EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+

continuous paper support

User Replaceable Parts

paper guide edge guides

FX-880+

printer cover

Reference number User replaceable part Front cover Knob Logo plate Optional interface cover Paper guide Paper guide support frame Paper thickness lever cap Printer cover Ribbon cartridge 101 Tractor Rear wing Rubber foot Parts price list name Cover, front assembly Knob Logo plate Upper connector cover Sheet guide assembly, rear Support frame, sheet guide Lever cap Cover assembly, printer Ribbon cartridge Tractor assembly Wing Foot Part number 1039434 1004605
paper release lever front cover tractor in the front push position control panel

585 104

paper tension unit ribbon cartridge
center support (tractor unit parts)

FX-1180+

Reference number User replaceable part Front cover Knob Logo plate Optional interface cover Paper guide Paper guide support frame Paper thickness lever cap Printer cover Ribbon cartridge TBD Tractor Parts price list name Cover, front Knob Logo plate Upper connector cover Sheet guide assembly, rear Support frame, sheet guide Cap cover Cover assembly, printer Ribbon cartridge Tractor assembly Part number TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD 8755 TBD

optional interface cover

paper thickness lever

TBD TBD TBD

USB interface

TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD

knob parallel interface sprockets power switch AC inlet
EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ - 1
Other network interface cards (such as the C823622A, C823632A, and C823642A) are also supported on this printer. Check with EPSON for more information.

Options

Paper Handling Options
High-capacity cut-sheet feeder (C806381 for FX-880+, C806401 for FX-1180+) Feeds up to 150 sheets of paper or 25 plain bond envelopes into the printer without reloading. You can load single sheets, single-sheet multi-part forms, or envelopes. Single-bin cut-sheet feeder (C806371 for FX-880+, C806391 for FX-1180+) Feeds up to 50 sheets of paper into the printer without reloading. Load only ordinary single sheets in this feeder. Additional tractor unit (C800201 for FX-880+, C800211 for FX-1180+) Use the additional tractor in the pull position along with your standard tractor installed in the front or rear push position to improve paper handling and reduce the chance of paper jams. This setup is especially useful with continuous multi-part forms. Roll paper holder (8310) Allows you to use your printer with 8.5-inch roll paper like that used with telex machines. Front sheet guide (C814001 for FX-880+, C814011 for FX-1180+) Allows you to load single sheets and carbonless single-sheet multi-part forms of up to 6 parts. Front paper guide (C814021 for FX-880+, C814031 for FX-1180+) Allows you to load single sheets and carbonless single-sheet multi-part forms of up to 6 parts without removing the tractor from the front push position.

System Compatibility

The printer supports the following versions of Microsoft Windows:
Windows 3.1, 95, and NT: parallel interface only. Windows 98, Me, 2000: parallel and USB interfaces.

Printer Specifications

Mechanical
Printing method Printing speed 9-pin impact dot matrix Ultra speed draft 494 cps at 10 cpi 564 cps at 12 cpi High-speed draft 440 cps at 10 cpi 493 cps at 12 cpi Draft 330 cps at 10 cpi 396 cps at 12 cpi Near letter quality 82.5 cps at 10 cpi 99 cps at 12 cpi Printing direction Bidirectional logic seeking for text and graphics printing. Unidirectional text or graphics printing can be selected using software commands. 1/6-inch or programmable in 1/432-inch increments FX-880+: 80 columns (at 10 cpi) FX-1180+: 136 columns (at 10 cpi) dpi (near letter quality) Friction (front, rear) Push tractor (front, rear) Pull tractor (front, bottom, rear) Push and pull tractor (additional tractor is required) (front, rear) Cut-sheet feeders (optional) Roll paper holder (optional) Continuous 5 inches (127 mm)/second Normal mode 62 msec/line at 1/6-inch line spacing
Line spacing Printable columns Resolution Paper feed methods

Optional Interface Cards

You can install an optional interface card to supplement your printers built-in USB and parallel interfaces and provide added network compatibility. The EPSON interface cards in the table below are compatible with your printer.

