[Eric Brody Participant Posts: 69]

Epson Printers

on: May 20, 2023 at 8:31 pm

I bought an Epson P900 six months ago and once I got everything calibrated it was working just fine. Every paper I put into it fed perfectly from Epson Premium Luster, a thin paper, to Canson Edition Etching a thicker 310gsm paper.
Last week I placed an 11×17 piece of Moab Entrada Natural 300, a 300gsm paper, into the rear feed, it made a few unusual noises, seemed to go up and down by a few mm but it never grabbed the paper. Eventually it put up an error message that said “Paper Out in Rear Paper Feeder, Load Paper and Touch OK.” Needless to say, that did not work even after multiple tries. I tried with Canson Edition Etching with the same result. I was totally unable to get the front feed to work, Even after I lined it up precisely as Mark Segal recommended in his review, it make a sharp noise and simply refused to load the paper.
The thinner Moab Entrada 190 seemed to work properly in the rear feed, I did not try the 190 in the front feed..
Am I unique? Does anyone have a similar problem and does anyone have a solution?
I’m planning to call Epson support but thought I’d check with this forum as folks have been very helpful in the past.
Thanks,
Eric

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #1 on: May 20, 2023 at 9:20 pm

Hi Eric, yes, I’ve just been doing some testing on Moab Entrada Natural 300 and can readily understand the issue – it is a very “robust” paper. I would definitely recommend that you call Epson tech support because I believe this paper “qualifies” for the front feed. The problem you may be having is that the Media Type Legion Paper specifies for their profile mated to this product is Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte (UPPPM), so if that is the Media Type you have selected in the P900 driver, the printer does not expect it in the front feed meant for stiffer media, and that is possibly why it may not be loading there. So I suggest selecting another Media Type that may be more compatible with what the printer expects for that feed, even though it may not be a correct Media Type for the media.Here is the list of media intended for the front feed:
You can load one sheet of posterboard or other thick media 0.02 to 0.059 inch (0.51 to 1.5 mm) thick in the front paper feeder. You can also load one sheet of the following types of media:
Epson Velvet Fine Art Paper
Epson UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper
Epson Watercolor Paper Radiant White
Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper
Epson Exhibition Watercolor Paper Textured
Epson Hot Press Bright
Epson Hot Press Natural
Epson Cold Press Bright
Epson Cold Press Natural

I recommend selecting Epson Hot Press Natural – it’s likely to be closest to the Moab paper. If the paper feeds through the front feed with this Media Types selected in the driver, that takes care of this part of the problem. So in that case make a print and see whether this Media Type selection works satisfactorily with the Moab paper. I suspect it may, in which case you can carry on using the Moab profile with this Epson Media Type. If the paper feeds but the print doesn’t look right, you would need a custom profile made for this paper and Media Type combo.

If none of this solves the problem, then you may have a mechanical issue with the printer that requires a call to Epson ProGraphics tech support.

[Tony Siciliano]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #2 on: May 21, 2023 at 12:19 pm

FYI, I have been creating a portfolio of prints using Moab Entrada Natural 300 and have made about 35 11×17 prints recently using the rear feeder on the p900. My experience has been the paper loads first go about 1/2 to 2/3 of the time. When I can’t get it to load I run a piece of blank 8.5×11 print paper through the “Clean Paper Drive” (found in Maintainance) and that sometimes works. Othertimes I uncurl the paper a bit and that works, and if all else fails I hold the paper at the top and pull it away from its resting place to make the ankle it goes into the printer more pointing straight down. Annoying indeed.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by Tony Siciliano.

[Kevin Raber Silver Member Posts: 1311]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #3 on: May 21, 2023 at 5:33 pm

I think Mark nailed it. The heavier papers and larger papers are hard to feed through the rear feeder, especially if they are kind of ripply and not a pure straight edge. In those cases the front paper feeder is the way to go as the paper makes no curves during being fed it. You may have to change paper setting like Mark mentioned. I have found for thick paper the watercolor paper textured and velvet fine art paper setting do a pretty good job. The printer isn’t really looking for that paper type as much as its thickness. I love the P900 but it can be frustrating sometimes with these thicker papers.

Let us know how you do.

Kevin Raber
Owner and Publisher of photoPXL

[Eric Brody Participant Posts: 69]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #4 on: May 22, 2023 at 8:09 pm

Thanks to Tony, Kevin, and especially to Mark for your prompt responses. I have been busy trying different things but sadly find myself where I started. I briefly thought Tony’s “Clean Paper Drive” suggestion was going to work but soon realized it wasn’t. I tried gently pressing on the top of the paper and it did work, once, but not again. All the wiggling seemed to have no effect.

I have been totally unable to get the front feed to work. I had not tried it before since all the papers I normally use, even the relatively thick ones qualify for the rear feed (even the Moab Entrada 300 and Canson Rag Photographique 220). When I carefully line up the paper, per Mark’s suggestion in his review, the paper starts to go in, the printer makes a loud, sharp click-like noise, I get an error message and must eject the paper.

I had an Epson 3880 for thirteen years, loved it, no problems, and now regret being seduced by the siren song of no MK/PK switching.

I plan to call Epson Support tomorrow and will report back what suggestions they make and if they are helpful.

Best to all, great forum.

