HL-S5687W Turns off with 3 blinking lights

[mad4x]

I replaced the Lamp or Bulb Assy in May with a Philips and recently this problem started again. I took apart the TV and pulled the lamp cooling fan. Tested the fan and it was inoperable... so I replaced it and thought I had the problem solved as the TV was working. About 45 minutes later it shuts off on its own again with 3 blinking lights.



I read elsewhere in this forum to do a factory reset. Entered the service menu and while trying to page over to the service page, I hit something else and now I have snow on the screen. I can still get to the service menu and have done the factory reset but still have snow and it shows weak or no signal.



I have read a lot of threads while waiting for my membership to be activated and it seems to lead towards a ballast failure.



I like this TV and would really like to save it. I dislike throwing away something that can be repaired and consider it wasteful, besides, I am disabled and poor.



Boy, that is a lot of sentences starting with I... hopefully We can get to the bottom of this!

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Question 1--have you tried changing the "source" on the TV? Sounds like the snow on the screen may be coming from having no signal coming into the set on a selected source. Try feeding it a good signal through any of the input connections, and hit source button to select it.

Question 2--have you checked your power supply for bulging capacitors? The caps on the top will swell if the capacitor is going bad. This is a common problem with these sets. Replacing capacitors is actually pretty easy, once you understand the routine of de-soldering the connection, removing the capacitor, then inserting and re-soldering the new capacitor(s).

Question 3--the fact that your TV is starting and lighting up okay makes me think the ballast may not be the issue. How's the color wheel sound? The three lights blinking is a specific error code. see: http://support-us.samsung.com/cyber/popup/iframe/pop_troubleshooting_fr.jsp?modelname=HLN567W&idx=146589&modelcode=& How much trust do you place in that lamp? Cheap bulbs are never good and good bulbs are never cheap.

[mad4x]

I was obviously very frustrated yesterday and I really appreciate your response.



I have changed the source and now the TV is working perfectly again. That would indicate to me that the color wheel is OK...would you agree? Boy do I feel like an idiot for not checking that, I was so flustered that I just shut it off and went to bed.



Since I just turned it on, I will watch it for some time to see if it turns off again.



I have not looked at the power supply and I have no idea where it is. Is there a diagram I can view that will show me where it is?

I do not have any experience with a soldering iron and have zero confidence in my ability to do that kind of work.



If it is the power supply, is the model for this TV still available? I would feel more comfortable replacing the PC board or the entire unit

than trying to unsolder and replace individual components.



I just came home from looking at new TV's at Costco and I would really prefer to not spend almost $1000 to replace this. I did not buy one in hopes that someone had replied to this thread and you have come to my rescue!



Thanks again for your response.

[mad4x]

The TV has once again shut itself off and is showing 3 blinking lights. The color wheel is quiet and seemed to be working correctly. The bulb I installed back in may was a Philips OEM bulb with housing.



While I was at Costco, I remember that not too long ago we had some lightening in the area and the power went out. This happens frequently where I live and I have a back up generator which turns on automatically through an energizer switch that disconnects from the power grid. Over the years that I have had this TV, I would say the power has gone out at least 30 times.



I am going to search other threads to see if I can find out where the power supply is located. If anyone knows where I can find a diagram or can tell me where the power supply is, please reply.

[mad4x]

During this problem the weather in my area has been hot... in the upper 90s and low 100s. Today is much cooler, in the low 70s. I turned on the TV earlier and it operated perfectly for about 100 minutes then shut off. This time all 3 lights were off before I unplugged it. After leaving it unplugged for about 2 hours, the Timer/Stand By light was solid red when I reconnected the power cord. Once again it turned on without making any sounds and the picture looks perfect.



One thing that I have noticed for some time is that when the set is on, none of the 3 lights are illuminated. I believe when it was new, the Lamp light would be green when it was in operation.

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First, hang in there. We can probably get this back to normal operation with a little more effort. Second, don't be afraid of a little de soldering and capacitor replacement. Watch a couple of YouTube videos and you'll be an expert in no time. It's only slightly more advanced than turning a screw. Okay, how to find your power supply. See where the power cord attaches to the back of your TV? That first board is the power supply which "conditions" the electricity for use in the various parts of the TV. It will have about 3 various sized connectors, including a two wire lead that goes to the ballast (brown and blue) Pull your power supply and check your capacitors. IF the power supply is the problem, you can either buy a used one, get lucky and find a new one, or swap out the capacitors if you have a bad one. If you find bulging capacitors you know that that's the problem. If not, move on down the list of suspects. The TV may be turning itself off to protect itself. And the first suspect here is HEAT. Is everything CLEAN inside. Especially the fan blades and all the heat sinks? You may want to "hot wire" the thermostat switch that sits just above the lamp (by connecting white and blue to each other) or replace the thermostat switch with a new one. Costs about $2. Replacing your FANS may also be an option as they may be under performing and letting heat build up to the point that the TV shuts off to protect itself. Is the TV too close to the wall? Is it getting enough air? And it bears saying one more time, is everything inside CLEAN???

[mad4x]

Thank you very much for your response, appleads.



When I had the rear cover off of the TV to replace the lamp cooling fan, I vacuumed everything that I could reach. That said, I would admit that EVERYTHING is probably not perfectly clean. Besides the fan I replaced, I did clean the one near the back of the set by vacuuming and using q tips and vacuuming it again. Everywhere else that I saw any dust, I vacuumed it up. The TV sits at an angle in the corner of the room and is not right against the wall, so I believe it gets enough air.



I will remove the rear cover again and take a look at the power supply board and report back with what I find. This may not happen until sunday as I have things planned for tonight and tomorrow.



