Classroom Projector Lamp Life Guide

When you purchase a light bulb for your home, you expect it to eventually go out. The same principle applies for the light bulbs in the projectors you will use in your classroom.

Projector lamp life is represented in hours. These hours mean how long the lamp will operate before it reaches half of its original brightness.

Overview

How Expensive Are Projector Lamps to Replace?

Replacing projector lamps will likely be the most expensive part of owning a projector. It is wise to factor that expense in when budgeting for this equipment.

The exact prices for lamp replacements will vary, depending on the brightness of the lamp and the model of the projector. On average you should expect:

• Luminosity: 2,000 - 3,000 lm
• Price: $200 - $500
• Hours of Life: 2,000 - 5,000

If you're looking for a gaming projector or a high end unit like a 4K projector, it's important to consider the lamp life cost. This is why I don't advise buying cheap projectors as often you'll need to replace the lamp quite early which can be costly. 

​How Long Will a Lamp Function?

There are a number of factors that will determine how long the projector’s lamp will function. These include:

• Lamp technology
• Conditions in the room
• Frequency of cleaning and maintenance
• The projector model

The lamp life is determined based on the statistical average of lamps of a particular type produced by specific company.

This means that you could purchase a 2,000 hour lamp that could fail way before the 2,000 hour mark, or you could find one that works well past its anticipated lifetime.

A lamp that works for 2,000 hours would give you 2.5 school years of usage, estimating four hours of usage per day, five days a week, nine months out of the year.

Most lamps are guaranteed for 90 days. As we mentioned, a lamp can fail well before the end of its life expectancy. For this reason, we recommend having spare lamps available at all times.

Getting the Most Out Of Your Lamp

1. Become familiar with the manufacturer’s guidelines for handling the lamp. Follow these guidelines when installing the lamp as well as when maintaining the projector.

2. Keep exhaust and intake vents clean. The number one reason projectors and lamps fail prematurely is because they overheat. They overheat because there is not a sufficient airflow to lower the temperature of the projector as a result of vent blockages.

3. Do not unplug your projector prematurely. When you power off your projector, you may hear that the cooling fan is still running. If you unplug the projector before the lamp has a chance to cool down, you will shorten its life. Familiarize yourself with the user’s manual as some projectors do not allow the immediate removal of power.

4. Give your projector room to breathe. A tight space, like a bookcase, may seem like the ideal location for your projector. However, if airflow is restricted, the hot air that is removed from the projector via its exhaust may simply be recycled through the projector. This will prevent the projector from cooling down properly and could minimize the life of your lamp.

5. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions when it comes to cleaning the air filters on your projector. In the classroom environment, there may be extra dust, chalkboards, or particles created by dry marker boards. This means that you will need to check the filters with greater frequency. If airflow is inhibited, the projector will not cool down properly.

6. Turn the projector off and on only when needed. A mistake that some make is thinking that if they are going to be away for a short while it is better to turn the projector off and then start it back up. They feel that this is a way of protecting the lamp. But just the opposite is true. Powering up and then powering down the projector frequently negatively affects the life of the bulb.

7. Use caution when installing a new bulb. If you tap or strike the new lamp, you may damage the filament, which could damage the new lamp.

8. When installing a new lamp, try not to touch the lamp bulb. The oils from your hands that you get on the bulb may lead to uneven heating, causing the lamp to fail.

It is good for you to keep maintenance in mind when determining where you will mount a new projector. One of the reasons why maintenance is not done in a timely manner is because the projector has been mounted in an inconvenient location.

When mounting the projector, select a location that makes it easy for you to clean the filters and the vents without needing to dismount the projector.

​In Conclusion

It's clear that lamp replacement ​doesn't come cheap. But, you'll have to deal with that fact if you want to own a projector.

Of course, there are some things that are beyond your reach, like certain unexpected malfunctions and breakdowns. However, all the other stuff should be under your control. 

For starters, know your stuff! Learn more about lamp life and replacement. As an informed buyer you'll be less likely to make a drastic mistake.

​And most importantly, make sure you know and follow the manufacturer's guidelines, maintain the projector regularly and give it room to work in the best possible conditions.