# Projectors in soffits?



## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi folks,

Has anybody here mounted their projector inside their rear soffit? If so did you do anything special to dissipate heat? was heat even a problem?

Am trying to work out if I need to have a plan to reduce the heat around my projector.

Cheers,

Simon


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

People do it all the time. If you can get a tap off of your HVAC return in the soffit in the rear, you'll have all the dissipation you need.

Bryan


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## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi Bryan,

Unfortunately I don't have any HVAC nearby. Do you think venting it into the roof space would be sufficient?

Cheers,
Simon


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

Hi Simon

The only problem is that the attic itself is a hot place during the summer. Only way I'd do that is if I had some sort of trap vent that only allowed one way air flow and a fan to draw air through whenever operating.

Where is your HVAC in your room? Any chance you could just draw air in one end of the soffit and exhaust it out the other end into the room? 

Bryan


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## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Hi Bryan,

Hmm good point!



> Any chance you could just draw air in one end of the soffit and exhaust it out the other end into the room?


If I had an inlet at one end of the rear soffit with pipe connected up to the inlet of the projector and vice versa for the outlet, do you think the fan inside the projector would be enough to push/pull the air?

Cheers,

Simon


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

I dunno - kinda doubting it. I'd want at least a small quiet PC fan close to one end pulling air through.

Bryan


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## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Ok thanks Bryan, I'll take that into account.

Cheers,
Simon


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## akakillroy (Jul 9, 2008)

I agree with Bryan, the fans in projectors are designed to flow air while the projector is in an open location, it would not be adequate to move air in a confined area. Read the specification and the placement recommendations they will tell you to be sure the unit has adequate ventilation.

Depending on the location, many new projectors have zoom and lens shift if it were me I would avoid placing it in an enclosed space if at all possible. If not them be sure you can get adequate ventilation (air volume) to it or you may have problems, if not certainly the fan in the unit would run at high speed and db, thus shortening the life of the projector and lamp.

Also remember that you have to have air flow around the projector not just a supply of cool air, it has to exit some where. I almost placed my projector in a soffit and ran the air duct around it placing the projector inside the duct for ventilation but it was going to be too much work to get it to work correctly so initially I decided to mount the projector the ceiling instead, and it worked out great.

Do you have a projector yet, if not what projector are you planning on getting and you can then determine what your options are.

I recently moved my projector Panasonic AX-200 into the wall/rack area because I moved my screen wall. Its all open around the projector so so far I have had no issues with ventilation.


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## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Thanks Carl,

In another thread I started I think Bryan suggested maybe framing the rear soffit and covering with fabric. 
Hopefully this situation would give the illusion that the projector is closed in but still give the benefits of it being in an open area.

At the moment I have a Panasonic PT-AE1000. 

Cheers,

Simon


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## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Out of curiosity, how would you hook up a fan? Can you wire it up with the 12V triggers that are available on amplifiers etc?

Cheers,
Simon


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## bpape (Sep 14, 2006)

You can do a couple of different things. You can buy a fan that will work on a dimmer at Radio Shack. You can also do a computer fan running either 5v or 12v and get a transformer wired to a plain light switch.

Bryan


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## JCOA (Dec 18, 2007)

You could mount a line voltage stat in the soffit. Hook it up to a fan, and duct it out of the soffit area. Completely automatic, set it and forget about it.


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## chadcummings (Apr 26, 2008)

Here is what I purchased to help with the heat. It amounts to 3 120mm quiet fans mounted in a nice plate to mount right into the opening where your return is. The nice thing is that it is thermally controlled and can speed up and slow down as needed.

http://www.coolerguys.com/840556082231.html


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## raZorTT (Jan 17, 2008)

Thanks for the link Chad.
Looks like a fantastic little kit!

Cheers,
Simon


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