The other day I noticed that my Samsung TV flashing red light. I had never noticed this before and began to wonder what the cause of this was. Luckily, I was able to find some possible causes and fixes for this issue.
If your Samsung TV is flashing red light, first try turning your TV off and on. Also, check your HDMI connections and the wall outlets powering your TV to make sure they are working. Finally, power cycle your TV or replace any damaged electrical components. If nothing works, contact Samsung Support for further assistance.
This guide will focus on the different causes and solutions for issues that may be causing your Samsung TV to flash a red light. You should use this information to accurately identify your issue and apply the proper troubleshooting method.
What Causes the Blinking Red Light in Samsung TVs?
Improper Electricity Flow
Improper electricity flow is the most common cause of a blinking red light on your TV. When your TV is not getting the required amount of power, this will cause your red light to flash. An electrical surge is the most common cause of power flow issues inside your TV.
Electrical surges can damage the power cord, power board, LED backlight strips, or the wiring of your power outlets. All of these components should be checked when trying to resolve blinking red-light issues.
There are also situations where your TV could be receiving too much power. This will also cause electrical issues internally that you will need to address. Use the sections below to help you resolve these types of issues.
Troubleshooting The Flashing Red Light
1. Turn Off your Samsung TV and Turn it Back On
You should turn your Samsung TV off and back on to try and get rid of the flashing red light. Sometimes simply restarting the TV can resolve any temporary electrical issue that your TV is experiencing. While this is not guaranteed to resolve your issue, it is the best first step.
If this did not stop the blinking red light, you should check your power supply and capacitors. These components will be detailed in the next section.
2. Bad Power Supply or Capacitors
The capacitors are another internal component that commonly causes power source issues. The capacitors are used to manage and mitigate power throughout the inside of your TV. When these capacitors become swollen or blown, you will experience power supply problems.
These components are cheap and simple to replace. That being said, you should only attempt to access and replace the capacitors in your TV if you have the proper experience. Capacitors can become swollen or blown after receiving large amounts of voltage.
If you have determined that your capacitors are not the issue, it could be an HDMI glitch causing your problem. This possibility will be discussed in the section below.
3. HDMI Glitch
An HDMI glitch can cause your red light to flash due to an input source error. If you are using an HDMI cable to connect a console, this could be the cause of your problem. An HDMI glitch indicates not a problem with your TV, but with the connection between your devices.
You should disconnect the HDMI cord and plug it back in to resolve this issue. Once you have done this, your TV will be able to properly connect to the device and stop blinking red. If this did not resolve your issue, you should inspect your surge protectors and wall outlets.
4. Surge Protectors and Wall Outlets
Your surge protectors and wall outlets could also be causing your power supply issues. While this is good news for your TV, you will need to investigate these components for problems. If your surge protectors or wall outlets are damaged, they will not power your TV properly.
You should consider testing these components to ensure they are working. If you determine they are not powering your devices properly, they should be replaced. Any wall outlets that aren’t working should be fixed by a certified electrician.
Shorted LED Backlight Strips
The LED backlight strips are a vital component of your TV. When the backlight strips short out, you will see the red light to notify you of this. Common causes of backlight strip shortages include electrical surges and wear from use.
Over time, it is likely that your LED backlight strips will need to be replaced. This is a rather complex process and should only be attempted on your own if you have the proper experience. If you do not feel comfortable doing this on your own, Samsung can replace them for you.
If your LED backlight strips are functioning properly, you should consider the next troubleshooting method.
5. Check Your Outlet and Surge Protector
Before replacing any of the electrical components in your TV, check the outlets and surge protectors, you are using. This will help you avoid costly unnecessary repairs or replacements.
Try plugging your TV into a different outlet using the same surge protector. If this does not resolve your issue, use a different surge protector. This method worked for me when my Vizio TV won’t turn on.
If you are still unable to get rid of the blinking light after switching power sources, consider the next method.
6. Use a Voltmeter to Locate the Shorted Components
If none of the fixes above have resolved your issue, you should check for shorts using a voltmeter. This will help you determine exactly which electrical component is causing the problem. It will also help you determine whether the issue is something you can fix yourself.
A voltmeter checks for electrical currents inside your TV. It will notify you of shorts in the system. If your outlet is working but the voltmeter doesn’t give a reading, the power cord is likely damaged.
On the other hand, if your voltmeter gives an outlet reading but not at the power cord, your power board is bad. If you are comfortable opening up your TV, you can test the LED backlights and capacitors. Once you have determined the damaged electrical component, use the sections below to address them.
