# Plasma TV exploded **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117 "2025-01-18T19:50:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/1 "2025-01-18T19:50:31Z")
So I’m watching TV yesterday on my old LG plasma TV (60PN5300 if it matters), and suddenly there’s a loud BANG and the TV is now completely dead. No power light. I guess a transformer in the TV exploded? Does that make sense? Or is there some other component in a plasma TV that could account for that event? The weather was clear; no electrical storms or anything like that. I didn’t see or smell any smoke after the bang. This is mainly curiosity; I know it’s not reasonable to try to repair the TV, and in fact I just ordered a new one. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/2 "2025-01-18T19:55:04Z")
Most likely a capacitor or Ceramic transient suppressor. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/3 "2025-01-18T20:30:32Z")
Oh shoot. I saw @beowulff’s icon next to this topic and thought he started the thread. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/4 "2025-01-18T20:45:51Z")
I was at lunch, on my phone, hence the terse post. Often time, it is reasonable to try to repair the TV. The power supply boards are usually replaceable at an acceptable price. If it’s a nice TV, I would consider trying to fix it. I had a Vizio that went bad after 5 years. None of the replacement TVs were anywhere near as good (they all use crappy screens, unless you pay big bucks). I ended up fixing it, and it’s worked fine for another 5 years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/5 "2025-01-18T21:27:57Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Most likely a capacitor or Ceramic transient suppressor. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DIFwdUU8MPU/maxresdefault.jpg "Dead Vizio TV - Popping Sound, Then Dead!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIFwdUU8MPU) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/6 "2025-01-18T21:31:11Z")
The TV is what, 10-15 years old? Whatever it was, it counts as natural causes. If it’s not one thing, it’ll be something else soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/7 "2025-01-18T21:31:30Z")
We had a microwave die like that. Made a helluva noise. j ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/8 "2025-01-18T22:23:57Z")
My 50" Panasonic plasma is at least 12 years old but still has an amazing picture. It does have a faint blue tint in the center. I searched for that and it is a known issue and can usually be adjusted. The set is so heavy that I gave up on trying to tune it. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/9 "2025-01-18T22:48:46Z")
High voltage rectifier. It’s a $20 fix. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/10 "2025-01-18T23:08:22Z")
At fifteen years old, that was a $15 microwave. j ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2025, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/11 "2025-01-18T23:45:22Z")
Had a Samsung plasma do something similar a number of years ago. Was running fine, heard a pop, saw a few sparks fall down from behind the set. Had it repaired for a few hundred bucks, was the power supply board. OLEDs are so affordable now days I wouldn’t bother with a repair. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/12 "2025-01-19T00:23:18Z")
Do plasmas use a lot of power? I have a friend with one and I can feel the heat coming off the screen. It may be worth getting a modern TV for the power savings. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/13 "2025-01-19T00:24:06Z")
Yes, they are huge energy hogs. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/14 "2025-01-19T00:48:28Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > At fifteen years old, that was a $15 microwave. Resale price, maybe, but what’s the replacement price? That’s what you really need to be comparing to the cost of repair. > [@filmore](#): > > Do plasmas use a lot of power? I have a friend with one and I can feel the heat coming off the screen. I don’t know what display technology the smartboard in my room is, but I can feel the heat from it, too. Of course, it was just replaced this year, I wasn’t the one who chose it, and I’m not the one who pays the electric bill for it, so… ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/15 "2025-01-19T01:07:27Z")
True, but I’m no sparkie, so that’s a $115 repair. Never going to happen. j ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/16 "2025-01-19T01:17:29Z")
Yes, plasma TVs use a huge amount of power compared to other technologies. That’s part of the reason that they are obsolete. AFAIK, there are no new plasma TVs being manufactured or sold anywhere in the world. I’m replacing the dead plasma TV with an OLED. I haven’t had an OLED before; I hope I’m not disappointed in the picture quality compared to the plasma. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/17 "2025-01-19T01:40:39Z")
OLED is better than plasma. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/18 "2025-01-19T01:49:39Z")
Cool, I’m glad to hear that. I’m happy that my plasma held out long enough that I didn’t have to replace it with an LCD or LED. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/19 "2025-01-19T11:59:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Resale price, maybe, but what’s the replacement price? That’s what you really need to be comparing to the cost of repair. After a while, repair costs only defer replacement. You can pay $115 to repair something instead of paying $230 to buy a new one, but that only means that something else will break next year, leaving you with a choice: $230 for an old device, or $345 for a new one? It’s the very definition of throwing good money after bad. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117/20 "2025-01-19T14:05:22Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > After a while, repair costs only defer replacement. You can pay $115 to repair something instead of paying $230 to buy a new one, but that only means that something else will break next year, leaving you with a choice: $230 for an old device, or $345 for a new one? It’s the very definition of throwing good money after bad. you make it sound like this is a “given” - which it is NOT. I have made such basic repairs that lasted for years. just throwing this sentence in for balance. in this special case, chances are that the new ones are actually better in all regards (interfaces, energy-efficiency, etc…) - so it might make sense to get a new one … but I cannot let the post stand as it is … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/plasma-tv-exploded/1013117.md?page=2)