FCC COMPLIANCE STATEMENT FOR AMERICAN USERS This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS 1. Read all of these instructions and save them for later reference. 2. Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product. 3. Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. 4. Do not use this product near water. 5. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The product may fall, causing serious damage to the product. 6.
10. If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total of the ampere ratings on the products plugged into the extension cord do not exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed 15 amperes. 11. Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots, as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that could result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
Contents Introduction 1 Features ..................................................................... Options ..................................................................... Finding Your Way Around ............................................ Warnings, Cautions, and Notes ...................................... Name of the Parts ....................................................... Where to Get Help ......................................................
Chapter 4 Using the Printer Options 4-1 Cut-Sheet Feeder.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 Film Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... 4-8 5-1 Cleaning the Printer .................................................. 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon ................................................. 5-3 Transporting the Printer ..............................
Introduction Your new Epson 24-pin dot matrix printer combines a compact design and high performance with a wide range of features.
Introduction l Film Ribbon Cartridge ( # 7768) An optional film ribbon cartridge provides you with even higher quality printing than the standard fabric ribbon. Finding Your Way Around This manual provides fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions for setting up and operating your printer. l l l l Chapter 1 contains information on unpacking, setting up, testing, and connecting the printer. Be sure to read this chapter first.
Introduction Name of the Parts edge guides paper release lever paper guide compartment cover slot cover printer cover control panel platen knob print head ribbon cartridge parallel interface power switch AC inlet Note: In some locations, the power cord is attached to the printer.
Introduction Where to Get Help A network of authorized Epson Customer Care Centers throughout the United States offers customer support and service for Epson products. Epson America provides product information and support to its dealers and Customer Care Centers. Call the Epson Consumer Information Center at 1-213-782-2606 for the following referrals: l Your nearest Epson dealer l The nearest Customer Care Center for parts and service l 4 Technical assistance.
Chapter 1 Setting Up the Printer Unpacking the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2 Choosing a Place for the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4 Assembling the Printer ................................................ 1-6 Installing the platen knob ......................................... 1-6 Installing the ribbon cartridge .................................... 1-6 Testing the Printer .....
Unpacking the Printer When you unpack the printer, make sure that you have all the parts shown below and that none has been damaged.
Unpacking the Printer Note: You’ll find the platen knob in a piece of the foam packing. l l l You’ll find the SelecType sticker inside the user’s manual. This sticker is a useful reference for selecting fonts with the control panel. You can put this sticker on either the printer cover or the front cover provided with the optional cut-sheet feeder. In some locations, the power cord is attached to the printer.
Choosing a Place for the Printer When selecting a place to set up your printer, be sure to keep the following in mind: l l l Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. Place the printer close enough to the computer for the printer cable to reach. Leave adequate room around the printer to allow for easy operation and maintenance. CAUTION: Avoid locations that are subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust. Use a grounded outlet; do not use an adapter plug.
Choosing a Place for the Printer Note: If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines: l l l l l Use a stand that supports at least 30 lbs (14 kg), which is twice the weight of the printer. Never use a stand that tilts the printer at an angle of more than 15 degrees from horizontal. If you install a cut-sheet feeder, keep your printer absolutely level.
Assembling the Printer After choosing a good place for your printer, you install the platen knob. Installing the platen knob You use the platen knob to manually feed paper in the printer when the printer is turned off. You find the platen knob packed in an indentation in the white foam packing material. 1. Insert the knob into the hole on the printer’s side and rotate it until it slips onto the shaft. 2. Push firmly on the knob until it fits against the printer case.
Assembling the Printer 1. Raise the tractor cover to the upright position. Then lift the cover up and off. Note: Remove the packing material inserted between both sides of the tractor unit and the tractor cover. Be sure to store this material with the other packing materials. CAUTION: Never move the print head while the printer is turned on because this can damage the printer. Also, if you just used the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it. 2.
Assembling the Printer 3. Turn the ribbon-tightening knob in the direction of the arrow. This removes any slack in the ribbon to make it easier to install. 4. Hold the ribbon cartridge by its handle and push it firmly down into position, making sure the plastic hooks fit into the slots. Press lightly on both ends of the cartridge to be sure the hooks are properly seated.
Assembling the Printer 5. Use a pointed object, such as a ball point pen, to guide the ribbon between the print head and ribbon guide while you turn the ribbon-tightening knob to help feed the ribbon into place. 6. Slide the print head from side to side to be sure it moves smoothly. Also see that the ribbon is not twisted or creased.
Testing the Printer Before connecting your printer to a computer, you use the built-in self-test function to see that the printer is working properly. Before running the self test, you need to connect your printer to an electrical outlet and load paper. Plugging in the printer 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Check the label on the back of the printer to make sure the power rating required by the printer matches that of your electrical outlet.
