Wasted a whole afternoon trying to fix a TV with the wrong power supply

A client brought in a 55-inch Samsung that wouldn't turn on, and I jumped right in without checking the basics. I spent about four hours testing boards and chasing voltage before I finally checked the external power brick. It was a generic 12V 5A unit, but the TV needed a 19V 3.42A one. The client had swapped it with one from a monitor and didn't tell me. That cost me a $75 diagnostic fee I couldn't charge because I looked silly. Has anyone else gotten burned by not verifying the power supply first on these external brick setups?

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3 Comments

the_brooke5mo ago

Ugh, my buddy did something just like that. He spent a whole day on a soundbar before realizing it was plugged into a laptop charger. I mean, it happens to everyone, but it sure stings.

7

anna_coleman5mo ago

Classic. Always check the brick first.

6

xena_murray815mo ago

Oh man, that reminds me of the time I found my old iPod in a shoebox full of random cables. I mean, it was just sitting there for years.

1