2008 MacBook backlight only works on lowest brightness setting

[teletwanger]

Hello, I'm repairing a 2008 MacBook 13 inch Intel core 2 duo 2.4 GHz with an intermittent backlight. It will only stay lit up if you have the brightness at one setting above zero. If you go higher than one, you have to zero it out then set back to one. It will actually go full brightness, but only for a second. There's also been times where it stays bright for 30 minutes. Sometimes it will flicker and fade out. At first I thought it would be the inverter. I swapped in a new one with the same results. This notebook is too old to have to invest in a new lcd or trying to change the ccfl, so I'm hoping it's a faulty/worn inverter cable. Anyone else seen this?

[dellxps15]

Re: 2008 MacBook backlight only works on lowest brightness setting

hi, once i had a white macbook with a turning off backlight. asfter change the inverter, it will turn backlight on for soem seconds and then off. i had to replace the ccfl lamps to make it work correctly. to check that the ccfl were faulty i used another lcd screen and connected onlythe inverter cable to it to see it it stay on without stutting down the lamps. (it was a 15.4 inch instead of the 13.3 but for test was ok).

so if you have any other lcd screen with 1 lamp only (if i remember good) then u can make that try.

[lefos]

Re: 2008 MacBook backlight only works on lowest brightness setting

Hello,

As you describe the defect is 99% on the ccfl lamp. So you can change the lamp or the panel.

[teletwanger]

Re: 2008 MacBook backlight only works on lowest brightness setting

Customer has decided to buy a new notebook, probably a much cheaper Windows version. I see his point. It's a 2008 with 2007 components inside and it's 2014, so 7-8 years old. After continued testing this morning the lcd flashes once at boot and then there is no backlight or video data. I have too much time invested already.

Thank you for your input guys.