Keeping dust out of projector in a dusty environment

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[U]ber|Noob

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 4, 2013
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I have a bedroom projector, with lots of clothes, blankets etc. And I just had to open it up and try to clean the lenses with a felt pad on a stick because it had accumulated a lot of dust that was starting at to look a bit like dead pixels.

But there is a lot of dust in that room, is there any idea someone has thought of to reduce the dust buildup in the projector?
 
Yeah that's a good idea. I have a few spare fans maybe I can make one. Not as good, but I just need to filter out the majority of larger dust particles.
 
the only way to keep dust out is if it cant get in look for a fanless/ventless projector i think led projectors are getting better they might have a passively cooled one otherwise filter the room and put a filter over the projectors vents
 
Thanks, actually it is an led projector, its very good, but it still has 3 fans.

Could such a thing exist, for a proper brightness home theatre projector? ie. 2500 lumens.
It would be possible but probably have to be a diy project, with massive heat sink arrays.
 
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Buy a vacuum. The light path Gould be sealed with a dust filter on reputable stuff.
 
If I made a box box out of wood, how much venting area do you think I would need (if the vents were covered with air conditioning/filter foam?
 
What led projector are you running? They need to be cool or the LEDs will fail.
 
Can't quite re-find the info about it. It's a no brand 2500 lumens full size projector.

Yes it's sounding like the whole room filter solution might be best.

I did have one blanket that gave off a particularly large amount of particles so I put that in a plastic bag.
 
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There are no 2500 lumen led projectors.

If it's an off brand, it sounds like some of the Chinese stuff making the rounds, and it is using a halogen bulb out of a desk lamp. Might be a fire hazard in an enclosed space.
 
[U]ber|Noob;1041516286 said:
If I made a box box out of wood, how much venting area do you think I would need (if the vents were covered with air conditioning/filter foam?
Click to expand...
what if you used a corsair h100i hooked to a heatsink on the bulb.

or perhaps a fully sealed box with a heat exchange path say a water loop to a radiator outside while air is blown through a radiator inside. provided the air in the box was more or less dust free that would make the inside a dust free environment and something to cool the air inside would be all that is needed humm perhaps one side or the whole thing could be aluminum/plexiglass so the ambiant air inside could exchange heat outwardly.
 
Some good ideas.

The only modification I made was to disconnect the internal speakers, but if I tried to make custom cooling setups in the projector, with my limited knowledge I'd probably end up breaking it.

I was quite worried I'd break it when I disconnected the speakers and cleaned the lenses.

But the heat exchanging box idea wouldn't risk that, another sort of problem with the projector is that the fans are really quite loud so maybe a box could reduce that, but it can get to 44 degrees celsius in summer :mad:
 
zeds said:
oh.,.,so hot...
really hot..:mad:
o.png
Click to expand...

The box is rather simple actually with the issues being making the box dust free while allowing you to adjust the projector. And it could be done multiple ways such as a series of peltier coolers with the hot side mounted to the back panel and heatsinked on the outside of box with a heatsink on the cold side blowing air through to cool inside of the box like a mini fridge... then since the box is sealed the dust available is limited to what is in the box while the projector circulates the air in the box using its fans. But this would leave the controls behind plexiglass and you could not adjust anything.

The two easiest things would be to get an adhesive air filter and place it over the vents for the projector. And the whole room filter. Then vacuum more often to reduce dust.
 
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Please don't buy peltier coolers for this, but a used sealed light path, legitimate projector off eBay for 100 bucks first.
 
Verge said:
Please don't buy peltier coolers for this, but a used sealed light path, legitimate projector off eBay for 100 bucks first.
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Box would barely cost that much but it will be easier for the op to buy the hepa filter vacuum more often and put dust filters over the intakes of his projector.

one or two of these
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002UQQ3Q2/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ASMAP92U2AXB8
mounted to an aluminum or copper plate for the back side hot side on the plate cool side gets http://www.amazon.com/20mm-Aluminiu...=1427842975&sr=8-4&keywords=aluminum+heatsink with a fan to blow across them

Alternately 4 cpu heat sinks would work too glue 2 to each hot spot then 2 directly to the cold side then you make an io extention and replicate the power and inputs at the back of the box the 4 sides around this cube would be plywood or wood of choice this is the most expensive bit... and a sheet of clear plexiglass for the front use a table saw to cut a channel in the front and back the thickness of the metal and plexi assemble side box with screws leaving the top to slide the back and plexi in and hook up the wires then screw the top down projector in a sealed box... no vents so only the dust inside the box at the time will be issue.

the problems with sealing off the projector in the box are it likely has a vent outletting air on the front thus any dust in the box that does not stick to other places will stick to and make a dust spot on the plexi another potential issue is the plexi is not a perfectly clear substance it might glare and other wise alter the picture projected...
 
