How to Protect Your Printer During Power Outages or Extended Downtime

Power outages do not only cause downtime and delays. They may also damage your equipment, including your DTF transfer printer. Knowing this, it makes sense to know how to protect your investment from potential issues and clogging so you can keep working and avoid expensive repairs. Here are some of the essential things to learn to know how to protect your printer from not working after a power outage and keep your direct to film transfer printer running smoothly.

Prepare your printer

If you expect a power outage soon, it’s a good idea to flush and cap your printer until it is ready to use again to prevent your printer from not working after the power outage. Without power, the device won’t be able to automatically self-maintain to prevent damage and clogging. So flush it and store it in a safe place beforehand. Here are some pointers:

1. Use specific cleaning solution cartridges to flush your printer.
2. After flushing, conduct a maintenance routine, particularly cleaning the maintenance station and the print head nozzle plate.
3. Follow the procedure we’ll describe in the section below to cap your printer. Capping ensures sufficient moisture to prevent the printheads from clogging and drying out. Your printer needs to stay in this state until the electricity comes back.
4. Turn off the printer and unplug the power cord.
5. Reinstall the ink cartridges when the power is back.
6. Remove the print head cap, then switch on the printer.
7. After refilling the DTF transfer printer, do a nozzle check and clean any affected heads to restore them before resuming production.

Take the time to know the contact details of your printer’s technical support team. That way, you can get in touch if you experience problems with the nozzle output.

Wet cap the print head if there’s no power

For longer power outages, cap the print head to maintain moisture and prevent it from clogging or drying out. Wet capping a direct to film transfer printer is essential so contact your dealer on the specific steps to take for your DTF printer.  

Sudden power outages and electricity fluctuations can damage the sensitive electronics of a DTF transfer printer. Proper care during an outage can keep your machine safe and prevent your printer from not working after a power outage. Here’s what you can do:

1. Stop using the printer and other appliances or electronics when the power is fluctuating or if you are anticipating an outage. Unplug the printer right away if it was in use when the power suddenly went out.
2. Invest in printer surge protectors. Power surges can damage sensitive equipment including your direct to film transfer printer. Using a surge protector can protect it when the power comes back on. It can also prevent damage to other electronics in your workstation, such as computers.

Keep your printer in good condition

These are some of the ways to protect your printer during a power outage or lengthy downtime and prevent your printer from not working after a power outage. Share these tips with your colleagues and staff so they know what to do if the power goes out or fluctuates.

If you need a high-quality but compact DTF transfer printer, check out the 24” 628D-C at STS Inks. It prints using specially formulated STS DTF inks, allowing you to make custom shirts and apparel with optimum results. For something bigger, check out the STS 64” XPJ 1682D, which features a staggered dual-head design for faster print speeds and smoother gradations.