Amplify the Light > Projector Hack

This hack was inspired by #BlackAndBright PROJECTOR HACKING WORKSHOP by Elliot Woods and Joanie Lemercier: https://paper.dropbox.com/doc/BlackAndBright-PROJE...

I did it and decided to share my process.

The task is to increase the Lumens of a Single Chip DLP Projector.

This is done by cracking the color wheel / filter glass off its cylinder to allow more light to beam.

By doing this, color is no longer accessible unless the part is reordered and replaced.

In other words, you will loose the ability to project with color if you do this hack.

On the other hand, you'll have a much brighter projector if you successfully achieve it.

It is entirely up to you.

Make sure you read the manual of your specific projector before proceeding to not injure yourself or others.

Note that you could break the projector doing this.

Parts of the projector can be flammable and explosive.

It is entirely up to you whether or not you want to do this.

01. A Single Chip DLP Projector. The one in this instructable is an Optoma hd23.

02. Diagonal cutters

03. Micro needle-nose cutters

04. Screwdrivers (optional: magnetic screwdriver)

05. Goggles / Glasses

Read how to pull out the bulb of your specific projector (beamer).

- Document your process: take a photo of every single step of your hack just in case you forget how to successfully reassemble the beamer.

- Organize the screws carefully to know which screw belongs where.

Read the manual of the projector you are hacking to know how to pull out the lamp.

At first, I didn't see one of the screws because it was underneath a sticker saying 'read the manual before replacing the lamp'... lol

Unscrew + open.

It may be tricky. I used the micro needle-nose cutters to break open the encasing.

It is important to be careful when cracking the beamer open to not accidentally damage the wiring.

Once you locate the Color Wheel, you will notice that it has 2 cables:

- stepper motor cable (4-wire ribbon > driving rotation)

- photosensor cable (3-wire molex > measuring color wheel rotation timings)

You can temporarily disconnect them or leave them in.

I personally took one out before realizing that I didn't have to for the following step.

- BE CAREFUL: WEAR THE GOGGLES OR GLASSES BEFORE CRACKING THE COLOR WHEEL GLASS TO PREVENT EYE INJURIES!

- DON'T BREAK THE WHEEL BY BEING TOO FORCEFUL. THE GLASS SHATTERS EASILY.

- BREAK THE GLASS PIECE BY PIECE.

- MAKE SURE YOU BREAK THE GLASS ALL AROUND THE CYLINDER TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN’T BREAK THE TINIEST PIECE !

IT WILL BE SPINNING AT A FAST SPEED AND YOU DON’T WANT GLASS TO FLY INSIDE YOUR BEAMER !!

01. Place the color wheel back in its location, reconnect it if you disconnected it.

02. Re-screw it in its place. I recommend a magnetic screwdriver to not drop the small screw inside the projector.

03. Close + re-screw the encloser.

You now have a projector beaming a much brighter white light.

To measure the brightness, please refer to the original article that I used to hack my beamer:

https://paper.dropbox.com/doc/BlackAndBright-PROJE...

The brightness multiplies between 1.4 and 2.2 times depending on your beamer.

Congrats !

Please share your experience !

I used it for this Audiovisual Installation and the light was bright enough to get the effect I wanted.