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Lol it's not from a white van, but from ebay.

Here it is

When you click on the picture it seems to redivert to another page so the model must be superseded by now, but here is a picture for now.

A2ZZ_1_20140102392341594.jpg


For my use it's quite good, the only problem is the fans make quite a significant noise but I use headphones atm anyway.
Before this I had an early portable lg led projector, but I found it just wasn't bright enough for me, this one is adequate in brightness.

For the price I paid (on ebay) I have greatly enjoying using it as a bedroom projector, but I do watch mainly old classic movies.
Is anyone familiar with this model?

Of course the native res isn't 1080p but it's a quite reasonable 1280xsomething (widescreen native).
 
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Verge said:
I'm saying he shouldn't even spend 5 bucks on a heat sink.
Click to expand...

Your not understanding what I am talking about the op came here asking us to provide a solution for the problem of his projector is setup in a room with a lot of dust this projector sucked up so much the picture quality got degraded.

My solution was to build a internally airconditioned wooden box with a clear plexiglass front to put the projector in as it would then be it's own potentially less dusty ecosystem. The alternatives are to get self adhesive dust filters and a whole room hepa dust filter and to vacuum more often. My box solution uses either an elaborate peltier setup it would likely only need 2 92w peltiers or was to use a double radiator to cool the air in the box. Of course he could also figure out a way to just water cool the projector too but he seemed to not wish to alter it as he was not comfortable doing the mods.


If he were to make a box and just put 2 120mm fans one in one out with filters over them it would work ok too i would probably put them at the back.

Humm how big were the fans in there it probably has 60mm fans or drum fans to quiet it down you could get deep into mooding territory and workout a duct to hack in some bigger fans with dust filters in place of the tiny screamer fans... or you could line the box with sound deadening foam... and Humm if you did work out the heat exchange to allow a sealed box you would reduce the projector noise immensely and if you used the peltier design I'm thinking of the temperature in the box would be chilled. Think mini fridge with a clear window. Humm I wonder if that projector would fit inside a small wine cooler... like this one http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-Bo..._sbs_la_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=15RPVT9NJKJQ0FPHF9ZX that is essentially my peltier cooled box... except the box is cheaper to build...
 
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Thanks, I'm leaning towards an air filter for now, but to think about the box idea in the future. Especially if I connect speakers instead of headphones at some stage.

I wonder how well the peltier coolers would work to make a diy solid state air conditioner? For example to run during the day when solar energy is being generated.
 
[U]ber|Noob;1041520429 said:
Thanks, I'm leaning towards an air filter for now, but to think about the box idea in the future. Especially if I connect speakers instead of headphones at some stage.

I wonder how well the peltier coolers would work to make a diy solid state air conditioner? For example to run during the day when solar energy is being generated.
Click to expand...

I have a cheap peltier powered 12v car heater it does not work that great a warm air comes out but not sufficient to heat my car... A bigger peltier that uses more than 15 watts would do better but i doubt more than that could run on my car power system.
I'm not sure how many you would need but they use them in mini fridges and wine fridges now i was thinking two of the ones i linked you would work but one might do. And you could re use old heat sinks from processors.

The box could get lined with that self adhesive foam used in cars or in just packing foam to reduce noise even further. And if you were just to build a box with air vents you could use a pair of 120mm pc fans it should still cut the noise down and it would reduce not eliminate the dust issue.
 
Lunas said:
Your not understanding what I am talking about the op came here asking us to provide a solution for the problem of his projector is setup in a room with a lot of dust this projector sucked up so much the picture quality got degraded.

My solution was to build a internally airconditioned wooden box with a clear plexiglass front to put the projector in as it would then be it's own potentially less dusty ecosystem. The alternatives are to get self adhesive dust filters and a whole room hepa dust filter and to vacuum more often. My box solution uses either an elaborate peltier setup it would likely only need 2 92w peltiers or was to use a double radiator to cool the air in the box. Of course he could also figure out a way to just water cool the projector too but he seemed to not wish to alter it as he was not comfortable doing the mods.


If he were to make a box and just put 2 120mm fans one in one out with filters over them it would work ok too i would probably put them at the back.

