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Author Topic: When to swap a bulb? Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-06-2015 04:49 PM                    Thanks; that's what I'll do. And keep the old one with a hundred warranty hours left as the spare so there's not money sitting on the shelf. But for the future Ushios, would you agree to stick with the film bulbs?  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-06-2015 05:14 PM                     Nah...I'd go to the smaller digital lamps. As I said, either the DXL-15SN or the DXL-12SN, depending on the size of screen you have. They are more efficient than "film" lamps (shorter arc), designed for the optics of your projector, have a longer warranty life and don't decay in light as fast as film lamps (typically at about 1/3 the rate).  |  IP: Logged System Notices Forum Watchdog / Soup Nazi Posts: 215 Registered: Apr 2004 posted 05-08-2018 10:17 AM                 It has been 1186 days since the last post.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-08-2018 10:17 AM                    I'm bringing up this thread because at long last I need to order my next bulb (only the third since going digital in Sept 2012---business is dead slow). As stated, I've been running the Osram 2000W film bulbs. This is with the aperture / iris thing in place to cut output so that the bulb can run a sufficient current to keep it happy. We are common height so Scope needs the most light; we're running 95-98%. I'd have to look to see the actual current. Given the low esteem Osram (Sylvania?) seems to have now I will go with Ushio. The question is whether a bulb like the DXL-15SN (1500W digital bulb), with aperture removed, will be adequate. Projector is the NEC NC1200C. Scope picture is about 7.5 x 18'. The screen is a Hurley with very slight gain. I don't recognize the type but here is the tag: I can always just get a UXL-20SC and just stay the course. Using one unnamed vendor's prices the digital bulb @ 3000 hrs costs $.2375 per hour while film bulb @ 2400 hrs costs $.2295 per hour which is only trivially different. There would be some savings on the electric bill but by my estimation, including demand charge dropping by .5kW, probably not more than a few dollars a month. So that's kind of a wash as well. BTW, I pulled the first bulb at 1950 hrs because I thought the warrantied hours was 2000 and wanted a usable spare. It's not worth the effort but in theory I could put it back in and run it out to 2350 hrs. That's 90 dollars worth right there!  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-08-2018 12:34 PM                     That is a Hurley SuperGlo. Depending on the day made and the dirt on it, between 1.5 and 1.8 gain. Given that lamp warranties expire in 2-years, regardless of hours, that is probably what you'll be up against.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 05-08-2018 03:00 PM                     @Steve (Kraus): Where is that aperture/iris positioned? It may do you good contrast-wise, as the 1200C is a 0.98" DLP and would benefit slightly from the increased contrast due to the iris in the light path. Not a game changer, but reduced electricity bill is just one side of that medal. And, as I remember you operate a screening room, a little bit of extra punch may be good. That said, you may be okay WITH a smaller USHIO bulb AND the iris left in place. Because a digital bulb will be optimized for a smaller etendue light system, while the previous film lamp probably wasted more light than necessary in a 0.98" DLP. - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-08-2018 07:59 PM                     Carsten, NEC includes the IRIS with the NC1200/NC2000 projectors. It goes right by the fold mirror. It is a single iris (aka "cats eye") as they don't make sets. Ironically, NEC is the least light efficient to begin with. If you have access to the NEC NC2000 "Installation Manual", they call it the "Small Iris" and that section is not translated into languages other than English.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-08-2018 08:34 PM                    Screen is from 1994. Surprised it's not original (1985). The aperture thing went in on the left side when facing the screen. Some of you know James Bond and he did this when setting color etc. He opened the left side, and had me hold some part of the cooling system while he put it in. I guess there is no way to assure that a 1500W bulb will be sufficient based on the greater efficiency of the digital bulb and with the aperture removed until one tries it. A third option would be a 2000W digital bulb at only a very slightly higher price. The aperture would stay in but one could experiment with it removed and see what current level is needed for proper brightness. (Probably too low for the bulb to be happy long term.) If the current level is within the proper range of the 1500W digital bulb, that would be useful information for the future.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-08-2018 09:13 PM                     Digital lamps are seemingly more critical of adjustment, so you may be able to defocus the 2kw lamp just slightly to compensate. Note that if you ever do actually update the projector your choice of lamps increases considerably in size and brands. There are now 1200 and 1500 watt Ushio DXL lamps available. Ushio DXL Lamps Both Osram and Ushio claim their 2kw digital lamps have a range of 1400 watts to 2000. Osram hasn't been the most reliable though. Supposedly they have gotten better. Mark  |  IP: Logged Bob Ezra Film Handler Posts: 75 From: Carbondale, CO, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-08-2018 10:46 PM                     "Given that lamp warranties expire in 2-years, regardless of hours" is this true? news to me I just changed a 3200 hr Ushio (it lasted 4 yrs.).With the backup bulb I bought in 2014. Does this mean it is already out of warranty?  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-09-2018 09:43 AM                    That's a further reason to favor the bulb with the shorter hours. If one is going to run the bulb to the end of what would otherwise be warrantied hours, if not for the 2 year limit, better to replace at 2400 rather than 3000 as the "beyond warranty" operation would be less. And if one did replace the bulb regardless of hours just because it's 2 years old, the wastage would be less. Between that and not knowing for sure if 1500W digital / no aperture will suffice I guess that decides things for me.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-09-2018 10:24 AM                     Running these lamps past warrenty is stupid unless you have an extra 4 grand laying aorund to buy a new mirror and heat filter. I don't have a single customer running lamps past rated warranty and lamps are an expense write for many of them anyway. Mark  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 05-09-2018 12:12 PM                        quote: Bob Ezra was the last to post Given that lamp warranties expire in 2-years, regardless of hours Is this true?? Around here I change the bulb about once every year or maybe up to 15 months depending on how many shows we run. I do like to keep a spare bulb on hand.... but if they expire based on purchase date, what am I supposed to do...run without a spare and risk losing a couple nights of shows if a bulb goes out prematurely? If this is true, it's a classic example of companies writing their policies based only on high quantity customers. Every purchaser should be able to depend on the warranty.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 05-09-2018 01:10 PM                    If it's purchase date not install date then my current bulb went out of warranty in November 2014! Low hour users may not have much choice but to run out of warranty lest their cost per hour quadruple.  |  IP: Logged Bob Ezra Film Handler Posts: 75 From: Carbondale, CO, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 05-09-2018 03:18 PM                     I was quoting what Steve Guttag said in his post after the - It has been 1186 days since the last post- message I called Ushio , and was told, whatever the warranty hrs are, that is how long the lamp and damage are covered. sorry for needlessly stirring the pot  |  IP: Logged

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