Projector conversion/modification

[Dariusz Fratczak]

Hello Group.

I'm doing my dlp printer. It's hardware is almost done. I did first print tests. Unfortunately, resin is not  being cured. I'm using Panasonic PT EW530 projector (4500 lumen).

Unfortunately it doesn't cure resin at all. Means there are good filters inside. Does anyone use such projector?

[mUVe 3D Admin]

Dariusz,

It sounds like you need to remove the hot mirror, or iR blocking mirror from your bulb housing. Usually there is a small glass chip attached to the housing of the projector bulb and this is what blocks the majority of UV light. While wearing clean gloves to avoid getting finger oils inside the projector, simply remove the bulb housing and then carefully remove the glass chip.

This will of course void your projector warranty and may cause a breakdown of the projector over time, so use caution. Not all projection units are created equal and some can't deal with the extra heat that is being emitted into the electronics. However in our experience most projectors work just fine.

Best of luck!

mUVe 3D Support

[Dariusz Fratczak]

Thank you for replying. I learned more about this projector. It doesn't seem to be fitted with colour wheel. White light from bulb is divided into three beams red green and blue, passing through filters. I don't think if removing first filter from bulb side will help. I'm searching for another simple projector with colour wheel now.
By the way, does anyone tried to replace projector bulb with UV LED array? 100W for example?

[Hellenicopter]

Hi Dariusz,

Almost all projectors I know of the last at least 15 years have a UART communication protocol (by OSRAM) between the projector main board and the lamp ballast circuit.

You cannot start the projector unless the communication between the ballast and the projector is established correctly.

In brief, a working lamp with the right resistance and power characteristics needs to be connected to the ballast circuit, otherwise the projector goes off after a minute or so.

So it's not an easy task to replace the bulb by a LED array. You need to decode first the UART communication under normal operating conditions and then emulate the ballast control circuit by a microcontroller that reads the messages from the projector main board and sends back the correct signals to fake the ballast.

I have tried to work this around with my Acer P1510 projector but not finished yet (you need a logic analyzer to analyze the UART signals during normal operation and then a microcontroller like an arduino to fake the signals by writing the right program).

I have found a blog here that reports a successful workaround: https://uvdlp3d.blog.hu/

Hope that helps a bit.

[Dariusz Fratczak]

I read that uv led light can damage DMD chip. Is that true?

[Dariusz Fratczak]

I removed that filter and also colour wheel. Projector worked fine with black white picture for few minutes only... After few minutes picture started darkening from bottom to top of screen and I switched it off.
Does it means DMD chip is broken? Or hopefully something else...

[mUVe 3D Admin]

It is possible that is what is taking place, we have never removed the color wheel from the projectors when manipulating them. We only remove the filter.

It might also be possible the chip overheated. But in either instance if the system doesn't turn back on after a short period of time it may be burned out. Best of luck troubleshooting!

mUVe 3D Support