R800 CFS Installation Instructions

Installation Procedure

Prerequisite -
Before starting this installation, you MUST test your printer to make sure it is printing 100% correctly. The best way to do this is to first print a Nozzle pattern, using the printer utility software provided by Epson. If the nozzle pattern is perfect, then print 5 copies of the MIS PURGE7.TIF image using the Plain Paper and 360 dpi settings on the printer. The Purge7 image can be found on the diskette included with your system or download it from our website. All 5 pages must print without banding r skipping (white spaces). If your printer can not do this, do not install the CFS. Run some cleaning cycles until you can pass this test.
The Purge7 image can be found on the diskette included with your system. If you have a Mac you can download it from our website. You can also get the zip file from the HelpDesk Download Library.

Tools & Materials Needed -

MIS CFS System, Ink and a working Epson R800 printer
Ruler or measuring tape
Pair of Scissors
Alcohol and some paper towels
Some paper to print on

1. If you purchased your system prefilled, then go to Step 2. If you purchased an empty CFS unit, then vacuum fill the cartridges with the ink that came with the system or the ink of your choice. Follow the instructions that are included with the vacuum pump. When this is complete, go to Step 2.

2. On the printer, push the Ink button to move the cartridges to the Replacement position. While in this position, pull the printers power plug out of the wall.

3. Remove the gray cartridge clamp next from the left side. Use a thin flat screw driver blade to remove the clamp. See photo below. Be sure not to break the clamp. You may need it some day. Place the screw driver between the gray clamp and black cartridge carriage. Gently pry the two pieces apart while pulling the clamp forward from where it attaches to the carriage. You may need a small flash light to help you see what is happening where the clamp attaches. It will come out cleanly with no damage to either the clamp or the printer, so don’t be over aggressive.

4. Remove the Epson cartridges and PARTIALLY install the CFS cartridges. Do not push the cartridges all the way down. We do not want the seals on the bottom to be punctured until the tubes have been installed in the bottles. In order to do this, you must follow these steps to route the tubing. The ends of the tubing with the blue clips should be on the left hand side of the printer.

Cover Tee-clip

Position for Tee-clip

5. The R800 has a cover key that requires the cover to be closed in order to print. To by-pass this cover key we are providing an acrylic Tee-cover replacement key. Look for the Tee-clip seen in the photo above. Insert the Tee-clip in the slot on the printer housing on the left side as shown in the picture above.

6. Install the tubing clip and bridge bracket as shown in the photos below. Clean and dry the printer housing and with alcohol in the locations where the Bridge Bracket and tubing clip will mount as shown in the photo below. The clip installs on the left hand side of the printer. Place it 1 1/2 inches to the left of the opening in the printer casing, aligned with the top of the opening. Affix the clip so that it opens from the front of the printer. This placement is critical and must be done correctly in order to align the tubing.
The Bridge Bracket installs on the right hand side of the power button; see photo for placement. Remove the paper backing from the foam tape and firmly press the short end of the bracket to the right of the button panel, and the long end just above the opening.

Bracket Installation

7. Next the tubing should be clipped into the bracket. Center the black electrical tape on the tubing in the clip. This will cause the tubing to run off to the left hand side of the printer. Keeping the tubing flat, secure it into the tube clip. The ends of the tubing with blue clips should now hang over the left hand side of the printer.

8. Once the tubes are securely inserted into the bracket and clipped into the left hand tubing clip, un-web the tubes from the left end beginning at the blue pinch clip up to the left hand side tube clip, so that each tube can be independently installed into its bottle. The tubes are easily un-webbed by just pulling them apart, no tools are required. Don't go too far.
You can now align the bottles on the left hand side of the printer. The photo below shows the bottles on the left hand side of the printer, reading left to right, the back of the printer is on the left in the photo and the front of the printer on the right.
The order from the back of the printer to the front is...
Red - Photo Black - Matte Black - Magenta - Yellow - Cyan - Blue - Gloss Optimizer.
The order of the ink bottles from front to back is just the opposite,
Gloss Optimizer - Blue - Cyan - Yellow - Magenta - Cyan - Matte Black - Photo Black - Red.

Bottle Photo position

Bottle Positions

Once the bottles are aligned along the side of the printer in the correct order, you can begin applying the velcro patch to the bottles and the printer. Peel the velcro patch from the protective paper and apply it to the bottle. Then attach the hook side of the velcro to the patch on the bottle and align the bottle back against the printer in position previously identified.

Velcro attachment

Velcro attachment

9. If your system was prefilled, cut the tubes just above the light blue pinch clips, save the blue tube clips in a safe place as you may need them later if you remove the CFS unit. You will lose about 1/2" of tubing, this is OK. If you ordered an empty system you will not have any pinch clips to cut off. Cut the end of the tubes on a 45 degree angle so they are pointed. Don't waste any tube length in doing this.
Now insert the tube into the bottle so the tube almost reaches the bottom of the bottle. There should be 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 inches of tubing inside the bottle when you are finished. Don't put the wrong color tube into the wrong ink bottle. Tubes and bottles are marked. Tubes either have color tags on them or there are traces of ink in the prefilled tubes. You can also follow the tube back to the cartridge where the cartridge label identifies the ink in the chamber.

10. At this time, press the cartridges into place in the carriage. Make sure the cartridges are properly aligned and down all the way in the carriage. Push the cartridge carriage all the way to the right hand inside of the printer, all the way.

11. Plug the printer back in and turn on the power. Run a three cleaning cycles and then print a nozzle pattern. The printer is now ready to use. Try printing two purge7.tif image files. If you have problems getting a perfect nozzle pattern, let the printer rest overnight, and try again in the morning.

12. If an ink does not print. Remove the tube from the bottle, lift the cartridge out, and suck out a little ink, not more than 2 cc, to eliminate any air locks that may be present. Use the syringe and bottom fill adapter, then reinstall. If you have all colors printing but you are having problems getting a perfect nozzle pattern after several cleaning cycles, then let the printer rest overnight and try a few cleaning cycles in the morning.

The Care and Feeding of a CFS -
There are a couple of things you should know that will keep your system running trouble free.
These systems work best if they are used everyday. If you are an infrequent printer or only print once or twice a week, then you should install our AUTOPRINT program (download it for free from our CFS page). Autoprint will make a printout using our Purge6 image everyday as long as you leave your computer and printer turned on.
If you have to do cleaning cycles, do them in groups of 3 and be certain to print something, we recommend a copy of Purge4 or Purge6 after every 3 cleaning cycles. This resets the printer firmware so that you get a medium, long, and short duration cleaning cycle. If you don't do this, all you will get is the short cleaning cycle after the 3rd one. Running several short cleaning cycles will cause nozzles to drop out. If you are still having problems after about 3 or 4 sets of 3 cleanings, then let the printer rest for a few hours or overnight and try again later. This has worked on many Epson printers in the past. It gives the air bubbles in the ink a chance to rise to the surface and get out of the printhead.
Don't let your ink bottles get empty. Refill them when they are at the 1/4 full level. Before pouring new ink into your bottle, transfer the ink that is left into a clean glass or jar. Then wash out the CFS ink bottle with soap and water. Then refill with leftover ink and new ink. This keeps algae from building up on the walls of the bottle and causing premature ink failure.
For additional technical assistance please read our CFS Troubleshooting Guide.

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