On the covered Epson EcoTank printer, the ink and paper lights both on means the product was not turned off correctly. First, cancel any pending print jobs on the computer. Then: Epson's steps: press the black-and-white or color copy button to clear the error, then run a nozzle check and cancel any pending print jobs. Epson says to always use the power button to turn off the product.
Differential
Likely causes of “Epson EcoTank printer with the ink and paper lights both on”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Power was cut while the printer was on
What separates it The lights come on the first time you switch on after an outage or after pulling the plug
How to confirm Think back to a power strip switched off or a plug pulled
- 2
The printer was turned off at the wall
What separates it A power strip or smart plug cuts the supply each night
How to confirm Check for a timer, a smart plug or a wall switch that removes power
- 3
A print job was left pending
What separates it The lights return after the job restarts on the computer
How to confirm Open the print queue on the computer and clear anything waiting
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- How the printer was last switched off
- Whether a power strip or smart plug feeds it
- Whether the ink and paper lights both stay on after pressing the copy button
- The printer model, for example L3250 or ET-2800
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedWhat to do first
ReversibleCancel any pending print jobs on the computer.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleEpson's steps: press the black-and-white or color copy button to clear the error, then run a nozzle check and cancel any pending print jobs. Epson says to always use the power button to turn off the product.
Press a copy button to clear the lights
ReversibleEpson's instruction is to press the black-and-white or color copy button. This acknowledges the improper shut-down.
Print a nozzle check
ReversibleFrom the computer's printer utility, run a nozzle check pattern and look for gaps in the lines.
Clean the print head only if the pattern is broken
ReversibleRun one head cleaning if lines are missing, because each cleaning uses ink from the tanks.
Switch off with the power button from now on
ReversibleEpson says to always use the power button, which parks and caps the print head before the supply goes.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Shown as
- Ink light and paper light on together.
- Applies to
- Epson EcoTank models using the L3250-style light panel.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Stop pressing the clear button repeatedly if the lights return at once
- !Contact Epson if nozzle checks keep failing after several cleanings
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does the ink and paper lights both on mean on a Epson EcoTank printer?+
The product was not turned off correctly.
Does this mean the tanks are empty?+
No. Ink level shows on the ink light by itself. Both lights together, in this pattern, point at an improper shut-down.
Will it damage the printer?+
Not by itself. A head left uncapped can dry out, so the nozzle check is the sensible follow-up.
How do I stop it happening again?+
Use the power button and wait for the lights to go out before removing power at the wall.