Testing the Printer Loading paper Next, you need to load paper. This section describes loading continuous paper. If you wish to use single sheets, see the section on using single sheets in Chapter 2. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and that the paper release lever is in the continuous paper position. Attach the paper rest. 2. Slide the print head to the middle of the printer. 3. Release the sprocket units by pulling the sprocket locks forward.
Testing the Printer Slide the left sprocket unit to approximately 0.5 inches (12 mm) from the far left position and push the lever back to lock it in 5. Slide the right sprocket unit to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. CAUTION: Use continuous paper wider than 8 inches (200 mm) for the self test; otherwise, the print head will print directly onto the platen, possibly damaging it.
Testing the Printer 6. Position the paper support midway between the two sprocket units. 7. Open both sprocket covers.
Testing the Printer 8. Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge and then insert the paper into the printer until it emerges between the platen and the ribbon guide. Pull it up to the sprocket units. 9. Fit the holes of the paper over the tractor pins of the sprocket units, and then close the sprocket covers.
Testing the Printer 10. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position where the paper is straight and not wrinkled; then lock it in place. 11. If there is slack in the paper between the print head and the tractor unit, use the platen knob to take up the slack. 12. To separate the incoming paper from the outgoing printed paper, attach the paper guide in its flat position over the printer and incoming paper.
Testing the Printer 13. Slide the edge guides to the center of the paper’s width. 14. Use the platen knob to feed the paper until its perforation is just about even with the top of the ribbon. 15. Attach and close the tractor cover.
Testing the Printer Running the self test The self test runs in draft mode or Letter Quality (LQ) mode, depending upon which button you hold down as you turn on the printer. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and paper is loaded. 2. While holding down the LINE FEED button (draft mode) or the FORM FEED button (LQ mode), turn on the printer. After printing starts, release the button. CAUTION: After turning the printer off, always wait at least five seconds before turning it back on.
Testing the Printer 4. To end the self test, be sure the printer is not printing. Press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward and tear it off at the perforation. Then turn off the printer. Here is part of a typical self test printed in Letter Quality mode. Note: If the self test did not print satisfactorily, see Chapter 6.
Connecting the Printer to Your Computer If the self test printed correctly, you are ready to connect your printer to the computer. Most computers have a parallel interface. Check your computer’s operating manual, if you are in doubt about your computer’s interface. If it is parallel, use a suitable shielded cable to connect your computer to your printer’s built-in parallel interface, as described in the next section. The parallel interface Connect the parallel interface cable as described below: 1.
Connecting the Printer to Your Computer Note: If your cable has a ground wire, connect it to the ground connector beneath the interface connector. 3. Plug the other end of the cable into the computer. (If there is a ground wire at the computer end of the cable, attach it to the ground connector at the back of the computer.
Setting Up Your Application Software Most application programs let you specify the type of printer you use so that the program can take full advantage of the printer’s features. Many of these programs provide an installation or setup section that presents a list of printers. Choosing from a menu Because the family of Epson printers shares a great many commands, you can use an application program even if it does not list your printer on its printer selection menu.
Chapter 2 Paper Handling Using Single Sheets .................................................... Attaching the paper guide ......................................... Loading the paper ................................................... Reloading during printing ......................................... 2-2 2-2 2-3 2-5 Using Continuous Paper ............................................. .2-6 Installing the pull tractor ..........................................
Using Single Sheets Your printer accommodates single sheets with widths from 7.2 inches (182 mm) to 10.1 inches (257 mm). If the pull-tractor unit is installed, you need to remove it before you print on single sheets. See Removing the pull tractor in this chapter. Attaching the paper guide Follow these steps to attach the paper guide: 1. Attach the printer cover.
Using Single Sheets 2. Place the paper guide on the printer. Then raise it up until it locks into place. Loading the paper 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and then push the paper release lever back to the single sheet position. 2. Turn on the printer. The POWER and PAPER OUT lights come on.
Using Single Sheets 3. 4. 2-4 Slide the left edge guide until it locks in place at the guide mark. Next, adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Slide the paper down firmly between the edge guides until it meets resistance. Then press the AUTO LOAD (LINE FEED) button once to load the paper.
Using Single Sheets Note: If the platen turns without loading the paper, completely remove the paper and reinsert it more firmly. Then press the AUTO LOAD button again. CAUTION: Never advance the paper using the platen knob while the printer is turned on. 5. Press the ON LINE button to set the printer on line. To eject the paper, set the printer off line (by pressing the ON LINE button) and then press the FORM FEED button.
Using Continuous Paper This printer’s paper-handling system allows you to load continuous paper through either the rear or bottom paper slot depending upon your paper supply location. To print on continuous paper, you need to install the pull-tractor unit. If the pull tractor is already installed, skip to Positioning your continuous paper supply later in this section. Installing the pull tractor 1. Turn off the printer and remove the printer cover and paper guide. 2.
Using Continuous Paper 4. Fit the rear notches of the tractor unit over the rear mounting pins of the printer. 5. Press the tractor unit forward until its front notches lock onto the front mounting pins of the printer.
