Garbled printout from R1800

**Answering for completion**

With a lot of these clog issues on Epson printers, it’s due to a printhead clog which requires a cleaning solvent. The issue is the micro piezo printheads clog super easily, so you need to clean these things more often than a traditional inkjet. With all of these Epson inkjets, you need to run a test page 1-2+ times a week using as little ink as you can. What I would do on an Epson to keep it alive is type TEST in all colors the machines support - if it’s a 6 color, C/LC/M/LM/Y/K in photo mode (match things as closely as you can for LC/LM). With most 7 color machines — especially PRO machines with specialized carts this problem becomes rare unless the printer sits a lot. Sadly yes, this does exclude the 11x17-13x19, as they are just wider versions of the consumer/prosumer printers with 7 colors (usually the 6-color system+LY, 7+clear is only seen on very high-end machines).
The irony of ALL OF these issues is Epson specially designs the wide format printers (read, large roll format that goes well beyond 13x19) to be cleaned and even sells a similar solvent to the 3rd party options for the small printers, especially signage-oriented models.
Epson knows better - DO NOT SELL AN UNSERVICEABLE MACHINE to someone in the signage business. These people make them the most money (expensive high mL capacity ink, maintenace pads, cleaning kits).

You can find a cleaning kit with a bottle of it on Amazon nowadays, which is a far cry better than the old days you had to DIY it or buy it on eBay. Now you just buy it next time you order a thing from Amazon since you need it anyway.

If this doesn’t help, ether there’s air in the lines or there’s a stubborn clog in the line. Air blockages can usually be fixed, but a stubborn clog may not come out easily without disassembling the printer and cleaning it in an ultrasonic printer - which is usually the end of the line for most DIYers. It's the kind of thing I'd try on a wide format Epson if I can tell how to safely remove the head, otherwise I may try and purge the air with a syringe or OEM Epson ink recovered from a cart which was killed by removal.