Mitsubishi "Blinking Green Light" Repair Procedure

This Article is written to provide assistance and step-by-step guidance in resolving the Mitsubishi "Blinking Green Light" issue. This failure is often referred to as the "Blinking Green Light of Death" or BLOG. A large amount of information is included in this Article, all of which will help you to both understand and repair the 'Blinking Green Light' problem.

Written specifically for the Mitsubishi 65" WS-65813, this article ALSO applies to other Mitsubishi models with the same 'blinking green light' issue.

The Mitsubishi 'Blinking Green Light' failure is common with many Mitsubishi models including the WS-65813, WS-48513, WS-48613, WS-55513, WS-55613, WS-55813, WS-65513, WS-65613, WS-65713, WS-73513, WS-73713 and others. This detailed repair procedure will assist, even the NOVICE, in the required repair process. Links are provided for downloading Mitsubishi Service Manuals and for recommended parts ordering. Circuitboard photos are also shown which provide a visual reference during the repair process.

I hope that this Article helps you to resolve your Mitsubishi "Blinking Green Light" issue.

Background

When I encountered the 'blinking green light' issue with my Mitsubishi 65" WS-65813, I called Mitsubishi's Customer Service Department. Following repeated promises to correct the issue, it soon became evident that they were both "dragging" their feet and not at all anxious to admit liability for this failure or to provide a timely repair of the television. After several phone calls to Customer Service, I sent a detailed letter to Mitsubishi Customer Service with a copy to Mitsubishi's President & CEO outlining my concerns and asking for a "good will" repair of my 65" Mitsubishi. After waiting about three weeks for Mitsubishi to assign one of their Authorized Repair Dealers to repair the unit, I repaired the television myself.

Mitsubishi Customer Service did not follow up on the issue and I never received a acknowledgement letter from Mitsubishi's President and CEO.

Repairing It Yourself

If you decide to repair the TV yourself, I recommend that you obtain a copy of the repair manual for your Mitsubishi TV from the Techlore website by going to Mitsubishi Service Manual. It will provide some direction, however it is technically written and may be difficult for the NOVICE to understand. If you are unable to locate the the service manual for your specific Model at the above Techlore link, you may need to purchase the service manual online at ServiceManuals.net.

If you decide to have a service technician do the repair, insist that the "DM" module is removed from the TV and ONLY the four 1000uF, 16V Capacitors (Caps) located on the DM Module are replaced. MOST techincians will INSIST on replacing the entire DM Module and not simply the capacitors. The cost is about $200 for a technician to replace the capacitors and $1000 for replacement of the DM Module. As you will read below, doing the repair yourself will cost less than $4.00 for the 4 Caps.

Overview

I repaired my Mitsubishi WS-65813 by replacing the four (4) DM Module 1000uF, 16V, 85C Capacitors. The basic tools and materials required were: Four (4) capacitors, soldering iron, rosin solder, wire cutters, phillips & flat-head screw drivers and pliers.

Repair estimates, from a local authorized Mitsubishi Repair Center, was between $800 - $1000 to replace the DM Module. My total out-of-pocket cost for replacing the four (4) capacitors was $3.50.

Replacement Parts:

Replace the original four (4) 1000µF, 16V, 85ºC capacitors on the DM Module with Radial Polarized, 1000µF, 35V, 105ºC Capacitors.

Description: Computer Grade Electrolytic Capacitors or High Temp Electrolytic Capacitors; Capacitance = 1000µF; Voltage = 35 V; Operating Temperature Range = - 20º C to + 105º C; Termination Style = Radial, Operating Hours = 10,000 Life Hours. The original DM capacitors are rated at 1000µF, 16V, 85ºC. Do not use capacitors with this rating to repair your Mitsubishi television, or else the same issue will reappear in 1-2 years.

The capacitors are available from several on-line electronics stores and possibly from a local television repair shop. I recommend that you use ONLY high temp Capacitors rated at 105º C, with a voltage rating of 35 V. Refer to the "General Information" section below for additional information about purchasing the capacitors from a online website.

If you decide to take on the repair project yourself, pay CLOSE attention to my "Lesson Learned" note; a copy of which is provided below. This was posted to TechLore on October 4th, 2007. See comments below.

Copied from a previous Techlore posting. Quite important:

October 4, 2007 3:30 PM

Lesson Learned: Larry, For your information and others, after replacing the 4 capacitors on the DM Module, I slid the DM circuit board back into the metal DM case and then inserted the entire unit into the main circuit board. This was working in the "blind" as it was impossible to verify a proper seat of the DM circuit board onto the mother board. The blinking green light was still present upon power-up of the TV. I again removed the DM module from the TV and this time I re-installed the DM circuit board onto the main mother board and THEN installed the DM metal case over the top of the circuit board. By doing this, I was able to ensure a proper connection of the DM board. Upon power-up the TV is UP and RUNNING.