Do not load thick paper, such as multipart forms with five or six parts, in the rear slot. The ratio of the cut/uncut length at the perforation should be between 3:1 and 5:1. The thickness of the perforation part when extended should be 1 mm or less. The perforation between pages should not extend all the way to the edges of the paper. Uncut length on the edges should be 1 mm or more. The horizontal and vertical perforation cuts should not cross.
4 - EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+
Continuous labels (front and bottom entry only):
Use only labels mounted on continuous backing sheets.
Envelope size (No. 6) Minimum Label size Width, backing sheet (inch) (mm) Length, backing sheet (inch) (mm) Thickness, backing sheet (inch) (mm) Total thickness (inch) (mm) Label weight (lb) (g/m) Quality Maximum Width (inch) (mm) Length (inch) (mm) Envelope size (No. 10) Width (inch) (mm) Length (inch) (mm) Total thickness (inch) (mm)
Envelopes (rear entry only):
Minimum 6.3.9.4.0.0063 0.16 0.0205 0.52 Maximum
See the figure below. 4.0 101.6 4.0 101.6 0.0028 0.07 0.0063 0.64 Plain paper FX-880+: 10.0 254.0 22.0 558.8 0.0035 0.09 0.0075 0.19 Weight (lb) (g/m) Quality FX-1180+: 16.0 406.4
Differences in thickness within the printable area must be less than 0.0098 inch (0.25 mm). 24 90
Bond envelopes, plain envelopes, and airmail envelopes without glue on the flap
Roll paper (rear entry with optional roll paper holder only):
Minimum Width (inch) (mm) Length (inch) (mm) Thickness (inch) (mm) Weight (lb) (g/m) Quality 8.Maximum
A 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) min. B 15/16 inch (23.8 mm) min. C Corner radius = 0.1 inch (2.5 mm) min.

0.0028 0.52 Plain paper

0.0035 0.82
EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ - 5

Printable Area

Single sheets Roll paper
A The minimum top and bottom margins are 0.17 inch (4.2 mm). B The minimum left and right margins are 0.12 inch (3 mm). The maximum printable width is 8.0 inches (203.2 mm).
A The minimum top and bottom margins are 0.17 inch (4.2 mm). B FX-880+: The minimum left and right margins are 0.12 inch (3 mm). The maximum printable width is 8.0 inches (203.2 mm). FX-1180+: The minimum left and right margins are 0.12 inch (3 mm). The maximum printable width is 13.6 inches (345.4 mm).

Standards and Approvals

120 V (US model)
Safety standards UL 1950 CSA C22.2 No. 950 EMI FCC part 15 subpart B class B CSA C108.8 class B

Continuous paper

230 V (European model)
Safety standard EN 60950 EMI EN 55022 (CISPR pub. 22) class B AS/NZS 3548 class B

Universal (UPS) model

A The minimum top and bottom margins above and below the perforation are 0.17 inch (4.2 mm). B FX-880+: The minimum left and right margins are 0.51 inch (13 mm). The maximum printable width is 8.0 inches (203.2 mm). For paper wider than 9.0 inches (229.2 mm), the side margins increase to match the width of the paper. FX-1180+: The minimum left and right margins are 0.51 inch (13 mm). The maximum printable width is 13.60 inches (345.4 mm). For paper wider than 14.6 inches (371.4 mm), the side margins increase to match the width of the paper.

3. Press the Pitch button until the two Pitch lights indicate the desired pitch as shown below.
Lights Pitch 10 cpi 12 cpi 15 cpi 17 cpi 20 cpi PS

o n n o n n o f f o n f

The printer is in Micro Adjust mode. Make the adjustments as described on page 10.

All lights flashing

An unknown or fatal printer error has occurred. Turn off the printer and leave it off for several minutes; then turn on the printer again. If the error recurs, contact your dealer or EPSON.

n = on

f = flashing
= three beeps, = five beeps
8 - EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+
You can use the front, bottom, or rear paper slot with the pull tractor.
Paper slot Description If you print on thick paper such as multipart forms or continuous paper with labels, use the front paper slot because this paper path is nearly straight. This reduces the chances of paper jams. The bottom paper slot has the straightest paper path, so it is the best slot to use when printing on thick paper, such as multipart forms or continuous paper with labels. When loading paper from the bottom slot, be sure to use a printer stand with an opening large enough for the paper to feed through it without obstruction. If the front or bottom paper slot is unavailable, you can also load ordinary continuous paper from the rear slot. Please note that loading paper from the rear slot results in a curved paper path, which may affect loading performance, so use the front or bottom slot whenever possible. Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear slot. The labels may come off the backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam.