Humm how big were the fans in there it probably has 60mm fans or drum fans to quiet it down you could get deep into mooding territory and workout a duct to hack in some bigger fans with dust filters in place of the tiny screamer fans... or you could line the box with sound deadening foam... and Humm if you did work out the heat exchange to allow a sealed box you would reduce the projector noise immensely and if you used the peltier design I'm thinking of the temperature in the box would be chilled. Think mini fridge with a clear window. Humm I wonder if that projector would fit inside a small wine cooler... like this one http://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-Bo..._sbs_la_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=15RPVT9NJKJQ0FPHF9ZX that is essentially my peltier cooled box... except the box is cheaper to build...
Click to expand...

That isn't solving the problem, only the symptoms.

The problem is the projector isn't sealed because it's worth 5 bucks, you can get a used proper projector off eBay for 50 that fixes the problem, and actually works.
 
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There was one time that I shook a blanket with lots of bits in it, and dust was everywhere, I think I used the projector shortly after, probably that's when a lot got in.

Worth $5? get a better one for $50?
Really? Isn't that a slight under-exaggeration by about a factor of 60 for the one I have an about 7 for the price of a new old one? lol

You don't mean an old non led one, where it might be cheap but it costs $400 for a new bulb?

The one I have does have a thin filter on the main inlet fan.
 
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You don't have an led projector dude, it's a Chinese knockoff using a bulb from a desk lamp. I'm just trying to help you, the dust problem will always be here because of its design.
 
Verge said:
That isn't solving the problem, only the symptoms.

The problem is the projector isn't sealed because it's worth 5 bucks, you can get a used proper projector off eBay for 50 that fixes the problem, and actually works.
Click to expand...

Yes he could go for a more expensive projector I would love a expensive projector like I used back in high school but that is not what he has and he was asking how to do with what he has there is nothing wrong with the cheap ones as long as they work.

yes if he got lucky he could get a multi hundred dollar projector for 50 on ebay and it could have the sealed light path quality filters on the fans and quiet fans but then he would have to deal with ebay...
 
Lunas said:
Yes he could go for a more expensive projector I would love a expensive projector like I used back in high school but that is not what he has and he was asking how to do with what he has there is nothing wrong with the cheap ones as long as they work.

yes if he got lucky he could get a multi hundred dollar projector for 50 on ebay and it could have the sealed light path quality filters on the fans and quiet fans but then he would have to deal with ebay...
Click to expand...

herp

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epson-Power...480?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20f904c788

derp

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mistubishi-...915?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c5040a823

hippity

http://www.ebay.com/itm/InFocus-IN2...958?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item234e1fa496

hoppity

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epson-Power...608?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item541c5e8dd8

evenasparebulbity

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mitsubishi-...882?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a4e68a382

http://www.ebay.com/itm/InFocus-Lea...632?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27fc65ade8



Not hard to find them, even a 10 year old DLP is LIGHT YEARS beyond these chinese knockoffs. They are essentially taking a low res LCD screen you'd find in somebody's car stereo, glueing a fresnel lens on it and shooting a fire causing halogen light through it.

Then they market them as 2500 lumen LED's with 1080p(many are 480p... no most are). Don't spend money making a box on these things, it's simply not worth it. This is honest, advice, that most people will agree with.
 
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Halogen? How long does a halogen bulb last?

I should have had a better look when I had it open. I just assumed it would be led because, well it is called an "LED projector". I did think it seemed to have a lot of very noisy fans for an led projector.

Well even if it is crumby I'll keep using it until it breaks (because mostly I am watching low quality old movies anyway) but if it does break in the future what projector should I look at getting then?

I did have a 'real LED projector' once, a portable LG HS101 but I found it wasn't really bright enough for my use, but it was the first model LED they made I believe.

Most of those projectors posted look good and the price is good but what's the point of getting a $50 projector when it's $400 to replace the lamp? Also I live in Aus.

I really want an led projector because I don't want to have to buy new bulbs at very high costs.

Maybe when the halogen light goes (if it is a halogen light) I can replace it with an led, would 3w be powerful enough, or completely inadequate?
What is the most powerful point source led you can get?
 
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You can get 100 watt led but I would say 10 watt minimum if you were going to somehow rig up an led in that projector.

The cheap projector you have likely has a headlight bulb running it. When it goes find a new name brand projector like verge insists you get but when your choosing look up what bulb they need then if the bulb ends up being a 400 $ bulb look for a projector that doesn't use the bulb of gold.
 
