Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
Well ... it's 2023 and the TV is still running fine without the capacitor! So - we've reach 8.5 years! Yahoo!
And this TV gets very regular use ... so it's not like it's just sitting there doing nothing! I should check the Maintenance screens to see hours of use since purchased new, but I'd bet it's *at least* 10,000 hours!
MajorSkeptic
Member
Last Activity: 03-18-2023, 06:13 PM
Joined: 08-15-2014
Location: NC
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Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
Approaching FIVE years without that MC201 capacitor! Never touched the capacitor on MC301. Still running fine - almost 10.5 years total now! Just broke the cap off that tiny board - right in place! Read my older posts here or on AVSforum....Last edited by MajorSkeptic; 08-15-2019, 08:25 PM.Leave a comment:
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Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
I'm back! It'll be TWO YEARS next month and the TV is running fine without the capacitor. Take off the back panel, turn the TV on its short side and lean it up against a wall. This positions the tiny board with the bad capacitor horizontally (or parallel to the floor). Then while applying a little pressure to the back side of the tiny capacitor with a pick (small $1 hand tool I bought at Harbor Freight), heat the capacitor with a 15-watt soldering iron until the solder weakens enough to break the cap free.Leave a comment:
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Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
Another update: 8 months now running the set heavily with no capacitor and running fine. Starting to think this VERY TINY cap is not necessary - the hardware equivalent of dead software logic.Leave a comment:
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Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
Just wanted to post an update with my Panasonic TH-46PZ850U plasma (built 2008, put into service April 2009): Had the 10 blinking lights. Set would not come on. Did the "NorCal" YouTube test spraying refrigerant out of upside down can of compressed air on to MC301 then MC201. TV came up when MC201 was frozen. So I removed the *very tiny* capacitor off the MC201 board in October 2014 and did not replace it. The set is still running fine and it's been 5 months now. I *have* the replacement capacitor but don't think I can solder...Leave a comment:
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Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
Found this explanation in the comments under the NorCal video regarding the function of the bad cap on the MC201 (and MC301) board:
Mike Powers (1 year ago):
The cap is a bypass capacitor. I assume the failure mode is toward open and that extra leakage is tanking a supply and causing the error codes. Removing it will fix the problem, but may create others down the road since the IC won't have a nice, stable supply voltage. As shown in the video, the IC is a TEA1611T.Leave a comment:
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Re: Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
OK - It appears I've "fixed" my Panasonic TH-PZ46850U Plasma with the 10-blink problem. I just ended up removing that bad (microscopic) capacitor on MC201 (in place .. I did *not* remove the power supply board). When I powered the set up and it worked, I decided to leave well enough alone.
To get the bad cap out, I first bent the tiny MC201 sub-board on the power supply board to the left until it was perfectly perpendicular with the power supply main board. For some reason, it came from the factory bent about...Leave a comment:
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Re: Recommend a Particular Optical Magnifier for Tiny Solder Job
vinceroger69 has it. That's the problem I have.
For lack of anything better at reasonable cost, I just ended up buying a "helping hands" magnifying glass (actual glass) with articulating arms and clips from Harbor Fake. It has a weighted base. I'll try to get it into position on this VERY TINY surface-mounted capacitor and see if that's good enough. My plan is to stand the TV on its short side so that this VERY TINY power supply sub-board sits horizontally (instead of its normal perpendicular-to-floor...Leave a comment:
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Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Bad MC201 Capacitor
I performed the NorCal715 (YouTube) 'freeze' test on both MC201 and MC301 sub-boards on my 2008 plasma's Power Supply board and found that MC201 needs that tiny, surface-mount capacitor replaced.
A frequent poster on that thread claimed to have removed this bad cap and run the TV for weeks without a problem. Eventually, though, he *did* install the new cap (1 uF, 50 volt, electrolytic, non-polarized).
I've done some soldering in the past and am generally a very careful person in everything I do, so I *think* I can at least successfully *remove* the existing capacitor...Last edited by MajorSkeptic; 09-25-2014, 03:38 PM. -
Recommend a Particular Optical Magnifier for Tiny Solder Job
My '09 Panasonic Plasma (TH-46PZ850u) has been down and out for about 4-5 weeks now and I'd like to get it going again. It needs a capacitor replaced on the MC201 "micro" power supply sub-board (or maybe just simply removed ... although I can't get corroboration for that).
Anyway, this cap is VERY TINY! Can barely see it without magnification. Doesn't even LOOK like a cap. Looks more like a rectangularly-shaped solder joint ... that's how small it is!
Can anyone recommend a magnifying lens of some kind suitable for electronics work that is reasonably priced?... -
Re: New Members - please post your introductions here
Hello from the Carolinas. Came here researching a problem with my Panasonic TH-46PZ850u Plasma 46" TV. Got the famous 10-blink code (which now shows up more as a 2-blink code). One, very informative, UTube video seems to indicate this is a bad capacitor problem on the power supply board. So far I've tried detaching my cable box, hard-resetting the TV via the Power button, but the problem persists. No computer or Home Theatre system attached, so moving to any other HDMI input also did not solve it.
Next step...Leave a comment:
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