Printing Tips & Troubleshooting
Printers are very convenient when running a busy restaurant, cafe or pop-up venue. They print orders to the kitchen, receipts for Front of House, and other must-haves to keep everything organised and free of chaos.
The one thing printers lack, however, is a set of vocal cords to tell you what is wrong when something is not working. Instead, they have various flashing lights, some of which are not immediately obvious.
That is where this guide comes in handy. If you are experiencing an issue with your mC-Print3 (or any Star Micronics Thermal 80mm printer), the tips below should solve it. We will go into common issues and rarer glitches, and point you in the right direction for solving them all.
Please note: if you require help with the initial setup of your printer, see our Printer Configuration article.
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Initial diagnosis of the issue
It is helpful to figure out the root cause of an issue before diagnosing the specific problem. On the mC-Print3 there are two status LEDs (three on the Bluetooth model), which serve as indicators for different components. Most problems will be shown by one of these LEDs, so it is important to know what each one represents.
A) Power LED
B) Bluetooth LED
C) Network LED
When all three LEDs are solid, they are working without issue. However, you may come across various flashing lights that indicate a problem. We will go into these below, starting with the most basic and quick fixes.
Quick fixes first
Initial checks
Below are a few initial troubleshooting steps to check, which could swiftly resolve the issue and keep any downtime to a minimum.
Is the printer on?
It may seem like the most basic step, but during a busy period it is easy to miss the simple things. You can check whether your printer is on by looking at the Power LED, which is furthest to the left on your mC-Print3.
Power LED unlit The printer is currently off.
Power LED static blue The printer is currently powered on.
If the Power LED is unlit, try to power the printer on. If there is still no luck, check the power connection and try a different power cable if possible.
Is there enough paper?
Low till roll is another common issue. The mC-Print3 provides two warnings to alert you of paper shortages.
Power LED blinks red once, then solid blue You are low on paper.
Power LED blinks red consistently You are completely out of paper.
In either situation, it is prudent to have a backup roll of printer paper ready to switch in, to prevent service delays.
Is the cover closed?
Your printer will not print if the cover has been left open after changing paper. This is indicated by the Power LED below.
Power LED solid red The printer’s cover is open.
To fix this, make sure the cover is fully closed before attempting to print again.
Is your iOS device properly connected?
If you are connecting to your printer via an iPad or iPhone and experiencing issues, double-check that the iOS device is actually charging. If it is not charging, something is wrong with the connection between the device and the printer. Typically this means the cable has come loose or has a minor fault. Unplug the cable from both ends and plug it back in, making sure both ends are properly connected. Failing that, find an alternative cable.
Is your paper facing the correct way?
A common issue is all lights showing solid, but the printer printing blank tickets. This is very easy to fix. It simply means the paper has been put in the wrong way around. Check the guide below to see exactly how till roll should be inserted.
Once you have inserted the paper the correct way, pull a short length out through the gap where printed tickets come from, so the paper is “sandwiched” in place.
Rarer glitches
Less common issues
We will now dive into errors that are less common on the mC-Print3, split into three categories: Network LED errors, Power LED errors, and Bluetooth LED errors.
Network LED errors
These indicators relate to the ethernet cable that may be connected to your mC-Print3.
Solid green All is well with your ethernet connection.
Unlit The ethernet cable is not connected. Check both ends of the cable, and try an alternate ethernet cable if needed.
Flashing green The printer is having trouble finding its IP address. Repeat the “Set up a Printer” steps in our Printer Configuration guide to reconnect it to the network.
Power LED errors
Before reading through this part, observe the colour and number of quick flashes on the Power LED. This will help you identify your error using the guide below.
Single blue flash (every ~3 seconds) The printer’s head is overheating. Printing resumes automatically once it has cooled down.
Double blue flash (every ~3 seconds) The paper within the printer is overheating. Printing resumes automatically once it has cooled down.
Consistently flashing purple There is an issue with the cutter. Open the cover, clear any jammed paper, then re-close the cover.
Single purple flash The supply of power is not steady. Turn the power source off and on. If that fails, try another outlet, then get in touch if it persists.
Double purple flash An issue with the temperature sensor on the printer’s head. If it remains after a restart, get in touch.
Quadruple purple flash An issue with the flash memory (the printer’s internally stored memory, such as connected devices). If a restart does not fix it, get in touch.
Five purple flashes An issue with EEPROM, the memory chip that stores preferences like paper size. If it remains after a restart, get in touch.
Six purple flashes An error with SRAM, which stores pending print orders while the printer is busy. If a restart does not fix it, get in touch.
Seven flashes An error with the printer’s firmware, the software that controls how it works. Turn the printer off and on, and reach out if it persists.
When in doubt, turn it off and on. Restarting lets the printer recalibrate its internal components and software, clearing temporary glitches before it boots back up. There is logic behind the cliche.
Bluetooth LED errors
The Bluetooth LED errors are straightforward. Either Bluetooth is connected (a solid blue light) or it is not (no visible light).
Solid blue The printer is connected to a device via Bluetooth.
Unlit The printer is not connected via Bluetooth.
If the Bluetooth logo is not illuminated, make sure Bluetooth is turned on and active on the device you are connecting to, and that the device is within close range. Bluetooth typically works within 1 to 10 metres, but the farther away you are, the more spotty the connection will be.
If you have any questions or feedback, or a Knowledge Base article you would like to see, please get in touch.