Selecting a Paper Source

Paper can be fed into the printer from the top, front, bottom, or rear. Select the paper source that bests suits your current printing needs.

Push Tractor Positions

There are two push tractor positions: front and rear. The tractor is installed in the rear push position when the printer is shipped.
Tractor position Description Load paper from the front slot.
bottom If you print on thick paper such as multipart forms, use the front paper slot because this paper path is almost straight. This reduces the chances of paper jams. Load paper from the rear slot. Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear slot. Labels require a straight paper path; otherwise the labels may come off their backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam. The rear slot is also not recommended when your multipart forms have 5 or 6 parts (1 original plus 4 or 5 copies), because paper might jam.

front push

rear push

Pull Tractor Position

The pull tractor allows you to load continuous paper from the front, rear or bottom of the printer. However, you cannot use the tear-off feature when the tractor is in the pull position. To use the tractor in the pull position, you can remove the tractor from the rear push position and reinstall it in the pull position, or you can purchase the optional pull tractor unit (C800201 for the FX-880+ or C800211 for the FX-1180+) and install it in the pull position.

You need to remove the paper tension unit to use the tractor in the pull position.
EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ - 9
Setting the Paper Release Lever
Set the paper release lever to indicate the paper source you want to use, as described in the table below.
Paper type Ordinary paper Thin paper Carbonless multipart forms with: 2 parts (original + 1 copy) 3 parts (original + 2 copies) 4 parts (original + 3 copies) 5 parts (original + 4 copies) 6 parts (original + 5 copies) Continuous paper with labels Envelopes
Lever position 0 or 1 (single sheets) 0 (continuous paper) -1 or to 6

Lever position

Description Single-sheet position For loading single-sheet paper from the top or front slot. Front push tractor position For loading continuous paper with the tractor installed in the front push position or when using the front push and pull tractors in combination. Rear push tractor position For loading continuous paper with the tractor installed in the rear push position or when using the rear push and pull tractors in combination. Pull tractor position For loading continuous paper from the tractor installed on top of the printer in the pull position. You can load paper in the front, rear, or bottom slot.
When the temperature is 41F (5C) or less, set the paper-thickness lever one position lower to improve print quality. When the temperature is 95F (35C) or more, set the paper-thickness lever one position higher to improve print quality.
Using the Micro Adjust Function
The Micro Adjust function allows you to move the paper forward or backward in 1/216-inch (0.118 mm) increments to adjust the tear-off and top-of-form positions.
Adjusting the tear-off position
If your papers perforation is not aligned with the tear-off edge, you can use the Micro Adjust function to move the perforation to the tear-off position. Your tear-off position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer.
Never use the knob to adjust the tear-off position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the tear-off position.
Adjusting the Paper-Thickness Setting
Set the paper-thickness setting for the type of paper you are using.
1. Make sure the Tear Off/Bin light is flashing (the paper is at the current tear-off position). You may need to press the Tear Off/Bin button to advance the paper to the tear-off position.
10 - EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+
2. Hold down the Pause button for about three seconds. The Pause light begins flashing and the printer enters Micro Adjust mode. 3. Press LF/FF D to feed paper backward, or Load/Eject U to feed paper forward, until the paper perforation is aligned with the tear-off edge of the printer cover. 4. Press the LF/FF D button to move the top-of-form position up on the page, or press the Load/Eject U button to move the top-of-form position down on the page.

tear-off edge paper perforation
5. Press the Pause button to exit Micro Adjust mode.
The printer has a minimum and a maximum tear-off position. If you try to adjust the tear-off position beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. The printer has a minimum and a maximum top-of-form position. If you try to adjust it beyond these limits, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper. When the paper reaches the default top-of-form position, the printer beeps and stops moving the paper briefly. You can use this setting as a reference point when adjusting the position. The top margin setting made in some software overrides the top-of-form position setting you make with the Micro Adjust function.
4. Tear off the printed pages. 5. Press the Pause button to turn off Micro Adjust mode. When you resume printing, the printer automatically feeds the paper back to the top-of-form position and begins printing.
Adjusting the top-of-form position
The top-of-form position is the position on the page where the printer starts printing. If your printing appears too high or low on the page, you can use the Micro Adjust function to adjust the top-of-form position, as described below. Your top-of-form position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the printer.
Never use the knob to adjust the top-of-form position; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.