A Few "Cautions"

  1. Keep yourself "grounded" when working with the circuit board. Static electricity will destroy electronic components.
  2. When replacing the Capacitors, press them "down" onto the circuit board as far as they will go, hold them down, solder into place and clip the excess terminal lengths flush with solder. Only by doing this will the metal shield (little silver box) slide down and over the circuit board during re-assembly. There is not a lot of clearance when doing this, as the 105C Capacitors are slightly longer that the originals. With minimal effort everything does fit back together.
  3. Use ONLY 105º C capacitors with a voltage rating of 35 V.
  4. Re-insert the DM circuit board into the Mother board; press virmly and ensure a proper seat of the DM board. Next, slide the metal case down and over the DM circuit board. Refer to my "Lesson Learned."

General Overview of Mitsubshi Power-up Cycle

Normal Power-up Sequence: During TV power-up, the green light blinks until the Digital Modulator (DM) has booted up and is in sync with the microprocessor. Once the two are in sync, the television will "turn on". A failure in this boot up process is indicated by the "blinking green light" continuing to flash and the television's failure to "turn on".

Problem: Continuous "blinking green light". Mitsubishi television will not "turn on"; no video and/or audio; no audible noise or sound from the TV. Blinking green light will extinguish ONLY by unplugging the Mitsubishi from its power source.

Basic Troubleshooting

  1. Press the "reset" button and hold for 10 seconds .... Does TV turn on and blinking green light turn to solid green.
  2. Unplug the TV from it's power source for various times, ranging between 5 minutes and 24 hours..... Does blinking green light continue upon plugging in the TV.
  3. Disconnect ALL devices from the TV; DVD, Tuner, Cable Box, unplug the TV for various duration times .... Does blinking green light continues upon plugging in the TV.
  4. Press Power and Menu buttons simultaneously and hold depressed for 20 seconds .... Does blinking green light continue to flash.
  5. Press Power and Display buttons simultaneously and hold depressed for 20 seconds .... Does blinking green light continue to flash.
  6. Insure that no front panel buttons are inadvertently stuck in an "engaged" position.

Diagnosis: If none of the above test resolve the issue, then the failure lies in one of the following:

  1. DM Module Capacitors have FAILED.
  2. DM Module is defective.
  3. EEPROM Board failure
  4. Power Supply failure.

Perform a Mitsubishi "error code" diagnostic check to assist in determining where the problem lies. Refer to your Owner's Manual for specific procedures on running this check. You may also read Mitsubishi Television Error Code Diagnostic Procedure which is posted on Techlore's website.

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General Information

For this repair you will need a Phillips screwdriver, a 15 or 25 watt soldering iron, a desoldering tool (recommended), and four electrolytic capacitors. For the optional fan replacement you need a PC cooling fan, zip ties, foam tape (or weather stripping) and a 12v AC to DC power adapter. Note: The cooling fan is not required provided you replace the capacitors with Caps having a 105c high temp rating.

I recommend replacing the original (bad) 1000µF, 16V, 85ºC capacitors with Panasonic 10,000 hour, Radial Polarized, 1000µF, 35V, 105ºC high temp capacitors. The Panasonic Part Number is EEU-EB1V102. The capacitors may be purchased from a local electronics repair shop or online at digi-key.com. The Digi-Key Part Number is P13126-ND.

If you require a soldering iron, I recommend Radio Shack's 15 Watt Soldering Iron, Part # 64-2051 or the 25 Watt Soldering Iron, Part # 64-2070. Radio Shack also has a desoldering tool, Part# 64-2060, which you may find helpful in removing old solder from the connections, without damaging the board. A basic 11 piece Electronic Tool Kit, Part # 64-2803A may also be of value. The cost for each of these tools is between $10 and $20. Similiar tools are also available from Lowe's, Home Depot or Wallmart.

This is a fairly simple repair for those with a little soldering experience.

Start by unplugging the TV. Disconnect the coax and digital audio cables and remove the rear panel.

Remove the plastic panel mounting screws and set the panel aside.

If you are going to install a fan, position it on the right side of the shield (as seen from the rear) and mark its outline with a pencil. It is easiest to install the fan with the shield removed from the TV, but by marking its mounting position first, you will avoid placing the fan on a part of the shield that has an obstruction. The DM guide partly covers the capacitors that need cooling and the metal tray under the CRTs also restricts fan placement.

