Epson EPL-5900L User manual

Where to Find Information
Setup Sheet
Provides you with information on assembling the printer’s parts
and installing the printer’s software.
Reference Guide (this manual)
Provides you with detailedinformation on the printer’s functions,
optional products, maintenance, troubleshooting, and technical
specifications.
Online Help
Provides you with detailed information and instructions on the
printer software that controls your printer. Online help is
automatically installed when you install the printer’s software.

Reference Guide
Laser Printer
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.
No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein.
Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information
contained herein.
Neither SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of
this product or third parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or
third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized
modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly
comply with SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION’s operating and maintenance instructions.
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be liable against any damages or problems arising
from the use of any options or any consumable products other than those designated as
Original EPSON Products or EPSON Approved Products by 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.
Copyright © 2001 by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION, Nagano, Japan
®

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Contents
Warnings,Cautions,andNotes...............................1
SafetyPrecautions..........................................1
ImportantSafetyInstructions ................................4
PowerOn/OffCautions.....................................5
Chapter 1 Product Information
PrinterParts...............................................8
Panellights ...........................................9
AboutYourPrinter........................................10
Features.............................................10
OptionsandConsumableProducts ..........................11
Options..............................................11
Consumableproducts.................................12
Chapter 2 Paper Handling
PaperSources.............................................14
MPtray..............................................14
LoadingPaper............................................14
LoadingtheMPtray ..................................15
PrintingonSpecialMedia ..................................19
Labels...............................................19
Envelopes............................................20
Thickpaper..........................................21
Transparencies .......................................21
LoadinganUncommonPaperSize ..........................21
Chapter 3 Using the Printer Driver
ForWindows.............................................24

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Abouttheprinterdriver...............................24
Accessingtheprinterdriver ...........................24
Makingchangestoprintersettings .....................25
Monitoring your printer (EPSON Status Monitor 3) . . . . . . . 34
Cancelingprinting....................................41
Uninstallingprintersoftware ..........................42
ForMacintosh............................................45
AboutthePrinterDriver ..............................45
Accessingtheprinterdriver ...........................45
Makingchangestoprintersettings .....................46
Monitoring your printer (EPSON Status Monitor 3) . . . . . . . 53
Cancelingprinting....................................57
Uninstallingprintersoftware ..........................57
Chapter 4 Sharing Your Printer
ForWindows.............................................60
Aboutthesharedprinter..............................60
Settingupyourprinterasasharedprinter...............61
Usinganadditionaldriver.............................63
Accessingthesharedprinter...........................69
InstallingtheprinterdriverfromtheCD-ROM...........76
ForMacintosh............................................77
Aboutthesharedprinter..............................77
Settingupyourprinterasasharedprinter...............78
Accessingthesharedprinter...........................79
Chapter 5 Installing and Removing Options
Face-upTray.............................................82
InstallingtheFace-uptray.............................83
UsingtheFace-uptray................................84
RemovingtheFace-uptray............................84
MemoryModule..........................................85
Installingamemorymodule...........................85
Removingamemorymodule..........................90

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Chapter 6 Replacing Consumable Products
PrecautionsDuringReplacement............................96
ReplacingtheDeveloperCartridge ..........................96
ReplacingthePhotoconductorUnit.........................103
Chapter 7 Cleaning and Transporting
CleaningthePrinter ......................................110
Cleaningtheinsideoftheprinter ......................110
Cleaningthepaperpathrollers........................111
Cleaningtheprintercase..............................113
Removingspilledtoner...............................113
TransportingthePrinter...................................114
Chapter 8 Troubleshooting
ReadyandErrorLights....................................116
PrintingaStatusSheet ....................................117
ClearingJammedPaper...................................118
Precautionsforclearingjammedpaper .................118
Preventingpaperfeedandpaperjamproblems..........119
Paperjam—insidetheprinter.........................119
Paperjam—MPtray.................................125
OperationalProblems.....................................127
PrintoutProblems........................................128
PrintQualityProblems....................................130
MemoryProblems........................................135
Appendix A Technical Specifications
Paper...................................................138
Availablepapertypes ................................138
Specifications........................................141
Printablearea .......................................142
Printer..................................................143

