Help with a Staples brand monitor.

[torin3]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Well, taking apart the LCD entirely was an interesting experience. One of the tubes was definately burning out. It uses 2.6mm x 385mm lamps. However, when I was trying to detach the silicone cap, the blade slipped on me and I managed to break both tubes.

Looking at just what I need to replace both tubes, it looks like I can do it for about $27 + $5 shipping.

I also see this for $25 + $5 shipping.

http://www.ccflwarehouse.com/19ccdubaasfo.html

It looks like a perfect match. The only thing is I don't know if it is 2.6mm x 390mm tubes instead of 385mm.

Any suggestions? My soldering skills are moderate. It looks delicate, but not too complex. And since I won't be trying to cut burned-on silicone off of glass, I don't think I'll be too clumsy.

I'll probably be placing the order tomorrow.

Edit: Oh, and while the e-bay auction is cheaper, if you have to buy anything from their main site, you get hit twice for the $5 shipping. So, for fewer than 3 tubes, it makes sense to just buy from the site.

[alexanna]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

if you have any questions at all about getting the correct parts from ccfl warehouse call them, there coustomer service is very good,and they are more than willing to help.They also have all kinds of the end caps you may need
Al.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Edit: Oh, and while the e-bay auction is cheaper, if you have to buy anything from their main site, you get hit twice for the $5 shipping. So, for fewer than 3 tubes, it makes sense to just buy from the site.

Some of the auction items say "each additional item" is shipped free.

You may want to email their ebay id and get clarification on their combined shipping policy.

[Badcappy]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

> However, when I was trying to detach the silicone cap, the blade slipped on me and I managed to break both tubes.

I'd guess the other one would probably not last much longer since both have seen the same hours of service, so you may have saved yourself the trouble of replacing the other one again in the future

[torin3]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Called and confirmed that the 19" pre-assembled unit uses 385mm long tubes. Ordered it. I'll report back as to how well it worked.

[torin3]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Got the unit in last night. However I also got a migraine, so I didn't try putting it in. The end caps are not an exact match, but their dimensions are close enough that it will work. However I'm going to use it to check another monitor I'm working on before putting it in this one. Should know probably by this weekend if it worked out.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

The end caps are not an exact match, but their dimensions are close enough that it will work.

I haven't done this type of replacement, but take your time and have good light. A few people have broken the ccfl by rushing and trying to "use the hammer" approach.

[torin3]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

I haven't done this type of replacement, but take your time and have good light. A few people have broken the ccfl by rushing and trying to "use the hammer" approach.

Not to worry, they are really close, and the things that are different are like the shape of the little tabs that fit into holes for the shield. They are a little smaller than needed. A very small dab of silicone should keep it secure.

[alexanna]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Not to worry, they are really close, and the things that are different are like the shape of the little tabs that fit into holes for the shield. They are a little smaller than needed. A very small dab of silicone should keep it secure.

The biggest problem I have had is with dust or stray hairs getting inside, they stick out like a sore thumb
Al.

[torin3]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

I haven't done this type of replacement, but take your time and have good light. A few people have broken the ccfl by rushing and trying to "use the hammer" approach.

The biggest problem I have had is with dust or stray hairs getting inside, they stick out like a sore thumb
Al.

I took it slow and easy. Thanks Alexanna, I also made sure to blow off or dust off each layer as I put things back together.

The CCFL lamps arrived packaged very well. Triangular cardboard tube mailer, with rigid plastic tube holding the lamps inside. Fit was very close, and nothing needed to be forced. The kapton tape lost its adhesive where I'd pulled it back. But I had some tapeless roll-on adhesive that I was able to use that tacked the ends down nicely. The film layers on top of the acrylic backlight block didn't really want to fit nicely under the retaining border, but I was finally able to get all the edges under, and the border snapped in place. After that it was fairly easy getting everything back together. The only glitch was after I got it back together and powered it on, the screen was white. Taking it back apart a bit, I found out that one end of the cable from the logic board to the screen had backed out a bit. I hadn't noticed it due to it being covered with tape. Reseated and retaped and it now works great! Color is nice, and the backlights are bright. I'm leaving it on for a few hours to make sure there aren't any other problems.

Thanks again for all the help!

