Epson L1300 error: Service required. A printer's ink pad is at the end of its service life

Problem

When the printer turned, the paper light and the ink light alternately light orange, and the print head doesn't move.

Error Message

Service required. A printer's ink pad is at the end of its service life. Please contact Epson Support.

Problem Statement

When it starts printing, the printer will do a head cleaning, to ensure printing is ready. Head cleaning a produce the waste ink, which is flowing and accommodated in the ink pad. Until one day, this waste ink pad is full and the message "Service required. A printer's ink pad is at the end of its service life appears. Please contact Epson Support". When this error message appears, when the printer is turned on the paper light and the ink light alternately light orange, and the print head doesn't move.

As shown in the error message that the ink pad usage period has ended, this message can be interpreted that the waste ink pad is full. When this error occurs, the main ink counter reaches its maximum value of 100%.

Solution

1.  Replace the ink pad

1.a.  Replace the ink pad with a new one

1.b.  Modification of the waste ink reservoir

2.  Reset the Waste ink counter value

1.  Replace the ink pad

There are two solutions that you can use, namely replacing the ink pad with a new one and modifying the waste ink reservoir. Ink pads for the Epson L1300 can be purchased in online stores easily, but if you have trouble replacing the ink pads because you have to disassemble the printer, an alternative solution is to modify the waste ink reservoir. Choose one of the two solutions below.

1.a.  Replace the ink pad with a new one

Follow the procedure shown in the image below, how to disassemble the printer and replace the waste ink pad.

Step 1. Removing the Paper Support Assy

Step 2. Removing Stacker Assy

Step 3. Removing the Front Decoration Plate Left/Right

Step 4. Removing the Rear Housing

Step 5. Removing the Panel Unit

Step 6. Removing the Decoration Plate Left/Right

Step 7. Remove the Upper Housing

Step 8. Pull out the Waste Ink Tube from the Joint Tube

Step 9. Remove the screw that secure the Shield Plate Holder, and remove the Shield Plate Holder.

Step 10. Remove the five screws secure the Printer Mechanism.

Step 11. Handling the Printer Mechanism

Step 12. Removing the Waste Ink Pad

1.b.  Modification of the waste ink reservoir

For those of you who find it difficult to replace the waste ink pads because they are inexperienced in disassembling the printer, we recommend following the following alternative solution, namely by modifying the waste ink reservoir. The modification is to transfer the waste ink reservoir to a transparent plastic bottle that is placed outside the printer. Here's how to modify the waste ink reservoir. Please pay attention to the mechanism in the image below.

(1) Remove the ink tank, you will see a door.

(2) Remove the bolt to open the door.

(3) After the door opens, you will see a terminal. This terminal connects two pipes. The waste ink pipe from the pump, and the pipe leading to the waste ink reservoir (see image below).

Waste ink disposal mechanism in the Epson L1300

The modification we will do is divert the waste ink to the ink pad, diverted to a transparent plastic bottle that is placed outside the printer. Here's how to do it.

- Set the transportation lock to the locked position.

- Remove the ink tank, then remove the screw and open the drain hose terminal cover.

- Remove the drain hose from the pump.

- Drain the ink pad by using a hose and injection device. To drain the ink pad can be done by installing a hose in the drain terminal, then with the injection tool we suck the ink from the ink pad.

- Divert waste ink disposal by installing a new hose.

- Turn on the printer and do the Head Cleaning. Head cleaning is done to check the installation of a new drain hose. If the waste ink has flowed into the storage bottle, the ink pad modification has been successfully carried out.

- Spruce up the ink drain hose installation.

- Set the transportation lock to the unlocked position. Finish.

As shown in Figure 6, before modification is done, we recommend draining the ink pad using a hose and injection device. If necessary, you can close the drain hose that leads to the ink pad.

This modification was made with the aim to divert the waste ink receptacle outside the printer. The length of the hose and the size of the waste ink container, can be replaced with a larger size according to conditions. If you encounter problems during repair, please read the Epson L1300 Service Manual.

After the waste ink pad modification is complete, the next step is to reset the Main pad counter to zero. To reset the Epson L1300, the Epson Adjustment Program tool is used.

2.  Reset the Waste ink counter value

Reset the Epson L1300 printer

• Connect the USB cable and turn on the printer. 
• Download Adjustment Program Epson L1300
• Extract file
• Open Adjprog.

(1)    Open Select

(2)    Port – select USB port Epson L1300 or use Auto selection – OK

(3)    Particular Adjustment Mode

(4)    Double click Waste Ink Pad Counter

Check the value of the Main pad counter before reset.

(5)    Checkbox: Main Pad Counter 

(6)    Click Check – OK

As shown in the figure below, the Main pad counter value is 11809 point or 100%. Reset is done to reset the Main pad counter to zero.

Note: Wait for the power light to stop flashing, before performing the next command.

(7)    Checkbox: Main Pad Counter 

(8)    Click Initialization 

(9)    When the OK button is clicked, counter will be initialized – OK

(10)  Please turn off the printer. Turn off the printer first, then press OK

Note: Turn on the printer, and wait for the power light to stop blinking, before carrying out the next instruction.

Check the Main pad counter after reset. If the Main pad counter value changes to zero, it means that the reset has been successfully performed.

(11)  Checkbox: Main Pad Counter 

(12)  Click Check – OK

(13)  Press the Finish button to end the process.

To repair the Epson L1300 printer for the error "A printer's ink pad is at the end of its service life" was done in two stages, beginning with draining the ink pad and installing an outer drain tube, followed by resetting the waste ink counter, has been completed. For additional information, also read the paragraph questions and answers below.

Questions and Answers

Q: When using the Adjustment Program the message "Communication error! Error Code xxxxxxxx" appears. What to do?

A: Communication error! Error Code: xxxxxxxx occurs because the printer is not ready to accept commands from the Adjustment Program because it is still busy processing the previous command.

So when the printer receives the command example "Main pad counter -> Check", the power light will blink for about 60 seconds. The printer can process the next command example "Main pad counter -> Initialization" after 60 seconds have passed. Communication error! Error Code: xxxxxxxx occurs because the second command "Main pad counter -> Initialization" is done while the printer is still processing the previous command. So wait for the power light to stop flashing, then run the next command.

If you have trouble doing it yourself, we recommend asking for help from the nearest Epson Service Center or the nearest printer repair professional.