Using Continuous Paper Positioning your continuous-paper supply If you want to load paper through the bottom paper slot of the printer, use a printer stand that has an opening for paper to run through from the paper supply to the bottom paper slot. Here are two ways to position your printer and supply of continuous paper: Make sure you align your paper supply with the paper loaded in the tractor so that the paper feeds smoothly into the printer. Loading continuous paper 1.
Using Continuous Paper 3. Slide the left sprocket unit to approximately 0.5 inches (12 mm) from the far left position and push the lever back to lock it in place. Then slide the right sprocket unit to match the width of your paper, but do not lock it. 4 Position the paper support midway between the two sprocket units. Open both sprocket covers. 5 Make sure your paper has a clean, straight edge.
Using Continuous Paper 7. Slide the right sprocket unit to a position where the paper is straight and not wrinkled; then lock it in place. If there is slack in the paper between the print head and the tractor unit, use the platen knob to take up the slack. 8. To separate the incoming paper from the outgoing printed paper, attach the paper guide in its flat position over the printer and incoming paper. Then slide the edge guides to the center of the paper’s width. 9.
Using Continuous Paper Setting the top of form position You may need to set the top of the form to a certain position for printing on ready-made forms. To set the top-of-form position at the third line of the paper, for example, mark the paper 4.1 inches (105 mm) above the perforation. Then load the paper and align this mark with the mark on the tractor unit, as shown below. The third line (0.42 inches or 10.6 mm) below the perforation becomes the top-of-form position.
Using Continuous Paper Removing the pull tractor 1. If you have a printed document still in the printer, set the printer off line and press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper forward. Then tear off the document at the perforation. 2. Remove the paper guide. 3. Tear off the fresh supply at the perforation past the rear paper slot or below the bottom paper slot. 4. Press the FORM FEED button to feed the paper past the tractor pins.
Using Continuous Paper 6. Hold both ends of the tractor unit and slowly tilt the unit back until the front notches of the unit are free. 7. Lift the tractor unit up and off. 8. Close the slot cover. 9. Install the paper guide and printer cover. Push the paper release lever to the single sheet position.
Printing on Special Paper In addition to printing on single sheets and continuous paper, your printer can also print on a wide variety of paper types, such as labels and multi-part forms. Before printing on special types of paper, you may need to change the paper-thickness setting. CAUTION: When printing on labels or multi-part forms, make sure that your application program settings keep the printing entirely within the printable area.
Printing on Special Paper 4. Set the paper-thickness lever to match the thickness of your paper according to the table below. Paper Type Lever Position 2 Ordinary (single sheets or continuous) Thin paper 2 or 1 Multi-part paper 2 sheets (original + 1 copy) 3 sheets (original + 2 copies) 3 4 4 Labels Note: If the lever is set to position 4, the printing speed is reduced. 5. Attach the tractor cover or printer cover.
Printing on Special Paper Except for the paper-thickness setting, you load multi-part paper the same way as continuous paper. For details, see the section on loading continuous paper in this chapter. Pay special attention to setting the top-of-form position. CAUTION: l l Do not use multi-part forms with the single-sheet feeding system. When printing multi-part forms, make sure the printing stays entirely within the printable area of the forms.
Chapter 3 Using the Printer Operating the Control Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-2 Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..3- 2 Buttons ................................................................. 3-3 SelecType .............................................................. 3-4 Other control-panel features ......................................
Operating the Control Panel The indicator lights give you the current status of the printer. The buttons let you control many of the printer settings. Lights POWER (green) [ ] POWER [ ] READY [ ] PAPER OUT [ ] ON LINE On when the power switch is on and power is supplied. READY (green) On when the printer is ready to accept data. This light flickers during printing. PAPER OUT (red) On when the printer is out of paper. ON LINE (green) On when the printer can receive and print data from the computer.
Operating the Control Panel Buttons ON LINE POWER READY PAPER OUT This button controls the printer’s on line/off line status. When the printer is on line, the ON LINE light is on and the printer can receive and print data from the computer. FORM FEED When the printer is off line, press this button to eject a single sheet of paper or advance continuous paper to the top of the next page. When the printer is on line, press this button to select the character font.
Operating the Control Panel SelecType When the printer is on line, the FORM FEED button is used to select the character font. The two orange indicator lights show which font is currently selected. (See the description on the tractor cover label or the SelecType sticker.) You can put the SelecType sticker on the printer cover or the front cover provided with the optional cut-sheet feeder. You’ll find the sticker inside the user’s manual.
Setting the DIP Switches By changing the settings of the two sets of DIP switches inside the compartment on the right top and side of the printer, you can control various printer features, such as the character set and page length. These new settings become effective whenever the printer is turned on, reset, or initialized. Changing a DIP-switch setting 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Remove the compartment cover.