Eric

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #5 on: May 22, 2023 at 8:18 pm

Did you try my suggestion re changing the Media Type in the driver when loading the Moab Natural Rag 300 into the flat pass-through feed?
You should not try to force thick media through the top feed, as this will wear the mechanism prematurely.
If my suggestion re change of Media Type for the flat pass through feed fails to work, your only option I believe is to call Epson. It may be a mechanical defect.
And don’t regret replacing your 3880 with this model. It’s a better printer all-round. You’ll appreciate it more once you get over this glitch.

[Eric Brody]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #6 on: May 23, 2023 at 2:53 pm

Again, sincere thanks to the responders. I believe my problem appears to be solved, with a bit of embarrassment.

I found the setting for “thick paper” in the maintenance menu, turned it on and now even Moab Entrada 300 feeds through the rear feed path!

I still could not get the front feed to work. I kept getting a message “The paper do not match the settings on the printer. Load Rear Paper Feeder.”

I called Epson Support and a wonderfully helpful person reminded me that the computer printer driver settings override those on the printer and reminded me that for the 11×17 paper settings on the computer printer driver there is a setting for “front-thick” which had escaped me. He said it’s a relatively common error that he sees frequently That made me feel a bit better.

When I set the printer driver correctly, for the thick paper-front feed, IT WORKED!

The support person also agreed with you, Mark, that it’s best over time to use the front feed for thicker media, now not a problem.

Happiness, special thanks to Mark.

Eric

• This reply was modified 1 year, 2 months ago by Eric Brody.

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #7 on: May 23, 2023 at 3:20 pm

You are welcome and glad it’s sorted out. Happy printing.

[Kevin Raber Silver Member Posts: 1311]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #8 on: May 23, 2023 at 7:44 pm

There are a lot of settings to keep in mind and they hide all over the place. We cover a lot of this in our print workshops. Also, I print with Imageprinrt for most of my work and IP controls a lot of the settings so you don’t run into these errors. Come spend a weekend at one of the print workshops. They are a lot of fun.

Kevin Raber
Owner and Publisher of photoPXL

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #9 on: May 23, 2023 at 10:58 pm

Kevin Raber wrote:

There are a lot of settings to keep in mind and they hide all over the place. We cover a lot of this in our print workshops. Also, I print with Imageprinrt for most of my work and IP controls a lot of the settings so you don’t run into these errors. Come spend a weekend at one of the print workshops. They are a lot of fun.

This seems to be more of an issue on Mac OS than Windows, but in principle of course, there should be no need to buy yet another piece of software to rationalize and simplify printer settings. This is not a new discussion, but I’ll say it again anyhow: at some point there needs to be a serious rethink about how to congregate every necessary printer setting onto one menu on one screen, select all one’s options in that single spot and be done with setting-up to make a print. The introduction of wide-spread inkjet printing is about two decades old – the time has come.

[Eric Brody Participant Posts: 69]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #10 on: June 5, 2023 at 5:42 pm

Sorry to be a pest but I’ve still got problems with feeding paper through the rear (top) feed in my Epson SC-P900.
While I am now able to get the front feed to work, I am still unable to feed many papers through the rear (top) feed. I re-read Mark’s excellent review and it appears to indicate that essentially all the papers I use SHOULD work with the rear feed. Here’s a quote from his review…

“Top Paper Feed: Epson calls it the “Rear Feed”, but it’s actually on top, so I call it the Top
Feed – yes at the rear of the top of the printer, but don’t go looking for a paper feed in the
rear of the printer unless using the roll holder. Contrary to the ambiguity in the manual, we
should load all Epson fine art papers less than 0.5mm other through the top sheet feeder.
(Cold Press Natural and Legacy Textured should be loaded through the front feed.) Gently
drop the paper between the gray guides, letting it hit bottom (Figure 8) and slide the gray
guides to the edge of the paper. My experience indicates it is very reliable.
Do not use the front feed for fine art papers less then 0.50mm thick – every time I tried it
pushed them up to the top feeder where they jam on the mechanism, wrecking the sheet.
The manual is unclear about this, but I’m being very clear, just so you’ll know. Use the top
feed for all papers less than 0.50mm.”

ALL the papers I use are less than 0.5mm thick except Entrada 300 (0.57 mm). I looked them up on the B&H website and…

Epson Velvet fine art 0.48 mm (this media type is used for Canson Rag, Edition Etching, and Arches 88)
Epson Premium Luster 0.25 mm (feeds through the rear feed!)
Canson Rag 0.47
Canson Edition Etching 0.48 mm
Canson Arches 88 0.48 mm
Canson Platine 0.40 mm
Moab Juniper Rag 0.41 mm
Moab Entrada 300 0.57mm (the only paper > 0.50 mm)
Moab Entrada 190 0.39 mm (this actually feeds through the rear feed)

This problem arose a month or so ago, when I wrote my first post to this thread. Before that all the papers seemed to work on the rear feed.

While the front feed does work, it’s quite a bit slower than simply popping a piece of paper in the rear feed. And, Mark’s review actually says NOT to use these papers in the front feed.

Does this all mean I still have a problem with my printer?
Do I need to call Epson AGAIN?

Thanks, as always for any help.

Eric Brody

[Mark D Segal Silver Member Posts: 951]

Re: Epson P900 Paper Feeding Problems

Reply #11 on: June 5, 2023 at 5:52 pm

Eric – my simple-minded advice: after all you’ve tried, if the printer feed isn’t working the way it is supposed to, there would appear to be some kind of mechanical defect, in which case you call Epson ProGraphics for a solution.

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