The Epson waste ink pad: when a reset is enough, and when you must clean/replace it
Updated 2026-06-27 · VNIT — 10 years repairing printers & laptops · Nationwide support
Many shops just reset the counter so the printer prints again — and never tell you one important thing: a reset does not drain any ink from the pad. Some machines get reset over and over until ink overflows onto the base and the mainboard before anyone notices. VNIT wants to be honest about this so you handle it correctly — when a reset is enough, and when you must clean or replace the pad.
What is the waste ink pad?
Inside every Epson inkjet there is a waste ink pad (an absorbent sponge) that catches the surplus ink produced during initial ink charging, head cleaning and borderless printing. The firmware keeps an estimated count of how much ink has gone into the pad — once it passes the threshold, the printer locks and reports the error.
You must separate two different things: the counter is just a number in software, while the pad is the real sponge soaked with ink. A reset only sets the number back to 0% — it does not remove any ink from the pad.
Signs the pad is truly full (a reset alone is not enough)
The first time the error appears the pad is usually only partly saturated, so resetting to keep printing is safe. But clean/replace the pad (not just reset) when you see these signs:
- Ink leaking onto the desk, pooling under the base, or ink stains where the printer sits.
- Smudges or ink on the back of the printed page even though the print head is fine.
- Wetness / pooled ink around the parking station (the area on the right where the head rests).
- The error returns after only a few days or a few dozen prints — a sign the pad is almost out of capacity.
Two pad types: fixed base pad and removable box
How you deal with it depends on which type your machine has:
- A fixed pad in the base (L3110, L3150, L3210, L1110, L1210, L805… and most older machines): to handle it you must open the body to clean/replace the pad, or run a tube out to an external waste ink tank so ink no longer collects inside the body.
- A removable maintenance box (L4150, L4160, L6160…, newer ET/WF series): just pull out the old box and fit a new one as a consumable (codes T04D1/C9344/C9345…). A new box ships at 0%, so the printer recognises it and the error clears on its own — no separate software reset needed.
Resetting repeatedly without dealing with the pad — what happens?
Each reset lets the printer keep printing and keep pushing ink into the pad. The pad has a limit. Keep resetting without dealing with it, and the ink builds up until it overflows onto the base and seeps onto the mainboard — at which point the repair costs far more than cleaning the pad in time, and can write off the printer entirely. This is exactly why VNIT always checks and advises on the pad instead of just resetting and moving on.
The permanent fix for the pad
The long-term fix for a fixed-base machine is to clean the pad (wash the sponge) or fit an external waste ink tank so surplus ink drains into the tank instead of collecting in the body — combined with a counter reset. VNIT does the software part (the reset) remotely, nationwide; the physical pad work needs to be done in person, so VNIT guides you or takes the machine in at our HCMC shop. A reset gets the printer working now; pad work keeps it healthy long term.
Download is free, and reading your printer's model, serial and waste ink pad counter costs nothing — you only pay when you decide to reset. A single reset key is US$6 — good for one reset on one printer. Supports 1115 Epson models, no installation needed.
VNIT has its own reset tool and zeroes the waste ink pad counter directly for most common Epson models — you do not need to buy a WIC key. Our technician connects via UltraViewer/TeamViewer, resets safely and advises you on the pad — From 150,000₫, with warranty. Available anywhere in Vietnam, no need to carry the printer to a shop.