Why do I get unknown printer error 0xFA on my EPSON Workforce WF-3540 under Ubuntu 12.10?

Question

I recently bought an EPSON Workforce WF-3540, which I'm using under Ubuntu 12.10 with the official driver provided by EPSON. I am often printing batches of about a hundred pages, duplex. When I'm doing this, after about 20 pages, I regularly get an error message on the printer screen, telling me the printer encountered unknown error 0xFA, forcing me to turn the printer off and back on.

I talked to EPSON about the problem, but they claim they're not supporting Linux and tell me to ask the Linux community about the problem (and possibly another driver?). So this is what I'm doing here... any ideas?

Unfortunately, the documentation does not contain any information pertaining to error code 0xFA and the support hotline wasn't able to give me further information, either.

BTW, the problem hasn't happened, so far, when I'm printing smaller batches or not using duplex. Whenever the problem happens, there's a page in the printer that's already been printed on one side, so I'm suspecting the problem's connected with the duplexer.

Solution 1

I, too had this error code come up when I was printing several 2-sided pages. I opened up the back and sure enough, there was a paper jam. Turned printer off, pulled out paper, and turned printer back on. Problem fixed! Too bad the screen didn't just read "paper jam." That would have saved me a lot of time!

Solution 2

I just encountered the same error code and after letting the printer sit a few minutes while off, the screen said there was a paper jam once restarted. Restarting it quickly just gave me the same error code. I cleared the jam and the printer "adjusted itself" for about a minute. Seems to working fine after printing another 30+ duplex prints. -AL

Comments

[Granger]

This doesn't solve your problem, but I am having the same issue on a WF-3540 purchased within the last 7 days. The printer is connected over WiFi to a Windows 8.1 machine; all the latest Epson drivers installed. So Epson can't say it's a "Linux problem", nor that I need to update my client software.

[Granger]

FYI, Epson told us it was a hardware issue and that we could return it. In my opinion, the actual issue is simply that the printer is reporting "0xFA" when it should be reporting "paper jam". I wouldn't be surprised if they issued a firmware update to "fix" the problem. Beyond that, it's definitely related to the duplexing functionality.

[Admin]

Bless you all. This just happened on my 3540. After much dithering, I just now opened the back and lo and behold -- it was a paper jam. THANK YOU!