Most projectors are made to be able to last around 20,000 hours. The bulbs, on the other hand, have variable life spans of from 3,000 for halide bulbs and 60,000 for LED bulbs. The care of the projector and the environment it’s used in matter quite a bit as well. Projectors can come in a number of sizes and shapes. There are Ultra Short throw and standards projectors that one can make a purchasing decision on.
However, when the question of longevity is asked, how long can a projector last? The below article answers this question and more.
What is the lifespan of a projector?
Projectors, like most technology, come with lifespans. There are a number of pieces inside of projectors that wear down over time. There are also a number of them that are likely to fail. The first part that some think will fail is the electron control board. While they can fail, they last a lot longer than many think. The only thing that makes the electron control board fail are environmental issues, electrical surges, and mishandling. If you take good care of your projector though, this won’t be an issue.
A piece of projectors that give good indication of when it will fail is the projector’s bulb type. These bulbs do burn out, like most bulbs do. The bulbs in modern projectors can last for a long time without having to be replaced but if the projector is used often, the time of replacement comes quickly.
If the bulb is replaced, this can extend the life of the projector substantially. This, however, is easier said than done. Another thing one has to think about is that, by the time the bulb wears out, you may be ready to get a replacement.
With having said that, the standards for videos are changing on a regular basis, and if one wants to keep up, you’ll have to replace the equipment on a regular basis (every few years). But if the inputs for the projector is only VGA, it’s about time for you to get a replacement.
Typical lamp life for projectors
Below you will find the average lifespan of a projector. It’s worth mentioning that the factor that decides the projector’s lifespan is the type of bulb it has. If you would like a projector that lasts for a long time, you will have to take a look at the type of bulb it uses.
Laser bulb: Laser based projectors have a lifespan of around 20,000 hours. The downside is that the bulbs in this projector type can’t be replaced by the owner.
LED bulb: LED bubs are known for lasting for long times in relation to standard bulb types. Some bulbs will have lifespans of near 60,000 hours. Many LED bulbs aren’t consumer replaceable.
Standard projector lamp: Standard bulbs use metal halide or metal arc lamps with ultra-high-pressure mercury. These types of bulbs last between 1,000 to 5,000 hours.
There is a large gap between how long projector bulbs can last. Many projectors nowadays have either laser or LED technology in them. Halide based lamps are still out there and tend to be cheaper than other types of projectors.
The option to check the Usage Time
Many projectors come with an option to check their usage time. One can use this as an indicator of the bulb’s lifespan. Once one finds the options in the settings, all that needs to be done is a bit of math.
A large numbers of projectors come with information on the bulb’s life somewhere on the packaging or on the user manual. If you have this information all that needs to be done is subtract the usage time from the number. The number you get is the number of hours the bulb has left.
Extending a projector’s life
A good way to get the full lifespan of the projector is to take good care of it.
What does this mean? Well, if you’re not knocking it down all the time, you’re probably taking good enough care of it.
A few other things you could do are :
- Make sure the projector is taken care of when it is transported: Especially useful if the projector is used for office meetings or is constantly moving from place to place. One could purchase a padded case to aid in the projector’s care.
- Make sure the projector is clean and dust free: The projector’ s fan is the area that will accumulate the most dust, and thus is the area that will have to have the most attention paid to it. If you’re cleaning the lens you want to make sure to not use a rough cloth or a strong chemical.
- Keep a fan near your projector: As the projector’s components tend to get hot, you’ll want to make sure they are staying cool by giving them enough air.
- Make sure the projector is allowed to fully cool down after use: Doing so will make sure that everything is packed away safely after use.