CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

mjlondon · Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Edmonton AB

The images on our Marquee Ultra 9500LC rather suddenly developed large, fuzzy, brownish areas. I have attached a photo of the blue tube, with a problem I noticed circled in red (to distinguish it from various artifacts of trying to take a picture through the lens). I'm trying to find out what this is, what might have caused it, and most importantly what would be involved in fixing it (cost, parts etc.). My apologies if this question has been answered elsewhere - I couldn't find it. I'm not knowledgeable about CRT projectors, but it doesn't appear to be the "spot burn" that gets discussed frequently. This projector has not logged very many hours since it was new in 2000, although it was left on for a couple of days prior to this happening.
Thanks for your help.

CIR Engineering · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 9:13 pm Post subject:

It looks like your blue tube's phosphor is delaminatting.

You will need to replace the blue tube if this is the case.

craigr

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2015 11:20 pm Post subject:

What Craig said most likely. Pull the tube out, look sideways, and see if the problem is on the inside of the convex lens on the tube itself, or if it looks to be 'behind' the tube face. If 'behind' the tube face, it's what Craig said, and it's a manufacturing defect. If it looks like it's right behind the convex element, then it's fungus. Fungus can be fixed, delamination cannot.

I have a couple of decent blue tubes left, but I'm out of town for the next 2 weeks.

mjlondon · Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Edmonton AB

Thanks very much for your advice. I'll take it out and have a better look.

mjlondon · Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Edmonton AB

It appears to be on the inside of the c-element. The other tubes show evidence of fungus more like the pictures on this site. The bottoms of all the bellows have liquid on them (our projector is ceiling mounted). I assume this is glycol. Is this all evidence of something? Overheating? Underuse?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 3:29 pm Post subject:

Yup, fungus. All issues due to age really, more than anything else. All three tubes should be stripped down, cleaned, new fill screws and glycol done. Or.. .I have brand new R and G tubes in stock, circa 2011/2012 vintage that show no leakage, and may be cheaper than spending money and lots of time on parts, depending on how much spare time you have.

I have ONE brand new blue tube in stock, I thought I was out of stock. Can you email me at curtpalme at shaw.ca and I can give you pricing. Stripping down a tube and rebuilding it takes maybe 2-3 hours per tube, and about $120 in glycol, bellows and screws per tube. A new tube drops right in without doing any work.

I'm out of town for 10 days, but will be back next Thursday./Friday, around the 14th or so.

mjlondon · Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Edmonton AB

Turns out it was a lot of fungus and a melted spot on the c-element. (Our tech actually managed to get it off without removing the tube.) Is this something that's available? Is there any experience with repairing these?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:40 pm Post subject:

Yup, I've got them,. The fill screws should be replaced as well, and most likely the bellows as well, as they may be contaminated. I've got those too.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:08 am Post subject:

Should be mentioned: DO NOT let the Sun shine into the lenses. That will melt your C-elements just like that.

Still, I wonder where that heat came from?

CIR Engineering · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 5:41 pm Post subject:

mjlondon · Joined: 04 Oct 2015 Posts: 5 Location: Edmonton AB

Thanks for weighing in. Yes this is better than a new tube. But this projector has never been out of its darkened room. There was a lot of fungus on this c-element. Could that have absorbed enough light to heat up? Combined with messed up alignment?

- mike

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:35 pm Post subject:

It's also prudent to mention that it doesn't take long for a bright light to melt the C element. the concave lens acts like a magnifying glass. I remember the first couple of LC sets I bought (NEC) were from a guy that sat them vertically in his truck while he drove them to be packaged up. They arrived with melted C elements on both projectors. It took me about 6 months to find a set of worn tubes that were being scrapped for one, and eventually I found a second set for the other projector.

Mike, i can't remember if you emailed me regarding the clear C element. Message me at curtpalme at shaw.ca