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Guide

How to refill Epson ET-8550 ink tanks

Instructions on how to set up your ink bottles once, then top up the Epson ET-8550 and ET-8500 ink tanks with Precision Colors dye or pigment ink. There are no cartridges or chips to reset: check the color, fill slowly and run a nozzle check.

  • Printers Epson EcoTank ET-8550 and ET-8500
  • Cartridges Epson 552 (T552) ink bottles, all 6 colors
Shop inks and supplies

Before you start

  • Triple check the color before you fill, especially the two blacks. There is no easy way to correct the mistake once ink is in a tank.
  • Top up when a tank falls below half. The printer does not like its tanks being run down to low levels.
  • Do not top off the original dye ink with pigment ink. Start the printer with pigment ink instead.
  • Fill slowly.
  • Print at least once a week. Regular use keeps ink from drying in the nozzles.

What you need

  • Precision Colors ink for the ET-8550 and ET-8500, dye or pigment: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Photo Black, Black and Gray
  • Squeezy caps with needles and red scabbards, or the original Epson bottles that came with the printer
  • Sealing O-rings, for Squeezy caps on 4 oz and larger bottles
  • An empty water bottle with a lid, if you are emptying original Epson bottles

First-time setup

Choose your ink and bottles

  1. Choose dye or pigment ink

    The ET-8550 and ET-8500 ship with Epson dye ink. Precision Colors sells both dye ink and pigment ink for these printers. Decide which you are using before you fill.

    • Dye ink. The same type of ink the printer ships with.
    • Pigment ink. Do not use it to top off the original dye ink. Start the printer with pigment ink. For most people that means starting with a new printer.

    CarefulDo not add pigment ink to tanks that hold the original dye ink.

  2. Choose how you will fill the tanks

    There are two ways to get the ink into the tanks. Pick one, then follow the matching setup steps below.

    • Squeezy bottles. Fit a Squeezy cap and needle to each ink bottle and fill through the hole on top of each tank.
    • Original Epson bottles. Empty and rinse the bottles that came with the printer, then fill them with Precision Colors ink. Each Epson bottle has a tip that only fits its own color of tank, and a second port that lets any foam go back into the bottle.

Set up the Squeezy caps

  1. Fit the scabbard and needle to the cap Squeezy bottles

    The Squeezy system is three parts: the cap, the needle and the red scabbard (needle cover).

    1. Slip a red scabbard over the tip of the needle so it seals the needle. On the first install, fit it on and off a few times to break it in so it slides on and seals the tip.
    2. With the scabbard on, place the needle over the cone on the cap and turn it clockwise until it is secure. Check that it is firmly attached.

  2. Put the cap on the bottle Squeezy bottles

    2 oz bottles: peel the silver seal off the bottle, then screw the cap on until it is tight.

    4 oz and larger bottles: these need the sealing O-ring. Place the O-ring on the mouth of the bottle and screw the cap on tight. Remove the cap and check that the O-ring has been pushed up into it. Then pierce the seal and put the cap back on.

    CarefulDo not use a knife to cut around the edge of the seal.

  3. Test the seal and the needle Squeezy bottles

    1. With the scabbard on, squeeze the bottle gently. No air should escape.
    2. Take the scabbard off, keep the bottle upright and squeeze gently. You should feel air leaving the needle tip. Do not squeeze so hard that ink comes out.

    When you finish filling, put the red scabbard back on to seal the bottle. There is no need to wash the caps. Store the bottles upright.

    TipNo air from the needle? The tip is blocked by a sliver of scabbard from the break-in. See Troubleshooting for how to clear it.

Prepare original Epson bottles

  1. Empty and rinse the Epson bottles Original Epson bottles

    1. Twist the cap off the Epson bottle. It takes some force.
    2. Pour any ink left in the bottle into an empty water bottle and put the lid on.
    3. Rinse the Epson bottle clean.

  2. Fill the Epson bottles with your new ink Original Epson bottles

    1. Check the color of the Epson bottle and the color of the ink you are about to pour. Check it three times.
    2. Pour the Precision Colors ink into the matching Epson bottle.
    3. Put the cap back on and tighten it securely.

