Do Power Outages Shorten a RPTV Lamp’s Life?
Rodger -- Sat, 09/02/2006 - 11:52
After I ordered a 55” SXRD set (A2000 line) yesterday (Yaaa! :D ), the salesman pointed to a $350 Tripp Lite UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) and claimed that “a single sudden power outage could shorten the lamp’s life by 20%.” My initial (and skeptical) response was : “Hmmm… that’s $100 more than the $250 cost of a lamp replacement.” But is there anything to that claim? Do power outages really adversely effect a set’s lamp (or at least enough to merit something more elaborate than a decent surge protector)?
While RPTV lamps are presumably more elaborately designed than standard light bulbs, wouldn’t at least some similar basic operational principles still apply? E.g., I’ve always heard that the more often (or rapidly) a light bulb is turned on/off, the sooner its filaments may break. But I’ve never heard that a power outage shortens the lifespan of light bulbs. I’m aware that once a power outage occurs, it’s better to turn off the power switch of various components, presumably to protect against potentially erratic line voltages that can occur when the power initially comes back on.
Obviously, UPS’s provide enough short-term backup power to permit saving opened computer files when a power outage occurs, but this is the first time I’ve heard about using one for A/V equipment. All my components are connected to a (~$60) Belkin F9G933 surge protector (rated at 2950 joules/150,000 amps, that also purportedly “uses thermal fuses to power off your system, which saves all connected devices in the event of a severe occurrence, or when surge protection expires,” reduces line noise, etc.). Generally speaking, and on a practical basis, isn’t this usually enough power protection?
A power outage will absolutely shorten the lifespan of the lamp. When you turn off your tv it goes through a cool down cycle. There's a cooling fan that continues to run after you shut off the power. That's not an ordinary incandescent bulb, but a high pressure mercury lamp and it gets HOT. Since it's inside the cabinet of your TV the fan is needed for airflow to cool the lamp. If you want a cheap UPS, check out the ones from Belkin. I think Staples sells them. I bought one for $89.
JKroon is right about the cooldown cycle. Sudden temperature changes are mostly to blame for electronic failures. That's why computer rooms are kept at a constant (cool) temperature and why electronic components last longer if they are kept on all the time. It's true even for incandescent bulbs -- they always fail at turn on, not during normal use. The cause is a sharp change in the temperature of the filament, which makes it break.
Barry Willis
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