Projector Cooling

If you need to have projector cooling, it is probably because you have the projector in a situation it was not originally designed to be in. What usually will happen when a projector overheats is that it will begin its shut down process, causing it turn off without warning. There are several concerns to be aware of when this happens. The chief issue is that it takes an eternity for the projector to reset and allow you to turn it back on. This is not only a hassle, but results in down-time for your display. Every second your projector is off due to overheating is a second that your customers can’t see your content.

Rather than invest in projector cooling, a lot of people assume something is wrong with the projector itself. However, that may not be the case. When your projector overheats and has a sudden shutdown, it is because there are bigger problems than faulty hardware. Think of it this way: if you, without warning, suddenly got a fever and fainted at about the same time every day, there would clearly be a problem. But, the problem is not the fainting or fever; those are just symptoms. The actual problem is that the projector is being pushed past it’s limits, and needs its environment changed.

So why does the projector keep overheating and how can we fix it? Simple: you need to go into detective mode for a few moments and look at the obvious signs first. Sometimes there are simple solutions to complicated problems.

#1: First, review the owner’s manual and locate the air intake. There is a filter that is inserted there to remove potentially harmful contaminates from entering into the projector. Be sure that the filter is clean. If for any reason the filter is extremely clogged, you may want to read some of our other articles on why and how to prevent that. You can use compressed air to blow it out and then re-insert it into the projector. Some projectors have more than one filter, so be sure to take a good close look. This is the simplest fix and the most common cause for projector failure!

#2: Look at where your projector placed and what are the immediate surroundings. Many times there are threats in the immediate area around the projector that will give you undesired results. The most common is increased heat generation. Are there any heat sources near the projector itself? Many times the exhaust from a laptop computer or other device can be the cause of your projector overheating. Believe it or not, the fans that are installed in the projector by the manufacturer are configured for optimum scenarios. They are not actually expected to perform well in less than ideal situations. Place any sources of heat as far away from your projector as you can.

If you still can’t identify the problem, a projector enclosure will solve your projector cooling problem by doing a couple of things:

Supplying clean air to your projector with environmental filtration, and
Maintaining air circulation with hot air exhaust and thermostatic fan control.