Replacement bulbs

It's a lot cheaper and certainly can be done. If you're handy with a soldering iron and not apprehensive about doing that sort of thing, you might want to give it a try. As an industrial electrician, I have rebuilt some lamp assemblies with new bulbs, but I've never rebuilt one for a projector. And I am anything but the world's best solderer. Just remember to not touch the bulb when you're putting it back into the assembly. Skin oils have been known to blow up many a bulb.

Jim

The problem is knowing exactly which lamp you need. It is more than just voltage and wattage. The replacement has to be an exact match for yours in physical characteristics, such as focal length and other properties.

If you have that information, you should have success.

There have been others in this and other forums that seemed to think that all they had to do was look for 250watt lamp or some other vague information. Another guy even had the idea of using a Halogen lamp from his car.

Sorry if I lumped you into the same group as those "people".

I agree. The numbers should be printed on the base of the bulb. That is where I have found it on every bulb that I have looked at. My bulb does not have very many hours on it, but I will probably look at this option. It is not rocket science.

What a novel idea...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1027939

No haterade at all, in fact, I totally agree.

Just pointing out that I saw nearly the same exact idea just a week or so ago

That other thread has some links. The bulbs are still pricey, but $250 is still a bunch less than $350+, so there is a good savings to be had by replacing just the bulb instead of the whole assembly.

Why dont you all just buy bulb warranties?

Have you pulled the old bulb and looked at it for the numbers?

Since when can you buy 2 bulbs at $35/each, which is what I paid for my bulb warranty.

Yeah, can anyone speak to that Mack warranty? At the price, why would anyone not get such a warranty? And how is Mack making money on this??

Hey everyone,
I dont know if this will help or not but I use UHO lamps at work, I have to change the lamps every 30 days, I only change the lamp not the housing but every third time I have to change the housing because of the heat damage to the housing.
just thought I'd let those who think its a cheap way out, It might not be

I've read through the Mack warranty information on-line and I'd like some clarification on how it works as well.

Am I right in assuming that the bulb replacement warranty is only valid if the bulb fails prior to it's predicted life span? So for instance, if my BenQ W500 bulb fails before reacing 3000 hours on economy mode then Mack will replace it, but if the bulb fails beyond 3000 hours then I'm responsible for replacing it?

That's a good question. I was going to Best buy today to cancel my extended warranty (replaces bulb once within 4 years) and purchasing the Mack bulb warranty. The bulbs for my HC1500 are $300 and up...

I asked the question (each time that I have bought a warranty) and I have been told both times, the bulb is covered for three years. I specifically asked what if you used up the bulb in less than three years and the projector was telling you to replace the bulb. He said the bulb is covered under warranty. I think they can offer this warranty because of a couple of things. A lot of people do not keep a projector for three years and a lot of people do not put enough hours on a projector to exceed the time in three years. If your projector bulb is rated for 3,000 hours, that is nearly 2-3/4 hours a day every day for three years. The odds are in their favor.

Now my projector bulb is only rated for 2,000 hours and I use my projector a little over 350 to 375 hours every six months. That puts me a little over 2,000 hours in three years so I think a bulb warranty makes sense for me.

Show the manufacturers a bit of respect. Projector bulbs in 1970 cost $1 per hour to operate. That's about $5 per hour in constant dollars. By contrast a UHP lamp costs about 10 cents per hour if it reaches its predicted life.