Cold weather garage users....what do you do with your projector

[kirkemg]

My projector is BenQ671 ST. I have a heater but only feel comfortable using it when Im in the garage. Dont want to leave on overnight........ This is my first winter since setting up and I worry about it in the freezing temps constantly. I've posted about this before in another category and some folks thought it was the summer heat/moisture that's the enemy and electronics generally do well in cold (absent extremes).

The options appear to be:
Remove it/install constantly (really dont want to)
insulate it somehow - seems hard/unlikely
leave it and gamble the affect

I assume there are a lot of cold weather garage users here.....what do you do?

[Leo Spaceman]

I left mine up and had no issues over 3 years. If it's an attached garage it's never really going to get too far below freezing unless you leave the door open.

And as you mentioned, electronics generally are fine in the cold. They don't like getting hot.

[kirkemg]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I'll leave it up and hope I dont freeze $900 ha

[kirkemg]

where do you live? In chicago it definitely gets below freezing...

[Leo Spaceman]

This was when I lived in Cincinnati. Not quite as cold as Chicago, but still winter.

[GullLakeMi]

I live in Michigan. Was worried about same. My garage is a 3 stall, attached, but mostly no living space above. I had a propane portable heater, but it would only warm up garage 10 degrees and it took awhile. Struggled to get it over 45 degrees on the coldest days. I ended up putting R19 insulation in ceiling and adding a natural gas heater that runs off a thermostat. I had a propane portable heater, but it would only warm up garage 10 degrees and it took awhile. I set ng heater to 45 degrees all winter and cranked it up to 62ish when playing golf. It can warm up the garage in about 20 minutes. Wish I would have bought heater sooner. So nice to ,maintain 45 degrees, thaw cars in winter and warm it up quickly when I want to be in garage. Increase in gas bill was not really noticeable.

Projector made it threw summer with no issues. Was certainly hot and humid in garage. To hot to golf.

[kirkemg]

So you actually didt something about it as in insulating and properly heating....

[GullLakeMi]

Yes. Attic insulation. I believe its a 60k BTU heater. My garage doors were 25 years old and had tracks and openers in the way, so I also got all new with high tracks and wall mount openers. Doors are "better" insulation, not "best". All-in-all, makes a huge difference. Obviously took some money. I plan to be here another 7+ years, so decided to make it comfortable (for the simulator!).

[wbond]

In Michigan and mine has been in there for years, very cold and hot temps in there and haven’t had an issue yet.

[Shipwreck34]

I did two things...

First was insulate my garage door, as everything else was already done for mine. I'd say that allowed me to retain around 5° or more on a regular basis just from radiated heat from the house. It also holds the heat better for when I'm out there and heating it.

Second thing I did to try and minimize impact was to go with an LED Projector. The bulb is by far the component most susceptible to temp issues, both hot and cold. Believe me, I've replaced enough of them over the years. From $250 Benqs, to $125,000 Christies. The downside is LED bulb units are still more expensive. Unless you go with cheapo throw away units with less features/quality, which is what I chose. I found zero reason to have a high quality image on a mesh screen designed to stop golf balls, not produce good images. 1080 is good enough. Getting the most Lumens for your buck should be priority one, followed by the best keystone ability they can offer. Everything after that is going to be relatively the same.

[fortner28]

Moisture is the enemy of electronics. Manufacturers recommendation is to operate somewhere around 50 degrees minimum. I would just make sure you warm up the space before you power on the projector. I don't think you will hurt anything if it is off in colder temps.

[Rlefig]

Good to hear as I plan on finishing off my garage this winter which is detached and uninsulated (I might do the roof) and really old 1940's. It is a small single bay and I will have an electric heater or two. Projector is an Epson 535w which is LED

[Shipwreck34]

The Epson 535W is an LCD projector that uses a standard bulb as its light source. Not LED. Only mentioning it because this is a common point of confusion. Every cycle you power that up cold is the next that could be the "pop" and not only destroy the bulb but also the LCD projection screen inside it, thereby ruining your projector.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world or anything if it's cool. I would just take care to make sure it's warmed up a bit before powering it up. Just trying to look out for you, that's all.

