chrbb Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Does everyone replace projector bulbs themselves and/or call upon the help of the caretaker/site manager? As a lone primary school female (old;)) tech who's not had ladder training I'm a bit at of a loss what to do when a bulb needs replacing. I asked the temp caretaker tonight to help me with another projector issue tonight and he was so hamfisted it was a joke. So not going to ask him.
TechSupp Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 I'm a primary tech as well (oldish or depending on who you ask may be oddish) and its up to me to change the bulb otherwise it would never get done. Don't like ladders but what else is there. Worse job is taking down a projector if you have to change the bulb becuase the clamp obscures the lamp opening. Juggling a projector on a ladder is no fun.
chrbb Posted January 4, 2011 Author Posted January 4, 2011 Do you manage to take the projector down on your own? I can't see how ours can be done with one pair of hands.
witch Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 I have to say that I have taken a stand on this and just tell the site manager which one needs to come down - then I change the bulb - and the site manager puts it back up again. I don't carry spanners etc and am not ladder trained - and on 15 hours a week I really don't have time to wait until the classroom is empty which is a requirement apparently
6Foot2 Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Our Network Support team has been augmented by the addition of a former member of the school's Site Support team. This comes in very handy with regard to projector maintenance. He takes care of all of that for me. I could do this work but as he is on the team and willing and able to do it he takes care of it. Sweet.
rad Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 I worked at a site that had a portable platform, we had to use it, rarly did any changes though as the thing needed wheeling round the school. Now it involves a chair/table/ladder as the school is old on many levels and getting things round the school are a nightmare. I manage on my own but I am young and fit.
6Foot2 Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 ...a chair/table/ladder... Not using these in combination? That is a Health and Safety nightmare. Not good using chairs or tables to elevate your level either.
Little-Miss Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 In worse case scenarios i have to do it myself, but most of the time i'm lucky to have another female work collegue who is willing to stand at the bottom of the ladder for me and pass/take things to/from me.
localzuk Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 All our projectors are within arms reach for me, so I've never had to stand on anything to get to them. Advantage of being tall I suppose!
Little-Miss Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 All our projectors are within arms reach for me, so I've never had to stand on anything to get to them. Advantage of being tall I suppose! ...tut, show off... 1
bossman Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Firstly you cannot under the H&S regulations act use a ladder without the formal training: Secondly some projectors need 2 people to gain access to the aperture which houses the bulb: I would therefore advise you to speak to your line manager and ask for their advise as to what procedures to follow it may mean that you train and the site staff help you to remove the unit (even if they just hand you the equipment and hold on to things). They might even find money to purchase a support contract from the LA to provide AV support. Hope this has been helpful I am lucky in that @webman @Tallan and myself have all had ladder training and so therefore we do our own. 1
elsiegee40 Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 I'm tall, but not tall enough to reach projectors in our Victorian building. I can usually get the wretched things down unaided, just not back up again. I'm lucky that our caretaker is always willing to help out.
TechSupp Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Do you manage to take the projector down on your own? I can't see how ours can be done with one pair of hands. Yes, not dropped one yet (touches nearest bit of wood!). It can be a bit of a handfull especially with some of the security clamps we have as they double up as the support and its a case of as soon as its released the projector moves so it involes a bit of fast handwork sometimes. Fortunately thats not often. Must enquire about the ladder training?
Andrew_C Posted January 4, 2011 Posted January 4, 2011 Apart from the ladder training, please wear goggles (gloves too if hot) when handling the lamps. They are at a considerable pressure and if they blow, the glass can do you a serious injury. Especially if they are hot... I've had to try to repair a theatrical lantern (similar lamp) where one had blown in use. Pointless really, a significant lens had simply disappeared.
SimpleSi Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 @chrbb Your projector installer might offer a full bulb replacement service - worth finding out and seeing how much extra it is above the cost of the bulb. regards Simon
laserblazer Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 I've not had ladder training, so presumably I shouldn't go up ladders. There doesn't appear to be "chair on desk" training, so I guess I'm ok there. We have a very tall stepladder for getting to the lights and projector in the hall and I do get the Site Manager to help with that because it weighs a ton.
chrbb Posted January 5, 2011 Author Posted January 5, 2011 Thanks for the replies eveyone, if we had a decent caretaker at the moment I would ask him to help, as they have ladder training, but the current one is not capable and too heavy handed. I'm going to discuss it today with the office manager, my line manager is a teacher and only cares if the projector works! One of our classroom epson projectors has got purple 'corners' so I'm thinking of moving an identical projector from the library where it's used once in a blue moon, to said classroom. So will get the supplying company to move it and change bulbs at the same time. Hopefully by the time the next bulbs need replacing we'll have a caretaker that can help.
TechSupp Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 What you could do is swap the projectors and as the new(ish) library one does not get used that much take the chance to strip it down and give it a clean if money is tight. One of my schools is dismantling the ict suite to go fully mobile eventually so that projector is going to be replacing a class projector that is very poor.
steve_nfi Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 I get up and do it myself. Either in-situ or take it down completely. I wouldn't trust our site staff anyway.
laserblazer Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Some of our earlier mounts have three adjusting bolts that screw into the projector from above. The screws are quite difficult to get to and often get very tight, so I can understand a vertically challenged young lady (or man) maybe having difficulty removing the screws. I've had one that was so difficult, I ended up having to take down the whole mount from the ceiling. That was a real pain because it meant putting two desks together, then another desk on top, and then the chair. It was a bit wobbly.
Hightower Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 I do it myself. If it needs to come down then I do that too. Either on a table top or a ladder if I can't reach from the table top. Have I been ladder trained? No. I believe I am capable of climbing a small step ladder and working from it. Yesterday we had a projector to replace, but also had to replace the mounting bracket on the bottom of the pole. The new one didn't fit so had to drill a bigger hole. Did it all myself. It's jobs like this that I enjoy most, as they don't happen every day so therefore seem more fun.
Hightower Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 @hightower, why do you need a ladder? Our ceilings are about 12 foot high. I normally just use the first rung to get me up the last couple of inches
localzuk Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Our ceilings are about 12 foot high. I normally just use the first rung to get me up the last couple of inches Do you not have them on long poles down to IWB height then? Or do you have them mounted high with keystone adjustments?
Hightower Posted January 5, 2011 Posted January 5, 2011 Do you not have them on long poles down to IWB height then? Or do you have them mounted high with keystone adjustments? We have an old building here. A false ceiling exists at about 12 feet high, and the poles roughly bring the projector down to about 9 or 10 feet high, with keystone adjustments. EDIT: We've got a couple of longer poles in the new block but find these are more prone to shaking when kids are chucking (what sounds like) donkeys around upstairs.
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