Remove the four (4) screws that secure the DM Module. For the left side screw, it may be easier to pull out and set aside the PWB-DEMOD board. It is a small vertical card just to the left of the DM and has a broad copper grounding spring. This will simplify access to the left side DM shield mounting screws. See the pictures below:

Left side of DM Module

Front side of DM Module

Right side of DM Module

Unplug the USB and Firewire cables from the top of the DM, as well as the cable that runs from the front input jacks to the connector on top of the terminal board. Unscrew the grounding strap from the top of the doubler shield.

Remove the 2 screws in the plastic bracket that holds the DMÃ Module in place. After removing both screws, pry the plastic piece away from the support piece to which it is mounted.

The DM Module and the shield are removed vertically. In order for there to be enough clearance, the chassis needs to be pulled toward the rear of the TV. All the electronics are mounted on a tray that can slide back like a drawer to make servicing easier.

Remove the board slide, which is a narrow fiber board that stretches the width of the TV above the rear of the chassis and shields the light box from scattered light. It is held in place by a long black screw on either side of the TV. Use caution as the board may fall when the screws are removed.

Undo the wire ties on the cables going to the front of the TV. You will need slack in these wires as you slide the chassis out. You will also need to unplug some of the connectors on the shorter wires. Remove the screw (a) on the edge of the chassis and screws (b) on the xx813. See diagram below:

Release the chassis lock tab on either side of the chassis. The tray may be a bit hard to slide, so alternately tug on the left and right edges to rock the tray rearward. Go slowly in case you've missed freeing a wire bundle. Pay attention to the large red anode wires and other cables on the right hand side as they are clipped to the frame of the TV. Pull the chassis back until the DM shield will clear any obstructions above.

Remove the screws holding the DM shield. (Note: Do not use a power screwdriver on these screws as it is very easy to strip the threads.) There are two on top of the shield, two in the rear base, and one in the middle of the base on either side of the shield. The DM shield can be snug and hard to pull up. Gently rock the shield front and back while applying upward force. You may want to hold down the board below (DTV-TUNER) to avoid disturbing the ribbon connectors to the signal board. The DM itself also comes out straight up, but it is not nearly as tight.

Remove the DM Module by pulling it straight up (toward the top of the television). DO NOT pull it at an angle. The DM Module is connected to the circuit board by 4 sets of pins.

Once the pins are free from the onboard connectors, continue pulling straight up. There is a plastic guide that makes it necessary to pull the DM Module straight up and sliding it over the plastic guide.

With the DM Module removed and positioned, as shown in the photo below, remove the 2 screws located next to the USB and IEEE-1394 jacks and slide the DM circuitboard out of the metal case.

The next and most important task will be to carefully remove and replace the 1000µF, 16V, 85ºC capacitors with 1000µF, 35V, 105ºC capacitors.

CAUTION: Handle the DM circuitboard by the edges to avoid static damage. If you hold the DM with the components facing you and the external connectors on the left, you can find the capacitors in question in a cluster on the top right corner of the board.


Here is what a typical capacitor failure looks like:

The top of the capacitors shown above may only have a slight bulge, but they have indeed failed.

Desolder and replace all of the capacitors at the same time. When inserting the new capacitors, pay close attention to the polarity. The rear of the board has the positive terminal labeled and the longest lead is positive. The capacitor body has the negative terminal marked by dashes running down one side. All the capacitors have the same orientation:

Insert all four capacitors as close to the board as possible. The Panasonic capacitors are 4mm higher than the stock capacitors and there is very little extra room inside the shield. If properly installed, the DM Module case will fit over the DM board during re-assembly.

The picture below shows the underside of the DM board after the capacitors have been removed.

With the BAD capacitors removed, thread the new capacitor leads through the holes in the DM board. Ensure that you have the positive and negative leads on the capacitors threaded through the proper hole. With the capacitors in place, maintain pressure to firmly seat the capacitors against the circuit board and carefully solder each connection. It will help considerably if someone provides assistance during this very important soldering step.

Replace the original 1000uF, 16V, 85C capacitors with Radial Polarized 1000uF, 35V, 105C Capacitors.

If you are going to install a cooling fan, do so now. Once again, if you have used capacitors with a 105ºC temp rating, the cooling fan is not required or recommended. If installing the fan, stick some foam tape or adhesive weather stripping to each corner of the fan. This will minimize fan vibration noise and provide the fan with some clearance from the shield. The shield has a thin ridge that runs diagonally and prevents the fan from sitting flush, but the foam tape will allow the fan to straddle the ridge.