    Repeat this whenever an Epson bottle runs out.

    CarefulThe keyed tip only stops the bottle from fitting the wrong tank. It cannot tell what ink is inside, so the color you pour into each bottle must be right.

Every refill

Part 1: Check before you fill

  1. Top up when a tank falls below half

    Look at the ink level in each tank. Top up any tank that has fallen below 1/2.

    Topping up early is not mandatory, but it makes the printer more reliable. Over time the printer does not like its tanks being run down to low levels.

  2. Triple check the color

    Before you open a tank, check three times that the bottle in your hand matches that tank. Take extra care with the two blacks.

    • BK is Black (matte black).
    • PB is Photo Black.
    • GY is Gray.
    • C, M and Y are Cyan, Magenta and Yellow.

    CarefulThere is no easy way to correct the mistake once the wrong ink is in a tank.

Part 2: Fill the tanks

  1. Fill the tank with the Squeezy bottle Squeezy bottles

    1. Check that the cap is screwed on tight and the needle is firmly attached.
    2. Remove the red scabbard.
    3. Fill the tank slowly through the hole on top of the tank.
    4. Put the red scabbard back on the needle.

  2. Fill the tank with the Epson bottle Original Epson bottles

    Use the refilled Epson bottle the same way Epson directs for its original bottles. The tip only fits the tank of its own color, and any foam goes back into the bottle through the second port.

  3. Close the tanks and run a nozzle check

    1. Tighten the tank caps.
    2. Follow the printer's instructions as for normal use.
    3. Print a nozzle check to confirm that every color is flowing.

When needed

Printer care

  1. Keep the printer printing every week

    Run the printer at least once a week. A few times a week is better. A document or a nozzle check is enough: the goal is to keep ink moving so it does not settle and dry in the nozzles.

    This does not mean running a cleaning cycle every week. Save Power Cleaning for when a clog actually shows up.

  2. Top off the tanks before a break

    If you will not be using the printer for a while, top off all the tanks before you leave.

  3. Pick paper and settings for pigment ink Pigment ink

    • Avoid glossy papers when you can. Low sheen papers such as luster, satin, semi gloss, fine art and matte are ideal.
    • For matte papers, the Velvet Fine Art setting is best but slower. The plain paper setting at best quality also gives superior output.
    • Do not use the Presentation Matte or Premium Presentation Matte settings for matte papers with pigment ink.

Troubleshooting

Problem

One color is missing or streaky on the nozzle check

Fix

The printhead on this printer is a fixed unit fed by the tanks. A single color lagging is very likely ink dried in the nozzles, not a problem with the tank.

  1. Run the printer's Power Cleaning cycle once or twice, with a few minutes of rest in between.
  2. Print the nozzle check again.
  3. If only one color is still affected, let the printer rest overnight and check again.
  4. If it still does not clear, contact us.
Problem

I put the wrong color in a tank

Fix

There is no easy way to correct this once the ink is in the tank. Contact us and tell us which ink went into which tank.

Problem

My printer already has the original dye ink and I want to use pigment ink

Fix

Do not top off the original dye ink with pigment ink. Pigment ink is meant to go into a printer that starts with it, or one that has had as much of the dye ink removed as possible. Contact us before you convert a printer that has already been filled.

Problem

No air or ink comes out of a Squeezy needle

Fix

The tip is blocked by small slivers of scabbard from the break-in.

  1. Remove the cap and rinse it with water.
  2. Heat the tip of the needle with a lighter for a fraction of a second, then rinse the tip.
  3. Refit the cap and test again.
Problem

The ink foams while I fill a tank

Fix

Fill slowly. If foam keeps getting in the way, switch to rinsed original Epson bottles: their second port lets foam go back into the bottle instead of the tank.

Common questions

Stuck on a step? Contact support. We answer refill questions daily.

Precision Colors, precisioncolors.com/pages/guides/epson-et-8550

Customer Service

Email support, M-F. Replies within 1 to 2 business days.

Get in Touch

support@precisioncolors.com

Address

3384 Commercial Ave, Northbrook, IL 60062

Response Time

Replies within 1-2 business days.

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