Epson PLQ-30 User manual

User’s Guide
NPD5346-00 EN

Copyrights and Trademarks
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Seiko Epson
Corporation. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this Epson printer. Epson is not responsible for any
use of this information as applied to other printers.
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 the 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 for 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.
EPSON® and ESC/P® are registered trademarks, EPSON EXCEED YOUR VISION, EXCEED YOUR VISION and ESC/P2 are
trade marks of Seiko Epson Corporation.
Microsoft®, Windows®, and Windows Vista®are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries.
IBM®is a registered trademark of International Business Machines 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.
The contents of this manual are subject to change without notice.
Copyright © 2015 Seiko Epson Corporation. All rights reserved.
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Copyrights and Trademarks 2

Operating System Versions
In this manual, the following abbreviations are used.
Windows refers to Microsoft Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP, and 2000.
❏Windows 8 refers to Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise, and Windows 8.1.
❏Windows 7 refers to Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7
Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, and Windows 7 Ultimate.
❏Windows Vista refers to Windows Vista Home Basic Edition, Windows Vista Home Premium
Edition, Windows Vista Business Edition, Windows Vista Enterprise Edition, and Windows Vista
Ultimate Edition.
❏Windows XP refers to Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, and
Windows XP Professional.
❏Windows 2000 refers to Windows 2000 Professional.
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Operating System Versions 3

Contents
Getting to Know Your Printer
Features...............................................................................8
Safety Instructions
SafetyInstructions.......................................................................9
Warnings,Cautions,andNotes........................................................9
Hot Parts Caution Symbol............................................................9
ImportantSafetyInstructions.........................................................9
For Users in Russia, Belarus, andKazakhstan...........................................13
Chapter 1 Paper Handling
Acceptable Paper Condition. . . . . .........................................................16
LoadingPassbooks.....................................................................17
Loading Single Sheets...................................................................18
Adjusting the top-of-form position........................................................19
Adjustingtheprintingstartposition.......................................................21
Chapter 2 Printer Software
About Your Printer Software.............................................................23
UsingthePrinterDriver.................................................................23
Accessing the printer driver from Windows applications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Accessing the printer driver fromtheStartmenu........................................26
Changing the printer driver settings...................................................28
PrinterDriverSettingsOverview..........................................................29
Printersettings....................................................................29
Monitoring settings................................................................32
SettingUtility.....................................................................32
UsingEPSONStatusMonitor3...........................................................32
Setting up EPSON Status Monitor3...................................................33
AccessingEPSONStatusMonitor3...................................................35
InstallingEPSONStatusMonitor3...................................................36
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Contents 4

UsingBi-DAdjustment.................................................................36
Making adjustment with Bi-D Adjustment.............................................36
Using Printer Setting. . . . . . . . . . ..........................................................37
Changing printer setting............................................................37
Setting Up Your Printer on aNetwork.....................................................38
Sharing the printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Setting up your printer as a sharedprinter..............................................38
Settingfortheclients...............................................................43
CancelingPrinting.....................................................................46
Uninstalling the Printer Software.........................................................47
Uninstalling the printer driver and EPSON Status Monitor 3..............................47
Chapter 3 Control Panel
Using the Control Panel.................................................................50
Control Panel Buttons and Lights.....................................................50
CompressPrintingMode................................................................53
About Your Printer’s DefaultSettings......................................................54
Understandingdefaultsettings.......................................................54
Defaultsettingmode................................................................54
Changingdefaultsettings............................................................68
Aligning Vertical Lines in Your Printout...................................................70
Chapter 4 Troubleshooting
Diagnosing the Problem.................................................................72
UsingtheErrorIndicators...............................................................72
PR2mode........................................................................73
WNI4915 mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
IBM4722, ESC/P2, IBM PPDS, and ESC/P2+ESC/MC modes. . . . . .........................75
ProblemsandSolutions.................................................................75
PowerSupply......................................................................76
Printing..........................................................................76
PaperHandling....................................................................80
Networkproblems.................................................................80
Correcting USB Problems...............................................................81
Make sure that your computer is a Windows 8, 7, Vista, XP, or 2000 pre-installed model. . .....81
Printer does not work correctly with theUSBcable......................................81
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Contents 5

