Checking lamp hours on a sanyo PLC XU47

[Little-Miss]

Hi,

got loads of projectors at this school that need their bulbs changing. I need to prove why i need to spend a couple of grand on bulbs so i thought i'd show them the lamp hours of each. Thing is i cant remember how to do it. I've never found it in an option of a samsung. I know on one model it was a case of holding down the up button on the projector for a number of seconds. But this didnt seem to work.

Anyone know how?

[Little-Miss]

Found this finally on the sanyo website:

The projector keeps a count of the number of hours that the projector lamp has been used. Follow this procedure to check the lamp replace counter:

1. Press and hold the UP arrow button on the projector for more than 20 seconds. (On some later models, instead of the UP arrow button the POWER button is used, so press and hold this button for more than 20 seconds.)

2. A number indicating the elapsed lamp hours is briefly displayed on screen.

Will give the power button a try.

[bertster]

Heres the manual:

http://www.aboutprojectors.com/pdf/s...u47-manual.pdf

Page 49 has the lamp reset, although I can't remember if your given the lamp hours / counter prior to the reset.

You should have the lamp replace light lit if you need to change the bulb. Otherwise you may find that its just full of dust that has caked on the the lenses producing a yellow/poor light, in which case would need a clean.

[Little-Miss]

Well, i've just held down the power button on one of empty rooms by me.....6533 hours!!!! They're usually 2000 hour bulbs arent they?

Can an old bulb cause damage or is just poor quality?

[Jamman960]

If the bulb goes while its in the projector it can cause damage, the image will deteriorate once the bulb is on its last legs.

[Little-Miss]

Talking of bulbs going in the projector. I've just opened one up i found in the basement and its bulb has shattered inside. Now am i at risk of some sort of mercury poisoning if i get it out!? lol

[Hightower]

Is it worth replacing the lamps? With over 6000 hours surely the projector is older than 5 years? It might be more econimical to buy a new projector - a one that comes with a free extra lamp.

We had some ancient projectors and the NM bought new bulbs for them. After this the quality did not improve much so we discovered they also needed an optical clean at £100 a pop. And then some of them were coming back saying they needed a new prism which was pricey.

Just a thought.

[Little-Miss]

hmmm, scary thought...but an interesting one.

[penfold]

Another thing to think of is the resolution. Older projectors may have been purchased for 800x600. If you have relatively new computers connecting to them, the image quality might not be great if your using a higher resolution. You could also use this to push for new projectors instead of replacing bulbs.

As Hightower has pointed out, there could be more than 1 reason why the projector image is deteriorating, replacing the projector may be more cost effective.

[User3204]

I get a company called "TechClean" in to clean all the projectors, and count the lamp/bulb hours... well... I have done this once so far, but I have booked them for August 2009, too.

I'm sure there must be someone local who's willing to do this, they actually want to clean the computers... but ...