Epson Stylus Color 300 User Guide

Where to Find Information

This User’s Guide

Provides you with information on using your EPSON Stylus COLOR 300 and consumable products, from setting up to troubleshooting.

Online Help

Provides you with detailed information and instructions on the Windows printer software that controls your printer. Online help will be automatically installed when you install the printer software. See Chapte r 3 for information on accessin g online help.

EPSON Answers (C D - ROM only)

Provides you with additional information on using your printer and printing with colors. EPSON Answers will be automatically installed if you install the CD-ROM version of the printer software. Here’s what you’ll find in EPSON Answers:

How To displays a step-by-step guide for using your

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printer, information about printer maintenance, and instructions on replacing consumable products.

Problem Solver helps you fix common printing problems

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when you encounter them. Test Print lets you print a test page to check the results of

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settings you have made and provides links to other sections of EPSON Answers based on the results.

Color Guide explains the ABC’s of color printing and

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shows you how to get impressive results from your printer.

Color Ink Jet Printer

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

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

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

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

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

User’s Guide

Declaration of Conformity

According to ISO/IEC Guide 22 an d EN 45014

Manufacturer: SEIKO EPSON CORPORAT ION Address: 3-5, Owa 3-chome, Su wa-shi,

Nagano-ken 392 Japan

Repres e n tative: EPSON EUROP E B.V . Address: Prof. J. H. Bavincklaan 5 11 83

AT Amstelveen The Netherlands

Declares that the Prod uc t:

Product Name: Ink Jet Printer Type Name: EPSON Stylus COLOR 300 Model: P870C

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

Directive 89/336/ EEC:

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

Directive 73/23/EEC:

EN 60950

June 1997

M. Hamamoto President of EPSON EU ROPE B.V.

Safety Information

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

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

ENERGY STAR Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-4

For United Kingdom Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-4

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-5

Chapter 1

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

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

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

Chapter 2

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

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

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

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

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

Installing the Ink Cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6

Connecting the Printer to Your PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11

Installing the Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Installing the software for Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Installing the software for Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19

Getting to Know Your Printer

Setting Up the Printer

iii

Chapter 3

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

Accessing the Printer Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5

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

From Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6

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

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

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

From Windows 95 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7

From Windows 3.1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8

Starting to Print

Chapter 4

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

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

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

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

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

Chapter 5

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

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

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

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

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

Printing on Special Paper

Maintenance and Transportation

Chapter 6

Troubleshooting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Contacting Customer Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-24

For United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland users . . 6-24

For Australian users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-26

For Singapore users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28

For Hong Kong users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-28

For Philippines users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-29

Appendix

Printer Specifications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Glossary

Index

Safety Information

Important Safety Instructions

Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. Follow all wa rnin g s and ins tru cti on s mark ed o n the prin te r.

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

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radiator or heat source.

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

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operate properly if it is tilted or at an angle.

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

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Do not insert objects through the slots.

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

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label.

Connect all equipment to properly grounded power

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

Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.

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

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

Unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp

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cloth only. Do not spill liquid on the printer.

Except as specifically explained in this guide do not

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attempt to service the printer yourself.

Safety Information

Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service

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personnel under the following conditions:

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

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

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following:

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

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

A few precautions

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

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

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cartridge during printing.

Do not move the print head by hand; otherwise you may

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damage the printer.

Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of ink

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

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

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Safety Information

Do not dismantle in k cartr idges or try to refill them . Thi s

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could result in damage to the print head.

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

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

Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it

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

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

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

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

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Always turn the printer off using the power switch. The

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power light flashes until the print head is capped, which means it is at rest in the far right position. Do not unplug the printer or turn off the power to the outlet until the

power light stops flashing. The printer caps the print head when no data is received for several seconds.

Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is

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

Safety Information

NERGY STAR Compliance

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

TAR guidelines for energy efficiency.

NERGY

The Inter na tion al is a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.

NERGY STAR Of fi ce Eq ui pm e n t Pro gr am

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 EPSON Approved Products by EPSON (UK) Limited.

