Epson R260 Product Information Guide

Printer Parts

Paper support

Left edge guide

Sheet feeder Right edge guide

Printer cover

EXT. I/F

USB port Front tray

Front cover

Front tray extensions

Tray lever

USB port

Epson Stylus Photo R260

Accessories

Ink Cartridges

Cartridge

Black

Cyan

Magenta

Yellow

Light Cyan

Light Magenta

High-Capacity Black

High-Capacity Cyan

High-Capacity Magenta

High-Capacity Yellow

High-Capacity Light Cyan

High-Capacity Light Magenta

Part number

78 (T078120)

78 (T078220)

78 (T078320)

78 (T078420)

78 (T078520)

78 (T078620)

77 (T077120)

77 (T077220)

77 (T077320)

77 (T077420)

77 (T077520)

77 (T077620)

Caution:

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 warranties.

Don’t use an ink cartridge beyond the expiration date on the package.

Note:

Try the High Capacity 77 cartridges available at

http://www.epson.com/highcapacity

(U.S. sales) or

http://www.epson.ca

(Canadian sales).

Power button

Ink button

Paper button

CD/DVD tray

Cartridge cover

Power light

Ink light

Paper out light

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Epson Stylus Photo R260

Epson Media

Paper name* Size Part number

Epson Ultra Premium

Photo Paper Glossy

Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041934

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041935

Epson Ultra Premium

Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium

Photo Paper Glossy

Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041808

S041727

Epson Premium

Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium

Photo Paper

Semi-gloss

Borderless 5 × 7 inches S041464

Borderless 8 × 10 inches S041465

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041286

S041667

Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041982

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041331

Epson Premium

Semi-gloss Photo

Paper

Epson Photo Paper

Glossy

Epson Glossy Photo

Paper

Borderless 4 × 6 inches S041134

S041671

S041809

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041141

S041649

S041271

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041586 Epson Bright White

Paper

Epson Premium

Presentation Paper

Matte

Borderless 8 × 10 inches

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)

S041467

S041257

Epson Matte Paper

Heavyweight

Epson Premium

Presentation Paper

Matte Double-sided

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041568

Epson Double-sided

Matte Paper

Epson Presentation

Paper Matte

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches) S041062

Epson Photo Quality

Ink Jet Paper

Epson Iron-on Cool

Peel Transfer paper

Letter (8.5 × 11 inches)

Epson Photo Quality

Self Adhesive Sheets

A4 (8.3 × 11.7 inches)

Epson Ultra Premium

Photo Paper Luster

Letter (8.5 x 11 inches)

Epson Premium

Luster Photo Paper

* Availability of paper types varies by location

S041153

S041106

S041405

Printer Specifications

Printing

Printing method On-demand ink jet

Nozzle

Configuration

Interfaces

90 nozzles (each color) × 6

Black, cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, light magenta

USB 2.0 (front and rear)

Mechanical

Paper feed

Paper path

Sheet feeder capacity

Dimensions

Storage

Printing

Weight

Friction

Sheet feeder, top entry

120 sheets of 24 lb (90 g/m 2 ) paper

Width: 17.8 inches (453 mm)

Depth: 13.5 inches (343 mm)

Height: 7.6 inches (194 mm)

Width: 17.8 inches (453 mm)

Depth: 21.2 inches (538 mm)

Height: 11.2 inches (285 mm)

14.3 lb (6.5 kg) without ink cartridges

Ink Cartridges

Colors

Cartridge life

Black, cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan light magenta

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

Dimensions

(W × D × H) 0.5 × 2.7 × 1.9 inches

(12.7 × 68.0 × 47.0 mm)

Storage temperature –4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C)

1 month at 104 °F (40 °C)

Freezing temperature* 3.2 °F (–16 °C)

* Ink thaws and is usable after approximately 3 hours at

77 °F (25 °C)

Caution:

To ensure the best results, use genuine Epson cartridges and do not refill them. Other products may cause damage to your printer not covered by Epson’s warranties. Don’t use an ink cartridge beyond the expiration date on the package.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260 9/06

Electrical

Rated Voltage

Input voltage range*

Rated frequency range

Input frequency range

Rated current

100-120 V Model 220-240 V Model

AC 90 to 132 V AC 198 to 264 V

50 to 60 Hz

49.5 to 60.5 Hz

0.6 A

(Max. 0.9 A)

Approx. 12 W

0.3 A

(Max. 0.5 A)

Power consumption

ISO/IEC10561

Letter Pattern

Sleep mode

Power off mode

Approx. 1.1 W

Approx. 0.2 W

Approx. 1.2 W

Approx. 0.4 W

* Check the label on the back of the printer for its voltage.

