need to replace CCFL, would like advice

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sojourner · #1 Post by **sojourner** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 2:40 pm

It's time to replace the backlight (CCFL) on my trusty T41 workhorse. The display is pinkish at startup for 10-15 seconds or so. Read a lot about replacement and people usually say have it done professionally, but am considering doing it myself, so two questions:

Looking at this backlight; do you know of any better quality lights?
http://www.pchub.com/uph/laptop/450-259 ... Tubes.html?

If I have it done professionally, who would you recommend?

Thanks

#2 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 4:31 pm

The cheapest place I've seen to have it done professionally is at moniserv. I think they charge $75.
http://www.moniserv.com/doc/inverterrepair.html

sojourner · #3 Post by **sojourner** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 5:13 pm

Harryc wrote:The cheapest place I've seen to have it done professionally is at moniserv. I think they charge $75.
http://www.moniserv.com/doc/inverterrepair.html

Thanks for that Harryc. Don't know if I'm going to try doing it myself or not. Would you happen to know about the 'success' rate for do-it yourselfers?

#4 Post by **Harryc** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 5:24 pm

Vic I've done a CCFL replacement 3 times, and I made it work, but it was zero fun and it was not perfect. Dust is the enemy in that world. One tiny speck looks like the goodyear blimp when brightly lit from behind on a working LCD. Right now I am of the mind set to pay $75 or more for a repair or a new/used LCD panel. My time and peace of mind is worth that much

.

#5 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 5:42 pm

Been there, done that, didn't get the t-shirt.

[unsuccessful]

#6 Post by **rkawakami** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:10 pm

D@mn, you guys would have to bring this up right after I received my triangular shipping container from Moniserv

. I ordered three 14.1" backlights for some dead SXGA+ panels I have and was planning to give CCFL replacements a try. In my case dust is not the enemy... it's cat fur

.

#7 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:14 pm

My fingers are too fat to work with delicate things such as this. I am used to working on diesel engines and such.

Here is the post with my experience. I ended up getting a used display lid off of ebay. That's what I recommend.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 60#p263860

Neil · #8 Post by **Neil** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:17 pm

I'm in the same boat with Harry and GomJabbar on this one. I've successfully replace the CCFL in a couple of T2x series panels that had an aluminum cradle for the lamp held in place by screws. Any other panel that has to be disassembled has led to failure for me. I've cracked one LCD panel in the attempt, accidentally cut through a ribbon cable on another (ruining the panel), and struggled with a couple of other, then just gave up and replaced the whole panel.

But, having learned a few things along the way by my mistakes, I may make the attempt again someday. Just as long as I don't feel the need for a perfect result. Like Harry said, you likely to get some dust in the panel.

#9 Post by **rkawakami** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 6:25 pm

Neil wrote:I've successfully replace the CCFL in a couple of T2x series panels that had an aluminum cradle for the lamp held in place by screws.

By any chance were those SXGA+ panels???? (hope, hope

) I haven't really studied the panels to see what's involved in taking out the CCFL.

Neil wrote:Like Harry said, you likely to get some dust in the panel.

Wouldn't some canned air then be a good thing to apply when re-assembling the display?

Neil · #10 Post by **Neil** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:16 pm

rkawakami wrote:were those SXGA+ panels???? (hope, hope )

Not sure, but I don't think so. Probably XGA. And I don't remember which, but seems that only one of the manufacturers made panels this way. Most I've seen require, at least, removing some adhesive tape and prying and bending some of the framework that holds the panel together. Some panels require cutting through some of the plastic framework.

rkawakami wrote:Wouldn't some canned air then be a good thing to apply when re-assembling the display?

It might seem so, but I don't really know. Seems to me that whatever dust (or cat hair) that was in the vicinity could just as well get blown deeper into the assembly as out of it.

#11 Post by **GomJabbar** » Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:23 pm

FWIW, the display I replaced the backlight in was a T42 with an XGA display. I ended up giving that T42 to my daughter, and bought a used top-end T42 from a forum member that has an SXGA+ display. This is still my primary machine. The T42 that I replaced the display lid on still works.

#12 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Tue Jun 29, 2010 7:06 am

I've done several XGA and SXGA+ CCFL replacements on T23s, as well as T4x/R5x.
Like Neil mentioned, some (the Samsungs) have a metal strip in which the CCFL fits.
These are fairly easy to fix.
The biggest PITA jobs are the Hitachi screens.
To avoid dust/cat hair in them, the trick is NOT to let the various LCD layers come apart!
Have fun

sojourner · #13 Post by **sojourner** » Wed Jun 30, 2010 11:01 am

Thanks for the comments thus far. Have not made up my mind whether to replace the lamp myself or not but am leaning toward giving it a try. Found another source for CCFL's which some may find of interest:

http://www.lcdparts.net/ccflDetail1.asp ... OVOIBM141R
EDIT: just realised LCDPARTS.NET is simply a web address for MoniServ which Harryc mentioned previously (thanks Harryc)

They claim this lamp is very bright and provides a more natural color, which sounds like a winner. They also have repair service, online instructions for replacing CCFL and more.

jsmit86 · #14 Post by **jsmit86** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 9:52 pm

I used Moniserv last year on my T42. Excellent work. Very satisfied.

#15 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 5:44 am

I just replaced the CCFL in a 15" IPS/Flexview LCD made by IDTECH.

The description is in the HOW TO & FAQ Forum: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=88991

And just in case, don't ask me to perform this operation for you, the answer will be an emphatic NO!

sojourner · #16 Post by **sojourner** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:02 am

RealBlackStuff wrote:And just in case, don't ask me to perform this operation for you, the answer will be an emphatic NO!

LOL! (BTW, what was the final result?)

Your response seemed to be the consensus from those who'd 'been there, done that'! So what I did was look for an entire panel on ebay, found one for $28.95. It was listed as "excellent good condition" (not a typo), took a chance and bought it. Cosmetically it looks good to VG. Functionally, it has two pixels stuck on red. Tried every trick to be found to 'unstick' them but no luck. The display is bright and comes up bright as soon as it's turned on (looks good).

I don't notice the stuck pixels most of the time so for the money think it's a good deal. And the other part is, the old lid is still here, can be used for replacement parts if need be (hinges, inverter, etc) but most of all, as soon as time permits I want to try a backlight bulb replacement (just call me a glutton for punishment)

Will pay careful attention to the tip to NOT let the various LCD layers come apart!
Thanks

#17 Post by **RealBlackStuff** » Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:46 am

sojourner wrote:(...what was the final result?)

A perfect screen in a T43p, with which the owner is very happy!

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