Seeking inexpensive projector & advice for art project

[Sophi]

Hello!
We are putting up a 20' shade structure with a wind chime inside.
At the top (at 20') we would like to project some stuff onto an 8' diameter white weather balloon. The balloon will be tied down.
The projector and source of video will be located at the top near the balloon, all attached safely. There will be images and text.

I have never worked with projected images and my pico projector at 33 lumens is not bright enough to have any resolution at all.
Best Buy and Craigslist sells projectors in the 3000 lumen range for about $300.
Does anyone have an old (approx. 3000 lumen range) one they want to get rid of for less? Maybe you already used it at a previous burn and it is half destroyed....? PM me please.

I'd be happy to hear any thoughts on this idea too. Will text from a large projector even be visible at 20' up?
~Sophi

[some seeing eye]

Projector fans suck in dust. The best setup I have seen are projectors in RV's shooting out the window or in pickups shooting out the window. ePlaya Stickygreen has experience with projectors on the playa.

[Fidget]

Projector fans suck in dust. The best setup I have seen are projectors in RV's shooting out the window or in pickups shooting out the window. ePlaya Stickygreen has experience with projectors on the playa.

This. Not only do they suck in dust but the lamps get incredibly hot - add in that the filter will get clogged likely within an hour or two, you risk overheating and blowing out the lamp as well as getting dust inside the lens apparatus, which is basically impossible to get out without disassembling the whole unit. Something I don't really advise.

If you can create a baffle box for it that has a vented hose or two that are long enough to curb the particulate getting up into it, that might work.

[GreyCoyote]

A couple of K&N filters from a 1980' small-block, one on top and one on bottom, of a box made from plywood, and a fan and you'd be good to go.

[andy]

Just a thought - the Playa is darker than you think. You probably need less lumens that you think, especially if the projector is very close to the ball.
It's a little late to start but some people have posted plans for DIY projectors using a color LCD panel and LED backlights - might be worth checking out.