Environmental

Temperature

Operation

Storage

50 to 95 °F (10 to 35 °C)

–4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C)

1 month at 104 °F (40 °C)

Humidity (without condensation)

Operation 20 to 80% RH

Storage 5 to 85% RH

Safety Approvals

Safety standards UL 60950-1

CAN/CSA-22.2 No.60950-1

EMC FCC part 15 Subpart B class B

CAN/CSA-CEI/IEC CISPR 22 Class B

Epson Stylus Photo R260

Paper

Paper Type Specifications

Single sheets Plain bond paper or special paper distributed by

Epson

Thickness: 0.003 to 0.004 inch (0.08 to 0.11 mm) for plain bond paper

Weight: 17 lb to 24 lb (64 g/m² to 90 g/m²) for plain bond paper

Envelopes Plain bond paper

Weight: 20 lb to 24 lb (75 g/m² to 90 g/m²)

Printable area

Normal Borderless*

Envelopes

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

B-L The minimum left margin is 0.12 inches (3.0 mm).

B-R The minimum right margin is 0.12 inches (3.0 mm).

C The minimum bottom margin is 0.12 inches (3.0 mm).

D-L The minimum left margin is 0.20 inches (5.0 mm).

D-R The minimum right margin is 0.20 inches (5.0 mm).

E The minimum bottom margin is 0.78 inches (20.0 mm).

* When you print with the borderless feature, print quality may decline in the expanded area. Before printing large jobs using the borderless setting, print a single sheet to confirm printout quality.

Note:

Always load paper into the sheet feeder with the short edge first. Load envelopes flap edge left with the flap side down.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260

Control Panel

To diagnose problems, check the printer’s control panel, as described below.

Lights

Green

P

power light flashes

Red

)

paper out light is on and green

P power light flashes

Explanation

The printer is receiving a print job, replacing an ink cartridge, charging ink, or cleaning the print head.

If you’re printing on paper, your paper ran out or multiple pages have fed at once. Make sure you lift the tray lever up to set the front tray to the paper (lower) position. Then, load more paper and press the

)

paper button to resume printing.

Red

)

paper out light and green

P power light flash

If you’re printing on a CD or DVD, the

CD/DVD tray is not inserted. Follow the

instructions in “Inserting a CD or DVD” on page 8 to insert the tray, then press the

) paper button.

If you’re printing on paper, it is jammed in the printer. Press the

)

paper button to eject the paper. If that doesn’t work, turn off the printer, open the cover, and pull the paper out from the front, including any torn pieces.

Then turn on the printer, reload paper, and press the

)

paper button.

If you’re printing on a CD or DVD, the

CD/DVD tray has not ejected. Pull out the tray and press the

)

paper button.

Red

H

ink light flashes One or more cartridges are nearly expended.

Check the message that appears on your screen to determine which cartridge is nearly expended or follow the instructions in

“Checking the Ink Supply” on the right. Make

sure you have a replacement cartridge.

Red

H

ink light and green

P

power light are on

One or more cartridges are expended or not installed. Make sure you have a replacement

cartridge, then follow the steps in “Replacing an Ink Cartridge” on the right to install it.

Green

P

power light is off; red

)

paper out and red

H

ink lights flash

If you have just installed a new cartridge, it may be incompatible with the printer or incorrectly installed. Reinstall it or replace it with the correct cartridge, as described in

“Replacing an Ink Cartridge” on the right.

Paper may be blocking movement of the print head. Turn off the printer, then open the cover and remove any jammed paper or other foreign objects. Turn the printer back on again. If the lights are still flashing, contact your dealer or Epson as described in your on-screen

User’s Guide

or

Printer Basics

book.

Lights

Green

P

power light flashes; red

)

paper out and red

H

ink lights flash rapidly

Explanation

The front tray is not in the correct position.

Before you turn on the printer or print on paper, lift the tray lever up to set the front tray to the paper (lower) position.

