Blew Out Lamp in 6 Months!

[chunchma]

I have a Sony KF-60XBR800 LCD Rear Projection. The first lamp lasted 1 1/2 years and aprox 3,000 hours. My first replacement lamp has only lasted 6 months with maybe 1,000 hours use.

Aside from a faulty lamp, does anyone know what might reduce the life of a lamp.

I had my TV calibrated in April but I know that's not an issue. It was done by a very talented and capable person.

I only mention that because I wonder if getting a new lamp will afffect the calibration and if I might have any luck getting Sony or the company that holds my extended warranty to pay for another calibration.

Thx!

 

[David_Levin]

Wow, even the 3,000 hours for the first lamp seems kinda weak. What's it rated for? I belive the Samsung DLPs are rated for 6,000.

Are you going to have to eat the cost of the 2nd lamp?

Could heat be an issue? Are you mounted in a cabinet? Do you cycle the power often (I tend to lead mine on unless I'm gonna be gone for more then an hour).

 

[Ilya]

Sony had problems with some of their LCD lamps. Mine lasted a year and a half. And even though it was beyond its warranty, Sony replaced it for free, because it is a know and documented problem. I really doubt they will pay for callibration though.

 

[chunchma]

At least my extended warranty is going to cover the lamps for 5 years. And this time, I'm going to ask what it's rated for. I thought it was supposed to be 5,000 hours. Of course, I can't rule out that it might just act like the lamp is blown but could be something else entirely. We'll see.

And I don't think heat is an issue. It's sitting on a stand in a corner. So there is lots of space all around. I pretty much turn it on when I get home from work at 6 or 7pm and leave it on until around midnight. That's about it.

 

[Stargazer]

I thought the rear projections didnt require to have their bulbs replaced so often like the projectors do.

 

[Ilya]

I thought the rear projections didnt require to have their bulbs replaced so often like the projectors do.

And normally they don't. This is just a manufacturing defect by Fillips, the bulb manufacturer.

 

[DarrellP]

When I bought my projector, thankfully I bought the Boxlight 2HD which is a Sanyo Z2 in disguise. Boxlight has a 120 day warranty on bulbs (Sanyo's is 90 days) and mine blew at day 117. Talk about crapping my pants! The bulbs back then were $400 and are now around $300, but I got the whole thing fixed under warranty.

What caused mine to blow prematurely was my ex roommate, he was demoing it to his buddies and would turn it off when he heard me coming home and I'd walk in the door and turn it on 5 minutes later, doing a hot restrike of the bulb. I now have an external fan blowing on the pj and once on, I leave it on for at least 2 hours and when I turn it off, I leave it off for at least 2 hours and I have been operating like this now for 1 1/2 years without a problem and my picture is as good as the day I bought it.

 

[Paradox-SJ]

I have almost 8000 hours on a xbr lamp...so I know I am on barrowed time. It to bad lamps are not coverd extened warrenties....


Are you using any type of power cleaner / voltage stablelizer....if not you may want to give that some thought as they can really help. Power fluctions and imporoper volatage reck havock on bulbs and electronic equpment

 

[chunchma]

Good point about the power cleaner / voltage stablelizer. I have a relatively cheap power strip. I should probably consider investing in something a bit more 'hearty'.

Any suggestions?

And p.s. - the two lamps that have blown on this unit in the last six month were both covered by my extended warranty, thankfully!