Loading Special Papers

Follow the guidelines in this section when loading continuous multipart forms, single-sheet multipart forms, labels, and envelopes.
Continuous multipart forms
Except for setting the paper-thickness lever, you load continuous multipart forms the same way as ordinary continuous paper. Just keep the following in mind:
1. Make sure the printer is turned on. 2. Load paper. (If the tractor is in a push position, press the Load/Eject button to advance continuous paper to the current top-of-form position.) If necessary, lift up the printer cover so you can see the paper position. 3. Hold down the Pause button for three seconds. The Pause light flashes and the printer enters Micro Adjust mode.

Be sure to place the envelope printable side down and insert the top edge of the envelope into the printer first. The print head must not print past the left or right edge of the envelope or other thick paper. Make sure your application program prints entirely within the printable area of your envelope. If you are using No. 6 envelopes, make sure the left edge guide is aligned with the arrow on the paper guide.
Do not leave labels in the printer between jobs; they may curl around the platen and jam when you resume printing. Do not load continuous paper with labels from the rear paper slot. Because the rear paper path is curved, labels may come off their backing sheets inside the printer and cause a paper jam. Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded. 10/01
12 - EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+
3. Set the paper release lever to the front or rear push position, depending on the tractor position you are using. Your printer loads the continuous paper automatically when you begin printing.

Switching Paper Types

You can easily switch back and forth between printing on continuous paper with a push tractor and printing on single sheets without having to remove or reload the continuous paper.

Clearing Paper Jams

Follow these steps to clear a paper jam: 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Open the printer cover. 3. If continuous paper is jammed in the printer, tear off the fresh supply at the perforation nearest the paper entry slot. 4. Turn the knob on the left side of the printer away from you to remove the paper in the printer. Remove any remaining pieces of paper. 5. If the paper is stuck where the printer ejects it, gently pull the paper out of the printer.
Use the knob on the left side of the printer to clear paper jams only when the printer is off. Otherwise, you may damage the printer or change the top-of-form or tear-off position.
Switching to printing on single sheets
Follow the steps below to switch from printing on continuous paper from a push tractor to printing on single sheets.
If continuous labels are loaded in the printer, remove them before switching to single-sheet printing. If the tractor is in the pull position, remove any continuous paper from it before switching to single-sheet printing.
1. If any printed pages remain in the printer, press the Tear Off/Bin button to advance the paper to the tear-off position. Then tear off the printed pages.
Make sure you tear off your printed document before you press the Load/Eject button in the next step. Reverse feeding several pages at a time may cause a paper jam.
2. Press the Load/Eject button to feed the continuous paper backward to the standby position. The paper is still attached to the push tractor but is no longer in the paper path. 3. Lower the continuous paper support on the paper guide until it clicks into place, then move the paper guide to the upright position. 4. Set the paper release lever to the single-sheet position. 5. Load single sheets.

6. Close the printer cover and turn on the printer. Make sure the Paper Out light is not flashing and the Pause light is off.
Switching to printing on continuous paper
Follow the steps below to switch from printing on single sheets to printing on continuous paper with a push tractor.
To switch from printing with the optional front sheet guide to printing with the front push tractor, you need to remove the front sheet guide.
1. If a single sheet remains in the printer, press the Load/Eject button to eject it.
Never use the knob to eject paper when the printer is on; this may damage the printer or cause it to lose the top-of-form position.
2. Make sure the tractor is installed in the front or rear push position and that continuous paper is loaded on it.
EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ - 13
Changing default settings
Follow the steps below to enter the default-setting mode and change the printers default settings.
To print the language selection and default-setting mode instructions, you need three sheets of A4 or letter size single-sheet paper or three pages of continuous paper that is at least 11 inches (279 mm) long and 8.3 inches (210 mm) wide.

Default Setting Mode

The default settings control many printer functions. While you can often set these functions through your software or printer driver, you may sometimes need to change a default setting from the printers control panel using the default-setting mode. The following table shows the options available for each printer setting. (Default settings appear in bold type.) Instructions for changing the settings follow the table.
Setting Skip over perforation Auto tear-off Auto line feed Print direction Software I/F (interface) mode Auto I/F (interface) wait time Manual feed wait time Parallel I/F bidirectional mode Packet mode 0 slash Buzzer Auto CR (carriage return)* IBM character table* Page length for front tractor Options Off, On Off, On Off, On Bi-D, Uni-D ESC/P, IBM PPDS (same as IBM 2380 Plus) Auto, Parallel, USB, Option 10 seconds, 30 seconds 1 second, 1.5 seconds, 2 seconds, 3 seconds Off, On Off, Auto 0,
1. If you use single sheets, you need to load a new sheet of paper each time the printer ejects a printed sheet from the paper guide. 2. Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off. 3. Turn on the printer while holding down the Font button. The printer enters the default-setting mode and prints the language selection instructions (one page).