Green

P

power light is on; red

)

paper out and red

H

ink lights flash alternately

Green

P

power light is off; red

)

paper out and red

H

ink lights flash alternately

Before you print on a CD or DVD, pull the tray lever down to set the front tray to the

CD/DVD position.

An unsupported device is connected to the

EXT. I/F USB port. Only devices compatible with PictBridge or USB DIRECT-PRINT can be connected to this port. See “Direct Printing from a Digital Camera or Mobile Phone” in your on-screen

User’s Guide

or

Printer Basics

book.

The printer may have an internal error. Turn off the printer, wait a few seconds, then turn it on again. If the lights are still flashing, contact your dealer or Epson as described in your on-screen

User’s Guide

or

Printer Basics

book.

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

When the red

H

ink light flashes, one or more ink cartridges are nearly expended.

When the red

H

ink light stays on, you need to replace the cartridge(s).

When you print, you’ll also see a message on your screen 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

H

ink light is off.

Checking the Ink Supply

To check the ink supply, do one of the following:

❏

Windows:

Double-click the printer icon on your taskbar

(in the lower right corner of your screen).

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Epson Stylus Photo R260 9/06

You see a window like this one:

Epson Stylus Photo R260

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

Note:

Do not open ink cartridge packages until you are ready to install the ink. Cartridges are vacuum packed to maintain reliability.

This printer uses ink cartridges equipped with IC chips that monitor the amount of ink used by each cartridge. Cartridges are usable even if they are removed and reinserted. Some ink is consumed each time cartridges are inserted, however, because the printer automatically checks their reliability.

If you remove a cartridge that is low (for which you have received an “Ink low” message), you cannot reuse it.

1. Make sure the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer, and make sure the front tray is in the paper (lower) position.

If it is not, lift the tray lever up to reposition the front tray.

To see the part numbers for the ink cartridges currently installed in your printer, click

Information

.

❏

Macintosh OS X:

Open the Applications folder and select

EPSON Printer Utility2

. Select

SP R260 Series

in the printer list, click

OK

, and select

EPSON StatusMonitor

.

You see a window like this one:

Click a cartridge image to display information about the cartridge.

Ink Cartridge Precautions

Warning:

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

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

If discomfort or vision problems continue after a thorough flushing, see a doctor immediately.

Caution:

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by hand.

You cannot print if an ink cartridge is expended. Leave the expended cartridge installed in the printer until you have obtained a replacement. Otherwise the ink remaining in the print head nozzles may dry out.

2. Make sure the printer is turned on. (The green

P

power light should be on, but not flashing.) Then open the printer cover.

3. Press and release the

H

ink button.

If the red

H

ink light is off, go to step 5.

If the red

H

ink light is on or flashing, the print head moves to the left, and the cartridge that needs to be replaced stops under the

_

mark. The green

P

power light begins to flash.

Go to step 4.

Note:

Don’t hold down the

H

ink button for more than 3 seconds, or the printer will start to clean the print head.

4. Press the

H

ink button again.

If more than one cartridge is low or expended, the next cartridge moves under the

_

mark. Repeat this step.

If all the low or expended cartridges have been identified, the print head moves to the ink cartridge replacement position.

Note:

You can also use the Status Monitor to check ink cartridge

status. See “Checking the Ink Supply” on page 4 for more

information.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260

Caution:

Do not touch the area shown below when you are changing ink cartridges.

8. Remove the yellow tape from the bottom of the ink cartridge.

5. Lift up the cartridge cover.

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.

If you have installed an ink cartridge without removing the yellow tape, take the cartridge out of the printer, remove the yellow tape, and then reinstall it.

Do not remove the transparent seal from the bottom of the cartridge; otherwise, the cartridge may become unusable.

Do not remove or tear the label on the cartridge; otherwise, ink will leak.

6. Press in the tab on the back of the cartridge and lift the cartridge out of the printer. Dispose of it carefully.

9. Lower the cartridge into the holder, with the green circuit board facing the front. Then gently push the cartridge down until it clicks into place.

Warning:

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children and don’t drink the ink.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water. If discomfort or vision problems continue after a thorough flushing, see a doctor immediately.

7. Unwrap the new ink cartridge.

Caution:

Be careful not to break the hooks on the side of the ink cartridge when you remove it from the package.

