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Found a bad capacitor on a 10 year old Samsung TV by just listening for the buzz

My neighbor was about to toss a 55 inch Samsung from 2014 because it wouldn't turn on, so I took the back off, heard a faint high pitched whine near the power supply, replaced three swollen capacitors for $3.50 total at a surplus store in Akron, and it fired right up has anyone else had luck tracking down issues by sound alone?
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3 Comments
angela_morgan
Nah, sound alone is too risky. I'd rather check voltages first.
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abby_cooper
The buzzing frequency is KEY. I fixed a 2009 Vizio that way - it had a specific 120hz hum that led me straight to a bulging cap in the standby voltage circuit. Saved me from guessing and swapping parts randomly.
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emma_baker61
Honestly that 120hz hum is super specific. Once you learn to recognize it you can almost hear the bad cap before you even open the thing up. Saved me countless hours poking around aimlessly.
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