Hi everyone!! Im new here and I’m hoping someone can give me some insight on my equipment. When taking it out of the crate, all the ink lines have a reddish liquid substance in them and that same liquid is sitting in all 5 of the ink bottles attached to the printer. Is this normal?? I’m afraid to pour the new ink in for fear it will alter the colors. I submitted a request with pictures to support and got a response from AI that said that the red liquid is normal and is a moisturizing solution put in to help keep the machine moist during shipment. It says I don’t need to clean it that it will eventually evaporate or integrate into the normal work flow. It seems like a lot for that to happen. I’m going to try to attach some pics for you to see. Please if anyone can help me, I’d greatly appreciate it!
Hi and Welcome to the community @acreach! You’re absolutely in the right place, and thank you for describing everything so clearly—it really helps.
That reddish liquid you’re seeing is totally normal for many DTF and UV printers. It’s a factory-installed moisturizing or preservation fluid designed to keep the ink lines and printhead from drying out during shipping. It’s not actual ink, and it won’t affect your colors long-term.
Here’s what most users do:
• Don’t pour your new ink in just yet. First, run a full flush or initial ink charge using your printer’s software or control panel. This will push out the red fluid and prime the lines with your actual ink.
• No need to manually clean the bottles or lines unless your manufacturer specifically recommends it. That red fluid is designed to integrate or evaporate safely.
• If your machine has a “fill ink” or “initialize” option, that’s your next step before printing anything.
Hope it helps you clear your mind. 