Always install an ink cartridge immediately after removing the old cartridge. If the cartridge is not installed promptly, the print head may dry out and be unable to print.

10. If you need to replace another ink cartridge, repeat steps 6

through 9 before continuing with step 11.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260 9/06

Epson Stylus Photo R260

11. Close the cartridge cover.

12. Close the printer cover and press the

H

ink button. The printer begins charging the ink delivery system.

The green

P

power light flashes and the printer makes noise. Charging takes about one and a half minutes. When it’s finished, the green

P

power light stops flashing and stays on, and the red

H

ink light goes out.

Caution:

Never turn off the printer while the green

P

power light is flashing, unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

Do not insert the CD/DVD tray until ink charging is complete.

Note:

If the red

H

ink light flashes after the print head moves to its home (far right) position, the ink cartridge may not be installed properly. Press the

H

ink button two or more times (until the print head moves to the ink cartridge replacement position), open the cartridge cover, and press down the ink cartridge until it clicks into place.

Selecting the Paper Type Setting

Select the correct paper

Type

or

Media Type

setting so your printer knows what kind of paper you’re using and adjusts the ink coverage accordingly.

For this paper

Plain paper

Epson Bright White Paper

Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer paper

Select this paper Type or

Media Type setting

Plain Paper / Bright White

Paper

Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy

Epson Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper

Ultra Premium Photo Paper

Glossy

Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy

Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss

Epson Premium Semi-gloss Photo Paper

Premium Photo Paper

Glossy

Premium Photo Paper

Semi-Gloss

Photo Paper Glossy Epson Photo Paper Glossy

Epson Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte

Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight

Premium Presentation

Paper Matte

Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte

Double-sided

Epson Double-sided Matte Paper

Epson Presentation Paper Matte

Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Epson Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

Presentation Paper Matte

Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster

Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper

Envelopes

Ultra Premium Photo Paper

Luster

Envelope

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Epson Stylus Photo R260

Paper Loading Guidelines

You can load up to 120 sheets of plain paper. You can load the following number of sheets of Epson special media:

Paper type

Epson Presentation Paper Matte

Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Loading capacity

100 sheets

Epson Bright White Paper

Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy

Epson Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy

Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss

Epson Premium Semi-gloss Photo Paper

Epson Photo Paper Glossy

Epson Glossy Photo Paper

Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte

Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight

Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte Double-sided

Epson Double-sided Matte Paper

Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster

Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper

Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer paper

Epson Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

80 sheets

20 sheets

1 sheet

❏

Leave enough space in front of the printer for the paper to be fully ejected.

❏

Don’t load paper above the arrow mark on the left edge guide.

❏

Load the printable side face-up. It’s often brighter or whiter than the other side.

❏

Always load the short edge first, even when printing in landscape mode.

❏

Load letterhead or preprinted paper into the printer top edge first.

❏

If you experience paper feeding problems, try loading fewer sheets.

❏

If you’re using special paper, follow the instructions that came with the paper.

Caution:

Use only ink jet-printable CDs and DVDs for printing.

Thermal-printable and regular CDs and DVDs should not be used with this printer; otherwise the ink may smear.

Cleaning the Rollers

Before you print on CDs or DVDs, it’s a good idea to clean the rollers inside your printer. You can do this by feeding and ejecting several sheets of plain paper.

1. Make sure your printer is turned on and several sheets of letter-size paper are loaded.

2. Press the

)

paper button to feed a sheet of paper through the printer.

3. Repeat step 2 several times.

Inserting a CD or DVD

Make sure the data, music, or video is burned on your ink jet-printable CDs or DVDs before you print. Otherwise, dirt or scratches on the surface may cause errors when you burn the data. If you plan to print a large number of CDs or

DVDs, it’s a good idea to print a small sample, then wait a day and check the quality to make sure it’s satisfactory.

If you want to check the print position or color, see your on-screen

User’s Guide

or

Printer Basics

book.

Before you insert a CD or DVD, make sure the printer is turned on. Otherwise, the disc may not be positioned correctly. Then follow these steps:

1. Push in the output tray extension, but leave the tray open.

2. Open the front cover, then set the front tray to the

CD/DVD position by pulling the tray lever down.