The questions I have are, besides the PCB you mentioned, is there an additional box or PCB that is part of the power supply? Is the ballast on the same board or somewhere else?



I have resorted to watching tv on my computer, since I have xfinity service for both my tv and internet. It is pretty amazing how many shows are available and this has allowed me to wait for you to respond without overreacting and just buying a new set.



Thanks again for your time and understanding.

[mad4x]

I have pulled the Power Supply PCB and found that the canister shaped capacitors are NOT bulging. I have looked closely at the photograph of this PCB online and found that some of the small disc shaped capacitors, that are mustard yellow in color, have the same 'bulging' shape as the corresponding capacitors on my PCB.



I have vacuumed out all the dust I could see, blown off the power supply PCB with a duster canister, jumped the connector for the lamp thermostat and reinstalled the power supply PCB and rear cover. I turned the set back on and was admiring how good the picture was and 10 minutes later, it turned itself off again and displayed 3 blinking lights.



Is there a way to test the ballast? I saw the harness for the ballast when I disconnected it from the PCB. Is it located behind the light engine assembly? The harness extends into that area.



What would you suggest as the next step?

[mad4x]

While I'm waiting for appleads (or anyone else) to respond, I decided to try the next easy thing. I have removed the jumper from the lamp thermostat harness, reconnected it and jumped the leads for the lamp door switch. As usual, the picture is perfect and it powered up without any unusual noises. Once again, after about 10 minutes the set shut itself off and displayed 3 blinking lights.



I have been searching online where I can buy a new ballast assembly as this seems to be the the most likely culprit after the lamp. The part number I have found is BP 47-00037A but I have yet to remove it from my set to confirm this is correct. From what I have read in other threads it is located inside the housing near the lamp. It seems to be about $60 plus shipping for a new one from several sites.



I still have these unanswered questions:

1. Is there a way to test the ballast?

2. Where is the ballast located?

3. Is BP 47-00037A the correct part number for the ballast assembly for my HL-S5687W set?

4. Is there an additional box or PCB that is part of the power supply that I can examine or test?



Many thanks in advance for anyone who can help.

[mad4x]

Since 3 lights blinking indicates a bad lamp and none of the other other tests and checks have revealed a problem, I decided to contact the company that I purchased the lamp from through Amazon. They have provided me with an RMA (returned material authorization) number. When they receive the tracking number, they will ship a new bulb and housing to me and refund my shipping cost. I am hoping this will solve this problem.



Since I purchased and installed a Philips bulb in may 2015, I was sure that it was not the problem. Since the selling company is willing to work with me, I will replace the bulb once again. This process has been a real eye opener for me and given me the confidence to work on this set, which I did not have before.



I will continue to post here in order to assist others with this issue.

[ChubbsTech]

Hello,



Because the ballast puts out real high voltage it's pretty much impossible to test the ballast. The location of the ballast is usually always just on the other side of where the lamp is located. You can follow the wires that connect to the lamp and housing. They will lead you to the ballast. If you have not replaced the ballast before there is a good chance that's where your problem will be. If you have replaced it hopefully the lamp will take care of that. Please keep us updated.



Regards,

[mad4x]

Thanks for your reply ChubbsTech. I have never replaced the ballast, so I guess I will try that next.



I received my new Lamp Assy today but less than 10 minutes after installing it and turning the set on, it shut down once again with 3 blinking lights.



Since the set turns on without making weird noises and has an excellent picture, can I assume that the color wheel is not the problem?



Hopefully I can find a brand new ballast to try.....

[mad4x]

I tore down my set once again, removing the light engine, which helped me to locate the ballast board and remove it. I was able to confirm the part number that I had found on several parts supplier sites and also by a visual comparison with photographs found online.



I have ordered a new ballast for $65, which is due to arrive on 10/8. Along with the lamp cooling fan that has been replaced, this purchase brings the total spent to fix this issue to approx. $100. I will report the results once it is installed.

[mad4x]

I'm over it. My impatience can be your gain. If anyone in the SF Bay or Santa Cruz area wants a 56" Samsung DLP model # HL-S5687W, Make me an offer..... It has a brand new Lamp, Lamp cooling fan and Ballast pcb. $175 is the buy it now price.

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I'm sorry to hear of your continued issues with your set. With the new components you've installed, I would now begin to suspect that perhaps the OTHER fan may be under performing. I would also carefully inspect all the capacitors on the power supply. One good thunderstorm and little power surge can easily impact a capacitor such that it will perform inadequately. Look for even the slightest bulge in the top of any capacitor. Some are small, some are big. There are LOTS of them on the power supply board. I hate to see these sets end up in the garage and then the landfill. If you have never replaced the color wheel, you might also pull that and give the wheel a spin. If you hear anything, then chances are the bearing is going bad and that could be the fault. I realize you're investing nearly all the cost of a new set, but the picture quality of the HL-S is so good, you won't see any real improvement unless you upgrade at significant expense to an OLed set, or the UHD versions.

[mad4x]

To quote appleads... " I hate to see these sets end up in the garage and then the landfill." I feel the same way, so I am prepared to give it away [b]FREE![/b]



This set has a bunch of new parts... Bulb, Bulb cooling fan and Ballast board are all brand new. appleads has hit the nail on the head because it is sitting in my garage and will soon be headed to the dump unless someone steps up and takes it for [b]FREE![/b]



If you would like to take a shot at finishing the repair and saving this set from the scrap heap, reply with your contact info. I live in the Santa Cruz mountains between San Jose and Santa Cruz.



Once again, I will give it to you for [b]FREE[/b] if you just come and get it. The manual and remote will be included.