# Xenon Lamps



## photoatdv (Sep 28, 2013)

So, I can say wear the PPE if you handle the bare lamps, spot or projector. Had one blow in a projector Today and from about 80' it sounded like a grenade. Shattered the reflector and glass All in the projector.


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## MNicolai (Sep 28, 2013)

Was somebody trying to handle it while it was hot?

There's a lot of pressure in those Xenon lamps when they get cooking. They're not so bad when cold. Generally the reports I've heard of where lamps have exploded, it was while someone was trying to change them while hot, in which case:

1) the internal pressure is much greater as a result of the heat
2) contact between the hot lamp and a cold material such as a glove has potential to trigger an explosion
3) someone grabbing a hot Xenon lamp, even with a glove, is likely to melt through the glove in mere moments


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## photoatdv (Sep 29, 2013)

MNicolai said:


> Was somebody trying to handle it while it was hot?
> 
> There's a lot of pressure in those Xenon lamps when they get cooking. They're not so bad when cold. Generally the reports I've heard of where lamps have exploded, it was while someone was trying to change them while hot, in which case:
> 
> ...



Nope, no one handling it. It was running (normally as far as we could tell) in the projector for like 10 minutes then bang. Ran fine yesterday. Well under rated life. No idea what happened, with the huge mess and damage it's impossible to make any sort of educated guess at failure point (largest pieces of reflector were like 1 sq inch... I think a large amount of lamp was pulverized as I found sand size glass all over the projector).


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## MNicolai (Sep 29, 2013)

Any damage to the projector? Can't say I've encountered this yet as a dealer of projectors, but you may be within your right to make a warranty claim on the lamp and file a grievance if damage was sustained to the projector.


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## Amiers (Sep 29, 2013)

I found this a good read. 

Scroll down to bulb explosion


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## photoatdv (Sep 29, 2013)

MNicolai said:


> Any damage to the projector? Can't say I've encountered this yet as a dealer of projectors, but you may be within your right to make a warranty claim on the lamp and file a grievance if damage was sustained to the projector.



No damage to the projector as Far as I could tell in the time I had (close to show). I'll pull i


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## ruinexplorer (Sep 29, 2013)

Yes, at operating temperature it will be quite loud and can potentially cause damage. At room temperature, they will rarely break, but when they do it is much more like a cork gun, just a small pop. Since the ones I use have no mercury, the manufacturer has recommended for me to break them prior to disposal (which consists of enclosing them in cardboard first), so I hear that sound monthly. Breakage during operation is often caused by a lamp which has some degredation already or may not be getting the correct power. Of course, with low lamp life, this is very difficult to tell and I would definitely put in a claim with the manufacturer.


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## photoatdv (Sep 29, 2013)

I'll pull it when I get the chance and get all the glass shards out and make sure it Didn't hurt the cold mirRor or anything


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## photoatdv (Oct 4, 2013)

Sorry for the typos, I can't figure out how to edit my prior posts and I was using my phone to post it. Projector is fine with the replacement lamp. Its going to be a while before I can pull that one for maintenance, so image is fine and all diagnostic values are normal, so going with the assume it's fine option. . Lamp is definitely getting a warranty claim-- it was well under warranty hours and was relamped by the manufacturer.

For anyone thats had a bulb explosion in one of these, did any fan issues due to the shards of glass show up immediately or later down the road? I know theres still a descent amount of broken glass in it but my spare is currently down so can't pull it now (and not about to risk the required amount of disassembly between shows without an indication of a problem or a spare availabile).


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## ruinexplorer (Oct 4, 2013)

I doubt that anyone would recommend running a projector after a catastrophic failure without fully checking it first. However, one of the biggest immediate problems is the possibility of something getting in the fan, preventing it from operating, and causing a thermal shutdown of the projector. Get the remaining glass out as soon as possible.


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## VCTMike (Oct 27, 2013)

ruinexplorer said:


> I doubt that anyone would recommend running a projector after a catastrophic failure without fully checking it first. However, one of the biggest immediate problems is the possibility of something getting in the fan, preventing it from operating, and causing a thermal shutdown of the projector. Get the remaining glass out as soon as possible.



If it's a metalized reflector I would be more worried about shorting something out and causing a severe problem electrically...


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## ruinexplorer (Oct 28, 2013)

VCTMike said:


> If it's a metalized reflector I would be more worried about shorting something out and causing a severe problem electrically...


 
When a Xenon lamp module fails, it would be replaced with an entirely new unit. What would be shorting?


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## VCTMike (Oct 28, 2013)

ruinexplorer said:


> When a Xenon lamp module fails, it would be replaced with an entirely new unit. What would be shorting?



I was commenting on this part of the OP post:


> Shattered the* reflector* and glass *All in the projector*.


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