🤖 DrippyBot

🐳 Docker container that prevents Epson printer nozzle clogs through scheduled test prints

🎯 Why?

Inkjet printers can develop nozzle clogs when not used regularly. DrippyBot automatically prints a test page at scheduled intervals to keep your print heads healthy.

📌 Usage

First, get your printer model string:

docker run -it --rm ghcr.io/vittee/drippybot model

Type your printer model to search, select it, and use the output string as the MODEL environment variable in your compose file.

Find your printer's IPP URI:

1. Open your Epson printer's web interface by entering its IP address in a browser
2. Look for "Web Config" or "Printer Information" page
3. Find the IPP endpoint - usually in one of these formats:

http://<printer-ip>:631/ipp/print
https://<printer-ip>:631/ipp/print

Replace <printer-ip> with your Epson printer's IP address.

The protocol (http or https) depends on your printer model and settings.

Use the one that works with your printer's web interface and use it as the URI environment variable.

Set your timezone in the compose file. Use TZ identifier from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones

docker-compose.yml:

x-timezone: &tz
  # Set your local timezone
  TZ: Asia/Bangkok

services:
  drippybot:
    image: ghcr.io/vittee/drippybot:latest
    restart: always
    environment:
      <<: *tz
      # Required: Your printer's IPP URI
      URI: https://192.168.1.100:631/ipp/print
      # Required: Copy and paste the output string from 'model' command here
      MODEL: escpr:0/cups/model/epson-inkjet-printer-escpr/Epson-L3250_Series-epson-escpr-en.ppd
    labels:
      ofelia.enabled: "true"
      # Run at 10:30:00 every Tuesday - good time for home printers
      ofelia.job-exec.datecron.schedule: "0 30 10 * * 2"
      ofelia.job-exec.datecron.command: "/entrypoint.sh print"

  scheduler:
    image: mcuadros/ofelia:latest
    restart: always
    environment:
      <<: *tz
    command: daemon --docker
    volumes:
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock:ro

The schedule format is: second minute hour day_of_month month day_of_week

Examples:

0 30 10 * * 2 - Run at 10:30 AM every Tuesday (recommended for home printers)

0 30 10 * * 1,4 - Run at 10:30 AM Monday and Thursday (for more frequent use)

0 30 10 * * * - Run at 10:30 AM every day (for frequently used printers)

See cron documentation for more details

🏃🏼‍♂️ Running

You can run this compose file using one of these methods:

CLI

docker compose up -d

Portainer

Go to "Stacks"

1. Click "Add stack"
2. Upload or paste the docker-compose.yml file content
3. Deploy the stack

Author

Wittawas Nakkasem