Place the fan on the pencil lines you drew earlier and secure two diagonal corners of the fan with small zip ties through holes in the shield. The zip ties are flat and their low profile will allow the shield to slide over the DM board without getting caught. You can run your fan from a 6v power supply to minimize noise, but test it first since not all PC fans will spin up with just 6v.

For individuals with the Mitsubishi WS-55859, WS-55909, WS-65869, WS-65909, WS-73909 or other Mitsubishi models with seven (7) of the 1000uF, 16V Capacitors on the DM Module instead of four (4), the two photos below may provide a visual orientation when looking at the DM Module circuit board. In this case replace all seven of the original capacitors with those having a rating of 1000uF, 35V, 105C.

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Re-Installation

Installation is the reverse of removal. The DM will slide down onto the four connectors at its base and there is a plastic vertical guide to ensure proper alignment of the board. Be careful not to bend the copper grounding springs that touch the connector end (rear) of the DM as it slides back into place. Carefully slide the DM shield back over the DM board and be careful not to snag the taller capacitors. Install the 6 screws that secure the DM in place. (Note that the two screws on the top of the DM shield are different from the other four). Plug the PWB-DEMOD card back in and ensure that its copper ground spring is touching the left edge of the DM shield.

Slowly slide the chassis back into the TV and be careful not to pinch any wires running to the front of the TV. The chassis should click as the release tabs lock into place. Secure the chassis with the long black screws. Reconnect all the wires you had removed and secure the excess slack back into the wire ties. Plug the USB and Firewire connectors back on the top of the DM and plug the cable from the front inputs back onto the top of the terminal board. Screw the grounding strap to the top of the doubler shield. Do not over tighten it as it is easy to break the threaded mounting plate on the shield. Install the DM rear cover and screws. Reconnect the coax antenna and digital audio cable back into the DM (if applicable).

Lastly, put the board slide back and remember that it could fall unless properly screwed in place. Double check all the connectors on the boards to be sure you haven't missed reconnecting anything. Install the rear cover of the TV and route the optional fan's power cable over the top of the rear cover to avoid pinching the cable.

Plug the TV back in and the front light should blink for about a minute as the DM boots. When the light has turned off, power up the TV and verify operation. If all goes well, your TV should boot in about one minute and there should be no more interference in the picture or OSD.

WS-65813 Advanced Troubleshooting

For those more technically inclined than most, you may enjoy the following. For the rest of you, IGNORE these checks.

  1. CHECK FOR 12 VOLTS DC (AC-OFF DETECT) AT PIN 3 OF PC9A21 IF MISSING REPLACE PC9A21 PART # 268P058020 ON THE POWER PCB.
  2. SHORT DETECT SHUTDOWN (PIN 13 OF IC700) CHECK FOR OPEN L902 PART # 351P155010 OFF Q904 C (15 V SUPPLY) ON THE MAIN PCB.
  3. SHORT DETECT SHUTDOWN (PIN 13 OF IC700) CHECK FOR SHORTED D913 PART # 264P722010 AND OPEN Z901 PART # 283P039020 (Z905 AND Z900 M.
  4. CHECK FOR BAD CAPACITORS IN DM MODULE.
  5. CHECK FOR 10 VDC AT PIN 5 OF IC502 OF LOW, CHECK IC503 PART # 270P704010 ON THE MAIN PCB.
  6. SUSPECT SHORTED WINDINGS OF T5A31 PART # 349P216010 ON THE MAIN PCB.
  7. SHUTDOWN AT POWER WITH SELF DIAGNOSIS ERROR 2 2. CHECK FOR LEAKY C9A60 470 PF 1000 V PART # 154P400030, PARALLEL TO D9A57 ON THE POWER PCB 2. SHUTDOWN AT POWER WITH SELF DIAGNOSIS ERROR
  8. CHECK FOR OPEN FUSES F9A04 AND F9A05 ON THE +24 AND -24 VOLT LINES. IF THE FUSES ARE OPEN THE CONVERGENCE OUTPUT CIRCUIT WOULD BE SUSPECT.
  9. SHORTED HORIZONTAL OUTPUT TRANSISTOR.
  10. COOLENT HAS LEAKED ON THE MAIN BOARD FROM THE CRT'S AND HAS DAMAGED THE MAIN BOARD BEYOND REPAIR.

Also, if the 24 volt B+ and or B- is missing from the convergence ICs, change both convergence ICs as well as the defective pico fuse in the power supply. This is most likely not a quicky type of repair. These are a few of my notes on this set from me and a few of my buds in the buisness. Good Luck and let us know how you made out with this set.

