Tuesday 28 June 2016

How to repair a Projector Bulb Without replacement - Save $100's - Applies to BENQ W1070 W1080ST and many other brands

I've managed to fix half of all my projector bulb failures in the  in the last 12 years of daily projector use! 

 With over 3000 hours of testing on many makes and models, I'm fairly confident to share this.  It won't work on all makes and models, but has on my last 2 ones a Sony and this one BENQ W1070.

This is only for old projector bulbs that don't turn on but aren't blown, my latest one was repairable, even though I heard broken glass(crack in reflector)   My second bulb failed at 1060 Hours and I was happy not to need a new one!

WARNING  - THIS BULB CONTAINS MERCURY - I DID THIS OUTSIDE AND DIDN'T CRACK THE BULB AND POISON MYSELF - DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK SAFELY PEOPLE


Time:

10min

Parts:

Replacement minimum solid 23 gauge electrical wire (Same as the one on the bulb)

Tools

Small needle nose pliers
Small wire cutters

Step 1:

Remove the Bulb from the housing, be careful not to loose the old screws, they're very small.

Step2:

Now if the bulb isn't popped, shake the bulb and inspect in the hole if the coil of wire for the upper lead inside if broken.   If it's broken - Move onto step three - If not it is time for a new Bulb.



Step3:

Thread the right sized replacement solid wire into the hole  where the broken coil of old lead is connected.   I've used solid steel guitar strings in the past without issues too. Thread a length of wire into the bulb to  be used to link Point A to Point B.


Step 4: The tricky dangerous part


Very carefully, I mean carefully wrap The new wire around the shortened lead without breaking the bulb or snapping the lead off.   If you have the correct crimp-on bezel you could use that too.


Step 5: 

Reassemble the bulb in the housing.   Once connected  up in the housing twist the wire around the terminal at Point B several times in the previous drawing to ensure a good connection.  

Plug the bulb back in the projector housing and plug it in and see what Happens!




With Any luck you might end getting a snack and sitting down to a decent movie after all the hard work you've done :D