Replace fading backlight with LED?

[Mikeyy00]

Has anyone ever attempted to replace their fading/dying CFL backlight with an LED one? Looks like they can be had for around $10, https://www.ebay.ca/itm/2Pcs-LED-Backlight-Bar-Lamps-Kit-535mm-LCD-Monitor-For-24-Highlight-Replacement/312637746276?hash=item48caa96c64:g:Up0AAOSw8qdc8j6- 

From some random videos on Youtube, it seems you just need to disassemble LCD panel, remove polarizer, install new light and find a way to feed it power. I'm thinking of making an extra Pismo screen a test victim, but wanted to see if anyone else here has tried it?

 

[jeremywork]

Years ago I did many CCFL replacements in laptops. Replacement panels at the time cost $120-200 and new bulbs could be had for $15. It's a delicate procedure to disassemble the LCD layers and get to the backlight, but all you have to worry about is getting it back together without dust in between (and without breaking anything.) 

The backlight may have a slightly banded effect near the bottom if the LEDs aren't very close together. Otherwise this should work well, assuming LED strips are available in such a form factor, and could be fed power from either the input or the output lines of the existing inverter (this part I've never done, only replaced CCFLs.)

 

[jeremywork]

Looks like such kits are plentiful:

https://www.ebay.com/b/Ccfl-To-Led/168068/bn_7023222872

I would be careful when ordering though, as many listed display sizes will be for 16:9 or 16:10 diagonal. When I ordered CCFLs I found the bulb length was just a couple millimeters wider than the visible width of the display (it was usually a little dark in the corners if I followed instructions and ordered the exact width.)

 

[Mikeyy00]

Looks like such kits are plentiful:

https://www.ebay.com/b/Ccfl-To-Led/168068/bn_7023222872

I would be careful when ordering though, as many listed display sizes will be for 16:9 or 16:10 diagonal. When I ordered CCFLs I found the bulb length was just a couple millimeters wider than the visible width of the display (it was usually a little dark in the corners if I followed instructions and ordered the exact width.)

It "seems" like you can cut some kits down. Bit hesitant to do open heart surgery on a panel to get to the tube though.. maybe on that spare screen I listed, but I feel like even keeping dust out would be almost impossible.

 

[jeremywork]

It "seems" like you can cut some kits down. Bit hesitant to do open heart surgery on a panel to get to the tube though.. maybe on that spare screen I listed, but I feel like even keeping dust out would be almost impossible.

Ah, cutting it down makes sense.

My approach is usually to try on a failed backlight so it's less of a loss if you don't get it perfect. The dust is difficult, but it's similar to dealing with the glass panel on a modern iMac: get a bright light and a microfiber rag and keep trying until it's clean (only, in this case four or five times for the different layers.) It's not the worst thing if you do get a speck of dust, overall it tends to be less noticeable than a dead or stuck pixel, and you can always go through the effort to try again.

One day I want to crack open a yellowing uneven 30" cinema display and see what options I have for LEDs in that... At the moment the closest thing I have to a backlight failure is a TiBook that's showing the telltale red hue as it warms up. For now, it still warms up reliably and the color normalizes, but experience tells me it won't be that way for long.