By William Hirsch, Updated Mar 24, 2022
Regularly testing the ballast resistor in your Toshiba Digital Light Processing (DLP) projector protects you from unexpected lamp failure. A faulty ballast allows excessive current to flow, quickly burning out the lamp.
Turn the unit off and let it cool. Disconnect the power cord, place the lens cap on, and set the projector on a sturdy surface.
Unscrew the outer cover of the Toshiba projector, remove it, then detach the three screws securing the lamp. Carefully set the lamp aside.
Use a can of compressed air to expel dust from the projector’s interior, paying special attention to the ballast resistor. Note the resistance value (in ohms) printed on the white ceramic part.
Turn on a digital multimeter and select the resistance (Ω) setting. On most meters, the capital “Ω” symbol indicates ohms.
Place the red (positive) probe on the positive terminal of the ballast resistor and the black (negative) probe on the negative terminal. The reading should match the resistor’s specified value. If the numbers differ, replace the ballast.