Ok thanks.

When this one breaks I'll do that. I might still try to put an led in it just for fun as a project.

What would be the cost for a basic real led projector (with a good level of brightness for watching movies at a large size (in the dark)?
 
[U]ber|Noob;1041522612 said:
Ok thanks.

When this one breaks I'll do that. I might still try to put an led in it just for fun as a project.

What would be the cost for a basic real led projector (with a good level of brightness for watching movies at a large size (in the dark)?
Click to expand...

I'm watty out of the loop but last time i was shopping around new ones were about 299-899 depending on resolution and features and brightness...

now as for if you end up deciding to mod it i would recommend a chip style led array with a frosted diffuser on it the led itself will need to be mounted to a heatsink too and it will likely need it's own driver rather than whatever runs the bulb in your projector. Humm I'll need to plug my 10 watt flood lights back in that chip might not be bright enough might need to go up to 20-30 watt led...
 
[U]ber|Noob;1041522612 said:
Ok thanks.

When this one breaks I'll do that. I might still try to put an led in it just for fun as a project.

What would be the cost for a basic real led projector (with a good level of brightness for watching movies at a large size (in the dark)?
Click to expand...


How many movies do you watch? Bulbs last a long time. I replaced the bulb in my theater after 3 years and it only had 1300 hours on it. It still works and I have it as a backup. Epson bulbs are 99 bucks by the way, even my overpriced Sony's are only 350.
 
If you can find a used Optoma HD131x pj or similar, the bulbs on those last up to 6000hrs in eco and 3500 full power.
And the cost of a new bulb is £110 UK, probably cheaper in the US.

This is a 1080p pj that has now been superseded so there should be some for sale.
Its not LED but it doesnt need to be.
its very quiet for a pj, pretty bright and is damn good at 1080p 3D movies as well !
Downsides are it needs to be mounted above or below the top/bottom of the screen unless you dont mind using the digital keystone correction.
It needs 4m throw to hit 120" screen size (diagonal).


I've been using mine a ton with PC, TV and movies for 2 years now and its still got 1/3 of the bulb life left.
£40 a year for bulbs, not bad!
You will need to reduce the room dust, very easy with a room dust filter.
 
Thanks some good ideas to think about when this one goes.
I suppose I could always just replace it with another halogen bulb though.

I wonder if by then true LED projectors might be a lot better and lower cost?
I'd love to be able to buy a projector for say up to $500 and then not have to worry about anything for 10 years. As long as it really was bright enough projecting to a good size.
 
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If you do decide to keep it going, you should investigate the bulb you will need because when some bulbs die, they go bang and you cant always easily tell what it was specifically.
You cant stick any old bulb in, its quite likely there will only be specific bulbs that will go in and that wont cause problems or even fire.
The voltage, power rating, light fitting, light fitting size, bulb size, bulb shape, element type and shape, element placement within the bulb, heat produced (comes down to efficiency), colour spectrum etc need to be assessed.
This can be one of the problems buying a no name brand and some pj bulbs are ridiculous cost.
Then again, as suggested, it might be a cheaper car head light.

I have no idea whether what you have is or isnt LED.
It would be good to find out.
 
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Heres my projector inside.

I couldn't directly view the light source without taking more things apart and that might risk ruining it, I wonder if it is enough to tell what it is?





 
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Humm that actually might be a led the big 2 piece metal plate likely uses heat pipes to move heat to the stack of aluminum fins the fan then blows out.

this http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Hot-...ip-LED-Bulb-IC-SMD-Lamp-Light/1565813905.html

might be mounted to the aluminum plate pictured.

the noisy fan is likely the one next to the power cord it is a 60mm fan to cool the psu part of this projector the other one is an 80 mm you can't do much about either.

The 2 big black wires going into the center of that plate seem to be a temperature sensor rather than how the light is powered but that makes very little sense as those wires are too thick. More like high amperage wire.
 
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Oh so that's sounding better. :)

I can see it has a Fresnel lens in there, so I'm sure it's not the same type of quality as some big name projectors but if it is LED I'm pleased because that will mean it should last for ages.

Since I sort of cleaned the lenses (those that I could reach with some felt on a stick with alcohol), the image does appear brighter, although I got a couple of big bits of dust on the lens too that weren't there before (they look a bit like a couple of dead pixels).

If any of those wires touched the heat sink would it melt the plastic off and cause a short circuit?
 
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