7. Replace Swollen or Blown Capacitors
To replace swollen or blown capacitors, you can attempt to do it yourself or have them replaced professionally. If you do not have prior electrical experience, it is not advised you do this yourself. You will need experience soldering tiny electrical components to do this yourself.
If you choose to have your capacitors replaced professionally, you can expect to pay around $125 to do so. This includes parts and labor. If you have a warranty for your TV, the repairs could be covered at no cost to you.
If you would like to try and replace the capacitors yourself, this video can help. The next section will detail how to replace the LED backlights inside your TV.
8. Replace Shorted LED Backlights
Replacing the LED backlights is easier than capacitors. There is no soldering required and little technical knowledge. That being said, if you do not feel comfortable doing it yourself, you can send it somewhere to be repaired.
If you choose to replace the LED backlights yourself, this video can help walk you through the process. You will first need to locate and order the parts for your model of Samsung. These components can be found here.
Once you have purchased the proper components, the process involves removing the back panel of the TV. You will also have to remove the speakers, boards, and screen. Once you have done this, you will be able to access the LED strips.
If you have replaced your electrical components and are still having problems, the next section could help.
Source Issues
Source issues refer to anything regarding the source or input on your TV. This includes any HDMI cords connecting your TV to your Xbox or PlayStation, that may be causing your red-light issues. Many gaming consoles and external devices will automatically turn on your TV when powered on.
This feature is known as Anynet+ or HDMI-CEC. This feature can cause your TV to blink red if it cannot turn on the console or device properly. This issue is caused by source input errors caused by not switching sources when powering down the TV.
You should use the following solutions to help you resolve these issues.
Solution for Input Issues
The first thing you should do is make sure your external devices are powered on properly. This includes Blu-Ray players, consoles, or other devices connected by HMDI. You should check the power sources these devices are plugged into. This will help you determine if there is a power supply problem.
Disconnecting the HDMI cord and reconnecting can help resolve these types of glitches. You should also try switching the source settings on your TV. This will often resolve any input glitches you are currently experiencing.
Finally, you should consider disabling the Anynet+ settings on your Samsung TV. The process to do this is simple and will be outlined below.
1. Open up the settings menu on your Samsung TV.
2. Enter into the General tab.
3. From the General tab, enter the External Device Manager menu.
4. In the External Device Manager menu, turn the Anynet+ settings off.
Another way that you can resolve input issues is by a full reset of your Samsung TV. This process will be outlined in the section below.
TV Needs a Reset
Your issue could be caused by a simple software glitch. These types of issues can typically be resolved by resetting your TV. To fully reset your TV, you will need to do a power cycle. This process will be detailed in the section below.
Solution- Power Cycle
You should consider unplugging your Samsung TV from the wall to allow it time to fully drain all stored power. This will allow your Samsung to power down completely and restart fresh. Unplugging your TV from the wall will ensure that any erroneous system functions are ended.
Sometimes small amounts of power will remain in your TV after you turn it off, leading to internal software processes that may not have ended properly. Unplugging the TV from the wall will allow you fully power down your TV and restart it.
You should leave your TV unplugged for at least sixty seconds for this process to work effectively. After the sixty seconds have elapsed, plug your TV back in and the issue will likely have been resolved. If this method does not work, before replacing your Samsung TV, check our guide on Samsung TV not working.
Consider Replacing your Samsung TV
If none of the above solutions have helped resolve your issue, you should consider replacing your Samsung TV. There is a possibility that your Samsung TV is still covered under warranty. To check if this is the case, you should use the information in the section below.
How to Contact Samsung Support for Warranty Claims
You can contact Samsung Support for warranty claims at their support website or over the phone at 1(800) 726-7864. Once you have filed a claim, you will need to send your TV back for repair or replacement.
You will generally incur some shipping costs during this process. Keep in mind that only TVs purchased in the last year are covered by the Samsung limited warranty. Because of this, you need to determine how long it has been since you purchased your TV.
If your TV is having issues outside of the warranty coverage, you will be stuck paying the costs yourself. Samsung Support will be able to help guide you through to process. They will also be able to determine if you are still covered by warranty.
Conclusion
If your Samsung TV has a blinking red light, it is most likely due to an electrical issue. This includes possible problems with the power supply or internal components. Many of these components can be repaired or replaced yourself.
You should address any power issues with your Samsung TV as soon as possible. This will help you avoid further damage to your TV or electrical outlets.