ClearingaPaperJam....................................................................82
PrintingaSelfTest.....................................................................83
PrintingaHexDump...................................................................84
Chapter 5 Where To Get Help
Technical Support Web Site..............................................................86
Contacting Customer Support............................................................86
BeforeContactingEpson............................................................86
Help for Users in Australia..........................................................87
Help for Users in Singapore..........................................................88
HelpforUsersinThailand...........................................................88
HelpforUsersinIndonesia..........................................................88
HelpforUsersinHongKong........................................................88
HelpforUsersinMalaysia...........................................................89
Help for Users in India. .............................................................89
Help for Users in the Philippines.....................................................89
HelpforUsersinEurope............................................................90
HelpforUsersinLatinAmerica......................................................90
Chapter 6 Options and Consumables
Installing and Using Options.............................................................92
Roll paper holder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
ReplacingtheRibbonCartridge...........................................................96
Genuine Epson ribbon cartridge......................................................96
Replacing the ribbon cartridge.......................................................96
Chapter 7 Product Information
PrinterParts..........................................................................103
Printer Specifications.................................................................. 104
Mechanical...................................................................... 104
Electronic........................................................................107
Electrical........................................................................ 110
Environmental................................................................... 111
Paper/Media..................................................................... 111
Magnetic stripe reader/writer (horizontally installed only)............................... 119
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Contents 6

StandardsandApprovals............................................................... 130
Safety approvals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
CEMarking......................................................................130
CleaningthePrinter................................................................... 131
Transporting the Printer. . . . . ...........................................................131
Glossary
Index
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Contents 7

Getting to Know Your Printer
Features
Your EPSON®PLQ-30/PLQ-30M 24-pin flat bed dot matrix printer provides high-quality printing
and superior performance in a compact design. Its features include:
❏PLQ-30M can read and write magnetic stripes.
❏The ability to handle a wide range of paper types, including passbook, single sheets, multipart
forms (with one original and up to six copies), and roll paper.
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Getting to Know Your Printer 8

Safety Instructions
Safety Instructions
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
!Warnings
must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
!Cautions
must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Notes
contain important information and useful tips on the operation of your printer.
Hot Parts Caution Symbol
This symbol is placed on the print head and other parts to indicate that
they may be hot. Never touch those parts just after the printer has been
used. Let them cool for a few minutes before touching them.
Important Safety Instructions
Read all of these safety instructions before using the printer. In addition, follow all warnings and
instructions marked on the printer itself.
Some of the symbols used on your product are to ensure safety and proper use of the product. Visit the
following Web site to learn the meaning of the symbols.
http://support.epson.net/symbols
When setting up the printer
❏Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heat source.
❏Place the printer on a flat, stable surface. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted or placed
at an angle.
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Safety Instructions 9

❏Do not place this product on a soft, unstable surface like a bed or a sofa, or a small, enclosed area, as
this restricts ventilation.
❏Do not block or cover the slots and openings in the printer’s cabinet, and do not insert objects
through the slots.
❏Leave adequate room around the printer for easy operation and maintenance.
❏When connecting this product to a computer or other device with a cable, ensure the correct
orientation of the connectors. Each connector has only one correct orientation. Inserting a
connector in the wrong orientation may damage both devices connected by the cable.
❏Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label. If you are not sure of the power
supply specifications in your area, contact your local power company or consult your dealer.
❏Connect all equipment to properly grounded electrical outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same
circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.
❏Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord.
❏The power cord should be placed to avoid abrasions, cuts, fraying, crimping, kinking, and other
damage.
❏If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices
plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total
ampere of all devices plugged into the electrical outlet does not exceed the electrical outlet’s
ampere rating.
❏Use only the power cord that comes with this product. Use of another cord may result in fire or
electric shock.
❏This product’s power cord is for use with this product only. Use with other equipment may result
in fire or electric shock.
❏Be sure the AC power cord meets the relevant local safety standards.
❏Avoid using or storing the printer in places subject to rapid changes in temperature and humidity.
Also keep it away from direct sunlight, strong light, heat sources, or excessive moisture or dust.
❏Avoid places subject to shocks and vibrations.
❏Place the printer near a wall outlet where you can easily unplug the power cord.
❏Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference,
such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones.
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Safety Instructions 10

❏Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. An interruption in power
can erase information in the memory of your printer or computer. Also avoid outlets on the same
circuit as large motors or other appliances that can cause voltage fluctuations.
❏Use a grounded power outlet; do not use an adapter plug.
❏If you plan to use a printer stand, follow these guidelines:
- Use a stand that can support at least twice the weight of the printer.
- Never use a stand that tilts the printer. The printer should always be kept level.
- Position your printer’s power cord and interface cable so they do not interfere with paper
feeding. If possible, secure the cables to a leg of the printer stand.
❏Do not place near the CRT display which emits strong electromagnetic wave.
When maintaining the printer
❏Unplug the printer before cleaning it, and always clean it with a piece of damp cloth only.
❏Do not spill liquid onto the printer.
❏Do not attempt to service the printer yourself except as specifically explained in this guide.
❏Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following
conditions:
i. If the power cord or plug is damaged.
ii. If liquid has entered the printer.
iii. If the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged.
iv. If the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance.
❏Do not use aerosol blowers which contain flammable gas inside or around this product. Doing so
may cause fire.
❏Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.
❏Do not touch the white cable inside the printer.
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Safety Instructions 11