[Ronsc1985]

The Epson 535W is an LCD projector that uses a standard bulb as its light source. Not LED. Only mentioning it because this is a common point of confusion. Every cycle you power that up cold is the next that could be the "pop" and not only destroy the bulb but also the LCD projection screen inside it, thereby ruining your projector.

I'm not saying it's the end of the world or anything if it's cool. I would just take care to make sure it's warmed up a bit before powering it up. Just trying to look out for you, that's all.

I have no idea how his projector is designed but any decent design does not go full power to the bulb initially. They ramp up the voltage for a bit to let the tungsten filament heat up a bit, thereby increasing it's resistance, to limit the inrush current when going full power. This is observable by looking at the projector output upon initial turn on i.e. it doesn't go full power initially.. A normal household incandescent bulb has no such initial current limiting mechanism so you often get the pop and filament breakage during turn on.

[Shipwreck34]

While the information you've provided is correct, clearly you've never seen a projector bulb self destruct before, or the aftermath even if you aren't there for the "pop". I have more times than I can fully remember. Just because the filament gets a chance to warm up as part of POST doesn't mean the bulb itself does.

I supported all the projectors in all the conference rooms in a building of 2,500 people for 7 years including all of the watchfloors. But hey, discount me and my experience if you like.

[jfelter65]

Projector bulbs do not have a tungsten filament like a standard light bulb. Projector bulbs are arc lamps that operate at extremely high temperatures. If you were to take a continuity tester it would not register on a projector bulb because the arc gap creates a break in the line. The "pop" that occurs in a failure is not a "normal" failure and is usually a result of improper air flow that leads to excessive heat buildup. The air flow issue is almost always a result of neglected and uncleaned air filters on the projector.

https://blog.purelandsupply.com/2020/02/04/all-about-lamps/

[Ronsc1985]

Projector bulbs do not have a tungsten filament like a standard light bulb. Projector bulbs are arc lamps that operate at extremely high temperatures. If you were to take a continuity tester it would not register on a projector bulb because the arc gap creates a break in the line. The "pop" that occurs in a failure is not a "normal" failure and is usually a result of improper air flow that leads to excessive heat buildup. The air flow issue is almost always a result of neglected and uncleaned air filters on the projector.

https://blog.purelandsupply.com/2020/02/04/all-about-lamps/

The bulbs do not have a thin wire filament as does an incandescent bulb. They do have tungsten electrodes due to the very high temperatures involved in producing a plasma arc (something like 3000K if I remember correctly)

The original question was about starting up in a cold garage which in my experience (many 0 C or lower startups) is not a problem. I don't know the exact startup sequence but in my projector the startup begins with a small dot of light followed after some delay by a steadily increasing light intensity. I guess that is getting the plasma arc fully up to temperature.

As you stated the explosions are almost always due to over temp. The machines are designed to shut down if over temp but when they exist in places like conference rooms where people spill all kinds of stuff on them who knows what really happened or if the over temp protection is working. I've never had mine shut itself off. It is up in the air over and slightly behind the hitting area.

[StanMI]

I'm also in Michigan (happy to see all the neighbors here). Had that projector for years, no issue. I heat the barn when I use the simulator but that's the only time.

[robhga]

I've created a "warm box" in my garage to protect anything that may be ruined by a few freezing days in a row.
Glues, water based cleaners,auto detail products,etc.
Its one of 2 metal wall cabinets, side by side, 27w x 12d x 27h.
One 60W incandescent bulb activated by a "thermo cube" saves the day.
Any type of temp operated device will do it: winter watchman, temp-o-save, etc.
Won't be on all the time, just when it gets cold enough to matter.
It'll probly draw .5 amps, cost you $3/month max.
Watts (power) / volts (voltage) so use a bulb and switch device that fits your wire size and length of run.
Maybe a half-cover of sheet metal or tin foil to hold the heat of bulb while it's on.
Get creative. Good luck.

Remember the "ez-bake" oven from the 60's?

[kirkemg]

Thanks. The problem with that is if I'm taking the projector down I may as well bring it inside....now maybe something like that That sits around it's while hung could work...

[GullLakeMi]

Some people use the incandescent bulb in the engine compartment of their boat to keep it from freezing. Agree that is probably not going to help with a projector on the ceiling.