Written by Correy Pelletier
A projector lamp’s life can vary from user to user. Some users might get 1000 hours of life, while others might get 6000 hours of life. This depends on which bulb you’re using and how often you use the projector.
Aside from defective lamps, which account for 2% of all lamps and have a really short lamp life. The average life expectancy of a projector lamp is 2500 hours.
You can prolong the life of your projector lamp in these ways:
1. Environment
Run your projector in a cool room, such as a basement or air-conditioned room, which will extend your projector’s life. You will draw cool air into your projector to cool down the internal temperature.
Your lamp gets really hot during use. If you re-run it in a warmer environment, you may want to consider not running it until the room temperature is cooler. Or you could point an external fan towards the intake on the projector.
2. Run time or usage
It’s better to use your projector in short bursts, rather than for long periods of time. For example, you will get better lamp life if you run your projector for 3 hours at a time, once a day versus running it 12 hours in a row. Some companies and users have no choice but to run their projector for long periods like in sports bars or for weather monitoring systems. These users will have to replace their lamps more frequently because of long use.
3. Cleaning
Clean your air filter regularly, so it does not get clogged with dust. The more cool air it can draw in the better. If you live in a dustier environment, you will need to clean your projector filter more frequently. You can easily clean it by tapping out the duct or using light suction.
4. Eco-mode versus Normal Mode
Most projectors allow you to run it in ECO MODE, which means it will project a dimmer image to extend the lamp life. Some eco-modes can double the lamp life; however, you will not get as bright of a picture. You can select eco-mode in the on-screen menu.
5. Make sure other components are working properly, like the fans
If your fans are not working well, then your projector cannot draw air into the machine and the lamp compartment to cool it off. If you ever hear the fans struggling to turn or hear nothing at all, then it may not be functioning properly. You should take it to a local repairman for a diagnosis and get them fixed to extend your lamp’s life.
6. Never unplug your projector during use
Unplugging your projector before it has time to shut down will completely kill your lamp life. (The fans run for about 10 minutes after shut-down to keep cool air flowing to your lamp.) Make sure after you use the projector, you turn off the power button and wait until the fans have stopped before unplugging the projector. If you experience power loss while your projector is running, try to get a fan to blow air into the intake of the projector. Your bulb may blow or lose significant life if you unplug your projector during use.