Plasma TV repair. Learn from my mistakes.

[Fleuver]

Im with you on this one, I have a 50 inch Samsung plasma on the floor next to me. So far ive replaced the main powersupply 3 times, the Y-board 2 times and every other damn board in it as well, got it working for a day or two, then something else fried in it... Im throwing in the towel.

So the thing i´ve learned from this; pray to the lord that it goes bad WITHIN the warranty period... Im getting an LCD tv instead :)

[gamerepair2020]

Hi GrantsPassTVRepairs,

great video`s i learned a lot from them.

i was wondering if you had time you could answer this question...

i have a Sanyo DP42746 PLASMA tv, i replaced 4 buffer ic`s on the upper buffer board and one mosfet on the Y-main, i tested for shorts and made sure ALL legs of the ic`s were making contact. i turned on the tv & there is an LED light on the power board that is flashing 12 times, when i put my meter on the three D12V wires the voltage reads 11.58 for one second.???

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@gamerepair2020 Sorry but I don't know what the 12 flashes represents on your TV, and I can't draw any conclusions based on a one second 11.58 volt reading.

[gamerepair2020]

Hi GrantsPassTVRepairs,

is there any other tests i can do to figure out if it is a short or just a blown out circuit.

i can tell you this, if i remove the ribbon that is going to the logic board from the Y-sus board the light doesn`t blink and i get 12 volts or about 12 volts from the D12V wires on the power board.

thank you.

@gamerepair2020

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@gamerepair2020 Yes there are a variety of tests you can do to look for shorts. You can do the current draw test with your amp meter, the resistance test with your ohm meter, the voltage drop test with your volt meter, The light bulb technique. and a couple others. The power supply book which I list on my website at TV REPAIR INFO . COM has a detailed

description on the how to part if you can't figure it out using my free videos.

[gamerepair2020]

Hi, GrantsPassTVRepairs,

Ok, i`ll try a few of those tests and get back to you.

thank you for your help.

[TheCornejo24]

hey man thanks

[TheCornejo24]

my tv doesnt work and the bufferboard is whats messed up i was wondering me if you could tell me where you got the bufferboards?

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@TheCornejo24 You can put the buffer board numbers printed on the board in a google search engine and find places that sell them.

[Ibringthetruth1]

I am thinking consumer reports is not doing its job anymore.

They should open up the sets and check the internals.

[timcat100]

I bought an LG 50 inch Plasma in November 2006 for 3 k. I had problems with a cold solder joint in the tuner since day one. Never bothered me since I don't use the coax input. I have had this TV on 12 hours a day 365 for

5 years now...piss me off because I want an excuse to buy the next gen

It won't die and the dam picture is still as sweet as day one darn it!

[emiliobanan1]

when i change the y sustain board. the lower buffer blow out. what is the problem fr that, i need your help pls. if i willl change the buffer board is there any chances that it will work?

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@emiliobanan1 I can't say for sure but I understand there are some instances where a bad plasma display will cause the buffer boards to short out. I never did repair the TV shown in the video. I wasn't interested in taking any more chances.

[Lavinco]

Buffer boards are easy to test in many cases. Just disconnect them completely and look closely at the buffer connection that plugs into the YSUS side. Not the panle side. There you will find only 2 contact points even though it will look like several more. Many of them are actually ground points. Simply set your meter to diode setting and check for a reading in only 1 direction. If it reads in both directions, then the ICs are shorted and this will ruin a new YSUS board in a hurry.

[Lavinco]

Buffer boards also partially fail in other cases when the ICs don't completely short out. In these cases, you will always see some sort of horizontal or vertical distortion. 50 inch LG plzma have bursts of color distortion when the upper board partially fails and a solid white vertical stripe when the lower board partially fails. 42 inch samsung style like philips and lg versions will often have faint horiz. lines within 3 inch bands when the buffers partially fail.

