Repairing the Clicking Death

In our previous installment of The Clicking Death, my Samsung FP-T5084 greeted me with a relentless clicking sound and no power/picture. Some quick internet searches informed me that this is a common issue that develops with many Samsung HDTVs (plasma and LCD). The repair usually involves replacing some busted fuses and capacitors that don't cost that much.

Of course, you go through a TV repair (out of warranty) and the price tag promises to be a few hundred bucks. Not to mention the wait for the appointment and parts, etc.

So. Taking matters into my own hands, with the assistance of a shitload of YOU TUBE how-to vids... I got my hands a bit dirty in order to save a few hundred quid.

The parts themselves were not expensive. Couldn't find them at the local RadioShack because RadioShack sucks, and electronic component stores aren't as plentiful as they used to be. But you can find what you need online. I went to Digi-Key for the replacement capacitors. And purchased the replacement fuses through Amazon.

One of the most difficult steps was just getting this 50" plasma down off the bureau where I've got it perched. It may be a flat-panel, but I swear the damn thing probably weighs almost as much as me...

[I had the set unplugged for roughly 12 hours before opening it up. Some people wait longer or shorter.]

Screen-faced down on my bed, I went through the meticulous process of removing all the screws so that I could take the back panel off:

Just getting the back panel off was a little trickier than expected. There are a LOT of screws. I placed them in a few different tupperware containers so they wouldn't get lost or mixed up. (There are also a few *hidden* screwed-in-things I had to identify before being able to lift the panel off.)

Once you've got all the business exposed, locate the power supply board by following the plug...

And here we've got the power supply board. Trouble-spots highlighted. Seems I'll be replacing two blown fuses and two blown capacitors.

The fuses were easy. Just pluck them out with some pliers and replace them with new ones. I could have tested them but didn't. When you're buying online, you've got to buy a few of these things because they're so cheap, so I had FIVE standing by. This is what you want to get:

"12 amp 250 volt 20mm ceramic fuse"

Capacitors are a trickier lot. I found this video to be very helpful:



Here's a picture of capacitors on the board that seemed a-ok:

Flat-tops. That's what I was looking for.

Here's a picture of the two busted capacitors on the board. The tops are slightly domed.

Another shot of the busted capacitors.

The blown capacitors on the board were

"2200 microfarads (μF) 10 volts"

My replacement capacitors were

"3300 microfarads (μF) 25 volts"

All right, admittedly, this was the leap of faith. Ideally, you want to replace the cap with one that's closer in spec. But I chose to buy the parts before opening up my set.

Had to use a soldering gun to replace the caps. Had to look at some more YOU TUBE videos to figure out how to use a soldering gun.

The rundown on everything I bought:
5 replacement ceramic fuses
10 replacement capacitors
1 soldering gun
1 roll soldering wire

Altogether, it cost roughly less than $40, I think. Versus a few hundred.

Monday afternoon. So far... it seems to be working...

UPDATE:

I come from the future! It's May 5, 2020 — NINE YEARS after I originally posted this — and I'm still enjoying the same plasma tv! Never ran into the issue again.

The Clicking Death

Quick rundown:

Samsung FP-T5084
50" flat-panel plasma screen

Bought this sucker sometime around March 2008.

A few weeks into owning it, wrestled with a buzzing noise, which I got repaired.

Buzz kill revisited me in September 2008, but it didn't worsen to any diabolical degree.

January 18, 2011. Tried turning on the tv. It didn't turn on. It just kept *clicking*.

If you do a search, apparently this is a widespread problem with Samsung TVs. Not just plasma screens. Tending to occur about 2 years in, after the HDTV is out of warranty.

I tried unplugging it for 8 hours and trying it again. No change. It just keeps clicking like some form of celestial torture.

So basically, I am stuck in The Tomb without a working television. I just finished a script and I'm waiting on feedback so ALL I WANT TO DO RIGHT NOW IS WATCH TV AND PLAY VIDEOGAMES. This is the perfect window of time to veg out and my goddamn TV just betrayed me.

Gotta call the TV repair service Wednesday after 9am. See what they can do for me. Internet searches seem to suggest that this is a "power supply" issue. Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't take an eternity to get it fixed. And I hope it doesn't cost a small fortune.

My computer's so old, it's wheezing. The CD tray refuses to open with any consistency, so I can't even watch any of the screeners I've got sitting around. If I can get some money coming in this year, I would love to get it replaced. Or maybe I could buy a blanket to keep warm.

I know that a TV not working may seem trivial to a lot of people, but the lack of a functional television in this prison cell only serves to highlight the sensation of being trapped in a box. Television has been a source of white noise that has allowed me to sleep here. A constant distraction to keep the demons at bay. In its absence... all I can think about is murder...

[UPDATE]

Through sheer persistence and magical thinking, I somehow managed to get the TV turned on. And now I'm afraid of turning it off because I don't want to lose it again!

Since it's out of warranty, the repairman would probably cost a few hundred. But it seems that the fix for this issue might cost less than $5...


"12 amp 250 volt 20mm ceramic fuse"



I am reviewing the situation...