When loading paper
❏Use passbooks and paper that have more than 60% reflectance.
❏When you use a passbook, set Passbook mode to On and set Binding mode to the method for the
passbook’s binding in the default setting mode.
❏Do not load passbooks that are creased or have ripped seam.
❏Do not use a passbook that has any metallic parts such as staplers or metal clips.
❏Do not use a passbook with sticky parts such as stamps or seals.
❏Do not use a passbook that has any pages smaller than the cover page.
❏Do not print on the front or back cover of a passbook. Printing can be done only when the
passbook is opened.
❏When you use paper that is shorter than 110.0 mm, set the paper eject direction to front. The
factory set default is front. Please access http://www.epson.com for information.
❏Do not insert paper that is curled or has been folded into the slot when you load it.
❏Do not punch holes in the area from 25.0 to 40.0 mm from the left edge of paper.
❏Always use the printer with the ribbon cartridge installed. Otherwise, paper jam may occur.
When operating the printer
❏Avoid using or storing the printer in places subject to rapid changes in temperature and humidity.
Keep it away from direct sunlight, strong light, heat sources or excessive moisture or dust.
❏Adjust only those controls that are covered in the user documentation. Improper adjustment of
other controls may result in damage requiring extensive repair by a qualified technician.
❏Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on; otherwise,
you may damage the printer.
❏Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the self test. Always press the Offline button to stop
printing and then turn off the printer.
❏Do not turn off the printer while it is printing the hex dump. Always press the Offline button to
pause printing. Then turn off the printer.
❏Do not reconnect the power cord to an electrical outlet that has the wrong voltage for your printer.
❏Never replace the print head yourself; you may damage the printer. Also, other parts of the printer
must be checked when the print head is replaced.
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Safety Instructions 12

❏You need to move the print head by hand to replace 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.
❏If ink gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them
immediately with water.
❏If you plan to use the printer in Germany, observe the following:
To provide adequate short-circuit protection and over-current protection for this printer, the
building installation must be protected by a 16-amp circuit breaker.
Beim Anschluss des Druckers an die Stromversorgung muss sichergestellt werden, dass die
Gebäudeinstallation mit einer 16-A-Sicherung abgesichert ist.
Restriction of Use
When this product is used for applications requiring high reliability/safety such as transportation
devices related to aviation, rail, marine, automotive etc.; disaster prevention devices; various safety
devices etc.; or functional/precision devices etc., you should use this product only after giving
consideration to including fail-safes and redundancies into your design to maintain safety and total
system reliability. Because this product was not intended for use in applications requiring extremely
high reliability/safety such as aerospace equipment, main communication equipment, nuclear power
control equipment, or medical equipment related to direct medical care etc., please make your own
judgment on this product's suitability after a full evaluation.
For Users in Russia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan
Customer information
The model complies with the Technical regulation of Customs Union "About the safety of low voltage
equipment" (TP TC 004/2011); with the Technical regulation of Customs Union "On Electromagnetic
Compatibility of Technical Devices" (TP TC 020/2011)
Manufacturer: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Address: 3-5, Owa 3-chome, Suwa-shi, Nagano-ken 392-8502 Japan Telephone: [phone]
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Safety Instructions 13

Official representative in CIS countries:
LLC "EPSON CIS"
Address: Moscow, 129110, ul. Schepkina, 42, Bldg. 2a, Fl. 3 Business Center Chaika Plaza
Telephone: [phone]
web: http://www.epson.ru/
email: [email protected]
EPSON EUROPE B.V. MOSCOW REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE
Address: Moscow, 129110, ul. Schepkina, 42, Bldg. 2a, Fl. 3 Business Center Chaika Plaza
Telephone: [phone]
web: http://www.epson.ru/
Production month and year: Labeled on the product with 8 numbers: YYYY.MM.DD
Country of production: Labeled on the product
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Safety Instructions 14

Chapter 1
Paper Handling
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Paper Handling 15

Acceptable Paper Condition
!Caution:
❏Do not use paper that is folded, creased, curled, torn, stained, or stamped. Use the paper that
meets the paper specifications. See “Paper/Media” on page 111 for more detailed information.
❏Illustrations below describe the condition of paper that can be used and cannot be used with
the printer. Make sure to use the paper that is acceptable for use with the printer.
Acceptable
A: Folded
B: Curled
*: 3 mm or less
Insert paper after flattening the fold or curl.
Not Acceptable
A: Torn
B: Curled
C: Creased
D: Folded
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Paper Handling 16