If you want the instructions in English, there is a faster way to enter default setting mode which skips printing the language instruction sheet. Hold down the Tear Off button instead of the Font button while you turn on the printer.
4. Press the Font button until the Font and Pitch lights indicate the language you want, as described in the language selection instructions. 5. Press the Tear Off/Bin button to print the current default settings and instructions in the language you selected. 6. Follow the printed instructions to change the printers default settings from the control panel. 7. When you finish making settings, turn off the printer to exit the default-setting mode.
You may exit the default-setting mode by turning off the printer at any time. Any settings you have made remain in effect until you change them again.
Off, On Off, On Table 2, Table 1 Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17
Page length for rear tractor Length in inches: 3, 3.5, 4, 5.5, 6, 7, 8, 8.5, 11, 70/6, 12, 14, 17 Character table Standard model: italic, PC 437, PC 850, PC 860, PC 863, PC 865, PC 861, BRASCII, Abicomp, Roman 8, ISO Latin 1, PC858, ISO 8859-15 All other models: Italic, PC 437, PC 850, PC 437 Greek, PC 853, PC855, PC 852, PC 857, PC 866, PC 869, MAZOWIA, Code MJK, ISO 8859-7, Bulgaria, PC 774, Estonia, PC 866 LAT., ISO 8859-2, PC 866 UKR, PC-APTEC, PC-771, PC-AR864, PC 708, PC 720 Italic U.S.A., Italic France, Italic Germany, Italic U.K., Italic Denmark 1, Italic Sweden, Italic Italy, Italic Spain 1
Locking the Control Panel Buttons
You can restrict the use of buttons on the control panel using Lock-out mode. In the default Lock-out mode, you can use only the Pause, Load/Eject and Tear off buttons. If you want to change which functions are locked, see Changing the Lock-out mode setting below.
International character set for italic table**
Turning Lock-out mode on and off
1. Make sure the printer is turned off. 2. Turn on the printer while holding down the Load/Eject and Pause buttons. The printer beeps twice, indicating that the Lock-out mode has been turned on. When the Lock-out mode is on, the Pause and Paper Out lights flash simultaneously when any locked button is pushed.
* This setting is available only in IBM PPDS emulation mode. ** The options available for this setting vary depending on the country.
14 - EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+
To turn Lock-out mode off, repeat steps 1 and 2. The printer beeps once, indicating that the Lock-out mode has been turned off. The printer remains in Okidata mode until you repeat the above procedure. To return to FX-880+ mode, hold down the Tear Off/Bin and Pause buttons while you turn on the printer. The printer beeps twice. Turn it off, wait 5 seconds, and then turn it back on to begin using the printer in FX-880+ mode.

