Inverter tester using old CFL

**budm** · 04-08-2012, 11:51 PM

Do not throw away those broken CFL (14Watts or smaller), you can use them for testing your LCD monitor inverter circuits without buying spare lamps for testing.
You can solder the wires directly to the connectors on the inverter board or you can get the correct connectors but then you have to have more than one type.
I tested it out on my lamp tester board as you can see in the pictures.
I open up the lamp assembly using small hack saw just enough for me to crack it open, just be real careful.
Enjoy!

**retiredcaps** · 04-09-2012, 12:05 AM

Cool, I will provide this link in rev 0.4 of the 2 seconds to black guide sometime in the future.

**budm** · 04-09-2012, 12:08 AM

How do you remember where the REV0.4 is? Is there a place in this forum that how to are kept?

**retiredcaps** · 04-09-2012, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by budm

How do you remember where the REV0.4 is? Is there a place in this forum that how to are kept?

There is no formal tracking or process controls on this site as far as I know. I just keep my own thread and keep adding to the end of it and keep my own version control.

A bit unsophisticated, but is works okay.

**Jasgriff** · 04-09-2012, 02:04 AM

Looks good definitely a good idea for someone wanting to do a one off monitor repair. If you could even take out the lamps inverter board then solder the lamp directly to the bottom of the bulb fitting and glue the base back on. That way you could mount a bulb holder to you inverter tester board.

Retiredcaps any chance you could link to your 2 seconds to black in you signature then it will be easier to point people in the right direction

**momaka** · 04-09-2012, 08:08 PM

Nice experiment. I too was thinknig about trying the same thing but that experiment always got delayed or left for other projects.
Definitely good to know, though. I guess this will go on my "to-build" list now. Last month, we had a CFL light die in the house and I took it appart. Bad solder joints on the driving transistors (13003's) killed one of them. The CLF bulb probably still works, though. So looks like I have all of the parts needed

.

ashraf osman · 04-10-2012, 11:59 AM

Best regards

A nice experience.

**budm** · 07-15-2012, 06:17 PM

Update with T5 4Watts lamp

**momaka** · 07-15-2012, 07:57 PM

It's the hot Chilli Powder that makes everything work

Cool stuff

dcooke570 · 07-17-2012, 03:47 PM

OK. I have 13w and 23w CFLs but no 14w.
Does the wattage matter if all I'm using is the top half?

**budm** · 07-17-2012, 04:01 PM

That will be too big (the 23W), 14w or smaller as shown will work. I did not try with other 13/14W with big body (such as used for under counter lights) yet to see if it will light up. Your 13W CFL twisted bulb should work.

**rogfanther** · 08-21-2012, 11:50 AM

Would the inverse also work ? Like, using a bulb inverter circuit to test the lcd lamps ?

**budm** · 08-21-2012, 11:56 AM

The inverter for the HOME CFL is made for driving CFL with starting filaments, it does not use the high voltage (1500~2000V) for starting the Ionnization like CCFL does, CCFL does not have filament.

**rogfanther** · 08-22-2012, 06:45 AM

Oh, ok. Thanks.

jlk69 · 12-20-2012, 12:51 AM

Would this bulb work?

**budm** · 12-20-2012, 01:04 AM

Way too big even though it is the same wattage. I tried many shape and size and so far the curly one with 10~14W seems to work well.

jlk69 · 12-20-2012, 01:31 AM

Wow, thanks for the quick reply. Looks like I will have to sacrifice a new bulb in the name of science. From the pictures I surmise that you don't need hook up to screen to test. Do you have to have a signal coming from the computer? Looks like that was not connected as well. Also, do all of the leads have to be hooked up to bulbs (mine has 4 leads for 4 bulbs?)?

**budm** · 12-20-2012, 01:57 AM

I force the bl_on line on mt tester board, you will have to have your monitor connected to the running PC but you do not need to have the screen T-CON connected.
You have to have 4 working lamps, if one failed or not connected, the inverter will go onto shutdown mode.

jlk69 · 12-20-2012, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by budm

I force the bl_on line on mt tester board, you will have to have your monitor connected to the running PC but you do not need to have the screen T-CON connected.
You have to have 4 working lamps, if one failed or not connected, the inverter will go onto shutdown mode.

I was afraid of that. So I might need to make as many as 4 test bulbs? Or I could try hooking 3 up to LCD with 1 test bulb and hope only 1 CCFL is bad in my monitor and keep trying until lamps stay lit.

Measuray · 02-20-2013, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by budm

Do not throw away those broken CFL (14Watts or smaller), you can use them for testing your LCD monitor inverter circuits without buying spare lamps for testing.
You can solder the wires directly to the connectors on the inverter board or you can get the correct connectors but then you have to have more than one type.
I tested it out on my lamp tester board as you can see in the pictures.
I open up the lamp assembly using small hack saw just enough for me to crack it open, just be real careful.
Enjoy!