Setting the DIP Switches 3. Use a pointed instrument, such as the tip of a pen, to turn a switch on or off. The tables on the following pages give the DIP-switch functions for each setting. 4. Reattach the compartment cover. The new DIP-switch settings take effect when you turn on the printer.
Setting the DIP Switches DIP-switch tables The tables below show the settings for each DIP switch function. The currrent settings appear on your self test printout.
Setting the DIP Switches Table 1 international character sets (DIP switch 1-7 OFF) When DIP switch 1-7 is off, PC 437 (United States) is the default graphics character set. Table 2 Graphics character sets (DIP switch 1-7 ON) Settings not shown above select PC 437 (United States). When DIP switch 1-7 is on, USA is the default international character set.
Setting the DIP Switches Table 4 Page length Page length SW2-1 SW2-2 SW1-8 11 inches OFF OFF OFF 12 inches ON OFF OFF 8.5 inches OFF ON OFF 11.7 inches ON ON OFF When DIP switch 1-8 is off, A4 size (61 lines) is the default CSF page length. Table 5 CSF page length CSF page length SW2-1 SW2-2 SW1-8 A4 size (61 lines) OFF OFF ON OFF ON ON ON OFF ON ON ON ON Letter size (65 lines) When DIP switch 1-8 is on, 11 inches is the default page length.
Setting the DIP Switches DIP switch functions This section describes the different features you can control with the printer’s DIP switches. Page length and CSF page length When DIP switch 1-8 is off (cut-sheet feeder mode is off), DIP switches 2-1 and 2-2 let you select a page length of 8.5 inches (216 mm), 11 inches (279 mm), 11.7 inches (296 mm), or 12 inches (305 mm).
Setting the DIP Switches Print direction for graphics The printer ordinarily prints text bidirectionally for speed and prints graphics characters unidirectionally for precise vertical alignment. You can, however, change text printing to unidirectional with the software command ESC Ul. If you want to increase printing speed, you can change graphics character printing to bidirectional by turning DIP switch 2-5 on and sending the ESC U0 command.
Selecting Typestyles You can produce a wide range of typestyles by combining different character fonts, widths, and other enhancements. You can select typestyles using the SelecType feature on your control panel, the DIP switches, or software commands. Character fonts Your printer has eight built-in character fonts. To select a font using SelecType, follow these steps: 1. Be sure the printer is turned on and the ON LINE light is lit.
Selecting Typestyles Draft mode uses fewer dots per character for high-speed printing, which makes it ideal for rough drafts and editing work. Other SelecType settings are Letter Quality (LQ) fonts. Letter Quality takes a little longer to print but produces fully-formed characters for presentation-quality documents. The following samples show the characters for each font. Epson Draft !”#$%&‘()*+,-.
Selecting Typestyles Epson Prestige Epson Script OCR-B Note: The OCR-B font is read by an optical character reader (also known as a document reader or image scanner) for input into another computer. Print enhancements, such as bold and underlining, are not read by an optical character reader.
Selecting Typestyles Character spacing For all of the eight built-in fonts, you can choose character spacing of 10, 12, 15, 17, or 20 cpi (characters per inch), or proportional spacing using the DIP switches or software commands. In the 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 cpi modes, each character gets an equal amount of space. In proportional mode, the spacing varies from character to character. A narrow letter like the lowercase i receives less space than the uppercase W.
Selecting an International Character Set International character sets provide you with some characters and symbols used in other languages. The table below shows the eight international character sets you can select with DIP switches 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3 when DIP switch 1-7 is turned off. The table also shows the characters that differ in each set. Country DIP SW ASCII code (hex) 23 24 40 5B 5C 5D 5E 60 78 7C 7D 7E 0 U.S.A.
Choosing a Character Table When DIP switch 1-7 is on, the graphics character tables are selected; when it is off, the italic character table is selected. The graphics character table selected depends on the settings of DIP switches 1-1, 1-2, and 1-3. If you have an IBM@ or IBM-compatible computer, select a graphics character set when you wish to print character graphics as they are displayed on the screen. Even if you select a graphics character set, you can still print ordinary text and italics.
Choosing a Character Table The characters in each character set are shown in the Appendix. Note: l To change the setting of a DIP switch, first turn off the printer. Then change the DIP switch and turn the printer back on. l 3-18 Use of the ESC 6 or ESC 7 commands lets you select whether to print hex codes 90 to 9E and FF as characters (ESC 6) or control codes (ESC 7).
Data Dump Mode Data dump mode is a special feature that allows experienced users to find the cause of communication problems between the printer and application programs. In data dump mode, the printer produces an exact printout of the codes it receives. To use data dump mode, follow these steps: 1. Make sure that paper is loaded and the printer is off. 2. Hold down the FORM FEED and LINE FEED buttons and turn on the printer. 3.
