Interesting lesson – Misubishi CRT RPTV issue: “Blinking Green Light of Death”

[cgsheen]

Many of you know that years ago Mrs. Sheen bought a Mitsubishi WS-55813 (55″ wide-screen CRT 1080i rear-projection HDTV).  It’s been a good set all these years, she just loves it (even though there’s better technology available – cheaper…) and it really has been trouble free.  Well, until the day after Thanksgiving…

Friday morning, the green power “ON” light was “fast blinking”.  It was supposed to be OFF.  The only time the green power light fast-blinks is after a power outage (or the power cord is unplugged, then plugged back in again) and then it’s only for about a minute or less as the TV “boots up”.  The fast-blink wouldn’t go away no matter what I tried…  It’s out of warranty so ( of course ) I took it apart – all apart – to see if I could find anything obvious.   I then informed Her of her loss…

I’d already started pricing replacement 1080p LCD’s  8) on Saturday morning, but she woke up determined to get the Mits repaired.  Being Saturday she didn’t get much joy and finally suggested an [i]Internet search[/i].  Holy Crap!  I found a [b]plethora[/b] of folks across the country that have been having the SAME problem!!!

Not with just the WS-55813 model either!  I swear there were 5 times as many 55813 owners posting the problem BUT it seemed to apply to a wide number of other Mitsubishi sets as well. 

Reading the posts, it seemed the most common cause of failure was with the “DM” module (circuit board) – the one I DIDN’T look at because it was in a metal box (shield)…  Guys posted that they had been given repair quotes anywhere from $750 to &1000 for the TV Repairman to replace the DM Module.  A kind soul was also e-mailing the repair information.  I posted, asking for the “fix” information that seemed to help so many afflicted with the [i]Mitsubishi blinking green light of death[/i].

However, I’m impatient…  ::)  I already have the Service Manual for the TV, so I read-up on how to remove the DM.  Guess what?  It’s a stinking “motherboard”…  AND – guess what I saw when I pulled it out?  Yup, BULGING CAPs!!!  (four of them) Now where have I seen THAT before???

I ran down to Fry’s Electronics – they actually stock the 16V, 1000uF, high-temp, electrolytic CAP’s I needed.  ALL four!  $7.60…

Yup, I made a “one thousand (US) dollar” repair for $7.60 (US)!!!!  ;D   A little dective work, a trip to Fry’s, 15 minutes worth of de-soldering & soldering in new CAPs and Mrs. Sheen HAS HER MITS BACK.  Dude, THAT was a Christmas present!

Anyway, thought the story might help other Mitsubishi owners out there.  AND, if someone has the problem and can’t handle making the repair themselves – I’LL DO IT – and I’ll only charge HALF of what the repair guys quote!!!

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