Should I Attempt to Repair This 10+ Year Old TV?

ozwog05 on 29/12/2022 - 15:25
Last edited 29/12/2022 - 15:27

Long story short, I was donated an LG 50PT250 which has a fault (standby light intermittent, won't power up). I removed it from the original premises myself, and I don't believe the panel has incurred any damage.

With my limited knowledge on fault finding, I'm pretty sure I deduced the fault to potentially multiple shorts on the Power Supply Unit Board. I didn't bother to go down the TV Repair Shop route, as the associated costs would more than likely outweigh the value of the TV.

Replacement board is $42.25.

I imagine most wouldn't want a HD Plasma, and I'd say street value is no more than $100 in working condition, but I feel bad sending something to e-waste that I can probably get working again, and maybe sell it or donate for what I have into it. There's also the slight possibility that replacing the Power Supply Unit Board won't fix it.

Poll Options expired

  • 35
    No
  • 10
    Yes
Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • spackbace on 29/12/2022 - 15:33

    We just gave away a working 50" HD plasma (Samsung). Wasn't worth trying to ask money for old tech

    Heavy, old, can see every pixel… Plus being a plasma, even if you got it working, you don't know if it has screen burn in etc

  • Nugs on 29/12/2022 - 15:39
    +8

    for fun, sure
    for profit, no
    .

  • mapax on 29/12/2022 - 15:46
    +6

    I got given a plasma with a “fried main board” about 5 years ago but it turned out to just be a fuse. Cost more in fuel to drive to Jaycar than it did to buy the fuse.
    Tv was really good for a number of years and in the past couple it has developed a pink/purple discoloration in the left upper quadrant but it’s only visible occasionally on scenes of snow or white clouds, doesn’t detract too much from the functionality so I will keep using it.

    Edit- And upon rereading that I have no idea what my point was.

    • dcep on 29/12/2022 - 17:36

      how to check / how did you find out it was just a fuse and not the mainboard or power supply unit ?

      where is the fuse located ?

      • mapax on 29/12/2022 - 18:16

        I pulled the fuse and tested it with a dmm. On this tv it was located behind the back panel.

  • thesaver on 29/12/2022 - 15:49

    Nope

  • Guybrush57 on 29/12/2022 - 16:04
    +2

    If it were a Pioneer KURO then yes. If not, don't bother.

    • solidussnake on 29/12/2022 - 21:30

      Jokes on you they never will die !!

      • Guybrush57 on 29/12/2022 - 23:40

        My KURO will never die? Thanks for the belated Christmas present, friend.

  • bargaino on 29/12/2022 - 16:07
    +1

    I guess if you are absolutely convinced the board will fix it, and you will have fun.

    But it will end up in landfill either way. The secret to reducing landfill is to buy less crap you don't need, not postponing the demise of junk.

  • AustriaBargain on 29/12/2022 - 16:25

    Absolutely not worth fixing. But if you think you will enjoy the challenge of trying to fix it then $42 is pretty cheap for that kind of entertainment for yourself.

    • payless69 on 30/12/2022 - 07:51

      But Albo sends money to Tik Tok so Aliexpress should be rewarded too!

  • debo on 29/12/2022 - 16:36
    +2

    i thought plasma's are power hungry, so keep that in mind

    • boomramada on 29/12/2022 - 20:46
      +1

      OP going to waste money on power bill.

      • ozwog05 on 29/12/2022 - 21:35

        Not if I sell or donate it!

        • boomramada on 29/12/2022 - 22:18

          Probably can sell it for $50, so you either make $7.75 or lose $42.25.

          I would just dump it in ewaste, at least get recycled.

  • Muzeeb on 29/12/2022 - 16:38
    +2

    Probably just a $1 capacitor on the board.

    Inspect for bulging capacitors.

  • Switchblade88 on 29/12/2022 - 18:16

    What's your time worth?

    If you have enough time spare to spend 4+ hours troubleshooting after replacing the PSU (and finding out that it wasn't actually the issue) then sure, go for it. I've done this before, and the experience learnt outweighed the time sunk into the ultimately unsuccessful surgery, so it wasn't a total bust.

    It did make clear to me though that there is a very good reason that TVs are no longer serviced - the time and effort I spent trying the find the exact high voltage driver ICs to match, then solder them in, then reassemble without misaligning the panel components was more than I'd want to - and certainly more than a new TV would cost to buy with warranty.

  • payless69 on 30/12/2022 - 07:49

    Good LG's never die!
    Repaired our LG washer dozens of times, just like wine, gets better!

  • Sinnerator on 30/12/2022 - 08:52
    +1

    repair it to give away to someone who needs it more than you, now that you have a warm fuzzy buy yourself a 75" C2.

  • md333 on 30/12/2022 - 12:29

    If you have a use for it, it's nice to repair, but if it goes to e-waste with a new board, its not really an improvement on going to e-waste as it is.
    Lots of similar sets for free on verge collections around perth.

    I managed to fix a power supply capacitor fault on a Samsung about 10 years ago, which was very satisfying until something else failed a month later.

  • altomic on 30/12/2022 - 19:21

    I was at the tip a couple of years ago and an old guy in a ute parked next to me. he attempted to unload a 65" LG plasma (5-ish years old) . I ask if he needed a hand and he said yes. I asked what was wrong with the TV and he said it would turn off after 10 or 15 minutes. I asked if I could have it to attempt a repair and he said yes . loaded it in my car, got it home, plugged in a DVD player and it played a DVD on repeat for 4 hours (till I stopped it). weird it was not turning off. tried the tuner and it would turn off after 15 minutes - but only on channel 9 (or 7). googled the issue and it turned out that channel 9 (or 7) had changed their broadcast frequency slightly which was not compatible with the TV firmware. LG offered a free upgrade of the firmware. I contacted them and they organised for a tech guy to come around. tech guy inserted a USB stick and upgraded the firmware. TV no longer turned off . sold it on marketplace for $300

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