Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

[catman4598]

Hello, I have a VP211b that has worked excellent for five years. Then one day I turn the whole system on, walk out of the room while it comes up, walk back in and find the screen black. By the way, I run four monitors off a Matrox M9140. One was the vp211b-primary, the other three are VP2130b. The other three are only turned on when needed. I simply plugged into monitor two and was able to see my main screen again.

I have a stable green light, it seems to be receiving a signal, but the monitor is black from the time of being turned on. Since it was useless as is, I have opened it up to look at the circuit boards etc.

I have been reading through the threads about VP211b problems and have learned much, and mainly have a question for PlainBill, but input is certainly welcome from all.

It seems that the inverter board is the problem much of the time. PlainBill said in one thread that he found F1 was blown and replaced it on the inverter. I have checked my F1 and F2 with the ohm meter, and F2 gives no reading. F1 reads okay. This looks like a tiny fuse. So where did you get one of these from?

Radio Shack has nothing like this. I don't even know what to call it other than fuse, so I don't know what to ask for. When you ask to see fuses, the little round ones with glass in the middle are all anybody has. And why would it suddenly blow?

All the capacitors look fine. No bulging, bursts or leakage. Very very clean inside despite my six cats that love to hang around my nice warm monitors.

I am not an electronics person, but I like to tinker, and would love to fix this monitor. I always build my own desktop pc, so it has what I want in it. But this is bit more involved than I am used to.

Thanks for all responses.

[Wrog]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

It seems that the inverter board is the problem much of the time. PlainBill said in one thread that he found F1 was blown and replaced it on the inverter. I have checked my F1 and F2 with the ohm meter, and F2 gives no reading. F1 reads okay. This looks like a tiny fuse. So where did you get one of these from?

If it's anything like the VP201s, then it's probably a Digikey P/N F1457CT-ND, which is a Littelfuse 0466002.NR 63V 2A Fast Acting 1206.

Best to take a pic of the inverter and post it to double check... then one of the experts around here can verify.

[EGuevarae]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

If it's anything like the VP201s, then it's probably a Digikey P/N F1457CT-ND, which is a Littelfuse 0466002.NR 63V 2A Fast Acting 1206.

Best to take a pic of the inverter and post it to double check... then one of the experts around here can verify.

I agree. I have worked with those units, but post a pic just to be on the safe side.

[catman4598]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Here are pics. One is of the whole inverter board, which is still in the monitor. One is closer up of the F1 and F2, seen on either side of the plug going to the main logic board. They are tiny, about 1/8 inch or so. Thanks.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

One thing I learned from this forum is that fuses blow for a reason. Unless you check all the boards, voltages, circuits, caps, solder joints, etc replacing the fuse may cause it to blow again right away.

Now in one case, the monitor I'm using right now, had its a reading on the picofuse of 17ohms. A completely open circuit would show inifinity or some number > 1000ohm, but this picofuse was open just enough to stop working. A good fuse reads 0.3 ohms.

I carefully checked every component visually and with a DMM and concluded that nothing was bad or shorted. I changed just the picofuse and I'm using the monitor right now.

For soldering to SMD fuses, here is a great video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NN7UGWYmBY

Soldering SMDs will require some skill and practice as well as quality solder tip and solder.

One is closer up of the F1 and F2, seen on either side of the plug going to the main logic board. They are tiny, about 1/8 inch or so. Thanks.

[catman4598]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Thanks for the video, retiredcaps. And the information on the type of fuse, Wrog. I have found the Littlefuse website, but there is a little electronics store locally that carries Littlefuse products. I have removed the inverter and will go to that store Friday afternoon with the board and a page printed from the Littlefuse website.

Then I will have to get me a soldering iron. I have soldered before. I have a big soldering gun that was my Dads'. He was an electrician, so I learned a thing or two from him, probably just enough to be dangerous.

Reading in some other threads, I am not sure I need to be concerned about why the fuse blew. Fuses go out in cars, and we just replace them and go on. Sometimes they just give out from use. But I'll see.

[catman4598]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

I have an update with good news.

