[matthewsavant]

Hey everyone,
Just a background and question, I have the Epson 8700UB and I'm just about to hit the max hours on the lamp (4000hrs) This is my second projector so I know a bit about them and some possible scenarios but this is my first Epson so I'm not sure if manufacturer maters, Last one was the Panasonic AX200U (I think) and it had a 2000hr recommended max. I would usually reset the hours on the Panasonic and just go over the hours until the picture dimmed enough where it bothered me. If I remember correctly it would be maybe an additional 500hrs sometimes less sometimes more though I think one time I went over by 1000ish.

Another variable that may or may not be a factor, I use the projector as my main "TV", So it's used almost every day for multiple hours a day (Watching cable, Netflix, Playing video games, etc) I've been using projos this way for the past 6 years and the Panasonic lasted a good 4 years before any issue happened (Some kind of lcd burnout issue where there would be a faint green blob in the middle of the picture. When I researched it I found that it was apparently a fairly common issue that would happen after a while with that model) But anyways I'm not sure if most people use them daily as their main "TV" or if they only use them occasionally for watching movies or for events/parties/sports or whatever so I figured it was worth mentioning.

So with that in mind, What are the possible outcomes for going over reccomend lamp hours and what are the most likely issues when doing so?

I am ordered a new lamp today (I always use manufacture lamps, Not knock offs just to be safe) and I don't feel an overwhelming need to push this one over the hours since 4000hrs is the equivalent of approximately 2 years for us and the lamps are much cheaper for this model then for my last model. But I figured it's worth asking since ideally I could squeeze some more hours out of my current lamp to save money but again it's not that necessary, Especially if there were risks to the projo involved.

Thanks!


Oh and FWIW if anyone is looking into getting this projo: I really love my Epson 8700UB, I have it throwing about 25 feet to a 160in(!) screen that I custom built...Ridiculous and excessive I know.
It's in a mostly light controlled room and the picture quality is top notch as are the black levels, I couldn't be happier with this projo especially for the $1500 I spent on it at the time and the 4000hr lamp life that are around $250 to replace, I couldn't be happier with it!

 

[rekbones]

I think the worst scenario is a catastrophic failure of the lamp (exploding) sending shards of glass in fans etc. That is a common failure of older lamps. When ever you get a new lamp always install it immediately so you will get the full warranty and keep the old one as a spare. I have run many lamps double their rated life with no issues but be prepared to clean out the glass from exploded lamps.

 

[dovercat]

Lamp life is just an indication of what you might on average get as far as useful life of the lamp. The figure is for half of lamps still at half of original lumen output or more. Useful lamp life being defined as at half or more of original lumen output. Although that lumen output is generally measured outside of a projector, and the lamp life generally uses optimal conditions as far as on/off cycle and cooling, and it is just the average, some lamps will get dimmer sooner, some remain brighter longer.

Using a lamp past its recommended hours will normally just result in the lamp becoming dimmer and dimmer overtime, and as it gets older it will most likely more rapidly dim. I expect it is also likely to go through more periods of instability flickering, and eventually it will fail to ignite although it will most likely already be too dim to be of use by them anyway.

It is very unlikely to explode. Generally faulty lamps explode within the first few hundred hours of use. Damaged lamps can also explode, mishandling lamps due to impact shocks, or if you handle the bulb with your bare hands unlikely since bulbs are usually inside a lamp housing, or if you do not give the lamp adequate time to cool before reigniting it, can potentially damage the lamp. In the event of a lamp exploding it will be a very loud bang like a gun going off, leave the room, it is inhaling mercury vapour that is a potential health hazard because inhaled mercury vapour easily enters the bloodstream, once the mercury ceases to be in vapour form it is far far less hazardous.

For commercial cinema projectors the lamp life I believe is also the period for which the lamp manufacturer insures the lamp and any damage caused by the lamp exploding, so commercial cinemas may replace lamps at the end of their manufacturer lamp life as that is the end of the insured time. While other commercial cinemas might just carry on using the lamp until patrons start to complain about the dim image, as they cannot be bothered to payout for a new lamp.