer components and case.

Don’t use a hard or abrasive brush.

Don’t get water on the printer components and don’t spray lubricants or oils inside the printer.

Don’t use any cleaning sheets included with special media; they may jam inside the printer.

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Transporting the Printer

If you move your printer some distance, you need to prepare it for transportation in its original box. Follow these steps:

To avoid damage, always leave the ink cartridges installed when transporting the printer.

Be sure to remove the tape used in step 4 after installing the printer in its new location.

1. Turn on the printer and wait until the print head locks in the far right position. Then turn off the printer.

2. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect the printer cable from the printer.

3. Remove any paper from the printer and remove the paper support.

4. Open the printer cover. Secure the ink cartridge holder to the printer with tape as shown, then close the printer cover.