How Do I Check The Hours Of My Projector Lamp?

Different projectors have varying lamp life. Some standard projectors have a lamp life of more than 10,000 hours; some others have a lower lamp life. This may even be the reason why you select a particular projector.

As time goes by, this number reduces, and it is important that you keep track of the projector lamp hour, that is, how many hours you have left on the projector before it finally goes off.

There are a number of ways to do this, and in this article I will show you the different ways to check your projector’s lamp hours.

What does a projector’s lamp hours mean?

This refers to the amount of time left on a projector bulb. It is the remaining period that it can cast light for the projector. This value decreases as the projector is being used.

At the point of purchase, some projectors have about 1500 to 2000 hours on them, while others have more than that. However, this reduces with time, although it is dependent on how often you use the projector.

What happens in a projector when the lamp life is reducing?

Since projector bulbs are similar to regular light bulbs, they sort of work in the same way. An electrical signal passes through a semiconductor material and activates electrons on it which in turn produces photons, that is, the light that is reflected out of the bulb.

As the projector continues to function, the semiconductor material starts to break apart, causing the projector to get dim over time. The rate at which this happens determines how long a projector will last, and thus, its lamp life.

How to check the lamp hour in an old model projector

This is an old method of checking a projector’s lamp hour. Press down the On/Off button on the projector, and hold it down for about twenty minutes, after which it will display the lamp hour.

This method is easy but you have to be quick because the info does not stay for long on the screen.

How to check lamp hour in a new model projector

Press the menu button on the projector; you can also do that with the remote control.

Select the “Set up” option. For some projectors, it is available as the “information” option. Click on “lamp hour”. This will show either the number of hours that you have used the projector or the number of hours that are left on it.

If you have recently installed a new lamp, press the Enter button on your projector’s remote, and hold it down. Click on “reset” then OK.

For an Epson Powerlite projector, it is a very straightforward process. Simply click on the menu button on the remote, and select ‘About’. This should show the projector lamp hour, its resolution and some other information, at the side of the projector.

The process for checking a projector’s lamp hour differs from projector to projector. You can check the product manual for your projector to know the method for checking its lamp hour.

In the next section, I will be discussing some FAQs that you may need answers to.

How do I know how many hours that my projector has left?

This is an easy process. It is simple mathematics; to know how much of a thing is left, you should subtract what has been used from the whole.

This is also applicable when calculating how many hours are left on a projector. Simply subtract how many hours that you have used the projector, from the average lifespan of the projector. This should give you an idea of the hours left for the projector bulb to work fine.

Note that, what you get from this calculation may not be the exact number of hours, however, it is a very close figure.

What should I do if my projector’s lamp life is short?

Change the lamp, yes, change it. When a projector’s bulb begins to lose its strength, it affects the projector’s brightness and image quality.

If your projector lamp has a little time left to work you may begin to notice it, and this is a reminder that it is time to get a replacement.

Replace the old bulb with a new one, then things can get back to normal. However, be careful when purchasing a new bulb. You want to get a bulb that works as efficiently as the old one or even supersedes it.

You can get the replacement bulb from your projector’s manufacturer or an authorized online seller.

How do I change my projector’s lamp?

You don’t necessarily need the service of an expert for you to replace a projector lamp. Follow the steps below and you’re good to go.

Turn off the projector, or unplug the power cord from it. Allow it to cool, then remove the screws on the access panel.

Also, remove the screws on the lamp housing, then gently pull out the old lamp. Place the new lamp in the same orientation as the old one.

Replace the screws on the housing and the access panel, then turn your projector on.

Conclusion

The methods discussed in this article are efficient means to check your projector’s lamp hour.

You can physically assess the bulb to know if it can still serve you for some time. Simply open up the projector and check the lamp.

However, this is not a very advisable method because, in that process, you are voiding your projector’s warranty.