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General............................................143
Environmental......................................144
Safetyapprovals ....................................144
Mechanical.........................................145
Electrical...........................................145
Interfaces...............................................146
Parallelinterface ....................................146
USBinterface.......................................146
OptionsandConsumables................................146
Face-up tray (C12C813801) . . .........................146
Memorymodule....................................147
Developercartridge(S050087).........................147
Photoconductorunit(S051055)........................148
Appendix B Working with Fonts
EPSONBarCodeFonts ...................................150
Systemrequirements.................................151
InstallingEPSONBarCodeFonts......................152
PrintingwithEPSONBarCodeFonts...................153
EPSONBarCodeFontspecifications ...................157
Appendix C Contacting Customoer Support
WheretoGetHelp.......................................170
ForusersinLatinAmerica............................171
For users in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland172
ForusersintheMiddleEast ..........................173
ForusersinScandinavia..............................174
ForusersinSouthAfrica.............................175
ForusersinAustralia................................176
ForusersinSingapore ...............................178
ForusersinThailand ................................178
ForusersinIndonesia................................179
ForusersinHongKong..............................179
ForusersinMalaysia ................................180
ForusersinIndia....................................181

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ForusersinthePhilippines............................182
Glossary

vi

1
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
wWarnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
cCautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Notes contain important information and useful tips about the
operation of your printer.
Safety Precautions
Be sure to follow these precautions carefully to ensure safe,
efficient operation:
❏Be careful not to touch the fuser, which is marked CAUTION
Hot Surface Avoid Contact, or the surrounding areas. If the
printer has been in use, the fuser and the surrounding areas
may be very hot.
CAUTION Hot Surface
Avoid Contact

2
❏Avoid touching the components inside the printer unless
instructed to do so in this guide.
❏Never force the printer’s components into place. Although the
printer is designed to be sturdy, rough handling can damage
it.
❏When removing the developer cartridge, never touch the
developing roller under the flap; otherwise, print quality will
decline.
❏When handling the developer cartridge, always place it on a
clean, smooth surface.
❏Do not turn the developer cartridge upside down or stand it
on its ends.
❏Do not attempt to modify or take the developer cartridge
apart. It cannot be refilled.
❏Do not touch the toner and avoid all contact with your eyes.

3
❏When removing or installing a photoconductor unit, prevent
the light-sensitive drum from exposure to light for any longer
than necessary. The light-sensitive drum is the green cylinder
visible through the openings in the unit. Overexposing the
drum might cause abnormally dark or light areas to appear
on the printed page and may shorten the service life of the
unit.
❏Be careful not to scratch the surface of the drum. When you
remove the photoconductor unit from the printer, always
place the unit on a clean, smooth surface. Avoid touching the
drum, since oils from your skin can permanently damage its
surface and affect print quality.
❏To get the best print quality, do not store the photoconductor
unit in an area subject to direct sunlight, dust, salt air, or
corrosive gases (such as ammonia). Avoid locations subject to
extreme or rapid changes in temperature or humidity.
❏Waitforatleastonehourbeforeusingadevelopercartridge
or a photoconductor unit after moving it from a cool to a warm
environment to prevent damage from condensation.

4
wWarning:
Do not dispose of developer cartridges or photoconductor
units in fire, as they can explode and cause injury. Dispose
of them according to local regulations.
❏Be sure to keep consumable components out of the reach of
children.
❏Do not leave jammed paper inside the printer. This can cause
the printer to overheat.
❏Avoid using outlets that other appliances are plugged into.
❏Use only an outlet that meets the power requirements of this
printer.
Important Safety Instructions
❏Connect your printer to an electrical outlet that meets the
power requirements of this printer. Your printer’spower
requirements are indicated on a label attached to the printer.
If you are not sure of the power supply specifications in your
area, contact your local power company or consult your
dealer.
❏If you are unable to insert the AC plug into the electrical
outlet, contact an electrician.
❏Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions, as improper adjustment of other controls may
result in damage and may require repairs by a qualified
service representative.

