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My Samsung 61 inch DLP TV continuously power cycles on and off every 20 seconds. I've read through the other posts of similar power problems but none seem to be exactly like mine.

I turn my TV on (cold start) and in 20 seconds it powers down and immediately back on (the power up cycle to light the lamp and get the color wheel up to speed takes about 20 seconds) and the the picture appears again for about 20 seconds and the whole sequence is repeated continuously until I turn the set off.

I've read about the overheating problems, but my set does this immediately on "cold start" so I don't believe it has anything to do with heat. Also a couple of years ago I had this problem intermittently (TV would cycle off and on once occasionally). I researched that one and found that these TV's are very sensitive to power fluctuations. I live in Thailand and the power is not stable. The advice in that instance was to either get a power regulator or do not keep the set connected to power when not in use. I started using the red power switch on the rear (left side) of the TV to completely power it down and not leave it in standby mode when not in use and did not have any problem for the next two years until the current problem started.

The set is four years old and I have replaced the color wheel once. During the current power up cycle the picture is fine so I don't think the problem is color wheel or lamp related.

I think some other part (ballast?, power supply, or some circuit board or circuit board component has gone bad).

Any ideas? Thanks!

(BTW, I posted this yesterday but it seems it did not get on the forum so I apologize if the other one shows up and this turns out to be a double post).

Hello hhfarang.
My first question is, what makes you think its not the lamp, there are various reasons why a TV would reset itself over & over. Here is a link where I explain it in more detail.
http://www.fixyourdlp.com/forum/viewtop ... 5497#p5497
now the first option is always the lamp because the average life span is 2 -3 years (6000 hrs+) , plus it’s a lot cheaper to buy & install one, that the other parts. When you try and turn on your TV, dose it make any strange noises coming from inside? Did you have any kind of picture distortion before the TV went bad?
Hope this helps you out.

Hello NightKid,

Thanks for the reply. I read through that thread again and none of the problems there seem exactly like mine, and I didn't think it was the lamp because during the alternating 20 seconds when the set is on the picture is perfect. Would a bad lamp act like that? If so I will replace it first. I saw two things mentioned there that I don't know about. Where is the ballast and what does it look like, and where is the lamp timer and how do you reset it (for future reference)? My current power problem is not random like the others mentioned. It is on for exactly 20 seconds then goes off as if turned off by the remote normally, then it comes on again immediately and goes through the normal power up cycle which takes about another 20 seconds to light the lamp so that I get a picture. Once it started doing this several days ago, it has been consistent every time I turn it on.

And to answer your questions directly, there are no strange noises, just the normal clicking as the power cycles off and immediately back on again (same sound as if I turned it off and on by remote) and the picture was (and still is) perfect when the set is in the on cycle.

Thanks again,

hh

dude, farang i've got the same exact TV.

Currently having a similar issue. But even all 3 previous times i've need a new bulb, the TV has done weird things then as well...and not always going along the rules indicated in the manual.

I almost never get the "3 flashing lights" when needing a new bulb. The TV just usually starts freaking out...turning on....turning off....stuttering and such. Sometimes lights light up...sometimes they don't.

But each time I get a new bulb, it fixes the issue.

In the previous times, it was just like your case too...where it would turn off after about 30 seconds...then turn on...turn off... Or sometimes after the first time it turned off, it would stay turned off.

This time (recent issue....just ordered a new bulb) my TV would turn off...then attempt to turn back on , and all 3 lights are solid. It won't even respond to the remote control. I gotta pull the plug out completely.

But yea, like i'm saying....the weirdest things will happen, and most times all you need is a new bulb. There were a couple times were I was CERTAIN something else had to be screwed up......replaced the bulb, and everything was fine for a year or so.