[dsinder]

A couple weeks ago I left the room after a moive and came back about 2 minutes later. I could see a bit of smoke in front of the lens / light beam. I also started to smell burning electronics. The projector was still functioning. I shut it down and let the smoke clear. The next day I started it up again. No smoke but still a burning electronics smell. I decided to unmount it and send it to sony. But then I thought better of it. I unboxed it and set it on a table to project rather than hung from ceiling. There was less smell and after more hours of use pretty much no smell. So I rehung it. The stronger smell returned.


I've seen no visible smoke since the original instance that occured when I was out of the room. The picture still looks ok. The lamp has about 1750 hours on it. If I recall correctly the expected life is 1500 to 2000 hours. So I am probably faced with about a $750 cost to replace the lamp soon.


Might the old lamp be the source of the smell?


If I'm not sure a $750 lamp is going to fix the problem with the smell and give me another 1500 hours of viewing, perhaps I should consider just purchasing a new VW10. I'd sure hate too spend $750 on a lamp and find I've got other repairs that need to be done too!


The VX10 uses about 1/2 the power of the VX100 and has 24p which would be nice.


Has anyone else encountered the brief smoke and then lasting smell symptoms with the VX100?


If I was sure a new lamp would fix the smell problem I'd just live with the VX100 for another lamp life...

 

[Blasst]

Check this thread out, go to posts #34 & 35. Maybe you have the same issue?
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=877604

 

[dsinder]

Thanks for the pointer. The VW100 is constructed a lot differently than the VW50 and there is a big difference in lamp design/size/wattage/cost. But I opened the replacement cover and then decided to pull the lamp (without releasing the Xenon).


I found no signs of scorched plastic. There was just a bit of dust on the sides of the blades of the dual fans. Also some on the leading edges. I covered the opening to the LCD chip with saran wrap to protect it from any dust entering. I then cleaned the dust fron the fans with a slightly moist micro-fiber lens cloth. I also wiped down the rest of the lamp enclosure area with the slightly moist micro-fiber lens cloth. I replaced the lamp and put it back in place. No change in smell.


I think this is a different problem than the one cited in the reference. That user never mentioned any instance of smoke.


I took a look at a HW10 at a local dealer today. The image quality compares favorably with my VW100. After I made some brightness, contrast, color adjustments using DVE HD Basics the CR looked a bit better to me in the DVE demo material than on my VW100.

The HW10 had some color temp and gray scale problems to my eye. But is has not been calibrated as my VW100 has been.


I plan to talk to sony on Monday. If they have no ideas and the smell persists from my VW100 I'm incline to buy a HW10. It's going to cost me at least $750 for a VW100 replacement lamp soon enough and probably some down time and cost to have sony check the VW100 out regarding the smell. The smell is just too annoying.

 

[tyorder1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dsinder /forum/post/15521097


Thanks for the pointer. The VW100 is constructed a lot differently than the VW50 and there is a big difference in lamp design/size/wattage/cost. But I opened the replacement cover and then decided to pull the lamp (without releasing the Xenon).


I found no signs of scorched plastic. There was just a bit of dust on the sides of the blades of the dual fans. Also some on the leading edges. I covered the opening to the LCD chip with saran wrap to protect it from any dust entering. I then cleaned the dust fron the fans with a slightly moist micro-fiber lens cloth. I also wiped down the rest of the lamp enclosure area with the slightly moist micro-fiber lens cloth. I replaced the lamp and put it back in place. No change in smell.


I think this is a different problem than the one cited in the reference. That user never mentioned any instance of smoke.


I took a look at a HW10 at a local dealer today. The image quality compares favorably with my VW100. After I made some brightness, contrast, color adjustments using DVE HD Basics the CR looked a bit better to me in the DVE demo material than on my VW100.

The HW10 had some color temp and gray scale problems to my eye. But is has not been calibrated as my VW100 has been.


I plan to talk to sony on Monday. If they have no ideas and the smell persists from my VW100 I'm incline to buy a HW10. It's going to cost me at least $750 for a VW100 replacement lamp soon enough and probably some down time and cost to have sony check the VW100 out regarding the smell. The smell is just too annoying.

Man your better off getting your Ruby fixed, even with the new bulb expense. I have a 100 and a 60 and at first I thought the 60 was the same if not better than the 100, but over time you'll see the small subtitles that make the 100, a ruby! While the HW10 is a nice entry level projector. It doesn't come close to what the 100 can do. Not in the same league my friend.

 

[jclem]

Do a search on here for vw100 bulb replacement. You can save yourself a bunch if you are at least a little bit handy. You can buy and replace just the bulb rather than the whole housing. I bought my bulb many months ago for $400 but I've see them more recently for $300. It was my first time, and all it took was patience and about an hour!!

 

[rmccormack]

my vw40 will give off some plastic smell every now and then , like it did when i first got it, i havent noticed it in a couple of weeks, i think the projector is just farting honestly.

 

[stevenjw]

Have you tried cleaning the filter? That should be done too. At 1750 hrs, you could consider replacing the bulb. For arround $330, you can replace the lamp only via eBay. Search for that thread on AVS or try directly on eBay.


If the projector doesn't smell when not inverted, then that's an indication that something might be loose. Sending the unit to Sony will cost you shipping and then the cost of repairs, if they find something and you choose to have them fix it. You can always send it in, have them check it out, and send it back without authorizing the additional service. If they don't find anything wrong, you'll have some peace of mind at that point or know what's wrong.


Good luck.

 

[JOHNnDENVER]

These frequently smell in normal operation. You sure there is really an issue here? Maybe some dust landed on the lamp itself is all?


I didn't really read the thread here though,

 

[dsinder]

Thanks all. I've ordered the bulb from ebay. I did clean the flinter. While I cleaned the two exhaust fans I was not able to clean the small centrifugal fan in the air path just below the filter. My moist micro lens cloth technique did not work there. The blades are too small and close together. I do have a small computer brush vacumn cleaner attachment. I' bet that would do the job in that area. I'll have to try that later. I just neeed to be sure to suck out any dislodged dust so it doen not get back into the sensitive area around the lamp and LCD panel. The dust on that centrifugal fan does look like a significant size piece could come loose at any time. I suppose that could account for smoke and smell...