Testing the Printer. Epson P-4500, 4500, ActionPrinter 4500

Testing the Printer

Now that your printer is fully assembled, you can use its built-in self test function to see that the printer is working correctly before you connect it to a computer. You should perform this test to make sure that your printer was not damaged during shipping and that the ribbon is correctly installed.

Before running the self test, you need to connect the printer to an electrical outlet and load a sheet of paper.

Plugging in the Printer

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off.

1-14 Setting Up the Printer

Testing the Printer

2. Plug the power cable into a properly grounded electrical outlet.

Running the Self Test

The self test can be run in the draft or Letter Quality mode, depending on which button you hold down as you turn on the printer. Although the self test can be run with continuous paper, use single-sheet paper now because single-sheet loading is easier.

1. Make sure the printer is turned off.

2. Push the paper release lever back to the single-sheet position.

Setting Up the Printer 1-15

Testing the Printer

3.

While holding down the LINE FEED button (draft mode) or FORM

FEED button (Letter Quality mode), turn on the printer. The printer beeps several times and POWER and PAPER OUT lights come on.

4.

Move the left edge guide so that it locks in place next to the guide mark.

1 - 1 6 Setting Up the Printer

Testing the Printer

5. Adjust the right edge guide to match the width of your paper. Next, slide a sheet of paper down between the edge guides until it meets resistance.

WARNING:

Never run the self test using paper that is narrower than 14 inches (legal paper turned sideways) to prevent the print head from printing directly onto the platen.

6. Press the LOAD/EJECT button to load the paper.

Setting Up the Printer

1-17

Testing the Printer

7. Press the ON LINE button to start the self test. A list of DIP switch settings is printed first, followed by a series of characters. The self test continues until the paper runs out or until you press the ON

LINE button.

8. If the test results are satisfactory and you wish to stop the test, press the ON LINE button. If the test results are not satisfactory, see

Checking the Operation later in this chapter for possible causes and solutions.

Note: To resume the test, press the ON LINE button once more.

1-18 Setting Up the Printer

Testing the Printer

9. If the paper is still loaded, press the LOAD/EJECT button or LINE

FEED button to eject it. Then turn off the printer.

WARNING:

After turning the power off, always wait at least five seconds before turning it back on. Turning the power on and off rapidly can damage the printer.

Setting Up the Printer

1-19

Testing the Printer

Here is part of a typical self test printed in draft mode.

Draft mode

Country

USA

France

Germany

U.K.

Denmark

Sweden

Italy

Spain

Font

Roman

Sans serif

Slot,

D r a f t

Condensed

Invalid

SW1-1 1-2 1-3 on on on on on off on off on on off off off on on off on off off off on off off off

SW1-4 1-5 off off on off off on on on

SW1-6 o f f

Page length

11”

12”

Tear off mod

I n v a l i d

Valid

1”Skip

Invalid

Valid

Auto LF

Invalid

Valid

Receive buff

1kbytes

8kbytes

Graphics pri

U n i - d ,

$%'()*+,-./0123456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMN

%a'()*+,./012345678?:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO

Fs'()*+,- ./0123456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOP

'(I*+,- ./0123456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQ

./0123456789:;

./0123456789x; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRS

:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST

/0123456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU

-./Ok23456789:; <=>,?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUV

Note: When using the optional cut sheet feeder, the first page of the self test printout is slightly different. For details, see the Cut Sheet

Feeder section in Chapter 5.

1-20

Setting Up the

Printer

Testing the Printer

Here is part of a typical self test printed in Letter Quality mode.

Letter Quality mode

Country

USA

France

Germany

U.K.

Denmark

Sweden

Italy

Spain

Font

Roman

Sans serif

Slot

D r a f t

SW1-1 1-2 1-3 on on on on on off o n off on on off off off on on off on off off off on off off off

SW1-4 1-5 off off on off off on on on

Page length

11”

12"

Tear off mod

I n v a l i d

Valid

1”Skip

Invalid

Valid

Auto LF

Invalid

Valid

Receive buff

1kbytes

8kbytes

Graphics/

#$%&'()*+,-./0123456789:;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMp

$%&'()*+,- ./0123456789 :;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMN( x&'()*t,-. /0123456789: ;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOE

&'( )*+,- ./0123456789:; <=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPC

'0*+,-' /0123456789: ;<=>?@ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPBE

S a n s S e r i f 1 0

\* * ,r\d mm .r?.-,a_ , . me. mnnr-l-r\llT 11,1 L..,A”T\nmY

Setting Up the Printer

1-21

Testing the Printer

If the Self Test Does Not Work

If the self test does not print properly, check the control panel and the print head area. If paper is jammed, turn off the printer. Then remove the paper using the platen knob and load a new sheet. Make sure that all packing material and shipping restraints have been removed from inside the printer. See the Removing the Protective Materials section in this chapter for information on removing the locking clip. You can also see Chapter 7 for further information.

Problem

The printer sounds like it is printing, but nothing is printed.

The test did not print when you pressed the

ON LINE button.

Solution

The ribbon may not be installed properly.

Turn off the printer, reinstall the ribbon cartridge, and then tighten the ribbon by turning the ribbon-tightening knob. Make sure the ribbon passes between the print head and ribbon guide. See page 1-10.

The ribbon may be worn. Replace the ribbon cartridge. See page 6-5.

Turn off the printer and repeat the self test.

Make sure you hold down the FORM FEED or

LINE FEED button the entire time you are turning on the printer.

Turn off the printer and disconnect the cable from the host computer. Try the self test again.

If the printer still does not print the self test correctly, contact the store where you purchased your printer or call the Epson toll-free number (1-800-922-8911).

1-22 Setting Up the Printer