Why Does My TV Keep Turning Off?

Let’s admit it: few things can be more annoying than having your TV go off in the middle of your favorite show.

All day, you anticipated curling on your couch after a hectic workday, remote in hand, watching a show you’ve been trying to catch.

Then the unthinkable happens. Your TV keeps turning off by itself.

There are several reasons your TV may turn off; some are easier to fix than others. Fluctuating power supply, TV sleep timer, overheating, and HDMI-CEC settings are the more common issues in this situation.

In this article, we’ll explain the factors that can cause your TV to go off automatically and how to fix them.

Let’s get started!

Reasons Your TV Keeps Turning Off

There are several reasons your TV keeps turning off by itself, and some might be out of your control. This section will delve into the more common factors responsible for this.

1. Power Supply

One of the most common reasons your TV might go off by itself at intervals is an issue with the source of power.

Several issues can affect the power supply to your TV. If your TV is old or the power supply capacitors are damaged, a severe power surge or high voltage can disrupt your TV and cause it to trip off on its own.

Also, it could be that the wall socket is not in good condition or the AC plug is not connected correctly to the power source.

2. TV Sleep Timer

Your TV timer works by cutting off the power supply to the screen after a designated amount of time. For example, if you set your TV timer to sleep after every 30 minutes of inactivity, the countdown to 30 minutes begins the moment you stop any activity.

Your TV responds by cutting off the power supply to the screen while the TV is still on. In Sleep Mode, the screen goes blank like you turned the TV off.

3. Dust, Moisture, and Overheating

Water and dust are capable of causing some hardware disruption that, in turn, cause your TV to switch off by itself. It is general knowledge that water (or any moisture) and electronic appliances do not do well together.

First, water contains invisible ions and contaminants. If these impurities and ions organize into a network, they may link two device contact points.

The power’s intended path can change due to this connection, and some electronic components might short-circuit due to the misdirected current.

Also, dust can contaminate your TV’s electronic board, causing the semiconductors inside your TV to overheat. This overheating can trigger your TV to shut down at intervals.

The motherboard in Digital Light Processing (DLP) TVs enables all the other internal components to communicate. If the motherboard malfunctions, it results in overheating and eventually forces the TV to turn itself off.

In certain situations, the TV would try to switch back on again, launching it into a cycle of repeatedly switching itself off and on.

4. Connected Devices

Other appliances connected to your TV could also be responsible for periodic shutdowns you experience from your television.

An old DVD player may malfunction and randomly send ‘wake up’ signals to your TV. The result is a continued switching on and off of your TV.

5. HDMI-CEC Settings

The HDMI-CEC or CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) was designed to help you control multiple connected devices with one remote control. It covers functions like power, volume, and channel switching.

For instance, when you plug other compatible devices (like your PC) into your TV’s HDMI port, the CEC feature kicks in. With the setting in place, you can control your TV display through your PC and vice versa.

So how does the HDMI-CEC cause your TV to turn off by itself at intervals?

You may turn off your TV while trying to turn off a connected device. Also, the CEC feature can malfunction, and when it does, it can cause your TV to switch on and off at intervals.

6. Erratic Remote Commands

When the batteries in your remote control start running low, power fluctuations can cause it to send out erratic command signals. You’ll notice random command prompts on your screen, and the TV may turn off too.

Another reason for erratic remote commands is a stuck button. If food particles or moisture causes the Power button to get stuck to the motherboard, your TV will keep going on and off.

How Do I Stop My TV From Turning Off By Itself?

We have established several possible reasons for your TV turning off by itself at intervals. Consequently, there are also ways and steps to troubleshoot and find solutions to this problem.

This section will discuss several ways to stop your TV from turning off automatically.

Power Reset Your TV

One of the foremost solutions to your TV turning off is to perform a manual power reset — since the power supply can be a big issue that causes your TV to switch off at intervals.

Follow the steps below to troubleshoot your TV from the power source manually.

• First, turn off your TV from the power button.
• Remove the TV’s power cord from the outlet.
• Give the TV 15 to 20 minutes to cool down.
• If you plugged your TV into a surge protector or a power strip, do not plug it back in (to be sure it wasn’t the power strip or surge protector that was interfering with the power supply).
• Plug the power cable directly into a power source by the wall.
• Then turn on the TV, and your power reset is complete.

Reset Your TV Sleep Timer

Depending on the brand of your TV, you should be able to navigate through your system settings. Locate the sleep timer in your Settings menu and turn it off once and for all.

For Samsung TVs, go to Settings > General > System Manager > Time. Under the Time menu, you’ll find the Sleep Timer settings.

Use a UPS

A UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is a device that protects connected electronics from power problems like fluctuations, surges, and sudden power outages. It stores energy and provides backup battery power to keep your TV on for some time after power is cut off.

Using a UPS will prevent your TV from constantly going off when there is power fluctuation. The TV will stay on as long as it is plugged into the UPS.

If you’re looking to get a UPS, check out the product below. It stores up to 700VA of energy and has multiple AC outlets.

Last update on 2023-03-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API.

Test Your Remote Control

Replace the old batteries in your remote with new ones to make sure your remote control isn’t sending continuous signals to turn off and turn on your TV.

Also, to check if your remote control sends constant signals to your TV, cover the sensor and see if the problem persists.
Give your remote control a good cleaning — it’s about time. The cleaning will eliminate food particles or moisture that causes buttons to get stuck.

Disable HDMI-CEC

The HDMI-CEC settings could well be the root cause of your TV troubles.

The name of the setting differs according to the manufacturers of your TV. LG calls theirs SimpLink and Samsung calls it Anynet+, but it is BRAVIA Link or BRAVIA Sync on Sony.

You can google what your TV brand calls the feature to help you navigate your settings and find the HDMI setting.

Go through your TV’s General or System Settings menu to find the HDMI-CEC function. Set the device control options to OFF.

Contact A Professional

Some internal hardware issues might have occurred with your television, causing it to malfunction.

If troubleshooting with the solutions above did not solve your problem, we advise that you contact a TV technician.

Click on the links to get support for your Samsung, Sony, and LG TVs.

Conclusion

As discussed in this article, your TV turning off by itself at intervals isn’t always a massive internal issue. It can be a result of settings on your TV or power fluctuations.

The first thing to do is to find the cause of the inconvenience with some simple troubleshooting.

Check your power supply, sleep timer settings, HDMI-CEC settings, and remote control. If all fails, then contact a professional. Good luck!