How to Increase Projector Lumens
By Tatyana Ivanov
Lumens measure the brightness of projectors. Projectors come with an assigned level of lumens, with the brightest, or highest lumen, projectors being the most expensive. As projector bulbs age, their brightness can decrease as much as 80 percent -- before the bulbs burn out. While increasing the lumens of a projector beyond its rated brightness is not possible, you can reduce the number of lumens lost by bulb age.
Replacing a Dimmer Bulb
Turn off and unplug your projector and place it on a clean, level surface. Allow the lamp to cool.
Access the projector lamp, found inside the projector casing. Your projector manual can help you find its exact location.
Remove the lamp bulb from the lamp. Some projector bulbs simply snap into place, while others must be unscrewed for removal.
Snap or screw the new bulb into place. If you removed the projector casing, dust the interior of the projector with a rag or compressed air before replacing the cover.
Preventing Diminishing Lumens
Prevent overheating of the projector by guaranteeing that it is getting enough ventilation. The intake and exhaust vents of the projector must be kept clear to prevent overheating.
Avoid shock to the projector. These shocks, no matter how small they may seem, cause minuscule changes to the bulbs that can lower the number of lumens they produce.
Clean your projector's dust filters every three months to allow air circulation and prevent overheating, which causes stress to the bulb.
References
Warnings
- Touching the lamp with your fingers can damage it.
Writer Bio
Tatyana Ivanov has been a freelance writer since 2008 and has contributed articles to "Venus" and "Columbus Family." She continues to write humor pieces for a number of popular culture blogs. Ivanov holds a Bachelor of Arts in media studies from Hunter College.