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DIY LCD Backlight Repair

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the franken-monitor-to-pillage-local-town dept.

Bill Nye (not the science guy) writes to tell us that InventGeek has an interesting article on do it yourself LCD backlight repair. From the overview: "Those of us that have used LCD monitors for a while know that over time the backlight starts to dim and will eventually completely fail. Leaving you with some electronic scrap that you could sell on eBay for 35 bucks or so. Well for less than $20.00 and about a half hour of your time you can replace the backlight and rejuvenate that monitor to as good as new condition."

5 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. Laptop Screens by kermitthefrog917 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Forgive me for asking...but would a similar process work on laptop screens? I've got an old laptop whose screen is completely fubar and this may be the problem...

    --
    I may be wrong but you're downright ugly!
  2. It'd be cooler... by BushCheney08 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It'd be a lot cooler if you replaced the bulb with a blacklight instead (press cmd-opt-ctrl-8 on a mac for a simulation)...

    --
    Be a real patriot: Question authority. Think for yourself. Formulate your own conclusions.
  3. What about a sun hatch? by G4from128k · · Score: 3, Interesting

    LCD backlights are seldom bright enough when I want to sit outside (I know, I know, outside is sooo unnerdlike but sometimes it's nice to sit outside while working at a coffee-shop). But why try to compete with the ultimate light source? If the back of the laptop lid could swing open or be removed, then the sun could flood in. A diffuser/polarizer on the back of the LCD would let the sun be the perfect outdoor backlight.

    --
    Two wrongs don't make a right, but three lefts do.
  4. Ahem, about that "mercury" by Ancient_Hacker · · Score: 4, Interesting
    A few words about that *deadly* mercury vapor:
    • Have you ever broken a fluorescent light?
    • If not, go do so right now.
    • Still here?
    • Of course you are.
    • the amount of mercury vapor in a four-foot fluorescent tube is about, hmm... lesse a pint's a pound, never eat anything bigger than your head, ..... >.
    • I ma ke the volume of a 4foot 1.25" diameter tube versus a 17 inch 0.15 inch tube as about 150 times.
    • So if you survived the overhead light breeaking, you're not going to be much worse off breaking a little LCD CCFL tube.

    Sheesh!

    Required disclaimer: When breaking fluorescent tubes, do so in an area with some ventilation. Do not huff the tube. Do not lick the insides of the tube.

  5. Re:Not that dangerous by deacon · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Exactly.

    Mercury and Asbestos hysteria is far out of proportion to the risk.

    This page on mercury

    http://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Elements /080/index.s7.html

    (scroll down) shows a guy sitting (floating) in a vat of it. My high school chemistry teacher used to demo mercury by putting a little puddle in each childs hand.