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Sharp DW100U bulb? (and a warning)

169 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by blw, Jul 10, 2001

blw

Discussion Starter · Jul 10, 2001

I have a Sharp DW100U LCD projector, with which I'm pretty pleased. Last week the bulb exploded - from the descriptions I read elsewhere in this forum, I'd guess it's pretty much the same sort of thing that happened to a lot of InFocus LP340 users earlier this yea.

Anyway, I was kind of surprised as the bulb had 1400 hours on it, compared to a 2000 hour spec.

Here's the question:

When I went to replace the bulb, I was rather surprised at the $470 price tag. Anyone got any sources that might go for less than this? (The $470 was bulb only--with the lamp casing it was even more!)

Here's the warning:

The bulb filament was truly shattered - there are about 50 pieces of glass in there. Good thing it's all sealed, it would have been a mess to clean up. When took the unit down from the ceiling to replace the bulb, I realized that the air filter was on TOP of the unit. The box is "normally" oriented the other way, for tabletop use, but I have it hung from the ceiling. That puts the filter on the top, where stuff can drop into it. I almost missed the location, because it was SOLID--with sheet rock dust. Last year I had some remodelling done at the other end of the house about 40 feet away. The contractors taped it off and even ran fans and an air cleaner. I'm guessing that the fan probably had no input air at all, or really close to it. I have no idea what the internal temperature must have been, but it couldn't have been low.

A word to the wise--check those air filters!

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Brian

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Carey P

· #2 · Jul 10, 2001

Thanks for the warning, Brian. So much for that overtemp cutoff, eh?

I'm real surprised at that price. For that much you'd think it would be for the whole assembly. Are you able to easily change the bulb inside the assembly? I would like to hear your experience with that. Also, please report on any cheaper prices you find for the bulb. Thanks!

Carey

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My forever in-progress Home Theatre

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blw

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 10, 2001

Yeah, I was surprised too. I was prepared for something like, say, $250, but $469 was rather more than I was planning.

I'd forgotten about that overtemp sensor. I can't honestly say that it was malfunctioning, because I wasn't even within 2400 miles of it when it blew. Some of my daughter's friends were over, and they may have seen it but not known how to react. Or it may have just blown.

I had some difficulty changing the bulb, actually. You can either buy the bulb by itself or the bulb with the cage assembly. I think that was $520 and I didn't get it because it was out of stock. So when my bulb arrived today, I set about installing it--carefully. Even so, I actually broke the plastic cage. I have a lot of experience with mechanical engineering yet I couldn't work out how to get the *!$%[email protected]#$ thing in and out! Fortunately, the break in the cage was complete but not serious; I just pieced it back together and screwed the stuff back in. It works fine.

As for the overtemp sensor... does it actually light up on the screen, or am I supposed to notice the little red LED that is above and behind my head while I'm trying to pay attention to the 106" image and 5.1 sound?

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Brian

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Carey P

· #4 · Jul 10, 2001

Yes, there is a warning "TEMP" with a symbol next to it that flashes in the lower left part of the screen. As well as the red LED on the projector. Then when it gets too hot it shuts down and the fan runs for 90 secs and turns off. This is what it says in the manual anyway.

I'll remember to be careful with that plastic housing!

After replacing the bulb, did you check the left to right white uniformity on the screen? It says in the Service manual you may have to adjust the lamp duct (rotate it a bit one way or another) to get it uniform. Just wondering.

I just hope the prices come down by the time mine decides to blow. Where did you purchase it anyway?

Carey

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hjones

· #5 · Jul 10, 2001

Check out Tritronics http://www.tritronicsinc.com/. A couple of years ago, they had good prices on Sharp bulbs for the old '37U series. They are a Sharp parts distributor, so they may have your bulb. Service is great, also.

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blw

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 10, 2001

Carey:

As far as I can tell, no symbols showed up on the screen when it blew. The kids are mostly 15 and from technology savy families; I think they'd have realized what that sort of thing means. My daughter does.

On the other hand, it may well have been the case that the dust had built up over time, and the temperature had not been way out of spec at the moment. Rather it may have been running hotter than normal but under the cutoff temp for months--the remodelling was done months ago, so the dust could have been there for a long time.

On the cage, I have to say that alhtough it was a pain to work with, it sure wasn't worth the incremental $50. As it broke I had visions of ANOTHER $520 going out the door to get one with a cage, but it turned out OK in the end. I sure won't be buying a cage next time...

I have not dealt with the left-to-right uniformity. It LOOKS right. It looks like I'm moving in six weeks, so I will probably have my unit HSF calibrated again after I get it set up in the new place and I'll take this on at the same time. Obviously I'm not going to have a lot of time to watch it in the next couple of months.

HJ: I'll check 'em out. Their web site is kind of a pain, and I couldn't locate my item there. But I'll call them. Good to know about a different source--thanks.

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Brian

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