You can print the default settings for the printer when it is in Okidata mode to check the current settings and change them if necessary. See Changing default settings on page 14.
Changing the Lock-out mode setting
You can select which printer functions you want to be locked while Lock-out mode is on. Follow these steps: 1. Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off. 2. Turn on the printer while holding down the LF/FF and Pause buttons. The printer enters the Lock-out setting mode and prints the instructions. (Youll need three sheets of A4 or letter size single-sheet paper or three pages of continuous paper that is at least 11 inches [279 mm] long and 8.3 inches [210 mm] wide.) 3. Follow the instructions to change the settings as desired. 4. Turn off the printer. See the instructions above to turn on Lock-out mode after you change the Lock-out mode setting.
Aligning Vertical Lines in Your Printout
If you notice that the vertical lines in your printout are not properly aligned, you can use the printers bidirectional adjustment mode to correct this problem. During bidirectional adjustment, the printer prints three sheets of alignment patterns, labeled High Speed Draft, Draft, and NLQ (near letter quality). You select the best alignment pattern from each sheet. To print the instruction sheet and alignment patterns, you need five single sheets or five pages of continuous paper of at least the following sizes:
Paper type FX-880+ 9.inches (mm) A4 or letter size FX-1180+ 14.inches (mm) A3 landscape
Emulating the Okidata Microline 320 Turbo
If you have the EPSON FX-880+, you can make it work like the Okidata Microline 320 Turbo by turning the printer on in a different mode. In this mode, the printer emulates Okidata functions, including the following. Default settings are bold.
Feature Software emulation EPSON FX-880+ in Okidata mode IBM PPDS, EPSON ESC/P, Oki ML 320T Okidata ML320 Turbo IBM ProPrinter III, EPSON ESC/P, Oki ML 320T 22 mm * 24 mm * 6 LPI, 8 LPI Off, On
Continuous paper (including perforated border) Single sheet
If you use single sheets, you need to load a new sheet of paper each time the printer ejects a printed sheet from the paper guide. Follow these steps to perform the bidirectional adjustment: 1. Make sure paper is loaded, then turn off the printer. 2. While holding down the Pause button, turn on the printer. The printer enters the bidirectional adjustment mode and then prints instructions and the first set of alignment patterns. 3. As described in the instructions, compare the alignment patterns and select the pattern with the best alignment. Then select the pattern with the best alignment for each of the remaining sets of alignment patterns. 4. After you select the best pattern in the final set of alignment patterns, save your selection by turning off the printer.

Printable area Top margin Bottom margin Line spacing (lines per inch) Paper out override
22 mm 24 mm 6 LPI, 8 LPI Off, On
* As measured by EPSON. If you want to use your printer in Okidata mode, do not install the Windows driver that came with your FX-880+. If you have been using an Okidata driver, you can continue to use it with your FX-880+ in Okidata mode.
To enter Okidata mode, make sure the printer is turned off. Then hold down the Tear Off/Bin and Pause buttons while you turn on the printer. The printer beeps once. Now turn the printer off, wait 5 seconds, and turn it back on (with just the power switch) to begin using it in Okidata mode.
EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ - 15

Printing a Self Test

Running the printers self test helps you determine whether the printer or the computer is causing the problem:

Printing a Hex Dump

The hex dump feature is designed for DOS-based PC connections. If you are an experienced user or a programmer, you can print a hexadecimal dump to isolate communication problems between the printer and your software program. In hex dump mode, the printer prints all data it receives from the computer as hexadecimal values. You can print a hex dump using either single sheets or continuous paper that is at least 8.3 inches (210 mm) wide, such as A4 or letter size paper. 1. Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off. 2. To enter hex dump mode, turn on the printer while holding down the LF/FF and Load/Eject buttons. 3. Open a software program and send a print job to the printer. Your printer prints all the codes it receives in hexadecimal format, such as:
If the self test results are satisfactory, the printer is working properly and the problem probably results from your printer driver settings, application settings, computer, or interface cable. (Be sure to use a shielded interface cable.) If the self test does not print properly, there is a problem with the printer.
You can print the self test using either single sheets or continuous paper of at least the following width:
Paper type Continuous paper (including perforated border) Single sheet FX-880+ 9.5 inches (241 mm) A4 or letter size FX-1180+ 14.8 inches (376 mm) A3 landscape
Follow these steps to perform a self test: 1. Make sure paper is loaded and the printer is turned off. 2. To run the test using the Draft font, turn on the printer while holding down the LF/FF button. To run the test using the printers near letter-quality fonts, hold down the Load/Eject button while you turn on the printer. Either self test can help you determine the source of your printing problem; however, the draft self test prints faster than the near letter-quality test. After a few seconds, the printer loads the paper automatically and begins printing the self test. A series of characters is printed.

To temporarily stop the self test, press the Pause button. To resume the test, press Pause again.
4. By comparing the characters printed in the right column with the printout of the hexadecimal codes, you can check the codes the printer is receiving. If characters are printable, they appear in the right column as ASCII characters. Nonprintable codes, such as control codes, are represented by dots. 5. To turn off hex dump mode, press the Pause button, eject the printed page(s), and then turn off the printer.
Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the hex dump. Always press the Pause button to stop printing and the Load/Eject button to eject the printed page before you turn off the printer.
3. To end the self test, press the Pause button to stop printing. If paper remains in the printer, press the Load/Eject button to eject the printed page. Then turn off the printer.
Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the self test. Always press the Pause button to stop printing and the Load/Eject button to eject the printed page before you turn off the printer.