5
ENERGY STAR®Compliance
As an International ENERGY STAR®Partner, EPSON has
determined that this product meets the International ENERGY
STAR®Program guidelines for energy efficiency.
Power On/Off Cautions
cCaution:
Do not turn off the printer:
❏Until the Ready light (green) comes on and is not flashing.
❏While the Ready light (green) is flashing.
❏While printing.
The International ENERGY STAR®
Office Equipment Program is a
voluntary partnership with the
computer and office equipment
industry to promote the introduction of
energy-efficient personal computers,
monitors, printers, fax machines,
copiers, and scanners, in an effort to
reduce air pollution caused by power
generation.

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Product Information 7
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Chapter 1
Product Information
PrinterParts............................................8
Panellights ........................................9
AboutYourPrinter......................................10
Features...........................................10
OptionsandConsumableProducts ........................11
Options............................................11
Consumableproducts...............................12

8Product Information
Printer Parts
Panel lights
Printer cover
MP (Multi-Purpose)
tray
Power switch
Latch
Face-down tray
Paper path selector
AC inlet
USB interface connector
Parallel interface connector

Product Information 9
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Panel lights
Ready light (green) Error light (red) Printer Status
Off Off Printer is off.
On Off Printer is ready to
print.
Flashing Off Printer is warming up
or receiving data.
Off Flashing The printer is out of
paper or has an error
that can be easily
cleared. For details,
see the EPSON Status
Monitor 3.
Flashing On An error has
occurred. Try turning
off the printer, waiting
a few minutes and
then turning it back
on. If this does not
clear the error,
contact your dealer
or a qualified service
representative.
Off On
Flashing alternately
Error light (red)
Ready light (green)

10 Product Information
About Your Printer
Your printer is the latest in EPSON’s advanced line of laser
printers.
The printer is easy to install and use. You simply set up the printer,
connect it to your computer, and install the printer driver as
described in the Setup Sheet.
The printer supports ECP mode in Microsoft®Windows®Me, 98,
95, 2000, and NT®4.0. ECP mode supports high-speed data
transfer and bi-directional communication with your computer.
Features
The printer comes with a full set of features that contributes to
ease of use and consistent, high-quality output. The main features
are described below.
High-quality printing
When using the driver provided, your printer provides Class
1200-dpi printing at a speed of up to 12 pages per minute when
printing on A4 paper. You’ll appreciate the professional print
quality produced by your printer and its quick processing speed.
Toner Save mode
To reduce the amount of toner used in printing documents, you
can print rough drafts using the Toner Save mode.

Product Information 11
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Resolution Improvement Technology
Resolution Improvement Technology (RITech) is an original
EPSON printer technology that works by smoothing out the
jagged edges of diagonal and curved lines in both text and
graphics. Enhanced MicroGray improves the halftone quality of
graphics. With the driver provided, the printer’s 600/300 dpi (dot
per inch) resolutions are enhanced by RITech and Enhanced
MicroGray technology.
Options and Consumable Products
To purchase options or consumable products, contact your dealer
or the customer support representative in your area.
Options
Face-up Tray (C12C813801)
The Face-up Tray is recommended for printing on media that
require a straight-through paper path, such as labels and
transparencies.
Memory Module
The printer comes with 2 MB of memory, which can be expanded
up to a total of 13 MB.

12 Product Information
Consumable products
Developer Cartridge (S050087)
This cartridge includes the toner that creates the image on paper.
The printer comes with this cartridge already installed. The
service life of the cartridge is approximately 6,000 printed pages.
(The developer cartridge included with the printer prints up to
3,000 pages. This cartridge is not for sale.)
Photoconductor Unit (S051055)
The photoconductor unit contains a light-sensitive drum that
permanently fixes the toner onto paper. The printer comes with
this unit already installed. This unit requires replacement after
approximately 20,000 pages of printing.