Start at the wall and work back to the lamp
Diagnose in the order the light travels: surface, then focus, then gobo, then lamp, then power. That sequence finds most IP67 gobo projector faults in under an hour, and it prevents the common mistake of replacing a perfectly good unit because the wall turned out to be the problem. Start by asking what changed — a fault that appeared overnight has a different cause from one that crept in over a season.
- What the surface looks like and how it is lit
- Whether the image is uniformly soft or soft at one edge
- When the fault started — overnight or gradually
- Whether anything on site changed at the same time
The image is soft or out of focus
A soft image that appeared gradually is usually contamination, not optics failure. Dust on the internal lens or a film on the gobo scatters light and lowers contrast, which reads as blur. Clean in the order the light travels and re-check before ordering anything.
The image is too dim
Before blaming the LED, clean the optics and check the duty cycle. an IP67 gobo projector that runs hot in an enclosed void will dim progressively as the driver protects itself, and the symptom looks exactly like lamp wear. Logging the housing temperature over a full evening will separate the two.
- Clean the outer window and lens
- Measure ambient light at the working hour
- Reduce the image width and re-check contrast
- Run a full duty cycle and log the housing temperature
Colour is wrong or the gobo looks damaged
If the whole image has shifted, suspect the filter; if only part has, suspect the gobo. Dichroic coatings are stable for years, but dyed glass browns under heat, and an IP67 gobo projector running at the top of its range will age a cheap filter in a single season. Photograph the image against a white reference and compare it with the install photo.
- Compare against the install photograph
- Decide whether the whole image or part of it is affected
- Inspect the gobo against a light at an angle
- Check the original artwork file resolution
It cuts out, hums or trips
Check the supply before the fixture. an IP67 gobo projector on a long cable run, a shared circuit, or a supply with its protection sized for something else will misbehave in ways that look like product failure. Measure at the unit under load, not at the distribution board.
- Note when the fault occurs — at switch-on or after warm-up
- Measure the supply at the unit under load
- Check the housing temperature and ventilation
- Confirm the protective device is correctly sized
What to have ready before you call
Stop diagnosing and call when you have eliminated the three cheap causes: contamination, ambient light and supply. Before you do, gather the serial number, the install date, and a photograph of the image on the wall at the working hour. A supplier can usually resolve it from those without a site visit.
- Model and serial number
- Install date and daily run hours
- Throw distance and image width
- A photograph of the fault at the working hour
