Getting the most out of your money. Lamp life, and how to extend it.

Many users are not aware of the importance of regular general maintenance on projectors or projection TVs. This maintenance can mean the difference between a bulb that lasts and a bulb that expires seeming far to prematurely. A short amount of your time spent can prolong lamp life and assist in your journey apart from the frustration of being caught off guard and without a bulb to project your presentation, favorite sports team, or a simple movie night with the kids.

Follow these steps and suggest any others you may have.

The actual lamp life will vary based on many factors including application, installation, air flow, usage, proper maintenance, environmental factors, and overall age and use of the projection unit. Overall, overheating issues lead the pack in avoidable failures, an abundance of heat buildup will reduce lamp life and can even damage your projector. These types of failures are rarely covered by the manufacturers warranty and can leave you heated. Follow the steps below to avoid overheating as well as other issues.

1. Once you turn on your projector, wait at least five minutes before turning it off. The cooling system is not allowed to properly operate when powered down to quickly. Additionally, you should never unplug your projection unit until it has completely settled and all fans have stopped spinning. For the road scholar who is always on the run, when you are done with your presentation, and have short time to the next stop, you are doing yourself a great disservice by unplugging the projector while the fans are spinning and immediately throwing it in its carry case. Do not move your projection unit for 5 minutes after all fans have stopped spinning to avoid premature loss.

2. Air Flow, Air Flow, Air Flow. Simply put, if something is blocking an intake vent, exhaust vent, or air channel. Stop It. Filters should be cleaned regularly, and anything obstructing these vents should be immediately removed, cleaned, or eradicated. If your projector was designed to cool itself with 100% airflow as engineered, and its getting 90%. Well, you are cooling the lamp 90% of the way. Allowing it to get overheated, even slightly, causing premature loss. 

3. We cant mention Air Flow enough. Be aware of where your exhaust vent is aimed. Most projection units require 2 feet of free flowing distance beyond the exhaust vent. The more, the merrier. Obstructing this couple feet of free flowing exhaust will disallow the hot air from properly expelling from your projection unit. By now we all know we need this hot air OUT! Blocking this flow leads to premature loss. If your projector is built into a sealed enclosure, you better get a carpenter to open that exhaust side up.

4. Clean the projection units Air Intake Filter every three to six months, or more, depending on your rate of use. Yes, this is Air Flow again, but it is so important.

5. Run your new projection bulb for two weeks or 20 hours, whichever comes first, after receiving your bulb. Lamp failures typically happen in the first 10 hours of operation. Lamp warranties typically last 30-180 days from the date of purchase, not from the date you install it. If you like to purchase a backup, use it as described above, and follow the steps, also above, related to cooling, to then store a known working bulb.

We hope these help to extend the life of your next lamps purchase. Feel free to inquire with us about your specific projection unit.

Have a bright day!