Printing CDs and DVDs

Your printer includes a special tray that lets you print customized text, graphics, and photos directly on any ink jetprintable CD or DVD. The Epson Print CD software makes it easy to import your own photos, add text, and modify your designs with a variety of special effects. You can print on both regular 12-cm and 8-cm CDs and DVDs.

Caution:

Before you move the tray lever, make sure no paper or other objects are on the front tray and the front tray is not extended.

Do not touch the front tray when you move the tray lever.

Do not move the tray lever while the printer is printing.

3. Place the CD or DVD on the CD/DVD tray with the white or printable side face-up. Make sure the disc lies flat in the tray.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260 9/06

To print on a small CD (8-cm), place the small CD ring on the tray first, then place the CD inside the ring.

Note:

Use one CD/DVD at a time.

Caution:

Before you position the CD or DVD, make sure that no dust or dirt is on the CD/DVD tray, as this may damage the disc’s data side.

Be sure to use the CD/DVD tray provided with this printer. If you use another CD/DVD tray, there may be a gap in the print position and printing may not be performed properly.

Make sure you always use the small CD ring when printing on

8-cm CDs and that the CD and ring lies flat on the tray; otherwise the printer may be damaged.

12-cm CD/DVD

Always use this piece with 8-cm CDs or DVDs

8-cm CD/DVD

Epson Stylus Photo R260

Do not insert the CD/DVD tray while the printer is printing; otherwise, your printer may be damaged or the surface of the CD or DVD may become dirty or scratched.

4. Gently insert the CD/DVD tray along the base of the front tray until the marks on the CD/DVD tray and the front tray match each other.

Caution:

Make sure both sides of the CD/DVD tray slide underneath the brackets on the front tray.

Make sure the CD/DVD tray slides under the bracket (on both sides)

Make sure the arrow marks match

5. Follow the instructions in “Printing Your Design” below to

print with Epson Print CD.

Designing CDs and DVDs

You can use the Epson Print CD program (included on the

Printer Software CD-ROM) to create and print a design with images, graphics, and text. See your on-screen

User’s Guide

or

Printer Basics

book for instructions.

Printing Your Design

After you have created your design and loaded a CD or DVD, you’re ready to print.

1. Open the File menu and select

Print

.

2. Make sure

EPSON Stylus Photo R260 Series

(Windows) or

Stylus Photo R260

(Macintosh) is selected.

3. Select

CD/DVD

or

CD/DVD Premium Surface

as the

Media Type setting.

4. Select

None

as the Print Confirmation Pattern setting

(Windows) or Test Print Pattern setting (Macintosh).

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Epson Stylus Photo R260

5. Click

Print

.

This section explains how to clean the print head using the

Head Cleaning Utility.

You can also clean the print head by holding down the

H

ink button on the printer for three seconds. (This only works when the red

H

ink light is off.)

Before you clean the print head, make sure the CD/DVD tray is not inserted in the printer, and make sure the front tray is in the paper (lower) position. If it is not, lift the tray lever up to reposition the front tray.

Windows

Macintosh

Note:

You can only print on one CD or DVD at a time. When the copies setting is set to 2 or more, remove each CD or DVD from the tray after it has been printed, and then place the next CD or

DVD on the tray (see “Inserting a CD or DVD” on page 8 for

loading instructions). Then press the

)

paper button to resume printing.

After you print, handle the CD or DVD carefully. To allow the ink to dry, wait at least 24 hours before playing the disc or inserting it in a drive. Keep printed discs away from moisture and direct sunlight.

If you need to adjust the print position or color, see your on-screen

User’s Guide

or

Printer Basics

book

Caution:

When you don’t turn on your printer for a long time, print quality can decline, so turn it on and print a few pages at least once a month to maintain good print quality.

Checking the Print Head Nozzles

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

H

ink light is not on. (If the red

H

ink light is on, you

need to replace a cartridge; see page 4 for details.)

2. Make sure letter-size plain paper is loaded in the printer.

3. Do one of the following:

❏

Windows:

Right-click the printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). Select

Nozzle Check

.

❏

Macintosh OS X:

Open the Applications folder and select

EPSON Printer Utility2

. Select

SP R260 Series in the printer list, click

OK

, then select

Nozzle Check

.

You see a screen like the following:

Cleaning the Print Head

If your printouts are unexpectedly light or dots or lines are missing, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the nozzles so they can deliver ink properly.

