Barco 23b - light engine

[Leo Enticknap]

Good point. If the light engine is broken and the only fix offered by the manufacturer is to buy a replacement, then as you note, potentially, there is nothing to lose by trying to fix it. The only caveat is the risk of damaging something else (the backplane being the obvious one, while puling and reseating connectors) in the process.

The one other issue that comes to mind is why the light engine failed in the first place. I have seen formatters simply die, with no obvious source of provocation. However, I have also seen them killed by a fault in the liquid cooling system causing overheating. I would therefore suggest checking the history log for any red flags in the pump speed and temperatures, and checking the coolant level, and for leaks. I take it that pump replacements (maintenance D) have been done on schedule for this projector? If the endgame here has to be a replacement refurb light engine, it would be a bummer to put it mildly if that were to be killed by the same underlying cause that affected this one.

[Ryan Gallagher]

I don’t think it is a match, but if anyone needs a DP2K-15c light engine, reach out. We disposed of most of the old projector in our small room but kept the good light engine, someone was hopeful to sell it but not much effort has gone into that.

[Bob Ezra]

Are the DP2k-15c and DP2k 12c light engines the same?

[Leo Enticknap]

My guess is not, because the 12C does not have a liquid cooling system (the light engine is cooled solely by fans), whereas the 15C and 20C both do. I have transplanted a light engine from a retired 15C "organ donor" projector to a 20C successfully. I don't know if it would be possible to move a 15C light engine to a 12C and just leave the input and output hoses not connected to anything, or if there are differences in the design of the DMD heatsinks such that they would overheat without any liquid flow.

[Steve Guttag]

With enough effort, I'm sure one could convert a 15C/20C light engine to a 12C. You'd have to transplant all of the heatsink and fans over. Even the inlet of the light pipe has a much larger (disc) since all cooling is by airflow.

Then again, on an NC1200C/2000C...swapping prisms also involves swapping the cooling hoses/blocks...though those are more cut-and-dried. Barco definitely wasn't designed for that.

[Bob Ezra]

I thought that the only difference between the 12c and 15c was that the 15c had 2 lamp power suppliies and the 12c only one?

[Marco Giustini]

No, as Leo said, the 12C is only air-cooled.

[Marcel Birgelen]

If you know for sure if it's a (dual) formatter failure, then I guess you could use the 15C light engine as a donor, because those formatter boards should be the same. As for DMD and prism swaps: You don't really need a clean room for that, but at least a laminar flow hood. Any dust that collects in there may become visible on-screen as out-of-focus, discoloured blobs.

[Marco Giustini]

ah yes, an HDD recovery shop should have that. But I think it's fair to say it's not going to be a simple task? I've never done that TBH but I'd assume Barco might have some alignment templates and jigs to properly install everything? The formatter should be ok though - once again, I'm speculating.

[Leo Enticknap]

Also speculating, but as well as forced air, and in the case of the 15C and 20C liquid cooling, there is also definitely a thermoelectric cooler (TEC, aka a Peltier cooler) on the red block: not sure if there also is on the other two, or crucially, if the TEC(s) on the 12C light engine are in any way different from those on the 15C/20C model.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Yes, data recovery shops also should have a laminar flow hood, as a single dust or other dirt particle on one of the platters can cause a head crash. And no, it's going to be an easy repair... it's projector open-brain surgery...

As for the TECs on the 12C v.s. 15C/20C... they could very well be of a different spec, some additional joy to behold. I'm pretty sure every formatter has one, at least every one has a connector on the backplane.

[Marco Giustini]

And no, it's going to be an easy repair... it's projector open-brain surgery...

Just to avoid confusion for the OP, you meant "NOT" an easy repair?

[Marcel Birgelen]

Open brain surgery?! I do that with my right hand in my pocket....

But yeah, the word "NOT" got lost somewhere in there. Sorry, long day.

[Leo Enticknap]

As for the TECs on the 12C v.s. 15C/20C... they could very well be of a different spec, some additional joy to behold. I'm pretty sure every formatter has one, at least every one has a connector on the backplane.

My "not sure" derives from the fact that on the Series 4 C light engines, only the red block has a Peltier cooler, and its failure was something we were taught to check in the training class when troubleshooting overheat errors. I'm not sure why, given that we were then told that it's not field replaceable, and that if it bites the dust, you need a new light engine. But I suppose the diagnosis could be useful in ruling out the fault as being in the power supply to the TEC/Peltier (which could potentially be fixed by replacing the SMPS and/or FMCB), as distinct from the cooler itself.

[Marcel Birgelen]

Yeah, it's strange they consider such a cheap component as non-field replaceable, especially since they do offer those as a replacement options for several non-DCI projectors, including some water-cooled models. It includes both the element itself and thermal paste for both sides. I'm pretty sure you could replace it with a "standard issue" TEC if you know the exact specs. I guess "RED" probably absorbs more heat and as such needs the extra TEC in this specific light engine design.