Dell E172FPb LCD Monitor Fix

Problem: The monitor turns on for about 2 to 3 sec, is very dim and than goes blank but yet the power button is still green on the monitor.

Solution: Examine, diagnose and fix a Dell monitor with only a few tools and a repair kit bought of off ebay that consist of four (4) transistors and a fuse. Oh and all the hardware will run 5 bucks with shipping, instead 100$ for a new monitor.  

Tools: 
- Philips screw driver
- Flathead screw driver
- Multimeter
- Soldering tools

Hardware:
- Transistors x4
- Fuse 

Step 1 Dismantle Monitor

Dismantling the actual monitor takes no longer than 10 min with very few components to worry about. 

Steps: 
1. Unscrew the four (4) screws that attach the base from the monitor and remove the base stand.
2. Along the bottom of the monitor case use a flat screw driver (preferably a panel popper so not to damage the case) and pry apart the housing. Continue all along the monitors sides. 
3. Once the back monitor panel is removed detach the power button cable. 
4. Remove the front panel by prying the four (4) clips along the sides of the panel. 
5. Slide the protective metal housing off the case.
6. Unplug the high voltage monitor plugs.
7. Unscrew the four (4) screws from the sides of the housing (two (2) on each side)
8. Slowly lift the housing and unplug the monitor cable.
9. On the outside of the housing, remove the two screws near the VGA input and remove the metal plate there. 
10. Pop out the plastic support above the power cable input. 
11. unscrew the seven (6) screws from the circuit board and one (1) screw for the ground cable.
12. Apply pressure from underneath the circuit board and squeeze the clips to remove the two (2) clips on the circuit board. 
13. Remove circuit board. 

Comments

[eneagud]

The same symptoms appear if one of the 4 neons embedded in the LCD top and bottom frame are dead. The circuit shuts down after a few seconds. I found that this is the most encountered fault in monitors older than 3 years. The process of replacing , soldering neon lamp terminals and put all back together is very hard but not impossible. One should try to disconnect the neons one by one and connect an external good one to see if the symptoms disappear, and the replace the faulty one.

[pro2xy]

How do you check those transformers? and what should the pico fuse read when testing?

[sahat]

Nice one, hope you also make sure re-solder all the small transformer leads otherwise the transistor might fail again.

Regards

[Polndsprin]

Thank you, Thanks for the heads up. Looks like I'm taking it apart again tomorrow to do that.