It took a full week for my soldering station to come after buying on Ebay. I didn't like what I found locally. I got a Komec 936. Initially I had problems with it, but after changing tips, it was working okay. For some reason the first tip just couldn't seem to get heat out to the end of it. Touching the solder up on the side of it would melt, but not at the very end.

I could not get the surface mount fuse F2 off. I was trying to use a desoldering braid, but I just could not get enough off. But all I could find locally was a pico fuse, and I had read in another forum about bridging over the old fuse with those. Since that is what I had, I left the original fuse in place.

So I soldered on the pico fuse, and the monitor seems to be working fine. I am typing with it right now. No additional lines or problems are apparent after nearly half hour on.

Attached is a pic of my pico fuse fix.

[lucky13]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Yep, a pico fuse will do. Just be careful with the metal shield when you put it back on.

[slsimon]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

I have an update with good news.

It took a full week for my soldering station to come after buying on Ebay. I didn't like what I found locally. I got a Komec 936. Initially I had problems with it, but after changing tips, it was working okay. For some reason the first tip just couldn't seem to get heat out to the end of it. Touching the solder up on the side of it would melt, but not at the very end.

I could not get the surface mount fuse F2 off. I was trying to use a desoldering braid, but I just could not get enough off. But all I could find locally was a pico fuse, and I had read in another forum about bridging over the old fuse with those. Since that is what I had, I left the original fuse in place.

So I soldered on the pico fuse, and the monitor seems to be working fine. I am typing with it right now. No additional lines or problems are apparent after nearly half hour on.

Attached is a pic of my pico fuse fix.

Hi,

I have a VP211b monitor that is acting as described in this post. Can you post as soon as possible what the Pico fuse amperage should be? I would like to pick one up today and replace.

Thanks,

[EGuevarae]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Hi,

I have a VP211b monitor that is acting as described in this post. Can you post as soon as possible what the Pico fuse amperage should be? I would like to pick one up today and replace.

Thanks,

See post #3 above ....

[slsimon]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

See post #3 above ....

No luck finding those fuses at any of the local electronic/hardware stores. Will the fuses in either of these links work? I am not sure the voltage but the amperage is correct?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pico-Fuses-2-Amp...item25590932e2

http://cgi.ebay.com/10X-Littelfuse-P...item2a08ff95c0

Thanks,

[Wrog]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Get it from Digikey... or put a location in your profile so that folks can suggest a place in your country.

[slsimon]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Get it from Digikey... or put a location in your profile so that folks can suggest a place in your country.

Guys. Thanks for the updates. I ordered the following fuses from mouser.com, (63V 2A) littlefuse fuses which look like the original fuses on the board. I have removed the F2 fuse and replaced it with a new fuse. I reading the Multimeter and both the F1 and F2 fuse read around .2ohm's. So I am going to assume that he F2 fuse is now good. I am wondering if I should attempt to replace the F1 fuse as well since my LCD panel is still stuck on a black screen as soon as power on. Any other ideas?

Thanks,

[jetadm123]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

At this point, it's probably a good idea to supply some good quality photos of the the entire power and logic boards per the link below:

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1868

[CDGraves]

Re: Problem with Viewsonic VP211b

Hello:
I have repaired 3 of the Viewsonic VP211b monitors.
I all three cases the problem was a blown fuse on the inverter board.
The Inverter Board should have DAC-18B014 stamped on the back.
On the inverter there are two tiny surfaced mounted fuses, labeled F1 and F2. They are on either side of the power cable CN1. Either one can be blown. Test them both with am Ohmmeter.
These fuses are 1.5 mm long, 1.0 mm wide and 0.5 mm high (Case Style 1206). They have the letters FN printed on them. The N indicates 2 Amps and the F indicates Very Fast Blow.
I replaced them with the same type fuse, except Fast Blow rather than Very Fast Blow. The fast blow fuse has just the letter N. The FN was not available at the time and I felt the N would be close enough. The fuses were made by LittleFuse. They were purchased from Newark Electronics. Part number 64R8010.
Normally when a fuse blows, it is because there is a short someplace down stream. How ever the new fuses have all held. It is reasonable to assume the fuse was faulty.