My Tips and Advice: Projector Lamp Tips

1. Projector Lamp Warranty: warranties can vary between manufacturers so consult your users’ manual or manufacturer’s warranty information. The typical projector lamp warranty is 60 or 90 days.

2. Don't move your projector while the projector lamp is still on (even while it is powering down), the lamp is very sensitive to movement. Moving the projector while the projector lamp is still on could shorten the lamp life, or worse, it could cause the projector lamp to burst. Don't shake your projector Be careful not to shake, jostle, bump or move your multimedia projector quickly, especially when the projector is on. A multimedia projector’s electronics are sensitive to these types of movements.

3. Clean projector filter: A dirty projector filter will cause it to run hotter and might cause the projector bulb to burn out prematurely. Therefore, we recommend cleaning the projector filter once a quarter with a can of compressed air. If your environment is smoke-filled or dusty, you may need to clean the projector filter monthly. The result of cleaning your projector filter regularly may result in additional months of use from your same projector bulb.

4. Make your projector lamp last: Avoid hazardous climates The most hazardous climate to a projector lamp is extreme cold in the wintertime. If you leave a data/video projector in your car when it’s 40 degrees or below, the data/video projector lamp will have a tendency to explode if you turn the projector on immediately. You must allow the data/video projector to warm to room temperature before turning on the projector to avoid the dangerous scenario of an exploding projector lamp. Don't leave in hot car. This projector lamp tip should go without saying. Most any electronics can be damaged when left in a car on a hot summer day. Without air conditioning, a car can reach temperatures hot enough to fry an egg – or a projector. Take heed of this projector lamp tip and make sure that your projector is always in a room temperature environment.

5. Changing the projector lamp for most projectors, installing a projector lamp is simple and usually only involves the turning of a few screws. However, keep in mind that the projector lamp housing and glass are very fragile, so you should consult your owners’ manual or the instructions that came with the projector lamp, before you attempt to install the lamp yourself.
   The most important precaution to note is when handling the projector lamp, NEVER touch the glass housing on the lamp. Oils from your fingers can cause the projector bulb to burn out or even burst prematurely. Handle the projector bulb carefully using the metal housing, and your lamp should last thousands of hours. Proper lamp disposal: Certain projector lamps contain mercury. Some states have laws that require projector lamps to be disposed of as a hazardous material if they contain mercury.

6. A projector bulb will gradually lose brightness over time. In fact, the curve is so slight that you may not even notice it. When your presentation or video has dimmed so much that you can hardly see the image, it’s time to order a new projector bulb.
   Another way that you’ll know that you need a projector lamp replacement is by viewing the total lamp hours used on the projector. All projectors have a built-in lamp hour counter that starts at zero when new, and should be reset once you change the projector lamp. You should be able to find the total projector lamp hours used within the menu system of your projector. Consult your users’ manual for instructions on how to check projector lamp hours on your model of projector.

7. Projector Lamp Life Expectancy for older model projector (prior to year 2000), most projector lamps last approximately one thousand hours. Today's newer multimedia projectors feature projector lamps that will last for two thousand hours or more. A few multimedia projectors will produce up to four thousand hours of use, and a handful will boast an astonishing six thousand hours of projector lamp use.
   Many multimedia projectors now offer two different lamp ratings in their specs. The lower number is the projector lamp life expectancy under normal use. There are also a higher number of hours offered if you use the projector in Eco-mode. By sacrificing a little brightness from the multimedia projector, you can add many hours to the life of your projector lamp. A good rule of thumb to save lamp hours is not to use more brightness than you need in any given situation.

8. Use projector in Eco-mode. Many digital projectors offer what is called Economy Mode or Eco-Mode. This is a setting that uses less brightness from the projector lamp, yet will make the projector lamp last longer. An example of this projector Eco-Mode is if you have a projector with 2000 lumens of brightness, its lamp hour rating might be 2000 hours. If you put the projector in Economy Mode, the brightness might go down to around 1600 lumens of brightness, but the projector lamp may last 3000 hours. If you go back and forth from the two brightness options, then your lamp hours would be somewhere between 2000 and 3000.

9. Give your projector “breathing room”. Pay attention to where the fan exhaust is on your DLP or LCD projector. All of the heat from the projector lamp must be dispersed away from the projector and exits at the fan exhaust. Make sure that this projector fan exhaust is two to three feet away from a wall or any solid object that could block it. Without “breathing” properly, the projector lamp will be too hot and could burn out much sooner. Make your DLP or LCD projector lamp last as long as possible by using this projector lamp tip. Allow projector lamp to cool What is the most common reason for projector bulbs with shortened lives? Not allowing the projector bulbs to cool. Most projectors have a feature where they power down themselves, just make sure that you don’t move the projector while it is in this mode. Some older model projectors may also feature a hard on/off switch as well as a projector lamp on/off switch. For those, turn the projector lamp off first and after it powers down, turn the projector off.

10. What does a projector lamp cost? If you think the cost of a projector lamp is comparable to a standard 60-watt lightbulb, think again. Projector lamps are relatively expensive, ranging from $200 for low lumen projectors, to over $600 for high lumen projectors. The average projector lamp cost is $350. There are good reasons that the price is what it is. Projector lamps are highly sophisticated instruments that produce amazing brightness. In addition, the assembly process is complicated and supply is somewhat limited. Some projector bulbs are on backorder for several months! We recommend purchasing a spare projector bulb when you buy a projector. That way, you will have a spare in case of emergencies.

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