Dot Matrix Printer Troubleshooting

Dot matrix printers, also known as impact matrix printers, are computer printers that have print heads that move in back and forth motions. Because of this printing motion, dot matrix printers print "on impact," very similarly to how typewriters print. Letters are extracted from a dot print matrix, which means that a lot of different fonts and graphics can be used. As with any type of computer printers, there are possibly issues that could arise from using a dot matrix printer, which could make troubleshooting necessary.

Printer Issues

The vast majority of problems with using dot matrix printers can be connected to incorrect setup procedures, cabling or installation. Therefore, there are a lot of possible areas in which dot matrix printer users can need help, from faint printout, to double-spaced printout, to wrinkled paper and paper jams.

Smearing Ink

Blotchy, dark ink smears are probably one of the most common issues that dot matrix printer users encounter. Oftentimes, the cause for ink smears on printouts is that the head gap lever is placed in an improper position. If the lever is moved toward the "plus" position, the smearing problem should cease happening.

Same Line Printing

Another very common dot matrix printer issue involves repeatedly printing on the same exact line. One very common cause for this repetitive printing is the computer being unable to transmit "LF" commands. To fix this issue, users simply have to set the "AUTO LF" setting to "ON" instead of "OFF."

Wrong Characters

Many times in printing, users will encounter the peculiar problem of unexpected, improper characters printing out on paper. One very common cause for this problem is that the emulation of the printer is incorrectly set. To troubleshoot this issue, users can try to look at the printer driver information in the manual and set the "emulation" setting accordingly.

Paper Wrinkles

Paper wrinkles occurring when the tractor feed is in use is also another extremely common dot matrix printer problem. One possible reason for this paper wrinkling is the possibility that there might not be any reverse tension on the paper. To troubleshoot this, users can try to set the paper supply lower than the printer.

Resources

• Troubleshoot Common Dot Matrix Printer Problems
• Printing Tips from 5 Star Support