Samsung blinking light problem- Lamp or ballast?
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TNTExplosives
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Samsung blinking light problem- Lamp or ballast?
I have a 5+ year old 50" Samsung DLP Model# HLN507WX/XAA. After 10-20 minutes of the TV being turned on, It turns itself off. Seems to increase in frequency (happens quicker and quicker) the more I try to restart the TV. Definately some component heating up as it will stop if I turn it off, wait a couple minutes, then turn it back on again. Any info or ideas as to what is causing this would be appreciated.
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SteveJones
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Re: Samsung blinking light problem- Lamp or ballas
TNTExplosive,
I second the lamp idea... The lamp arc gap widens as the lamp gets older, requiring more voltage as Eddie stated. The problem is a doubled-edged because a no-start issue can be caused by an old lamp or it could be because of a weak ballast...Problem is, the issue is usually TEMPORARILY resolved by replacing either one one (ballast or lamp). This means if the TV fails again, you replaced the wrong part.
I'll give you an example.
TV has the standard symptoms...blinking lead lights in the front. The current lamp is 2-3 years old, ballast never replaced (and we've ruled out the color wheel).
Senario #1 - You replace the lamp (as they should) because 90% of the time, it's the lamp!
Less than a month later, the Samsung blinking lead lights return...your first assumption is, "DANG, I got a bad lamp!" You go and complain to your vender prematurely. Vender (if they're experienced and know what they are doing) will help you diagnose the issue instead of just sending you a replacement lamp. This is a double edged problem because chances are the replacement lamp your vender sends you WILL initially work, for a few cycles, but again you will have the same issue - blinking lights.
In this case, the real problem is not the lamp, but a weak ballast. You ballast powers on the lamp initially but as the lamp is "broken into" it fails to start. Remember the ballast sends out a 15,000 to 20,000 volts to power on the lamp...that's a lot of juice! After the lamp is lit, this voltage drops down to reality and keeps the lamp stable and lit at much less volts...but that initial "spark" is were I've seen ballast fail.
Senario #2 - Customer reads a story like this and says, "screw the lamp, I'll just order the ballast"
If the problem ends up to be the lamp, a new ballast WILL power on an OLD, tired lamp (but it won't power on a imploded lamp, obviously). The old and tired lamp (increased sparking gap) will usually get enough "juice" from a fresh ballast, but that's short lived.
Do you see the problem here? The lamp and the ballast are very interdependent on each other.
Bottom line, replace the lamp first and make sure the lamp cover door sensor is depressed and functioning correctly. This is also a common problem.
I second the lamp idea... The lamp arc gap widens as the lamp gets older, requiring more voltage as Eddie stated. The problem is a doubled-edged because a no-start issue can be caused by an old lamp or it could be because of a weak ballast...Problem is, the issue is usually TEMPORARILY resolved by replacing either one one (ballast or lamp). This means if the TV fails again, you replaced the wrong part.
I'll give you an example.
TV has the standard symptoms...blinking lead lights in the front. The current lamp is 2-3 years old, ballast never replaced (and we've ruled out the color wheel).
Senario #1 - You replace the lamp (as they should) because 90% of the time, it's the lamp!
Less than a month later, the Samsung blinking lead lights return...your first assumption is, "DANG, I got a bad lamp!" You go and complain to your vender prematurely. Vender (if they're experienced and know what they are doing) will help you diagnose the issue instead of just sending you a replacement lamp. This is a double edged problem because chances are the replacement lamp your vender sends you WILL initially work, for a few cycles, but again you will have the same issue - blinking lights.
In this case, the real problem is not the lamp, but a weak ballast. You ballast powers on the lamp initially but as the lamp is "broken into" it fails to start. Remember the ballast sends out a 15,000 to 20,000 volts to power on the lamp...that's a lot of juice! After the lamp is lit, this voltage drops down to reality and keeps the lamp stable and lit at much less volts...but that initial "spark" is were I've seen ballast fail.
Senario #2 - Customer reads a story like this and says, "screw the lamp, I'll just order the ballast"
If the problem ends up to be the lamp, a new ballast WILL power on an OLD, tired lamp (but it won't power on a imploded lamp, obviously). The old and tired lamp (increased sparking gap) will usually get enough "juice" from a fresh ballast, but that's short lived.
Do you see the problem here? The lamp and the ballast are very interdependent on each other.
Bottom line, replace the lamp first and make sure the lamp cover door sensor is depressed and functioning correctly. This is also a common problem.
Re: Samsung blinking light problem- Lamp or ballas
I had a similar problem and replaced the lamp, and now it's working fine... well until there's this other issue that just started. i'm a poor-ass student and don't know what to do, someone help!
Re: Samsung blinking light problem- Lamp or ballast?
Jeffyb,
We are here to help... I will find your other post and make sure I direct you the right way as best as I can!
We are here to help... I will find your other post and make sure I direct you the right way as best as I can!