How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

[SteveNielsen]

It is from a dead Compaq F700 (system board died) and known good before that. Markings:

Delta
2995300701
DAC-08N010
Rev (ink stamped) BF 0752

I do understand basically what the connectors are for but want an easy way to use it as a single CCFL tube tester. I don't know specifics on voltage, enabling or adjustment requirements.

Thanks for any and all help.

Steve

[davg]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

It is from a dead Compaq F700 (system board died) and known good before that. Markings:

Delta
2995300701
DAC-08N010
Rev (ink stamped) BF 0752

I do understand basically what the connectors are for but want an easy way to use it as a single CCFL tube tester. I don't know specifics on voltage, enabling or adjustment requirements.

Thanks for any and all help.

Steve

I have used a similar model for a single tube tester but I used the old computer that was fully functional. Just expose the connector to the ccfl disconnect it from the computer and plug in the one you are testing than start the computer. If the tube is good it should light. You will have to restart the computer each you connect a tube.

[budm]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Yes you can use it as a single lamp tester. Yoy need to find out what the VCC should be from your old laptop. The Enable (ENA) pin is for turning the inverter ON/OFF. 5VDC = ON. The CTL is the dimming control, it should be 0VDC = MIN, 5V = MAX brightness.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Thanks much for the replies and info.

davg: As far as I can see the dead laptop is unable to boot/power up to the point of turning on the inverter.

budm: I am having difficulty determining the Vcc should be. I have an LM 317 based adjustable regulated power supply that can provide close to 1.5 amps and adjust voltage between 3 and 40v. Would that be suitable for Vcc? Then I suppose I can make a voltage divider for the +5. Alternatively I could mod an old PC PSU I have for a GP power supply and have the 12 and 5 volt sources, that is if this inverter will power up on 12v. I know there is a post containing such a modded PSU here but am having difficulty locating it.

[rogfanther]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

You can try measuring continuity between the pins of the inverter´s connector in the laptop pcb and the pins of the USB connectors, for instance. At the very least, it should help you find the GND pin.

[budm]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

You can hook the inverter backup to the laptop, black lead of the meter to metal chassis of the laptop, the red probe on the fuse F1 as you can see on the inverter board to see the VCC voltage. By the the way, I hope the fuse on the inverter board is OK

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

rogfanther: I know the pinout but thanks for the suggestion.

budm: good suggestion and I may try that failing finding any other information. It's a bit of a problem to connect it back up to the laptop since it is in a state of dis-assembly at present. BTW F1 checks good.

[budm]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

You can start at 5V with your adjust able power supply but more likely it will draw more than 2A. Typical CCFL for LCD panel is about 8~15 Watts.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Ok. I don't want to push the adj power supply that hard even though it has over-current protection so I'm going to look for that post having the PC PSU used as a test supply. I know I can figure out that mod on my own so it's not a big deal. I will try as you suggested to determine Vcc for the inverter first I think. From what I've read 12v is pretty common for the Vcc on these inverters but better safe than sorry. Thanks again. I love this place. So much information but so little time

[budm]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

I think 12V is more like it, which most the laptop inverters I worked on use, but it is always good to verify.

[jetadm123]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Try looking up the data sheet for the 16-pin ccfl controller chip. That should help you determine what the Vcc should be. Usually, it's a pretty wide range.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

The numbers I see on that 16 pin IC don't look up to anything useful.

OZ99100N
516501410 (the 4 might be some other character, can't tell)
073282

[jetadm123]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Anytime you see OZ99*** on a controller chip, it tells you that the manufacturer is a company called O2 Micro. I also did not get any hits for an OZ99100. You sure the last digit was a "0" and not a "G" because there is a listing for a OZ9910G.

[retiredcaps]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

https://cdn.badcaps-static.com/pdfs/...1640375af9.pdf

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Yeah that sure could be a G there. My old magnifying glass isn't great and neither are my old optical sensors. Thanks to you both for the info. It sure looks like 12v would do the job and you're right Jet, it is a very wide range the chip will take for Vin.

I greatly appreciate the help and apologize for my picture quality. Old camera too and that's as good as I could get it to do. The macro setting on it doesn't focus well at all.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Can anyone advise what value of pot I should use as a variable voltage divider to use to control the ADJ voltage? If I read the specs right when that pin is less than +1.5v it defaults to an auto adjust for CCFL brightness and when between +1.5 and +3.5 it becomes analog variable brightness control. It might be useful to have that function when testing tubes.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

BTW, the inverter works fine for testing single CCFL tubes. I have not found a suitable pot that gives a good adjustment range but the ADJ pin turns it OFF with anything less than +1.5v. So the adj range is between about +1.5 and +3.5v. Beyond that it is just full on.

[budm]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

You can try this.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: How to use this notebook inverter for testing?

Thank you budm.