Safety information

Warning: This appliance must be earthed. Refer to rating plate for voltage and check that the appliance voltage corresponds to

the supply voltage.

Safety Information

Important: The wires in the mains lead fitted to this appliance are coloured in accordance with the following code:

Green and yellow — Earth Blue — Neutral Brown — Live

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 green and yellow wire must be connected to the terminal 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 with the letter N.

The brown wire must be connected to the terminal in the plug marked with the letter L.

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

Replace fuses only with a fuse of the correct size and rating.

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes

Warnings

must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

Cautions

must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.

Notes

contain important information and useful tips on the operation

of your printer.

Safety Information

Chapter 1

Getting to Know Your Printer

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

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

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

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-1

Printer Parts and Control Panel Functions

paper support

edge guides

left edge guide

lock lever

sheet feeder

power

light

ink out

light

paper out

light

paper thickness

lever

power switch

control panel

printer co ver

cleaning

button

load/eject

button

adjust lever

1-2

ink cartridge clamp

Getting to Kno w Your Printer

Buttons

Button Function

Load/Eject

Cleaning

Loads or ejects paper if pressed and released within 2 seconds. Resumes printing if pressed after a paper out error.

Moves th e pr int head to th e ink cartridg e replacement position i f pr essed for 3 se conds

whil e the Returns the print head to its home position after ink cartridge replacement. Perf orms p r int head cleaning i f p r ess e d for 3 seconds when the

ink out light is fla shi n g or on .

ink out light is off.

Lights

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

= on, F = flashing, - = irrelevant

Printer Status

Printer is on. Rece iving d ata , repl a cing an ink cartridge,

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

press the Paper jam. Take all th e paper out o f th e feeder,

and reload the paper. If the light cont inues to flash, turn off the printer and gently pull all the paper out of the printer.

Ink low. The ink cartridge is nearly empty. Obtain an ink cartridge (S020138).

Ink ou t . The in k cartridge is n ot in st alle d o r is empty. Install or replace the ink cartridge (S020138).

load/ej ec t button to resum e p ri nting.

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-3

System Requirements

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

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

The following tables show the system requirements for using just the essential software, printer driver and utilities, and also for using EPSON Answers, the multi-media guide to your printer and color printing.

Essential printer software

To install and use the printer software (printer driver and utilities) included on the CD-ROM or floppy disk packed with your printer, the following is required:

Minimum system Recommended system

80386/25 MHz processor Pentium or higher processor 16MB RAM 32MB RAM or more 20MB hard disk space 50MB or more free hard disk space VGA monitor VGA or better monitor

EPSON Answers

To use the EPSON Answers online guide included with your printer software, your system should also meet the following requirements:

IBM® -compatible PC with a 486, 586, or Pentium

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processor

8MB of RAM (16MB recommended)

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20MB of free disk space for full program installation (40MB

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or more recommended)

1-4

Getting to Kno w Your Printer

VGA, Super VGA, or better display adaptor and color

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monitor

640 x 480 screen resolution (800 x 600 recommended)

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Double-speed CD-ROM drive (Quad-speed or faster

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recommended)

To run EPSON A nsw ers, se e you r CD -R O M boo kl et.

Your computer dealer can help you update your system if it does not meet these requirements.

Options and Cons umable Products

Interface cables

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

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

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

Note:

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

Ink cartridge

Color ink cartridge S020138

Getting to Know Your Printer

1-5

EPSON special media

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

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper (A4) S041025

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper (Letter) S041060

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper (A4) S041026

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

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Card (A6) S041054

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

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

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

S041059

S041061

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheet (A4) S041106

EPSON Photo Paper (4 x 6 in.) S041134

Note:

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The availability of special media varies by country.

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Since the name on the special media packaging may vary in certain markets, you may need to use the product number to confirm the type of special media you have.

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

1-6

Getting to Kno w Your Printer

Chapter 2

Setting Up the Printer

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

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