Chapter 4 Using the Printer Options Cut-Sheet Feeder ......................................................... Installing the cut-sheet feeder ...................................... Paper handling ......................................................... Removing the cut-sheet feeder ..................................... 4-2 4-2 4-4 4-7 Film Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cut-Sheet Feeder The optional cut-sheet feeder ( # 7341) makes it possible to handle single sheets of paper more easily and efficiently. It automatically feeds up to 100 sheets of standard bond paper into the printer. Installing the cut-sheet feeder 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Remove the paper guide and printer cover. If the pull tractor is installed, remove it. 2. Turn on the cut-sheet feeder mode by setting DIP switch 1-8 on. 3.
Cut-Sheet Feeder 4. Hold the assembled cut-sheet feeder in both hands and fit its notches over the pins of the printer. 5. Two front covers are provided with the cut-sheet feeder. Attach the one for the LQ-500. The cut-sheet feeder manual tells which one this is. 6. Turn on the printer.
Cut-Sheet Feeder Paper handling 1. Pull the left and right rear tabs on the cut sheet feeder forward until the paper guides retract and lock open to allow for paper loading. 2. Slide the left paper guide all the way to the left. Next, slide the right paper guide to roughly match the width of your paper.
Cut-Sheet Feeder 3. Move the front stacker support to the center of your paper’s width. 4. Take a stack of paper and fan it. Next, tap the side and bottom of the paper on a flat surface to even up the stack. CAUTION: Do not use multi-part forms, carbon paper, or labels in the cut-sheet feeder. 5. Insert the paper along the left paper guide. Then, adjust the position of the right paper guide so that it closely matches your paper’s width.
Cut-Sheet Feeder 6. Push the rear tabs on both paper guides backward to clamp the paper against the guide rollers. A new sheet of paper loads automatically whenever a printable character or line-feed command is sent to the printer while the ON LINE light is on. Note: Run the self test in cut-sheet feeder mode. The printer counts the number of lines on the page in l/6-inch line spacing and prints out this number at the bottom of the first test page.
Cut-Sheet Feeder Removing the cut-sheet feeder 1. Make sure that the printer is turned off. If any paper remains in the bin, remove it. 2. Remove the front cover. 3. Tilt the back section of the cut-sheet feeder forward to release its notches from the printer’s pins and remove the cut-sheet feeder. 4. Turn off cut-sheet feeder mode by setting DIP switch 1-8 to off.
Film Ribbon The optional film ribbon (#7768) provides you with even higher quality printing than the standard fabric ribbon. Use the optional film ribbon only when you need especially high quality printing. For everyday operation, use the standard ribbon. Install the film ribbon the same way you install the standard ribbon. See Chapter 1.
Chapter 5 Maintenance and Transportation Cleaning the Printer ..................................................... 5-2 Replacing the Ribbon .................................................. .5-3 Transporting the Printer ...............................................
Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer operating at its best, you should clean it thoroughly several times a year. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off. Then remove the paper guide, pull tractor unit, and any installed options. 2. Use a soft brush to carefully clear away all dust and dirt. 3. If the outer case or paper guide is dirty or dusty, clean it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent dissolved in water.
Replacing the Ribbon When your printing becomes too faint, you need to replace the ribbon. The Epson # 7753 standard fabric or # 7768 film replacement ribbon cartridges are recommended. See Installing the ribbon cartridge in Chapter 1. Note: l Use the optional film ribbon only when you need especially high quality printing. For everyday operations, use the standard ribbon. l Do not use ribbons designed for nine-pin printers.
Transporting the Printer If you need to transport your printer some distance, carefully repack the printer using the original box and packing materials, as described below. 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Remove the paper guide and paper rest. 3. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet; then disconnect the interface cable from the printer. 4. Remove the ribbon cartridge and platen knob. 5.
Chapter 6 Troubleshooting Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2 Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3 Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4 Paper Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Problems and Solutions This chapter presents solutions to possible printer problems. If you have difficulty achieving the desired printing result, first locate the problem in the listing below and then see the appropriate page for the solution. If these solutions do not solve your problem, see Where to Get Help in the introduction. Power supply l Power is not being supplied. See 6-3. Printing l The printer does not print. See 6-4. l The print is faint or uneven. See 6-5.
Power Supply Power is not being supplied. l The POWER light does not go on. Check that the power cable is plugged into the electrical outlet properly. If the electrical outlet is controlled by an outside switch or automatic timer, use a different outlet. Plug another electrical device into the outlet to determine whether the outlet is operating properly. l The POWER light comes on briefly and then goes off. The light stays off even when the power is turned on again.
Printing The printer does not print. l The ON LINE light is off. Press the ON LINE button to put the printer on line. l The ON LINE light is on but nothing is printed. Check that the software is installed properly for your printer. Check the software’s printer settings. Check both ends of the interface cable between the printer and the computer. Make sure your interface cable meets both the printer and computer specifications. l The PAPER OUT light is on. Load paper in the printer.