Note:

Print head cleaning uses ink, so clean it only when print quality declines (for example, if you see lines in your printout or colors are incorrect or missing).

Before you clean the print head, check the print head nozzles first to confirm that the print head needs to be cleaned. This saves

ink. For more information, see “Checking the Print Head

Nozzles” on the right.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260 9/06

4. Click

Print

or

Next

. The nozzle check pattern prints:

Print head does not need to be cleaned:

Epson Stylus Photo R260

5. If the nozzle check pattern has no white lines or gaps (as shown below), click

Finish

.

Print head needs to be cleaned:

If the pattern has white lines or gaps (as shown below), click

Clean

to clean the print head again.

5. If there are no gaps or lines, click

Finish

.

If there are gaps or lines, or the test patterns are faint, click

Clean

. Then skip to step 3 below to clean the nozzles.

Running the Head Cleaning Utility

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

H

ink light is off. (If the

H

ink light is flashing or on, you

need to replace a cartridge; see page 4 for details.)

2. Do one of the following:

❏

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 Utility2

. Select

SP R260 Series

in the printer list, click

OK

, then select

Head Cleaning

.

3. Follow the instructions on the screen to clean the print head.

Cleaning takes several seconds. The printer makes noise and the green

P power light flashes.

Caution:

Never turn off the printer while head cleaning is in progress; you may damage it. Do not insert the CD/DVD tray until cleaning has finished.

4. When the green

P

power light stops flashing, make sure paper is loaded in the printer, then do one of the following:

❏

Windows:

Click

Print nozzle check pattern

, then click

Print

.

❏

Macintosh:

Click

Confirmation

, then click

Next

.

The nozzle check pattern prints.

If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning four times, you can also turn the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—and then try cleaning the print head again.

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.

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, and make sure the front tray is in the paper (lower) position. If it is not, lift the tray lever up to reposition the front tray.

1. Turn on the printer.

2. Make sure none of the lights are indicating errors. See

“Control Panel” on page 4 for details.

3. Load several sheets of plain, letter-size paper.

4. Do one of the following:

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Epson Stylus Photo R260

❏

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 Utility2

. Select

SP R260 Series

in the printer list, click

OK

, then select

Print Head

Alignment

.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to print the alignment pattern.

You see a window like this one:

Cleaning the Printer

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

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

2. Remove all the paper, then use a soft brush to clean the sheet feeder.

3. 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.

4. If ink accidentally gets inside of the printer, wipe it off with a damp cloth in the area shown.

Clean here

6. Look at the four sets of patterns in your printout. For each set, look at the printed squares to determine which one in each set is the most even, with no streaks or lines, and enter its number in the corresponding box on the screen.

If every square in a set contains a line or lines, select the square with the thinnest line or lines. Then click

Realignment

and

Print

to print another alignment sheet and repeat this step.

7. Click

Finish

to close the Print Head Alignment utility

.

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.

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Epson Stylus Photo R260 9/06

Epson Stylus Photo R260

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:

When storing or transporting the printer, do not tilt it, stand it up vertically, or turn it upside down. Otherwise, ink may leak from the cartridges.

Leave the ink cartridges installed. Removing the cartridges can dehydrate the print head and may prevent the printer from printing.

1. Turn on the printer. Wait until the print head returns to the home (far right) position, then close the printer cover.

2. Turn off the printer and unplug its power cord. Then disconnect the power cord and USB cable from the printer.

3. Open the printer cover. Secure the print head with tape, as shown below, then close the printer cover.

4. Remove any paper from the printer, then push down the paper support extension and close the paper support.

5. Repack the printer and its attachments in the original box using the protective materials that came with them.

Keep the printer level as you transport it.

After transporting the printer, remove the tape securing the print head. Then plug in your printer, turn it on, and test it. If you notice a decline in print quality, clean the print head (see

page 10); if output is grainy or blurry, align the print head (see

page 11).

Related Documentation

CPD-21934R1 Epson Stylus Photo R260

Start Here

CPD-21936R1 Epson Stylus Photo R260

Printer Basics

CPD-21935R1 Epson Stylus Photo R260 CD-ROM with on-screen

User’s Guide

9/06 Epson Stylus Photo R260

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