Anybody know how to run down a TV projection lamp?

[Contrary1]

We bought a decent TV about 3 years ago. We also bought the extended warranty for a couple hundred dollars because the salesman said it included a new projection lamp. All we had to do is call before the warranty ran out, and they would come out and replace it...no problem. We would also get to keep the old one, which would still be good. His exact words: a "win/win".

Guess what? He lied.

The lamp has been "needing replacement" for 3 months now, but is not gone. They will not deal with us until it completely burns out. The picture is terrible.

We have all the controls turned up to the max, and are thinking about leaving it on 24/7 till it burns out.

Any other ideas on how to hasten its demise? We are determined to get a new lamp, one way or the other.

[mikeytherat]

1. Tapping/bumping the lamp while it is hot is not a good thing. Bad things happen to the lamp.

Just saying.

mikey_the_rat

[EOTE]

2. ^^^ This. Rapid changes in temperature is the quickest way to blow a lamp.

I'm guessing you've got a DLP? You'll probably notice that even after you shut your TV down, the fan will continue to run and expel the heat from your set. That bulb puts out a ton of heat. If you were to suddenly cool the lamp after it had been running for a while, it would surely crack. But be sure not to do it in an incriminating manner.

[EOTE]

3. I think I've got the perfect way.

Get yourself a bottle of compressed air. Wait until the set has been running at least an hour and then unplug it (don't just turn it off, make sure to unplug it so the fan won't continue to run and cool it off slowly). Then, grab the compressed air and spray it directly on the bulb a good five seconds or so. All the propellant should evaporate very quickly and hopefully the bulb will crack right away. I certainly couldn't imagine a bulb surviving that happening much more than once or twice.