Resetting the Printer

To reset the printers EEPROM, hold down the Load/Eject, LF/FF, and Pause buttons while turning on the printer. The printer beeps once, and restores its factory default settings.
16 - EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+
7. Repack the printer, paper guide, ribbon cartridge, and power cord in the original packing materials and place them in the printers original box.

Cleaning the Printer

1. Remove any paper loaded in the printer and turn it off. 2. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet; then disconnect the interface cable from the printer. 3. Remove the paper guide. If a pull tractor or an optional cut-sheet feeder is installed, remove it. 4. Use a soft brush to carefully brush away all dust and dirt from the outer case and paper guide. 5. If the outer case or paper guide is still dirty, clean it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent dissolved in water. Keep the printer cover closed to prevent water from getting inside the printer.
Never use alcohols or thinners to clean the printer; these chemicals can damage the printer components as well as the case. Be careful not to get water on the printer mechanism or electronic components. Do not use a hard or abrasive brush. Do not spray the inside of the printer with lubricants; unsuitable oils can damage the printer mechanism. Contact an EPSON dealer if you think lubrication is needed.

Related Documentation

4014600-00/ CPD-12721 4014598-00 3010030-01 EPSON FX-880+/1180+ Users Guide EPSON FX-880+/1180+ Setup Guide CD-ROM containing online Reference Guide and Quick Guide EPSON FX-880+/1180+ Parts Price List
TM-FX8/1180+ EPSON FX-880+/1180+ Service Manual PL-FX8/1180+

Transporting the Printer

If you need to transport your printer some distance, carefully repack it using the original box and packing materials, as described below.
You need to move the print head by hand to remove the ribbon cartridge. If you have just used the printer, the print head may be hot; let it cool for a few minutes before touching it.
1. Remove any paper in the printer and turn it off. 2. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet; then disconnect the interface cable from the printer. 3. Remove the paper guide. 4. If any options are installed, remove them and pack them in their original boxes. 5. Make sure that the print head is not hot. Then remove the ribbon cartridge. 6. Make sure the paper tension unit is installed and the tractor is installed in the rear push position. Also make sure the printer cover and front cover are closed.
EPSON FX-880+/FX-1180+ - 17

Read This First

If You Want to Use Your EPSON FX-880+ in Okidata Mode
If you have the EPSON FX-880+, you can make it work like the Okidata Microline 320 Turbo by turning the printer on in a different mode. In Okidata mode, the printer emulates Okidata functions, and the following additional settings can be selected in default setting mode:

Feature

Software emulation Auto tear off wait time Bottom margin Line spacing (lines per inch) Paper out override
Printer settings in Okidata mode
IBM PPDS, EPSON ESC/P , OKI ML 320T 0.5 second, 1 second, 2 seconds, Others 4.2 mm, 20 mm, 22 mm, 24 mm, Others 6 LPI, 8 LPI Off (No), On (Yes)
The default settings (shown in bold) are consistent with Okidata Microline 320 Turbo factory settings. Note: Because the ML 320T does not have a built-in USB interface, the FX-880+ does not support the USB interface in Okidata mode. If you want to use your printer in Okidata mode, do not install the Windows driver that came with your FX-880+. If you have been using an Okidata driver, you can continue to use it with your FX-880+ in Okidata mode. If you have been using an Okidata printer, you may want to print out its default settings for reference before changing modes on the FX-880+. To do this on the ML 320T, press SHIFT + SEL to enter Menu mode, and then press PRINT.

Changing Modes

To enter Okidata mode, make sure the printer is turned off. Then hold down the Tear Off/Bin and Pause buttons while you turn on the printer. The printer beeps once to indicate it is now in Okidata mode. The printer remains in Okidata mode until you repeat the above procedure. To return to FX-880+ mode, hold down the Tear Off/Bin and Pause buttons while you turn on the printer. The printer beeps twice and is now operating in FX-880+ mode. Note: When you switch from one mode to the other, any changes you made to the printers settings in the original mode are restored to their default values. You can print the default settings for the printer when it is in Okidata mode to check the current settings and change them if necessary. See Changing Default Settings in Chapter 3 of your EPSON FX-880+/ FX-1180+ Users Guide.
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Trademarks EPSON and EPSON ESC/P are registered trademarks of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks. 11/01 Copyright 2001 by Epson America, Inc. 4021342-00