---
title: National Shutdown + Load Shedding! How to Protect your Printer and Printhead
source_url: https://updating.co.za/national-shutdown-load-shedding-how-to-protect-your-printer-and-printhead
published: 2023-03-19 15:14:08
modified: 2023-03-19 15:23:07
fetched_at: 2026-08-30T22:15:42+0200
category: training
wp_site: https://updating.co.za
wp_prefix: updating_co_za
wp_id: 6202
wp_type: post
pass: wp-mysql-sql13-digest-2026-08-30
notes: sql13 published digest; public permalink; no MySQL hosts in body.
---

# National Shutdown + Load Shedding! How to Protect your Printer and Printhead

**Source:** [https://updating.co.za/national-shutdown-load-shedding-how-to-protect-your-printer-and-printhead](https://updating.co.za/national-shutdown-load-shedding-how-to-protect-your-printer-and-printhead)

- published: 2023-03-19 15:14:08
- modified: 2023-03-19 15:23:07
- excerpt: How to manually cap the printhead of your Large Format Printer and store the printer until the power comes back on
- youtube:
  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpKsspOaae4

Load Shedding is the most complained about the topic at present. It affects us at home, it affects us at work and it also causes expensive damage to our appliances and machinery. And if Load Shedding wasn't enough, we also have protest action, such as the National Shutdown planned for Monday 20 March, which has created fear for many South Africans who want to get to work and make a living.

So in today's video, we show you how to manually cap the printhead of your [AM.CO.ZA](https://am.co.za/) [Large Format Printer](https://buythis.co.za/large-format-printers#ai) and store the printer until the power comes back on, to ensure that you don't damage your printer. We asked Tatenda Maweni, one of our Technicians on what to do! You can watch the video for free on [YouTube](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4):

https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4
Watch Video on YouTube: [https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)

When the power at your workshop, factory or office, goes off unexpectedly, and you haven't had a chance to safeguard your [printer](https://buythis.co.za/large-format-printers#ai)beforehand, you will need to follow the following steps:

Step 1: Open the side panel, and you will find the gear wheel with some tape. You will need to turn the gear wheel, to see the movement of the cap. This is to determine the direction that the wheel turns.

[https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)Watch Video on YouTube: [https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)

Step 2: Locate the printhead and remove the cover. You will now need to manually move the carriage to the capping station.

[https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)

Step 3: Using a torch, you will need to align the cap and the printhead. You should then be able to see the cap station and the printhead if you look lower down.

Step 4: Move the wheel that we found in step 1, and you will see the cap go towards the printhead. Turn the wheel until the cap and printhead fully touch.

[https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)

Step 5: Now you can move to the back of the [machine](https://buythis.co.za/machines#ai). Make sure the [machine](https://buythis.co.za/machines#ai) is turned off so that when the power returns, you don't cause damage to the [printer](https://buythis.co.za/large-format-printers#ai).

Step 6: Next you need to log the waste pipe so that we can avoid the airflow to the printhead.

[https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)Watch Video on YouTube: [https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4](https://youtu.be/jpKsspOaae4)

You have now manually capped your printhead! Please note your insurance company may not pay out for damage caused during load shedding, as load shedding is planned. Best to follow these steps and protect your [printer](https://buythis.co.za/printers#ai)! For more info, please contact one of our technicians for advice on your machine.

Please feel free to visit [buythis.co.za](http://buythis.co.za#ai) to purchase or contact sales @ 011 397 1429 / 021 555 3250 / 060 600 6000 / 072 222 2211.