# Has my LCD Samsung Monitor gone bad?



## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

When to boot up the computer and my three year old samsung syncmaster 151s was dark .... I can bearly see the screen ..... I can't believe it has gone bad after only three years!

Is there something I could do or is it a lost cause?


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## bonk (Sep 8, 2005)

check the cable for loose connection or damage or better still try another cable also try it in Safemode and see if is the same.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Sounds like the backlight has gone. If you can see just a ghost image of the display, that's the classic sign of a failed backlight. It could be the inverter or the lamp, no way to know without opening it up.


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## robitor (Mar 6, 2005)

sounds like the backlight. my monitor's backlight broke and i sent it in for repairs and now it works.


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

Can I get this part and replace it myself .... if so where can I get the part and how much does it run?


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

robitor said:


> sounds like the backlight. my monitor's backlight broke and i sent it in for repairs and now it works.


How much did it run you .... sound like the backlight is the problem but I don't know if it is worth repairing .... I'll never buy samsung montior again I can tell you that much ...


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

I found these two site .... extremely helpful for someone with my problem.

Replacing a backlight

Great information ... it is definitely worth my while to fix it myself ....

I found this too check it out.... it has a lot of good info as well .... still there is some question as whether it is the backlight or the invertor .... I can still see a dim image ... and it happen all of a sudden. Yesterday it was working fine .... today ...

I have a volt meter but I don't know how to check the volt on the invertor or how much volt there should be ...

anyone have any ideas?


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## Rumpo-Stiltskin (May 9, 2006)

Good link, and an excellent site (www.inventgeek.com)....... thanks! 

Right up my de la rue!


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

You are welcome ..... I will post again when I open the monitor .... I make a record of this so if it happens to others they will be able to help themselves.


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

Well I took my monitor apart .... had no problem finding the invertor, but finding/getting to the backlight is proving difficult. ... there are two strips of plastic on the top and bottom of the screen. There are connection wires that from each plastic strip that leads to the inverter, so I suppect there are possibly two backlights top and bottom.

I don't see how to get to the backlight .... I believe they are in those plastic housing along the top and bottom of the screen, but I'm not sure how to get them out yet.

The link I provide has great pictures on removing the inverter on a syncmaster, but nothing on changing the backlight on that model so far. The model they use in the backlight replacement guide is different from my unfortunately .... so that's where I'm at right now ...


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

Good news! .... I found the backlights and figure out how to get them out.

Using the diagram at the site link I posted I was able to get the monitor apart.

I had to take the metal part housing the inverter off, but I did not remove the main cable. I found two very small screws near the wires that hook up to the backlights. I removed those wires and was able to simply and carefully pull out the two backlights .... one at the top the other at the bottom.

Now all I need to do is figure out the correct replacement part. Any suggestions?

I'm going to check those links for parts and see what I come up with.


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

I'm looking at backlights and I'm a bit confused about this measuring method ....

check it out

Now I can see the metal ends on the lamp without removing the rubber ends .... if I can see the metal ends of the lamp why would I want to include one of the rubber ends in my measurement?

Also is it possible for the inverter to go bad but still be able to see a faint image on the screen? ... Anyone know?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

The inverter just powers the lamp, so the answer is yes. If you didn't see a faint image on the screen, then it would be a waste of time to fix the lamp! 

As for the measurement, I'd send them an email and ask them what you should do. Why have us guess when you can get the straight answer.


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

JohnWill said:


> The inverter just powers the lamp, so the answer is yes. If you didn't see a faint image on the screen, then it would be a waste of time to fix the lamp!
> 
> As for the measurement, I'd send them an email and ask them what you should do. Why have us guess when you can get the straight answer.


Oh oh ... I'm not sure I understand .... you say the answer is yes, then say if I didn't seen a fanit image on the screen I would be wasting my time changing the lamp?

Are you saying it's not the inverter? I'm confused

I will email the place about the measurements thanks


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I'm saying that if you "didn't" see the faint image, then it would be a problem bigger than the backlight having failed. Since you do, I'm guessing it's either the inverter or the lamp.


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## spirittoo (Sep 14, 2002)

Oh I see .... thank you for clarifying .... My problem now is figuring out which is bad .....


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

If you have a voltmeter, you could fire it up and check to see if you're getting drive from the inverter.

From what I know, the thinking man would replace both pieces, since one may take the other one out if it's defective.


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