Projector lamps
New projectors are supplied with a new lamp fitted, which for the average
projector lasts around 2,000 hours. For
business use, using a projector 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, the lamp should last over a
year.
Replacement
lamps or lamp modules
Majority of projector lamp manufacturers
give a 3 months RTB warranty on new lamps. This warranty commences from date of
purchase/invoice.
Lamps or lamp modules
Manufacturers
lamps vary, but can be sold as “lamp only” or as a lamp module, as shown above.
When replacing a new lamp into the existing lamp module housing, it should only be
undertaken by a suitably qualified electrician or on-site professional. It is important to ensure the terminals are
not over tightened as the ceramic can be cracked and reduce the electronic insulation of
the bulb. Similarly, if the bulb is under
tightened, it can cause arcing on the terminal which puts undue load on the ballast that
can lead to failure.
Lamp
modules are more common place and can be likened to car headlights, where you buy the
“unit” which just slots in. To
replace a lamp module, you simply undue the necessary screws on your projector, lift out
the old lamp module, insert the new lamp module and tighten the screws. Obviously,
specific instructions on how to replace bulb modules will vary slightly from projector to
projector, so the instruction manual should be consulted and the replacement undertaken by
a suitably qualified person.
Useful tips on
prolonging lamp life
Never
touch the lamp with your fingers, always use a cloth for handling. Deposits from
fingerprints cause temperature “hot spots” and temperature gradient stresses the
glass often resulting in earlier lamp failure.
Keep
the air filters of your projector clean as block filters make the lamp overheat, possibly
causing earlier lamp failure. There should
always be good airflow around the projector.
Always
switch off the projector using the remote control and not by disconnecting the power. The
projector will invariably go into a cool down mode where the image is turned off and the
fan accelerates to cool the lamp in a controlled manner. The temperature of an operating
lamp is many 1,000’s of degrees, so if you disconnect the power to the projector,
prior to the above process, the glass in the lamp will cool unevenly and will result in
stress fracture, causing early lamp failure. We
are led to believe that you can shorten your lamp life by up to 50% simply by
disconnecting the power instead of switching off the projector by remote control and
allowing the natural cooling process to take place.
Lamp
failure can also be due to mechanical shock and vibration. A
hot lamp filament is fragile and you should always ensure the unit is turned off and the
lamp is cool before moving the projector.
If
your projector has a high/low lamp/lamp switch, you can extend your average lamp life by
using the “low lamp/lamp” position whenever possible.
Lamp
stocks
Popular makes and models of are obtainable fairly quickly but for older
projectors stock may have to be obtained direct from the manufacturer, therefore it is
advisable to allow 10 to 14 days delivery, just to be on the safe side.
Lamp comparison chart
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Data and video projectors
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