Printing The print is faint or uneven. l Printed characters have parts missing at the bottom. The ribbon cartridge may not be installed properly. See the section on ribbon installation in Chapter 1. l The printout is faint. The ribbon may be worn out. Replace the ribbon cartridge. Check that the paper-thickness lever is set correctly for the paper you are using. Dots are missing in the printed characters or graphics. l A line of dots is missing in the printout. The print head is damaged.
Printing l The font selected by SelecType does not print. Your software may be overriding your SelecType setting. Check the printing style set in your software. l The wrong characters are printed. The wrong character table or the wrong international character set may be selected. Check the DIP-switch settings. See 3-16. The print position is not what you expected. l Printing starts too high or too low on the page. Adjust the top margin set by your application software.
Printing l Skip-over-perforation is set, but the perforation does not fall in the center of the skip. Adjust the top of form position as described in Chapter 2. Make sure the DIP-switch settings match your required paper length. See 3-9. If your application program is setting the top and bottom margins, set DIP switch 2-6 off. If the printer still does not print correctly, try the self test described in Chapter 1.
Paper Handling The following section guides you through problems in handling single sheets and continuous paper. If you are having problems using the optional cut-sheet feeder, see the section on options starting on 6-10. Single sheets do not feed properly. l Printing starts too low on the page, or the bottom part of one page is printed at the top of the next page. Be sure to choose the correct printer when you choose a printer from your application program’s menu. See Chapter 1.
Paper Handling l The paper feed is crooked or the paper jams. The cut-sheet feeder mode may be turned on. Set DIP switch 1-8 off. Make sure the paper size is within the specified range. see 7-3. l The paper does not fully eject. See that the page-length setting is correct. Continuous paper does not feed properly. l The paper feed is crooked or the paper jams. See that the paper-release lever is pulled forward to the continuous-paper position.
Options When you use the cut-sheet feeder, the paper does not feed properly. l When a print command is sent from the computer, the platen rotates but paper does not feed. Make sure DIP switch 1-8 is set on. See 3-7. The cut-sheet feeder may be incorrectly installed on the printer. See that the paper-release lever is pushed back to the single-sheet position. See 2-3. Paper may be jammed near the print head. You may have loaded too many sheets in the cut-sheet feeder’s bin.
Chapter 7 Technical Specifications Printer Specifications ................................................. Printing ................................................................. Paper .................................................................... Mechanical ............................................................ Electrical ............................................................... Environmental ........................................................ .
Printer Specifications Printing Printing method: 24-pin impact dot matrix Printing speed: Quality Character per inch Characters/second/line 10 160 12 192 Draft Letter Quality 10 53.3 12 64 Printing direction: Bidirectional logic-seeking for text. Unidirectional for graphics. (Bidirectional for graphics can be selected with DIP switch 2-5 and the proper software command.
Printer Specifications 1 Kbyte or 8 Kbytes (DIP-switch selectable) Buffer: Character fonts: Font Available sizes (characters per inch) Epson Draft 10, 12, 15, 17, 20 Epson Roman 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, proportional Epson Sans Serif 10, 12. 15, 17, 20, proportional Epson Courier 10, 12, 15, 17, 20, proportional Epson Prestige 10, 12.
Printer Specifications Printable area: Single sheet 0.12" (3 mm) or more on paper that is 9" (229 mm) or less wide. 0.53” (13.5 mm) or more The minimum right and left margins are 1.06” (27 mm) when printing on paper that is 10.1" (257 mm) wide. Continuous paper 0.35" (9 mm) or more 0.35” (9 mm) or more 0.51" (13 mm) or more on paper that is 9.5” (242 mm) or less wide. For 10” (254 mm) paper width, the left margin is 1.02" (28 mm) or more and the right margin is 0.94” (24 mm) or more.
Printer Specifications Paper thickness: Single sheets 0.0025 to 0.004 inches (0.065 to 0.1 mm) Continuous (including multi-part forms) 0.0025 to 0.01 inches (0.065 to 0.25 mm) Labels 0.0063 to 0.0075 inches (0.16 to 0.19 mm) including backing sheet Paper weight : Single sheet 14 to 22 lb (52.3 to 82.0 g/m2) Continuous paper 14 to 22 lb (52.3 to 82.0 g/m2) Multi-part forms [12 to 15 lb] x N ([40 to 58.
Printer Specifications Mechanical Paper-feed methods: Friction Pull tractor Single-bin cut-sheet feeder (optional) Ribbon: Black ribbon cartridge #7753: Life expectancy (in LQ, at 48 dots/character): 2 million characters Film ribbon cartridge # 7768 (optional): Life expectancy (in LQ): 0.
Printer Specifications Input voltage range: AC 103.5 to 132 V (120 V model) AC 198 to 242 V (220 V model) AC 216 to 264 V (240 V model) Rated current: 1.8 A (120 V model) 0.9 A (220 V model, 240 V model) Power consumption: (during self 10 cpi) Approx. 36 Approx. 38 Approx. 38 test printing in draft mode, at W (120 V model) W (220 V model) W (240 V model) Rated frequency range: 50 to 60 Hz Input frequency range: 49.5 to 60.
