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Inspiron 6000 dark LCD, replaced inverter, what's next?

post #1 of 9
2/16/09 at 5:49pm
Thread Starter 
I have an Inspiron 6000 from a colleague. His report was "my daughter spilled (coffee?) and it broke".
Turning on, I see the LCD has the image but the backlight is not working (a few times it flickered on for a second). External video works fine.
I opened the thing, did not see obvious spillage signs.
Bought an inverter from eBay, replacing it did not fix the problem. If anything, the "sometimes flicker on for a second" stopped to show up. Had the eBay dealer replace the inverter as DOA, the second one didn't work either.
I guess it's not the inverter

What's the next step? Should I be going after a motherboard (following the spillage lead) or a screen? Or try the backlight specifically?
Is there a way to measure the inverter output and see whether it's alive? "Yes" would point at the backlight. "No" would point at electronics, in this case the motherboard.

Thanks

J
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post #2 of 9
2/16/09 at 6:14pm
you should be able to test it with a multimeter. try using it on Ohms and see if you get a reading. If the reading is zero, it's fine and if it pegs the meter, it's broken.
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post #3 of 9
2/16/09 at 6:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Djembe View Post
you should be able to test it with a multimeter. try using it on Ohms and see if you get a reading. If the reading is zero, it's fine and if it pegs the meter, it's broken.
I'd never connect a multimeter at Ohm setting to a live circuit. Did you mean to measure the inverter output while the system is off? That wouldn't tell me if it is generating whatever high voltage it's supposed to generate.
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post #4 of 9
2/16/09 at 6:54pm
NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER x1000 connect a meter set to measure resistance to a LIVE circuit. You want your meter set to measure volts AC at the connector that goes to the backlight lamp. Be careful when doing this as even though the AC voltage isn't enough to kill you it'll be enough to bite you.

I'd say there is possibly a problem in the flex cable. But a liquid spill shouldn't really harm the cable itself, either the connectors or the mainboard.
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post #5 of 9
2/16/09 at 9:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrEvil View Post
NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER x1000 connect a meter set to measure resistance to a LIVE circuit.
I meant checking the inverter wires when the inverter was completely disconnected and unpowered. I'm sorry of that generated confusion.

But try MrEvil's suggestion first, as he's had a lot more experience than I have.
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post #6 of 9
2/16/09 at 10:53pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, I'll try to measure AC volts. If they're there, I guess it's the backlight. If not there, it's either the cable or the motherboard, right?
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post #7 of 9
2/17/09 at 1:00am
I personally don't think this has anything to do with the motherboard. That's all I have to say.
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post #8 of 9
2/12/10 at 5:26pm
If replacing the inverter doesnt work, its probably the CCFl lamp on the lcd, it can be replaced but very difficult to do so.
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post #9 of 9
2/12/10 at 5:39pm
Yep, it does take more work and some soldering skill to get the back light replaced.

cheers ...
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