Service Man Diary - Lens Cleaning of Lighting Fixture

After using lighting equipment for an extended period, you might notice, “The brightness has decreased.” That’s actually quite normal.

Here’s why:

Most lighting fixtures generate heat, so they typically come with a fan to prevent overheating.
Since the fan constantly draws in air, it also pulls in dust particles floating in the air.
This dust, along with moisture and liquid from fog machines, accumulates on the lens, causing it to fog up and reducing the brightness. In this edition, I’ll show you how to address this issue, along with a maintenance overview!

So, let’s get started with the maintenance of this unit:

NiTEC / RIPPLE LED Water Gobo Projector

This projector creates a very cool water reflection effect!
It’s perfect for adding an elegant touch to any space!

This particular unit was sent in for repair due to ‘reduced brightness’. Upon testing...

It’s clear that the brightness has significantly decreased.

As it stands, the unit doesn’t quite have the punch needed for effective lighting.

Uh-oh...

The glass is severely fogged up.

This type of effect lighting uses multiple layers of glass and lenses to create the desired light effect, but this also means that more light is blocked in the process.

This definitely calls for a thorough cleaning.

Let’s dive in and start the cleaning process.

Based on the level of dirt and experience, I can roughly guess that “this residue is probably from a smoke machine,” so I use an alkaline detergent to clean it off.

By soaking the glass in the cleaning solution, I can ensure that every corner gets cleaned. (The glass surface is bumpy, so wiping it clean would take a lot of time; soaking speeds up the process.)

Ah,
much better! (The left is before cleaning, the right is after.)

The outer lens is also dirty, so I’ll wipe that clean as well.

The transparency has improved significantly. It’s always satisfying to see something so clean!

Now, let’s reassemble the unit and perform a light test!

Oh wow, it’s absolutely beautiful!
The light patterns are much sharper than before!

■ Conclusion

So, as you can see, the cleanliness of the lenses and glass can greatly affect the light output.
If you notice a decrease in brightness, don’t panic.
Cleaning can restore it to some extent. (*However, this depends on the situation.)

As a repair technician, I must admit that cleaning seems to make up half of the work.
That’s how much dirt accumulates inside the fixture, often leading to malfunctions.

The key to prolonging the life of your lighting fixture is regular cleaning.
Even if you can’t do a full disassembly, simply using compressed air to blow dust out of the fan area can make a significant difference.

So, make sure to clean your valuable fixture regularly to last for years to come.