Loading Passbooks
!Caution:
Always use the printer with the ribbon cartridge installed. Otherwise, paper jam may occur.
You can load vertical-fold and horizontal-fold passbooks. Follow the steps shown below to load
passbooks.
1. Turn on the printer.
2. Open your passbook to the page to be printed.
Note:
Make sure that you press any bulging parts of the folded passbook down to 0.6 mm or less before
inserting it into the front slot. For information on the thickness of passbooks you can print, see
“Paper/Media” on page 111.
3. Insert the passbook into the front slot with the printable side face up and the magnetic stripe facing
away from the printer until the top part of it reaches the roller inside. The printer loads it
automatically to the correct position and the passbook is ready to be printed.
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Paper Handling 17

!Caution:
❏When you use a passbook, set Passbook mode to On and set Binding mode to the method for the
passbook’s binding in the default setting mode.
❏Use a passbook that has more than 60% reflectance.
❏Do not load passbooks that are creased or have ripped seam.
❏Do not use a passbook that has any metallic parts such as staplers or metal clips.
❏Do not use a passbook with sticky parts such as stamps or seals.
❏Do not use a passbook that has any pages smaller than the cover page.
❏Do not print on the front or back cover of a passbook. Printing can be done only when the
passbook is opened.
❏Always close the printer cover before printing. The printer does not print when the printer
cover is open.
❏When printing a vertical passbook in USD mode and HSD mode, the difference in thickness
between the right page and the left page should be within 1 mm. If the difference in thickness is
more than 1 mm, the print results may be blurred.
Loading Single Sheets
!Caution:
Always use the printer with the ribbon cartridge installed. Otherwise, paper jam may occur.
You can load single sheets and carbonless single sheet multipart forms up to 7 parts (one original and
six copies). Follow these steps to load single sheets.
1. Turn on the printer.
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Paper Handling 18

2. Insert a single sheet into the front slot with the printable side face up until the top part of the paper
reaches the roller inside. The printer loads the paper automatically to the correct position and the
paper is ready to be printed.
Note:
❏Use paper that has more than 60% reflectance.
❏Do not load paper that is curled or has been folded.
❏Do not punch holes in the area from 25.0 to 40.0 mm from the left edge of paper.
❏When you use paper that is shorter than 110.0 mm, set the paper eject direction to front. The factory
set default is front. Please access http://www.epson.com for information.
❏When you print a multipart form that is glued at the top, load the glued part first.
❏Be sure your multipart forms do not exceed 0.53 mm (0.021 inch) in thickness.
❏Always close the printer cover before printing. The printer does not print when the printer cover is
open.
Adjusting the top-of-form position
The top-of-form position is the vertical position on the page where the printer starts printing. If the
printout appears too high or low on the page, you can use this function to adjust the top-of-form
position.
The top-of-form position can be set for each emulation.
Target Printer Mode Emulation
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Paper Handling 19

Olivetti Mode PR2
Wincor Nixdorf Mode WNI4915
IBM Mode IBM4722
EPSON Mode ESC/P2, IBM PPDS, ESC/P2+ESC/MC
Follow these steps to adjust the top-of-form position:
Note:
❏The factory set default for the top-of-form position is set as shown below.
PR2: 4.2 mm
EPSON Mode, IBM4722: 8.5 mm
WNI4915: 9.8 mm
❏This mode can be used even when the printer cover is open.
❏If you wish to change the top-of-form position in PR40+, make sure that you set the TOF position for
PR40+ to Off.
❏Your top-of-form position setting remains in effect until you change it, even if you turn off the
printer.
❏The top margin setting made in some application software overrides the top-of-form position setting
you make with this function. If necessary, adjust the top-of-form position in your software.
❏Prepare an A4 size sheet of paper before using this function.
1. Select the Target Printer Mode which corresponds to the emulation you wish to change setting.
See “About Your Printer’s Default Settings” on page 54.
2. Turn off the printer.
!Caution:
Whenever you turn off the printer, wait at least five seconds before turning it back on;
otherwise you may damage the printer.
3. Turn on the printer while holding the Offline and F2 button.
4. Press the F1/Eject button while the Offline light is flashing.
5. When the Ready light turns on, insert a sheet of A4 paper into the front slot. The printer prints
triple H in capitals (HHH) on the current top-of-form position and ejects the sheet.
PLQ-30/PLQ-30M User’s Guide
Paper Handling 20