posted April 06, 2009 05:30 PM
Does anyone know how to increase the line voltage (lamp) from 12v to 24v on an Elmo ST-180e? I want to use an elc lamp on this machine.
Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003
posted April 06, 2009 06:30 PM
Many people that do this kind of thing disconnect the lamp from the internal transformer and plumb in an external power supply.
Since incandescent lamps are pretty inefficient the question then becomes how well will the machine get rid of the better part of 150 Watts (or 2.5 times designed) extra heat in that same space? A friend of mine who did something similar added cooling air capacity too, but this was only for 150W in a 100W machine.
The lamp current would be 1.25 times normal.
The socket would need to be different too.
-------------------- All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...
posted April 06, 2009 07:25 PM
Steve has correctly stated the concerns in going to a 250 watt ELC lamp. First, there is no way that you can power a 250 watt lamp from the existing transformer in the projector - you will have to use an external 24 volt 250 watt transformer dedicated to just the lamp. Second, heat is a BIG problem. You will certainly need to hook up an external fan with sufficient air flow and air pressure capability to dissipate the 250 watts of heat. This will require very careful selection of the fan and the design of the fan ducting, and the fan must be electrically interlocked with the lamp power and the drive motor so that there is no possible way that the lamp can be powered up without the film running and the external fan running. It's all a real significant engineering job, fraught with the real possibility of destroying your projector if you don't have significant engineering know how. You might be better off forgetting it - and buying a GS1200.
-------------------- The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection, Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj
Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006
posted April 06, 2009 08:53 PM
Marty I also own a ST180 projector which uses the EFP 12V/100watt and a while ago did a side by side test on the GS1200 with its EJL 24V/200watt. That little ST180 was by far brighter so although we sometimes think fitting a higher wattage lamp will give a brighter picture this might not be the case, the same thing might happen with the ELC 250watt, as Steve and Paul have mentioned you stand to do a lot of damage to your projector with all that extra heat. The ST180 is a really nice projector and one thing I would recommend is replacing the 1.3 standard lens with a 1.1 this in itself will increase the light on the screen.
Posts: 191
From: Europe Greece Athens
Registered: Jan 2009
posted April 07, 2009 01:15 PM
50 Hours. Correct! Only 50 Hours. But who cares? It is 20% more light, only by just replacing the lamp! In 50 hours you can enjoy a lot of films. Buy two to have a spare. I did it. No engineering job at all!
Posts: 330
From: Hampton Hill, Middlesex, U.K.
Registered: Feb 2004
posted April 08, 2009 01:34 PM
CHC Had an ordinary looking ST180 for sale at the Tadley convention many years ago, but it had been modified to 250w lamp. I remember because I nearly bought it!