[Lavinco]

When the buffers completely short out, the YSUS board will go too and the ceramic fuse will be blown to indicate this. So whenever a YSUS board has a blown fuse, the buffers MUST me checked as described already or you will indeed blow the replacemet Y again. Partially failed buffers are okay for testing purposes, buy shorted buffer boards will always cause a problem.

[kilove1]

hey dave ,thanks for this video..you helped me ..a lot.. i got a 50" plasma ans this got me to fix it myself i saved a lot of money ...thanks ..ohh dont give up lol

[hoopfan71]

Dave, I share your frustration. I bought a set of replacement buffer boards for a Hitachi, and one of the ICs on the lower buffer board blew when I turned on the tv. In general, the plasmas I've worked on have given me nothing but headaches and consumed a lot of my time. I've had much better success with LCDs. One plasma took me a month to drill down to a module on the power supply then from there I found a forum post, where a poster discovered a 1 mfd SMD cap on the module caused the failure.

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@hoopfan71

Wow just a one mfd cap. That would have been a good one to record in Mikes case histories. if you happen to know the model number and part location I would appreciate the info.

I guess a lot of us having a difficult time with plasma TVs. There are times LCD sets can be a headache as well.

[nlimchua]

Good one! brings back Kenny Roger's song - "Know when to hold/fold 'em"....!

[jimhale777]

Thanks very much for the vid. Don’t usually hear that kind of truth.

[chevy56123]

I just fixed my problem,re-seated all ribon cables from Y buffer boards and no more horizontal lines.I paid money to experts on line to tell me it was the panel and couldn't be fixed.This is one more experience I've learned to look for now.Maybe I'll be able to sell it and get my money back.

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@chevy56123 Great fix, If you get enough case histories together you can put them in a book and sell them.. 

[LeonTagge]

@chevy56123

Nice dude ;)

[chevy56123]

I have spent a fortune on a 50" plasma,I'm not really not too good at this but I have replaced the power supply,Ysus,upper and lower buffers,and now I have a good pic but with horizontal lines everywhere.I might spend a little bit more if you have a suggestion.

[Miketar2424]

Yea Plasmas suck. High wattage, complex, fragile. BUT you get a slightly better picture...

[jenko701]

I have had the same thing happen ,If you end up with the set ,the best thing to do is wait ,you will end up with a good set of parts out of another set. I always do y board and buffers at same time because I did what you did more than once. trust me you will fix this set later down the road.

[AeroDurbanite]

Let me guess.Model 50Q96HDX or 50C96HDX.Had the same prob.Replaced the Both Buffers & replaced all the mosfets on the board.Tested every other component as well.Took me a while though.Its still works fine now going over a year.

This TV has a common fault with heat.If you do decide to fix the entire thing,Stick a 9-12v fan in there.

I've got the Service Manual for this one Dave.Would you like me to send it to you?

Totally Agree Most of these units i repair are almost always Samsung!

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@AeroDurbanite

Thank you for the offer but no thanks. At this point my customer gave me the TV and I hope to salvage the parts for what I paid. The problem is I don't know if I damaged my y sustain board. I still get half a picture with one of the buffer boards installed but anyway I done with it.

[AeroDurbanite]

@GrantsPassTVRepairs Doubt it's damaged.It's a symbiotic relationship on that YSUS.Won't work at all.Don't resolder the chips next time bro.Replace the entire buffers board set.I had a problem a while back when a customer returned the TV when i put new chips.Just a tip.Save yourself the headache.

Lucky you.Those Screen are pricy.Flog the SMPS,Lower Y/X Drive Boards,Xsus,TCon&Screen seperately.You can even flog the plastic housing nowdays.I've sold loads on Ebay.Good Luck.

[agoodm]

That sucks :-( I have had similar experiences repairing computers in the past - sometimes its best to just bale and run away with your tail between your legs :-P

[GrantsPassTVRepairs]

@agoodm Amen to that. "He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day"