screen issues

[ibooklover123]

I have a zenith hi definition 38" tv, it's about three years old. Recently a problem has began. Now, whenever i turn the tv it will work fine for about 7 minutes, then the screen will go black, completely off, the sound and all other features (volume, channel changing) work fine. To get the picture to come back for another 7 minutes i have to turn it off for a few minutes. My first thought was overheating, but i don't know, please help. So far i have tried pointing a fan at the back on high to try to cool it down, but it still has the problems.

[oman321]

Something faulty that probably needs service.

[Emoto]

Sounds like a power supply issue, like I had with my C32V37. The repair shop called it a transformer and said it controls brightness and sharpness. Have you noticed any changes in focus when viewing something with grid lines, like a tv guide station? Call a repair shop that works on Zenith and describe it to them.

[Ray H]

If your set is a picture-tube type set, I'd be suspicious of an intermittant open winding in the "flyback" transformer. The flyback transformer supplies the high voltage to the anode connection on the bell of the picture tube. (This is the "go" juice that accelerates the electrons on their merry way to the phosphor-coated faceplate.) Without that voltage, dead screen. It sounds as if the secondary winding opens up once the transformer reaches a certain temperature. By turning the TV off for awhile, the primary winding is powered down which in turn allows the whole device to cool, thereby re-establishing continuity in the secondary winding until the next "on" cycle. Replacing a flyback transformer is likely to be costly unless you bought an extended warranty. A bad picture tube could conceivably give identical symptoms if all three electron guns tank instantly and simultaneusly - not very likely.

[albob]

Our Zenith C36V23 has the same problem. Two months after purchase the picture went out and the PS/sweep module was replaced under warranty. Three years later we're having the problem of losing the picture after it has been on for a short while. The same repair shop said it will cost $800....$500 for the module and $300 for the labor. Right now we use a fan on the back vents while it's on hoping it will stay cool enough to finish a program. We won't be buying another Zenith.

[Drakkon]

I have a C32V23 model and my screen is doing the same thing... but when mine goes out it can take up to an hour of being shut off before the picture returns. any ideas that wont cost me $800?