Interface Specifications Your printer is equipped with a parallel interface. Specifications and pin assignments The built-in parallel interface has the following characteristics: Data format: 8-bit parallel Synchronization: STROBE pulse Handshake timing: BUSY and ACKNLG signal Signal level: TTL compatible level connector: 36-pin 57-30360 (Amphenol) connector or equivalent Connector pin assignments and a description of their respective interface signals are shown in the following table.
Interface Specifications Signal Pin Return Pin Signal Direction 11 29 BUSY OUT A HIGH signal indicates that the printer cannot receive data. The signal goes HIGH in the following cases: 1) During data entry (ea. char. time) 2) During printing 3) When off line 4) During printer-error state 12 30 PE OUT A HIGH signal indicates that the printer is out of paper. 13 - SLCT OUT Pulled up to +5 V through 3.3 K resistance.
Interface Specifications Signal Return Pin Pin 35 36 - Signal Direction - OUT SLCT IN IN Description Pulled up to +5 V through 3.3 K resistance. Internal fixing can be carried out with Jumper J6. The level of this signal is factory-set to LOW. Note: l The column heading “Direction” refers to the direction of signal flow as viewed from the printer. l l l 7-10 “Return” denotes the twisted-pair return, to be connected at signal ground level.
Interface Specifications Interface timing The figure below shows the timing for the parallel interface. Printing enabled/disabled signals and control conditions The table below shows the relationship between printing being enabled or disabled and the on-line/off-line status. ON LINE (Indicator on) ERROR BUSY ACKNLG Printing (Disabled/ enabled) on line High High/Low Pulsed ea. char. Enabled (normal cond.
Initialization There are three ways that the printer can be initialized (returned to a fixed set of conditions). Hardware initialization 1. The power is turned on. 2. The printer receives an INIT signal from the parallel interface (pin 31 goes LOW). Software initialization 3. Software sends the ESC @ (Initialize the printer) command. Default Settings The table below shows the default conditions that become effective when the printer is initialized.
Chapter 8 Command Summary Using the Command Summary ........................................ 8-2 Commands Arranged by Topic ..................................... Printer operation ...................................................... Data control ........................................................... Vertical motion ........................................................ Horizontal motion .................................................... Overall printing style ....................................
Using the Command Summary The following section lists and describes all the commands by topic. If a command has no parameters, it is merely listed. If it has parameters, they are explained. The parameters are indicated by lowercase italicized letters, usually n. The examples below show how the parameters are indicated. ESC @ is a command with no parameters. ESC U 1/0 is a command that uses 1 to turn the feature on and 0 to turn it off. ESC $ n1 n2 is a command with two parameters.
Commands Arranged by Topic Printer operation ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC @ 64 40 Initialize Printer ESC U 1/0 85 55 Turn Unidirectional Mode On/Off ESC EM n 25 19 Control Cut-Sheet Feeder Mode 4: Turns mode on R: Ejects a sheet 0: Turns mode off Note: For the ESC EM command the variables are the characters “0” (48 decimal or 30 hex) and “4” (52 decimal or 34 hex). Do not use 0 decimal, 00 hex, 4 decimal, or 04 hex. Data control ASCII CR Dec. Hex.
Commands Arranged by Topic ASCII Dec. Hex. Description ESC 0 48 30 Select l/8-inch Line Spacing ESC 2 50 32 Select l/6-inch Line Spacing ESC 3 n 51 33 Set n/180-inch Line Spacing ESC J n 74 4A Perform n/l80-inch Line Feed VT 11 0B Tab Vertically ESC B nn 66 42 Set Vertical Tabs Up to 16 tabs; last n should be 0 (1-255) Horizontal motion ASCII Dec. Hex.
Commands Arranged by Topic Overall printing style ASCII Dec. Hex.
Commands Arranged by Topic ASCII Dec. Ha. Description ESC W l/0 87 57 Turn Double-Width Mode On/Off DC4 20 14 Cancel Double-Width Mode (one line) ESC w l/0 119 77 Turn Double-Height Mode On/Off Print enhancement ASCII Dec. Hex.
Commands Arranged by Topic ASCII Dec. Hex. ESC q n 113 71 Description Select Character Style 0: Normal style 1: Outline 2: Shadow 3: Outline with shadow Word processing ASCII Dec. Hex. 32 ESC SP n 20 Description Set Intercharacter Space n = number of units of space added to the space between characters (1-127) Units are l/120 inch (draft) and l/l80 inch (LQ and proportional) Character tables ASCII Dec. Hex.
Commands Arranged by Topic Userdefined characters ASCII Dec. Hex.
