The cash drawer connects to the receipt printer, with an RJ11 or RJ12 cable in the port marked DK or Drawer. The printer sends the open pulse when the software asks for it. First check that the drawer opens with its key, then check the cabling.
Procedure
Open the drawer with its key
Most drawers have a three-position lock: permanently open, locked, and electric release enabled. If the drawer will not open with the key, no cabling will make it open.
Find the printer’s DK port
It is labelled DK, Drawer or Cash Drawer and sits next to the data ports. It looks like a network socket: a drawer plugged into the Ethernet port will never open and will report no error.
Plug the cable in and power up
Use the cable supplied with the drawer. A phone cord that looks identical does not have the same pinout and may trigger nothing. Reconnect the printer’s power supply after making the connection.
Trigger the opening from the software
Run a test cash transaction, or use the software’s open-drawer function. The software is what asks the printer to send the pulse: a drawer that stays shut at this point indicates a software configuration problem.
Secure the drawer and route the cable
A drawer that slides on the counter tears its cable out within weeks. Set it on its bracket or fasten it down, and route the cable out of the staff’s path before leaving the site.
Check these before calling support
- The drawer opens with its key, lock set to the electric-release position.
- The cable is plugged into the printer’s port marked DK or Drawer.
Useful terms
- RJ11 / RJ12 cash drawer
An RJ11/RJ12 cash drawer is a point-of-sale drawer connected to the receipt printer through an RJ11 or RJ12 jack.
- ESC/POS
ESC/POS is the command set created by Epson that most receipt printers understand.
Hardware involved
- MG80 (Printers)