How to Extend your Project Lamp

All projectors and rear projection television lamps have have an expected amount of time that they should last. This is calculated by hours. In most projectors the lamp life will typically be between 2000 and 4000 hours, for newer projectors it will likley be around 3000-4000 hours. Rear projection television lamps typically last between 5000 and 8000 hours.

Top Tips:

• Clean and or replace the air filters in your projector. Through day to day use filters can become blocked and this will likely lead to your lamp overheating or failing long before it should. It is vital that there is good air flow around the projector – especially where the air vent is located.
• To ensure you get the most out of your projector it is recommended that you take it to be serviced by a reputable service agent every 2 to 3 years.
• Most projectors will have an economy mode, by selecting this when possible you can help extend the life of your lamp, it will usually be a “high / low lamp” switch. By selecting economy mode your picture may be slightly dimmer but will help increase the life of your lamp. This will also allow you to save on power.
• Try to keep your projector in a safe, secure and well ventilated place ideally where it will not be easily bumped or knocked, projector mounts are a good way to ensure this. Regularly checking the temperature where the projector is kept and used is important as sudden changes in temperature can affect and reduce the life of your lamp.
• When you need to change your lamp, be very careful to not touch the bulb or the glass. Touching the bulb or glass with your hands can damage the bulb and reduce the life expectancy. Handle the lamp by only touching the plastic housing, wearing gloves while replacing your lamp is recommended.
• Always switch off 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. Disconnecting the power to the projector prior to the above process causes the glass in the lamp to cool unevenly and will result in a stress fracture and early lamp failure.