Commands Arranged by Topic Graphics ASCII ESC * m n1 n2 Dec. Hex. 42 2A Description Select Graphics Mode Total columns = n1 + (n2 x 256) Option Singledensity Double-density High-speed double density’ Quadruple-density’ CRT I CRT II Single-density Doubledensity CRT Ill Triple-density Hex-density l Pins 8 8 8 8 8 8 24 24 24 24 24 m Horiz. dots/inch 0 1 2 3 4 6 32 33 38 39 40 60 120 120 240 80 90 60 120 90 180 360 *Adjacent dots cannot be printed in this mode.
Appendix Character Tables ........................................................ A-2 Italic character table ................................................. A-2 Graphics character tables ..........................................
Character Tables These character tables are selected by setting DIP switches 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-7, or using the ESC t software command. For the graphics character tables, the ESC 6 and ESC 7 software commands let you select whether hex codes 80 to 9F are characters (ESC 6) or control codes (ESC 7).
Character Tables Graphics character tables PC 437 (United States) PC 850 (Multilingual) Appendix A-3
Character Tables PC 860 (Portugal) PC 863 (Canada-French) A-4 Appendix
Character Tables PC 865 (Norway) Appendix A-5
Glossary The following definitions apply specifically to printers. application program A software program that helps you carry out a particular task, such as word processing or financial planning. ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standardized coding system for assigning numerical codes to letters and symbols. auto line feed When this feature is selected using a DIP switch, each carriagereturn code (CR) is automatically followed by a line-feed (LF) code.
character table A portion of the printer’s standard ASCII character set that you use for graphic symbols or italic characters. characters per inch (cpi) A measure of the size of text characters. Ten cpi is the printer’s default setting. continuous paper Paper that has sprocket-feed holes on each side, is perforated between pages, and is supplied in a folded stack. Also called fanfold paper. control code Special codes used to control printer functions such as performing a carriage return or line feed.
DIP switches Small switches in a printer that control various printer functions and set the default status of the printer when it is turned on or initialized. DIP stands for dual in-line package. dot matrix A method of printing in which each letter or symbol is formed by a pattern (matrix) of individual dots. double-height printing Printing in which each character is twice as tall as normal. double-strike printing A way of producing bolder characters. Each character is printed twice.
form feed A control code and a panel button that advances the paper to the next top of form position. initialize To establish the initial default status of the printer by turning on the printer or sending an INIT signal. interface The connection between the computer and the printer. A parallel interface transmits data one character or code at a time, and a serial interface transmits data one bit at a time. italics A typestyle in which the characters slant. This sentence is italicized.
platen The black roller that provides a backing for the paper during printing. proportional printing Printing in which the width of the character varies from character to character. For example, a capital W receives much more space than a lowercase i. The result looks more like a typeset book than a typewritten draft. RAM Random Access Memory. The portion of the printer’s memory used as a buffer and for storing user-defined characters. All data stored in RAM is lost when the printer is turned off.
unidirectional printing Printing in one direction only. Unidirectional printing is useful for printing graphics because it allows more precise vertical alignment than bidirectional printing. user-defined characters Characters that are defined and stored in the printer by the user. Also known as download characters.
Index Command descriptions are not indexed here. For information on a specific command, see Chapter 8.
P G Graphics character sets, 3-7-8, 3-17-18, A-3-15 Page length, 3-7, 3-9 Paper loading, 1-11-16, 2-3-5, 2-8-10, 4-4-6 I Initialization, 7-12 Input buffer, 3-7, 3-10, 7-3 Interface specifications, 7-B-11 International character sets, 3-7-8, 3-16 Italic character table, 3-7-8, 3-17-18, A-2 multi-part forms, 2-15-16, 7-5 specifications, 7-3-5 top of form, 2-11 Paper guide attaching, 1-15, 2-2, 2-10 continuous-feed paper, 1-15, 2-10 single sheet paper, 2-2 PAPER OUT light, 2-3, 3-2 L Letter Quality fon
Print head, 7-6 Print speed, 7-2 Problems, see Troubleshooting Proportional spacing, 3-15, 7-2 Pull tractor installing, 2-6-7 removing, 2-12-13 R READY light, 3-2 Ribbon cartridge installing, 1-7-9 replacing, 5-3 specifications, 7-6 Tractor-unit slot cover, 2-6, 2-13 Transporting printer, 5-4 Troubleshooting, 6-2-10 Typestyles, see also Fonts U Unpacking printer, 1-2-3 V Voltage, 7-7 S SelecType, 3-4, 3-12-14 SelecType light, 3-4, 3-12 Self test, 1-17-18, 3-4 Single-sheet paper, 2-2-5 loading, 2-3-5
3000 KEY FEATURES: n Sharp Letter Quality Printing n Fast 192 CPS Draft Print Speed n High-Resolution Graphics Capability n Seven Popular Built-In LQ Fonts n Multiple Paper Feed Paths n Versatile Paper Handling n 8KB Input Buffer n Epson Two Year Limited Warranty EPSON AMERICA, INC. Printed in Japan 91.02-4.
