Replacing CCFL

[lifrancis]

Over the years, I have a collection of Thinkpads, from 560 to T60, most of them have failed and been discarded due to LCD aging. According to the common wisdom of this forum, replacing the CCFL is too risky for the uninitiated, the best solution is to replace the the whole screen assembly. I have done that several times already and now I have a good collection of dead screen sitting in my parts drawer.

During the last long weekend, I have decided to take one of those dead screens apart and have a look. The operation is messy, but not difficult. I was surprised to find that the CCFL is really not as delicate as I was led to believe (even for someone with 2 left thumbs) . Just for fun, I ordered a couple of CCFLs (just in case I break one of them). It took me about an hour of fiddling with tiny screws, I managed to put one of the ancient 560s screens back in operation. I wished I have started with one of the more recent models instead of the oldest in my collection. But at least now I know that it is not Mission Impossible.

[vanaya]

atta boy!! I have the same impression, I think the two main things you need is time and patience. I have also read the similar posts about needing a clean rooms and so on. Most of us here are pretty particular about the screens and wanting IPS or top notch screens. Therefore, not wanting any dust in the screen. I would definitely try if I had work table in the garage and a weekend with the wife and kids at the in-laws. One patch for your Thinkpad Merit Badge Sash!!

[RealBlackStuff]

The 'clean room' is a nice-to-have, but not that important.
Newer LCDs have the CCFL in a separate enclosure, so the LCD panels/layers need not come apart.
It is imperative though that you do not touch the CCFL with your bare hands.
Buy some hospital-type surgeon's gloves.

[lifrancis]

"Clean" is a relative thing. I am a pipe smoker, that means my fingers are dirty, my clothes are dirty and smelly, but my heart is pure!

As for surgical gloves, the idea is good, but try handling tiny parts that I have trouble seeing, while wearing any kind of gloves is not a great idea.

What I have learned from this exercise is to have a marker close by at all time. I have put the CCFL in the wrong direction, only finding that out when I try to connect the inverter.

Another thing is the LCD assembly is being held together with a lot of plastic latches. When I put the thing back together, there were all kinds of snaps, crackles and pops. I didn't know if that were from the latches or the thin glass tube was being crushed.

[RealBlackStuff]

The CCFL can go in either way, it's the length of the soldered-on cables that decides which end of the CCFL goes where...

[lifrancis]

The CCFL can go in either way, it's the length of the soldered-on cables that decides which end of the CCFL goes where...

Both leads come out from the same corner of the LCD. If you place it in the wrong direction, there is no way you can plug it into the inverter. In its stripped down form, with the ribbon cable removed, it is not always easy to tell which corner the CCFL leads should be. That is why I will mark that corner with a marker the next time I decide to perform another transplant operation.

[jronald]

The T30 is a PITA, but doable. I found the A31 about the easiet.

Ron

[Tõnis]

Thanks for the encouraging post. Fortunately, I don't need to do this surgery now, but I would probably attempt it if replacement becomes necessary. The only reason I was thinking I would never try it was that I was under the impression that there was soldering involved. If there's no soldering, I'll try it!

Tony

[jronald]

You do need to solder the wire onto the ends of the CCFL.

Ron

[Tõnis]

You do need to solder the wire onto the ends of the CCFL.

Ron

That's too bad. I was hoping it would be like the backup battery -- plug-in harness already included/attached.

[lifrancis]

I found this step by step guide to replace the CCFL from a laptop:

http://www.ccfldirect.com/lcdtutorial.html