[killian6pk]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

I need some help with this same monitor. I have taken readings for both the Transformers and the transistors talked about in this thread.
Transformers:
T1 - 0.957 KOhms, T2 - 0.707 KOhms, T3 - 0.709 KOhms and T4 - 355.0 KOhms

Transistors:
S - G S - D G - D
#1 29.67 KO 21.50 KO 5.30 MO
#2 32.37 KO 22.60 KO 174.6 KO
#3 29.57 KO 21.17 KO 0.774 MO
#4 0.032 MO 0.786 MO 0.822 MO
I would appreciate it if you could tell me which of these are probably bad. I took the measurements with my auto ranging MM. Thanks
P.S. If this reply does not tell you which thread I am refering to let me know and I will get that for you.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

I have taken readings for both the Transformers and the transistors talked about in this thread.
Transformers:
T1 - 0.957 KOhms, T2 - 0.707 KOhms, T3 - 0.709 KOhms and T4 - 355.0 KOhms

The OP had 720 ohms for his measurements. So T2 and T3 look okay. T1 and T4 are way out and could be bad. I suggest you desolder them and re-measure "out of circuit" just to confirm the initial measurements.

The transistor readings look fine (i.e. not shorted).

[killian6pk]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Ok I will do that.

I have your document A Guide on How To Troubleshoot 2 Seconds To Black.

In Section 4 you talk about testing each of the legs of a transformer. I understood from reading a previous post (on another monitor) from Plain Bill that what you needed to check were the secondary windings. The infomation I gave you in my post were for the secondary windings. Do I need to go through also and test, as you talked about, all of the legs. I'm not trying to get out of the work just am interested in what is important in determining if the transformers are shorted or not. Thanks again for your help.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Do I need to go through also and test, as you talked about, all of the legs.

You just have to do whatever PlainBill tells you to!

The document was written that way because it isn't always obvious how to id the secondaries.

I plan to update that document sometime in the future because the youtube video that showed how to do it has been removed.

[killian6pk]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Ok checked T1 and T4 out of circuit and they still read like before. While they were still on the board I ran the ohms readings like you said in your paper starting with pin one and running through the rest here are the figures.
Pins
T1 1-2 0 ohms 1-3 .3 ohms 1-4 .3 ohms 1-5 0 ohms 1-6 27.90 K ohms

T1 2-3 .2 ohms 2-4 .1 ohms 2.5 OF 2-6 125.4 K ohms

T2 1-2 .1 ohms 1-3 .2 ohms 1-4 0 ohms 1-5 0 ohms 1-6 129.2 ohms

T2 2-3 .1 ohms 2-4 .1 ohms 2-5 OF 2-6 126.0 K ohms

T3 1-2 0 ohms 1-3 .3 ohms 1-4 .2 ohms 1-5 OF 1-6 129.6 K ohms

T3 2-3 .1 ohms 2-4 .1 ohms 2-5 OF 2-6 4.45 M ohms

T4 1-2 .1 ohms 1-3 .1 ohms 1-4 .2 ohms 1-5 OF 1-6 4.40 M ohms

T4 2-3 .2 ohms 2-4 .2 ohms 2-5 OF 2-6 128.9 K ohms

When I removed T4 there was a large burn mark below the end with two pins.

[killian6pk]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Yes I noticed that they were removed. I would have liked to seen them. There are quite a few You Tube videos being deleted. Some say because of copy write infringement some don't really give a reason. I guess Big Brother is watching really close these days.

[killian6pk]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

As for your comment about Plain Bill remember the old saying.
Ours is not to question why. Ours is only to Do or Die.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Ok checked T1 and T4 out of circuit and they still read like before.

When I removed T4 there was a large burn mark below the end with two pins.

ebay shows 4 auctions (if the transformer is the same part number)

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=8TT00006

Now it is up to you decide if it is worth the money or not? You can get 4 transformers for $21.90 USD. If I had to decide, I would not repair for this cost because I can buy working used lcd 17 to 19 inch 4:3 monitors for $20 here quite easily. If I'm patient, I can buy an used 21 or 22 inch widescreen lcd monitor for $40.

EDIT: Or I just pickup non working lcd monitors for free and repair them. I'm about 75% success rate. The other 25% are potentially repairable, but the cost of the component or components makes it not worth it. So I keep them as spares and use parts as needed.

[killian6pk]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

Thanks for your help. I actually found some of those transformers from a web site in Italy last year (before our financial problems and theirs) and they were $7.00 each and shipping was cheap (I had to buy six to get that price & I did, so I have a couple spare ones). I checked with them this year and they were $20 some odd dollars each and shipping was really high. Glad I don't have to buy them now at $21.90 each or this monitor would become spare parts.

[PlainBill]

Re: Help with a Staples brand monitor.

As for your comment about Plain Bill remember the old saying.
Ours is not to question why. Ours is only to Do or Die.

In most cases I would prefer no one dies from following my directions. However, there have been a few cases where it could go either way.

PlainBill