Would a device like this workout more better?

http://www.lcd-pdparts.com/ViewDetai...ProductID=1813

CCFL & LCD TV Monitor Backlight Tester
VIP Price:$16.30

04-09-2012, 12:05 AM	#2
retiredcaps Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 City & State: Canada Posts: 9,200	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Cool, I will provide this link in rev 0.4 of the 2 seconds to black guide sometime in the future. __________________ --- begin sig file --- If you are new to this forum, we can help a lot more if you please post clear focused pictures (max resolution 2000x2000 and 2MB) of your boards using the manage attachments button so they are hosted here. Information and picture clarity compositions should look like this post. We respectfully ask that you make some time and effort to read some of the guides available for basic troubleshooting. After you have read through them, then ask clarification questions or report your findings. Please do not post inline and offsite as they slow down the loading of pages. --- end sig file ---

04-09-2012, 12:08 AM	#3
budm Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 City & State: S.F. Bay area My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120V 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 39,206	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL How do you remember where the REV0.4 is? Is there a place in this forum that how to are kept?

04-09-2012, 02:04 AM	#5
Jasgriff Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2012 City & State: England My Country: UK I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 521	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Looks good definitely a good idea for someone wanting to do a one off monitor repair. If you could even take out the lamps inverter board then solder the lamp directly to the bottom of the bulb fitting and glue the base back on. That way you could mount a bulb holder to you inverter tester board. Retiredcaps any chance you could link to your 2 seconds to black in you signature then it will be easier to point people in the right direction __________________ Fixed so far : 1 Home cinema system, 16 LCD Monitors, 4 LCD TV's How to resize your pictures guide click HERE Retiredcaps Ideal post example click HERE

04-09-2012, 08:08 PM	#6
momaka master hoarder Join Date: May 2008 City & State: VA (NoVA) My Country: U.S.A. Line Voltage: 120 VAC, 60 Hz I'm a: Hobbyist Tech Posts: 11,151	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Nice experiment. I too was thinknig about trying the same thing but that experiment always got delayed or left for other projects. Definitely good to know, though. I guess this will go on my "to-build" list now. Last month, we had a CFL light die in the house and I took it appart. Bad solder joints on the driving transistors (13003's) killed one of them. The CLF bulb probably still works, though. So looks like I have all of the parts needed .

04-10-2012, 11:59 AM	#7
ashraf osman New Member Join Date: Apr 2012 City & State: egypt My Country: AL Mansora I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 2	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Best regards A nice experience.

07-15-2012, 07:57 PM	#9
momaka master hoarder Join Date: May 2008 City & State: VA (NoVA) My Country: U.S.A. Line Voltage: 120 VAC, 60 Hz I'm a: Hobbyist Tech Posts: 11,151	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL It's the hot Chilli Powder that makes everything work Cool stuff

07-17-2012, 03:47 PM	#10
dcooke570 New Member Join Date: Jul 2012 City & State: Ridgebury, PA My Country: USA I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 11	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL OK. I have 13w and 23w CFLs but no 14w. Does the wattage matter if all I'm using is the top half?

07-17-2012, 04:01 PM	#11
budm Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 City & State: S.F. Bay area My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120V 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 39,206	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL That will be too big (the 23W), 14w or smaller as shown will work. I did not try with other 13/14W with big body (such as used for under counter lights) yet to see if it will light up. Your 13W CFL twisted bulb should work.

08-21-2012, 11:50 AM	#12
rogfanther Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Jul 2006 City & State: Curitiba My Country: Brazil Line Voltage: 127VAC 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 233	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Would the inverse also work ? Like, using a bulb inverter circuit to test the lcd lamps ?

08-21-2012, 11:56 AM	#13
budm Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 City & State: S.F. Bay area My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120V 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 39,206	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL The inverter for the HOME CFL is made for driving CFL with starting filaments, it does not use the high voltage (1500~2000V) for starting the Ionnization like CCFL does, CCFL does not have filament.

08-22-2012, 06:45 AM	#14
rogfanther Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Jul 2006 City & State: Curitiba My Country: Brazil Line Voltage: 127VAC 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 233	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Oh, ok. Thanks.

12-20-2012, 01:04 AM	#16
budm Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 City & State: S.F. Bay area My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120V 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 39,206	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL Way too big even though it is the same wattage. I tried many shape and size and so far the curly one with 10~14W seems to work well.

12-20-2012, 01:57 AM	#18
budm Badcaps Veteran Join Date: Feb 2010 City & State: S.F. Bay area My Country: USA Line Voltage: 120V 60Hz I'm a: Knowledge Seeker Posts: 39,206	Re: Inverter tester using old CFL I force the bl_on line on mt tester board, you will have to have your monitor connected to the running PC but you do not need to have the screen T-CON connected. You have to have 4 working lamps, if one failed or not connected, the inverter will go onto shutdown mode.

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