Maintaining the Epson Stylus Photo 1400

Maintaining the Epson Stylus Photo 1400
Follow the steps in these sections to keep your Epson Stylus Photo 1400 in great shape and transport it, if necessary:
Checking the Print Head Nozzles
Cleaning the Print Head
Replacing an Ink Cartridge
Aligning the Print Head
Cleaning the Printer
Transporting the Printer
Caution:
Do not insert the CD/DVD tray while you perform any of these maintenance tasks, and make sure you remove the tray before you begin.
Checking the Print Head Nozzles
You can run a nozzle check to see if the print head needs cleaning. Follow the instructions in one of these sections:
Using the Printer Buttons to Check the Print Head Nozzles
Using Your Computer to Check the Print Head Nozzles
Before you check the print head nozzles, make sure the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer.
Using the Printer Buttons to Check the Print Head Nozzles
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Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the red  ink light is not on. (If the red  ink light is on, you need to replace a cartridge.)
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Press the  paper and  power buttons together to turn on the printer. Continue holding down the  paper button until the green  power light starts to flash, then release it.
The nozzle check pattern prints:
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If there are gaps or lines, or the test patterns are faint, follow the steps in Using the Printer Buttons to Clean the Print Head to clean the nozzles.
Using Your Computer to Check the Print Head Nozzles
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Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the red  ink light is not on. (If the red  ink light is on, you need to replace a cartridge.)
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Windows: Right-click the  printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). Select Nozzle Check.
Macintosh: Open the Applications folder and select EPSON Printer Utility3. Select SP 1400 Series in the printer list, click OK, and select Nozzle Check.
You see a screen like the following:
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Click Print. The nozzle check pattern prints:
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If there are gaps or lines, or the test patterns are faint, click Clean and follow the on-screen instructions to clean the print head.
Cleaning the Print Head
If your printouts are unexpectedly light or faint, or you notice light or dark bands across your printout, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the nozzles so they can deliver ink properly. Print head cleaning uses ink, so clean it only if quality declines.
Follow the instructions in one of these sections:
Using the Printer Buttons to Clean the Print Head
Using Your Computer to Clean the Print Head
Before you clean the print head, make sure the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer.
Caution:
If you don’t use your printer often it is a good idea to print a few pages at least once a month to maintain good print quality.
Using the Printer Buttons to Clean the Print Head
1.
Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the red  ink light is off. (If the red  ink light is flashing or on, you need to replace a cartridge.)
2.
Hold down the  ink button for 3 seconds.
The printer cleans the print head and the green  power light flashes. Cleaning takes about two minutes.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while head cleaning is in progress. You may damage it.
3.
When the green  power light stops flashing, make sure paper is loaded in the printer, then print a nozzle check to determine whether you need to clean the print head again. See Using the Printer Buttons to Check the Print Head Nozzles for more information.
If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning four times, turn the printer off and wait at least 6 hours. This allows any dried ink to soften. Then, try cleaning the print head again.
If you still don’t see any improvement, refer to Problems and Solutions.
Using Your Computer to Clean the Print Head
1.
Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the red  ink light is off. (If the red  ink light is flashing or on, you need to replace a cartridge.)
2.
Windows: Right-click the  printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). Select Head Cleaning.
Macintosh: Open the Applications folder and select EPSON Printer Utility3. Select SP 1400 Series in the printer list, click OK, and select Head Cleaning.
You see a screen like the following:
3.
Click Start or Next.
The printer cleans the print head and the green  power light flashes. Cleaning takes about two minutes.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while head cleaning is in progress. You may damage it.
4.
When the green  power light stops flashing, make sure paper is loaded in the printer, click Print Nozzle Check Pattern and click Print.
The nozzle check pattern prints:
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If there are still gaps, or the test patterns are faint, click Clean to clean the print head again.
If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning four times, turn the printer off and wait at least 6 hours. This allows any dried ink to soften. Then, try cleaning the print head again.
If you still don’t see any improvement, refer to Problems and Solutions.
Replacing an Ink Cartridge
When the red  ink light flashes, one or more ink cartridges are low on ink.
When the red  ink light stays on, you need to replace one or more cartridges.
You’ll also see a message on your screen when you print telling you which cartridge is low or expended.
When a cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it if printouts don’t look their best. If the quality doesn’t improve after cleaning and aligning the print head, you can replace the cartridge even if the red  ink light is off.
Checking the Ink Status
Purchasing Ink Cartridges
Ink Cartridge Precautions
Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges
Checking the Ink Status
To check your ink status, do the following:
Windows: Double-click the  printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). You see a window like the following:
Macintosh: Open the Applications folder and select EPSON Printer Utility3. Select SP 1400 Series in the printer list, click OK, and select EPSON StatusMonitor. You see a window like this:
Purchasing Ink Cartridges
Use these Epson ink cartridges within six months of installing them and before the expiration date on the package. 
Caution:
To ensure the best 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.
You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper from an Epson authorized reseller. To find the nearest reseller, call 800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766). Or you can purchase online at www.epsonstore.com (U.S. sales) or www.epson.ca (Canadian sales).
Ink Cartridge Precautions
Warning:
Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children and do not drink the ink.

