Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Rear Loading Problems with Epson 3880  (Read 466 times)

pflower

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 456
Rear Loading Problems with Epson 3880
« on: December 07, 2020, 05:40:19 pm »

I suspect that the answer is that something has broken, but it might be worth asking.

I have always loaded larger format paper - A3+ and A2 in the 3880 via the rear manual feed without problems - loading it through the sheet feeder was never regularly successful.  But recently I get almost constant paper load errors - NOT paper skew errors.  I load the paper as always carefully until it meets the rollers but instead of printer taking it up and advancing it I just get a Paper Error and have to remove the paper and try again.  Sometimes absolutely nothing happens - i.e although inserted up to the take up rollers the printer remains silent.  Sometimes in trying to load the paper I can actually insert past the rollers (which you shouldn't be able to do) in which case the printer takes it up.  Possibly one time in ten it works as it should.  I suspect that some sensor or other has broken.  But still worth asking if anyone else has experienced this and has a solution.

It still prints perfectly well and I although I have just bought a P5000 I still have a full ink set for the 3880 and was planning on running that out before retiring it.  I can still load A4 via the sheet feeder but recently I have been printing only A2 size which doesn't take well to the sheet feeder.  But it is over 6 years old and I can't really complain.

Any thoughts?
Logged

Eric Brody

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 487
    • http://www.ericbrodyphoto.com
Re: Rear Loading Problems with Epson 3880
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2020, 12:11:03 pm »

I am certainly no expert, but have read somewhere, can't recall, that small pieces of dust and paper get into the feed mechanism over time. You might want to await a better opinion or do some gentle vacuuming and/or blowing in the paper take-up area. The 3880 is arguably Epson's most reliable printer ever, mine is seven years old.

Good luck.
Logged

BobShaw

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2218
    • Aspiration Images
Re: Rear Loading Problems with Epson 3880
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2020, 09:25:15 pm »

I have always loaded larger format paper - A3+ and A2 in the 3880 via the rear manual feed without problems

Any thoughts?

You were very lucky. I had problems loading the 3880 from day one and still had them 5 years later. It usually took a few attempts to get it running.
Your ink is worth more than the printer so use that and if it still works try and sell it still working.
Logged
Website - http://AspirationImages.com
Studio and Commercial Photography

pflower

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 456
Re: Rear Loading Problems with Epson 3880
« Reply #3 on: December 09, 2020, 03:50:07 pm »

I suspect you are probably right - for about 5 days I had enormous problems and the suddenly they stopped.  Having put 4 or 5 A2 sheets through the rear feeder successfully (despite all the problems) I can now load without problems.  Presumably those sheets cleared things up.

The 3880s were and are great printers.  I had two - one dedicated to MK and one dedicated to PK.  Unfortunately I never did an ink swap and when I did with the dedicated MK one it died horribly.  So anticipating the same thing would happen to the PK one I have invested in a P5000.  It is a huge beast but I am really enjoying the freedom to use Roll Paper with it.  Ultimately my remaining PK 3880 will be retired but in 6 years I never had a single clog (save for one weird moment when the PK cartridge disappeared completely but a power clean and a new cartridge solved that).

I am certainly no expert, but have read somewhere, can't recall, that small pieces of dust and paper get into the feed mechanism over time. You might want to await a better opinion or do some gentle vacuuming and/or blowing in the paper take-up area. The 3880 is arguably Epson's most reliable printer ever, mine is seven years old.

Good luck.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up