All projectors make loud noises from time to time. Projectors are machines, and, like the washer and dryer in your home, they too, make noise. Noise is normal when your projector is in operation.
There can be a few reasons why your projector is making a loud noise, which means that there are some things you can do to reduce noise as well.
It can be frustrating when you find the projector, once quiet, now becoming an annoyance. And, like any annoying sound, you want to put an end to it. No one wants a buzzing bee in his or her ear, or the sound of chalk running down a chalkboard; likewise, no one wants a loud projector.
You may be asking yourself, “why is my projector fan so loud?” Hopefully, some of these solutions below will prove valuable to you and fix your projector problem.
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Common reasons why your projector is making a loud noise
Heat under normal working conditions
The most common reason why your projector is making a loud noise is that the projector is running hot due to normal operations and needs to cool down. The projector has to give off light in order to present a clear image to viewers.
The bulb and circuitry are all at work when a projector begins to heat. Think of the projector as you would a car: when the engine and the air conditioner/heating system run simultaneously, it causes the car to get hot. The same can be said for projectors.
Your projector could be making a loud buzzing noise because of what it’s doing. Projectors get heated when they play movies (as with a home movie projector). They also run when you’re at work giving a business presentation.
Whenever you cut a projector on, it runs, and the act of operation brings with it a loud noise.
The room temperature is too hot
What’s the temperature of the room like that you’re in? The temperature may not seem to be a problem in moderate situations, but summer and winter seasons prove brutal to projectors.
Summer temperatures are too hot, and a room with very little air exacerbates the problem. A hot room with a hot projector can prove as lethal as a dynamite stick. Projectors run hot when in use, but the winter season can also prove brutal.
The heat in a cold room only exacerbates the internal heat of the projector.
The projector’s been on too long
Another common reason why your projector is making a loud noise pertains to long, extended periods of use. Projectors don’t always run loudly, but the longer they stay on, the more noise they make. Simply put, you may be using your projector for too long a time before cutting it off.
Movies can prolong your use of a home movie projector. Presentations at the office may require extended use. If you find yourself binge-watching a movie or cartoon series, however, the projector may simply be on for too long a time.
Aging
How long have you had the projector? Projectors overheat, but after a while, the circuitry becomes an electrical problem. If you’ve been using it for some time and find a unique smell coming from it, it may be time to get the projector checked or buy a new one altogether.
Projectors, like all other electronics, get old. At some point, all machines need replacement.
Dust and dirt accumulation
As time goes by, projectors accumulate dust from the air and dirt from our hands as we use it. Our hands have sweat and oil on them, and these carry over to the projector when we touch it. Dust in the air can float around from a fan or furniture onto the projector.
If you haven’t dusted the room in a while, the dust can float from one item to another — with your projecting trapping it all. So, one reason for the loud noise from your projector could be dust and dirt accumulation over time. Dust and dirt affect electronics in general, including projectors.
How can I reduce the noise from my projector?
Thankfully, there are things you can do to stop the projector from making a loud buzzing noise.
Seek repairs
If you find your projector giving off a burning smell of some kind, it’s time to take the device to a repairman. The projector can be fixed, but you’ll need an expert to look into the problem and diagnose the trouble. This is especially true if the projector is over a year old.
Depending on daily use, the device may age faster than you expected, and this could lead to mechanical failure.
In the absence of electrical failure, the projector fan may need replacement. If the warranty on your projector is already expired, you can replace the fan yourself (if you know how to do this). Should you have a warranty in place, you may want to take the fan back to the store where you purchased the warranty.
Let the store of purchase replace the fan if possible so that you don’t void your warranty.
Cut the projector off and let it cool down
If you find the projector making static noise, you may need to let the projector sit and cool for a while. Turn it off and give it some time to cool. You may decide to let it cool for a few hours and watch a movie on your smartphone instead.
If you’re using the projector for extended periods of time, it may be wise to limit the amount of time you use it. For example, watching a Netflix movie may be good, but you could use your smart TV, tablet, or laptop instead.
If your projector is on a rug or carpet instead of a table or flat surface, the fabric under the projector may exacerbate overheating. Carpets and rugs trap heat, adding to the heat of a projector when it is in use. The fabric under the projector can trap heat, kindling the projector as fire kindles wood.
Clear the projector area of anything that can increase the heat of the device.
Turn on the air conditioner to cool the room and the projector
If you notice the room temperature is too hot, you may need to cut on your air conditioner and let the room cool. Turning off your projector while the air is cooling is also a wise idea. The AC will cool the room as well as prevent the projector from overheating.
Prolonged overheating can lead to electrical or mechanical failure.
If your room doesn’t have the best air supply, you can overcome it by mounting your projector on a wall. A mounted projector may receive better ventilation than an unmounted one on a stand or cart. Even in a room that’s not that well-circulated, you can still get better ventilation to your projector by mounting it.
Clean the projector, outside and inside, but do so safely
Last but not least, you can reduce the noise from your projector by cleaning it. First, clean the outside of the projector by using rubbing alcohol with a paper towel or cleaning wipes. Limit how much rubbing alcohol you use on the paper towel, and don’t soak the paper towel in alcohol.
If you don’t want to use a paper towel and rubbing alcohol on your projector, you may opt for cleaning wipes instead.
Cleaning the outside of the projector is easy, but what about the inside? This is easily accomplished by using a computer duster. Computer dusters, also known as electronics cleaners, are essentially a spray can of carbon dioxide with a straw on the can nozzle.
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You can spray the computer duster into the ventilation holes on the projector to clean the inside. For safety, it is important to wear goggles and a face mask while doing so. Using chemicals in close proximity to your eyes and face can pose a risk to your eyes, face, and mouth. Additionally, without a mask, you could inhale the contents of the spray bottle, which would prove dangerous to your health.
You may void your warranty by opening your projector case to clean it. To prevent voiding your warranty, take the projector to a professional for a thorough cleaning.
Conclusion
While there are a number of reasons why your projector is making a loud noise, there are some solutions to the problem. There are a number of things you can do at home to stop the buzzing noise, from cleaning the projector to cooling the room, reducing usage time, and mounting it. However, you may feel more at ease by letting a professional check out the device and diagnose it.
A new device may not require a professional check-up, but as the projector ages, a professional check-up is important – for both your safety and the projector.
Vance is a dad, former software engineer, and tech lover. Knowing how a computer works becomes handy when he builds Pointer Clicker. His quest is to make tech more accessible for non-techie users. When not working with his team, you can find him caring for his son and gaming.