Thinkpads Forum

Hello everyone

I have an issue with my z61t's, the monitors backlight stopped working.

I was waiting for it to power up, but while it seemed to be working there was no image. Soon i realised that the screen did produce image, but there was no backlight.
Then first times when i restarted the laptop, the backlight would work for some time and then wouldn't again.
Then the third/forth time and onwards, the screen would have light for a few seconds after pressing the power button, but that duration of light slowly decreased from a couple of seconds to nearly instant 'flash'.

Beyond that, the laptop is working perfectly and i am actually typing this using my dock and external monitor.
I am not sure if this could be a software issue, but my limited experience would assume that it is unlikely as i haven't messed around with a bios for ages, this takes place even before the bios messages.
So i assume it is hardware.

My googling so far pointed to three reasons for backlight problems.
1) that the backlight itself is dead
2) the inverter is dieing/dead
3) some electric thing causes it

and here is my actual problem, i have no clue how to diagnose what is the causing issue and subsequently how to fix it ... :S
Could you guys please help me to figure what is causing this?

btw i do not know if it makes any difference, but the inverters leds are still working.

You have a faulty CCFL backlight.
Unless you are capable of replacing that CCFL yourself, you'll need to get another LCD.

RealBlackStuff wrote:You have a faulty CCFL backlight.
Unless you are capable of replacing that CCFL yourself, you'll need to get another LCD.

Is there some way for me to test this? I am a poor student lol

and is there any possibility that something else is causing it?

Your description is more than clear enough.
That CCFL is broken.
When cold, it will only work for a few seconds, then heat up, and stop working.
After it cools down, you can repeat this a few more times.
Soon it will die completely.

RealBlackStuff wrote:Your description is more than clear enough.
That CCFL is broken.
When cold, it will only work for a few seconds, then heat up, and stop working.
After it cools down, you can repeat this a few more times.
Soon it will die completely.

Ah, i hoped that it would be something else :S

Anyway, Thank you for the help man

Time to see if i can replace that ccfl by myself ^^

I tried replacing the CCFL myself in a T42 without success. The backlight in my T42 was about 11" long and about the diameter of a #2 pencil lead. I broke the old backlight into pieces removing it, and broke the fine wires trying to handle them (FTR, I do have kind of fat fingers not good for fine detail work). After that attempt, I used moniserv to replace my backlight with fine results.

http://www.moniservinc.com/reapire-serv ... air-price/

GomJabbar wrote:I tried replacing the CCFL myself in a T42 without success. The backlight in my T42 was about 11" long and about the diameter of a #2 pencil lead. I broke the old backlight into pieces removing it, and broke the fine wires trying to handle them (FTR, I do have kind of fat fingers not good for fine detail work). After that attempt, I used moniserv to replace my backlight with fine results.

http://www.moniservinc.com/reapire-serv ... air-price/

I am currently researching how this can be done, and if there is a possibility to even replace the ccfl with leds.

My biggest reason why i need to first eliminate the possibility of fixing this myself, is basicly ... money.
Plus i don't think that anyone would be more carefull about my thinkpad than myself ^^

But thank you for the suggestion

Hello again mates

so this is my expirience with trying to change the ccfl:

it is by FAR the hardest part i ever tried to replace, and probably the most dangerous one as well, as one needs to even dissasemble the lcd into its layers ...
So i took everything out and i managed to remove the ccfl without braking it, then i searched for a part, but it seems that my country, Greece is too small and there is no shop specialising on such things ...
The best part was talking to some "technicians" who didn't even know what the ccfl was ... Eventually after abit of running around in Athens, i managed to talk with the people who import/service lenovos and a technician there told me that standard procedure was to replace the whole panel, and that none would bother with replacing the ccfl...

I might end up getting a new lcd panel as you guys suggested, or even try to find a t400 to completely replace the z61t as I need to stick with an advanced dock compatible thinkpad.
But first i will try to fix this.

I am kinda stuck on finding the ccfl replacement, as there is no fru in the manual. It just has the whole panel fru, but even with the part number i cannot find any info.
Do you guys perhaps know where i can find a part number or some rought specs for the ccfl tube?

Crazycow wrote:I am kinda stuck on finding the ccfl replacement, as there is no fru in the manual. It just has the whole panel fru, but even with the part number i cannot find any info.
Do you guys perhaps know where i can find a part number or some rought specs for the ccfl tube?

What's the FRU for the LCD panel?

Z61t has a 14.1" widescreen LCD.
The CCFL required is this one: http://www.lcdparts.net/ccflDetail.aspx?ProductID=1696

Mery Christmass everyone!

that1nerd wrote: What's the FRU for the LCD panel?

Model z61t 9443-97G

Current LCD panel fru: 13N7104
14.1 inches
from BOE Hydis

and on the manual it also has a samsung option (fru: 13N7102) and an lg-philips (fru: 13N7100) which i guess were alternatives.
I assume that those panels are interchangable right?

RealBlackStuff wrote:Z61t has a 14.1" widescreen LCD.
The CCFL required is this one: http://www.lcdparts.net/ccflDetail.aspx?ProductID=1696

Yup this one probably would work, but i get 15-29 days standard delivery or about 80 usd for fast delivery ...
for abit more i could just get a new panel :S

im trying to find the ccfl specs (eg dimentions etc), so i could perhaps buy it from somewhere in europe, and manage to fix it before my academic obligations start again.

I'm not 100% certain, but I think you'll find that it is a 290mm ccfl. I've found them on ebay with free shipping from Hong Kong, and usually you can get 2-10pcs shipped together for very little. That way if you break one (or two), as I have, you will have a spare.

I searched in ebay for "ccfl 290mm" and wierdly, i found a relatively cheap option from uk that had wires and plug attached.
I guess i was probably searching at the wrong place (google), in the wrong way :S

It should arive in the first days of the new year, ill test it and see if and how it works
and then report back here in case someone else searches for information in this thread.

Thank you everyone for the help, and have a nice new year full with good health, good luck and happyness