Needed - recommendation for a good TV repair man

[Geoff B]

I just returned after a few weeks away, plugged in and switched the telly
back on, and after about 10 minutes it went phut . . . . Right in the
closing stages of the MotoGP qualifying, too !!

Typical that the guarantee ran out at the end of June 8¬ (

So, given that this is a big heavy brute, and I only have a bicycle as
transport - I need some kind soul to let me know of a repair person who will
come out and do the needful. For not much money, as I ended up spending a
heck of a lot more than expected while I was away.

It sounds like a relay tripping out repeatedly, and there is a slight whiff
of hot plastic. . . . .

Oh, and it is a Philips.

Ta !!

_______
Geoff B

[Alex Butcher]

Post by Geoff B
I just returned after a few weeks away, plugged in and switched the telly
back on, and after about 10 minutes it went phut . . . . Right in the
closing stages of the MotoGP qualifying, too !!

If you switch both the TV and the socket off, then turn the socket on,
then the TV, do you hear any noises from the TV like it's trying to start?

If you hear nothing at all, there's a good chance that it's just an
internal fuse. This happened to my parents' TV and a pack of ten
replacement glass fuses cost something like 2.19GBP and took less than
half an hour to replace. You need to be a bit careful opening up a TV as
there are some very high voltages (15kV, IIRC) floating around, sometimes
for a long time after the set has been disconnected from the mains (i.e.
days or longer).

OTOH, if you hear some kind of noise, it's probably something more
serious, and unless the TV was very expensive, it probably won't be
economic to repair.

Post by Geoff B
Typical that the guarantee ran out at the end of June 8¬ (

Then again, any TV should be expected to last longer than a year or two.
Get in touch with Philips and complain, quoting EU Directive 1999/44/EC
which means that new consumer goods sold in Europe after 3 April 2004
(IIRC) must come with two years warranty. In addition, goods that are
expected to be 'durable' must last accordingly. The upper limit for this
is six years, I believe, but probably will be less in specific
circumstances.

Post by Geoff B
It sounds like a relay tripping out repeatedly, and there is a slight
whiff of hot plastic. . . . .

Ah, I should have read to the end... :-/

Sounds like the PSU is failing to start. Could just be a bunch of failed
electrolytic capacitors - there have been problems with this type of
component for the last 5-6 years or so after a chemical formula was stolen
in a case of industrial espionage. Unfortunately, the formula was the
wrong one, and capacitors built using it fail quickly, sometimes in less
than a year of use. Capacitors are (generally) pretty cheap, but the
labour to source replacements, replace and test probably won't be.

Post by Geoff B
Geoff B

HTH,
Alex.

[Little Paul]

Post by Alex Butcher
If you hear nothing at all, there's a good chance that it's just an
internal fuse. This happened to my parents' TV and a pack of ten
replacement glass fuses cost something like 2.19GBP and took less than
half an hour to replace. You need to be a bit careful opening up a TV as
there are some very high voltages (15kV, IIRC) floating around, sometimes
for a long time after the set has been disconnected from the mains (i.e.
days or longer).

If you are going to take your life into your own hands and open up the
back of the telly, try to work with one hand behind your back. That
way, if you touch anything live, you're only touching it with one hand -
and you're unlikely to make a circuit that goes directly across your
chest.

Post by Alex Butcher

Post by Geoff B
It sounds like a relay tripping out repeatedly, and there is a slight
whiff of hot plastic. . . . .

Ah, I should have read to the end... :-/
Sounds like the PSU is failing to start.

The wiff of hot plastic is slightly concerning. I'd switch it off and
get a pro in. Unfortunately, all the pros I know lived in Birmingham
about 8 years ago... so probably aren't much use.

-Paul

[Just Another Bonzo Fan]

Alex Butcher wrote:
like the PSU is failing to start. Could just be a bunch of failed

Post by Alex Butcher
electrolytic capacitors - there have been problems with this type of
component for the last 5-6 years or so after a chemical formula was stolen
in a case of industrial espionage.

Don't talk rubbish. The Magic Smoke has simply escaped. Go down to the
local
shop and get a new bottle of it (might come in spray cans these days)
and pour it in back of tv and it will come back to life.

[Alex Butcher]

Post by Alex Butcher
like the PSU is failing to start. Could just be a bunch of failed

Post by Alex Butcher
electrolytic capacitors - there have been problems with this type of
component for the last 5-6 years or so after a chemical formula was
stolen in a case of industrial espionage.

Don't talk rubbish.

I detect traces of humour in your post, however, mine was a serious point:

<http://www.google.com/search?q=capacitors+electrolyte+formula>

It's affected everyone from small Taiwanese manufacturers through to the
likes of Dell and Apple.

<http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=24596>

I've personally replaced bulging and failed capacitors in two power
supplies: one set from a 1998-vintage Ferguson VCR and the other from a
cheapo Dynamode 8 port switch (which wasn't really worth it, but I hate
throwing things away for the sake of 1GBP worth of parts and 10 minutes to
repair).

Best Regards,
Alex.