A Word of Caution

To all of you who may be attempting the capacitor fix on their Mitsubishi a word of caution. Modern circuit boards are easily damaged by static electricity. Tech's in the industry use grounding wrist straps when handling these boards. Simply walking across a room with the circuit board in your hand could damage it. Try to ground yourself to the metal chassis of the tv when touching circuits. Even though the TV is not plugged in it will equalize your electrical potential. Handle the circuit board carefully by the edges when taking it to your workbench. Try to ground yourself while soldering on the board. I bring this up after reading some posts that stated after changing out the caps they ended up with new or different problems. That's why you see new circuit boards shipped in the anti static special plastic bags.

This DM board communicates with the sets internal microprocessor. That's why if the set is working properly, and you first plug the set in, the light blinks and then stops blinking. When it stops blinking, that means the DM has booted up and is all in sync with the microprocessor and ready to go. If the set does not stop blinking, that is an indication that the DM has not booted up and communicated with the microprocessor. This is the basic explanation, as there is a lot more to it than this:

  1. Could be poor solder connections, the power coming to the DM board from the main power supply could be bad.
  2. The EEPROM could be bad
  3. The power supply or sweep power supply could have bad connections or swollen capacitors.

The first thing to do is check all of the plugs, connectors, and connections to and around the DM board. Next would be to check for other large capacitors on other boards with swollen tops. The next thing would be to start checking power supply upon switch on. But, first do the diagnostic test as explained in the service manual. Maybe it will point you in the right direction.

If you have taken the time to follow these advance trouble shooting instructions and the Blinking Green Light continues to be a issue, a service tech may be required to complete the repair.

I hope that this Article has provided guidance and assisted in the repair of your Mitsubishi's "Blinking Green Light" issue.

Speed

Resources

Mitsubishi Service Manual: Mitsubishi Service Manual

If you require additional assistance or advice, feel free to send me a private message.

Contact information for Mitsubishi Customer Service:

MITSUBISHI DIGITAL ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC. (MDEA)
9351 Jeronimo Rd.
Irvine, CA 92618
Mitsubishi Consumer Relations
800.332.2119
Fax: 949.609.4900

President & CEO (July 2008)
President & CEO
Ikuo Morisada
Mitsubishi Electronics
9351 Jeronimo Rd.
Irvine, CA 92618

E-mail: [email protected]

Comments

I was upgraded to the WD85838 and it is making a huge whining noise. The guy at Mitsubishi has been replaced it seems and tech support seems spotty at best at this point. The guy in the Philippines when I ask to speak to the supervisor says he is it - I love that response for customer service. Anyone know how to gix this? I was told that it POSSIBLY was the COLOR Wheel, to me it sounds like a fan, but that is a wild as guess. Also, told they have stopped making these TV's.

Got some great help here before and hoping to again. Thanks in advance for the opportunity. Steve

Great article and posts. I have a WS55859 which appears to be a bit different from the photos and diagrams in the article, with the DM module being installed differently. I have tried to locate a manual (the links given don't work). Could you please provide the particulars for this model or a link to a manual? Thanks

W2105871N

Use this website link for the WS-55859 Service Manual. It should also be located in the TechLore Service Manual area under WS -55XXX.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/50547854/mitsubishi-V19-Service-Man-pt1-1

Best with repairing the issue.

Speed

Speed said: W2105871N Use this website link for the WS-55859 Service Manual. It should also be located in the TechLore Service Manual area under WS -55XXX. http://www.scribd.com/doc/50547854/mitsubishi-V19-Service-Man-pt1-1 Best with repairing the issue. Speed

Speed,

 

Thanks.  I downloaded the manual and pulled the DM module.  In the module there are about 40 capacitors, with the DM power CB having 7 1000uf 16v 105 degree C capacitors.  None appear to be swollen.  Is this where the problem lies, or do I need to look elsewhere?  thanks

The DM Module is the correct location. I suggest you carefully remove and replace the 7 1000uf capacitors regardless of a visible bulge in the cases. The Caps are often bad with no external signs being visible.

Speed

I have a wd 62528 dlp i replaced the lamp and 6months later the set turned of and when i went to turn back on nothing.happened so i hit the reset button and the timer light just flahed repeatedly so i unplugged the set for 5 mins and same thing i check all the caps amd they all looked fine any ideas would ne helpful before i trash a nice t.v.

Great artical, great detail - just not for my TV.  I have a WD 65733, V36 chassis, I believe.  I have had an intermittent blinking green light for 2 years.  Now it is constant, can't get it to go away.  I started tearing the TV apart and mine does not look like your postings.  I cannot identify which capacitors to replace, or for that matter, what the DM module is.  Google does not tell me.  I have 2 boards exposed, 934C261 0 and 934C260.   I can send pictures if that would help.  Which capacitors do I replace?

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