Be careful when you handle used ink cartridges; there may be ink remaining around the ink supply port. If ink gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.
Caution:
After bringing an ink cartridge inside from a cold storage site, allow it to warm up at room temperature for at least three hours before using it.

Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the package. For best results, use up the ink cartridges within six months of first installing them.

Do not shake ink cartridges after opening their packages; this can cause leakage.

Do not remove or tear any label or seal on the cartridge other than the yellow tab; this can cause leakage.

Do not touch the green IC chip on the side of the cartridge. Doing so may prevent normal operation and printing.

Install an ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its package. Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before using it can result in reduced print quality.

If you remove an ink cartridge for later use, protect the ink supply area from dirt and dust, and store it in the same environment as the printer. A valve in the ink supply port makes covers or plugs unnecessary, but the ink may stain items that come into contact with this area of the cartridge. Do not touch the ink supply port or the surrounding area.

Do not dismantle ink cartridges or try to refill them. This could damage the print head.

Store ink cartridges with their labels facing upward. Do not store cartridges upside down.

Store ink cartridges in a cool, dark place.
Note:
You cannot continue printing with one ink cartridge expended, even if the other cartridges still contain ink. Before printing, replace the expended cartridge.

The IC chip on these ink cartridges retains a variety of cartridge related-information, such as the ink cartridge status, so that the cartridge may be removed and reinserted freely. However, each time the cartridge is inserted, some ink is consumed because the printer automatically performs a reliability check.

If you remove a cartridge that is low (for which you have received an “Ink low” message), you cannot reuse it.
Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges
Be sure you have a new ink cartridge before you begin. Once you start replacing a cartridge, you must complete all the steps in one session.
Caution:
Leave the expended cartridge installed until you have obtained a replacement, or the ink remaining in the print head nozzles may dry out.

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.
Note:
Do not open ink cartridge packages until you are ready to install the ink. Cartridges are vacuum packed to maintain reliability.
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Press the  ink button. The  power light begins to flash.
Caution:
Do not hold down the  ink button for more than 3 seconds or the printer will start to clean the print head.
Caution:
To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by hand.

Do not touch the area shown below when you are changing ink cartridges.
5.
Press the  ink button again.
If more than one cartridge is low or expended, the next cartridge moves to the mark. Press the  ink button to continue checking cartridges.
After the printer identifies all the low or expended cartridges, the print head moves to the ink cartridge replacement position.
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Squeeze the tab at the back of the cartridge and lift it straight out. Dispose of it carefully. Don’t take the used cartridge apart or try to refill it.
Warning:
If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water.
8.
Caution:
Do not touch the green IC chip on the side of the cartridge. Doing so may prevent normal operation and printing.
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Caution:
You must remove the yellow tape from the cartridge before you install it; otherwise, print quality may decline or you may not be able to print.

Do not remove or tear the label or other seals on the cartridge; this can cause leakage.
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Press the  ink button. The printer begins charging ink.
The green  power light flashes and the printer makes noise. Charging takes about two minutes. When it’s finished, the green  power light stops flashing and stays on, and the red  ink light goes out.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer while the green  power light is flashing, or you’ll waste ink.
Note:
If the red  ink light stays on, an ink cartridge may not be installed correctly. Open the printer cover and press the  ink button two or more times. Then open the cartridge cover and press down all the ink cartridges until they click into place. Close the cartridge and printer covers, and press the  ink button to charge the ink.
Aligning the Print Head
If your printouts look grainy or blurry, or you see light or dark lines, you may need to align the print head.
Note:
You may also see lines in your printouts if your cartridges are low on ink or you need to clean the print head.
Before you align the print head, make sure the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer.
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3.
Make sure the  paper and  ink lights are not flashing or on.
4.
Windows: Right-click the  printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). Select Print Head Alignment.
Macintosh: Open the Applications folder and select EPSON Printer Utility3. Select SP 1400 Series in the printer list, click OK, and select Print Head Alignment.
5.
Click Next, then click Print to print an alignment sheet. You see a window like this one:
Note:
Do not cancel printing while the alignment sheet is printing.
6.
Look at the three sets of patterns in your printout. For each set, if you see a pattern with no streaks or lines, enter its number in the corresponding box on the screen.
If every pattern in a set contains lines or streaks, select the pattern that looks best. Click Realignment, then click Print to print another alignment sheet and repeat this step.
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Click Finish to exit the Print Head Alignment utility.
Cleaning the Printer
To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year.
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If the outer case or inside of the sheet feeder is dirty, clean it with a soft cloth dampened with mild detergent. Keep the printer cover closed to prevent water from getting inside.
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Warning:
Don’t touch the gears or any other parts inside the printer.
Caution:
Never use a hard or abrasive brush, or benzine, alcohol, or paint thinner for cleaning; they can damage the printer components and case.

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

Don’t use any cleaning sheets included with special paper; they may jam inside the printer.
Transporting the Printer
If you need to ship your printer, you must prepare it for transportation by packing the printer in its original box or one of a similar size.
Caution:
Leave the ink cartridges installed. Removing the cartridges can dry out the print head and may prevent the printer from printing.
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Caution:
During transport, do not tilt the printer, stand it up vertically, or turn it upside down, or ink may leak from the cartridges.
After transporting the printer, plug it in and turn it on. If you notice a decline in print quality, clean the print head; if output is grainy or blurry, align the print head.