A TechLore "Ask the Experts" Question...

Question:

Our Phillips Magnavox TV went black and there was a faint electrical burning smell. I've opened up the back and can see a little blue thing that looks charred, (is it maybe a resistor? It's placement is at C506). Does this just need replacement? If so, how do I do it? Model # TS2744 C103

-submitted by Cath

Answer:

It is certainly possible that one of the electrical components of the television has failed on a fluke and is in need of replacement.

Examine the image above. On the left you will see example images of a resistor, on the right are capacitors. Determining which kind of part blew up is crucial to fixing it. Once you figure out what it is, you will need to find an exact replacement. Service manuals will usually tell you all the specs of the part based on its location on the board. If you don't have a service manual, you can try to determine the specs by what's written on the part (if they're still visible).

Actually replacing them can often be difficult. Resistors and capacitors can be glued to circuit boards, making them difficult to remove. The last step involves soldering the new part to the proper place on the board, which often means you'll need dissasemble the television and remove the board.

Whether or not you're up for this depends on your skills with electronics. If you're comfortable taking things apart and working with a soldering iron, you'll probably be okay. If you're not quite as adventurous, you may want to just bring it to a service center.

Another think to keep in mind is that there could be other factors that contributed to this failure. If so, replacing it will most likely cause it to burn out again, causing you hours of wasted time. There's really no way to tell without further diagnosis. Plus, there is always the possibility that you could damage the TV further by attempting this repair yourself.

My last piece of advice is this - If you are certain you want this TV to work again, take it to a shop. If you were already thinking about replacing it anyway, give it a go. We'd love for you to take lots of pictures as you work on it, and write an experience article about this for the community, even if it still doesn't work when you're done. Just be careful if you decide to try yourself; TechLore is not responsible if you get electrocuted or burnt by a soldering iron, and we don't want any of our beloved members getting hurt.

Matt Whitlock - Editor, TechLore.com