Testing a Projector Lamp

Projector lamps are a complex and different technology than most household or traditional electronics and therefore it is important to know certain facts when attempting to test a projector lamp.

1. Projector lamps use customized ballasts that ignite the lamp by charging it with a higher voltage in the ignition phase and then dropping down to a lower running voltage once the circuit is created.

2. Projector lamps CANNOT be tested with an AMP or OHM meter. Projector lamps function by igniting ultra-high pressurized mercury vapor accross an ARC tube. At the point where the mercury vapor resides there is no conductive electrical material and therefore testing a projector lamp with an AMP or OHM will not work.