Bang...and the lamp is gone

[pdarnett]

Just doing some work on my Goboshow (huge optikinetics gobo projector), replacing the fan which seems to be struggling, and I powered it up without the cover on. The discharge lamp blew up in spectacular fashion, red hot glass everywhere, luckily i wasn't looking at the lamp at the time, there's some explosive force there.

So take care people out there!

[Corabar Entertainment]

Ouch! - You OK Paul? Did you get cut?

[Paul James Promotions]

Hope you didn't get injured.

This is what can happen if a discharge lamp is used for a long period after it's rated life.

[Corabar Entertainment]

What do you mean Jamie? Should they be replaced after x amount of time - regardless of how much use they've had, etc?

[pdarnett]

I didn't get hurt just a lot of glass to clean up, there's no counter on the fixture to tell the lamp life and its a 6000 hour lamp, but just got it off ebay to do my wedding monograms and was giving it the once over and replacing the slow fan.

[Paul James Promotions]

What do you mean Jamie? Should they be replaced after x amount of time - regardless of how much use they've had, etc?

I mean rated life as in how many hours the lamp has done, not the period of time.

With a standard halogen lamp, it will simply stop working.

With a discharge lamp, as it approaches it's rated life and beyond, the output will get dimmer and dimmer. Then the lamp will usually refuse to 'strike' on first attempt, then will not work at all, and on very rare occasions, can expolde as Paul has experienced.

In general, if you have a 2000 hour lamp, don't use it for more than 25% more than rated life (2500 hours) and everything will be fine.

There is also the possibility of having a lamp from a bad batch, but I have never heard of any exploding in the past.

Jamie

[pdarnett]

Well this effect has had to suffer being shipped with the lamp installed and then me p*ssing about with it for a few days so probably my fault. i think the new fan may have affected the airflow a bit and i may be force cooling the lamp a bit too much, I'm sorting out a cowl so the air goes where it should.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Seems a bit strange to say a lamp has a rating of 2000 hours and to recommend only using it for 1500.....

[wensleydale]

other way round- using it for 25% more than the rating was what jamie said....

[sleah]

Seems a bit strange to say a lamp has a rating of 2000 hours and to recommend only using it for 1500.....

Come on Darren, pay attention in class now......


I
In general, if you have a 2000 hour lamp, don't use it for more than 25% more than rated life (2500 hours) and everything will be fine.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Come on Darren, pay attention in class now......

My only excuse is that I posted that at 8:31am and that is a time that doesn't normally exist for me...:o

[pdarnett]

what were you doing up at that time for!

Was D*ck & Dom on the telly?

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

what were you doing up at that time for!



Football match with a 9:30am kick off....:(