Introduction: How To:- Change LCD Screen on Samsung E250

About: Hacker, modder and general 'Can't be fixed? A Challenge!!' guy.

Hi all.

These phones work well but suffer from the normal "broken/cracked screen" fault, caused by impact and/or overheating. I've determined that for �7 or so its possible to repair this fault, however it requires very precise soldering of sub 1mm pitch FPC connectors.

Detailed here is the repair procedure.

Removing the old screen requires carefully detaching the glue and bending the panel's FPC backwards and forwards until the copper breaks. DO NOT pull on the connector as you will lift the tracks and create a paperweight!

Step 1:

Now you will need to use solder wick to carefully remove the copper residue, and old FPC debris from the PCB. Having a magnifier and small screwdriver helps here, be careful not to leave fragments or it will short out later and cause problems.

Be careful not to use too much heat, or you may lift the tracks.

Step 2:

Now you will need to prepare the new panel. Here you will see a small piece of protective tape, remove this to expose the adhesive.

Step 3:

Now you need to carefully attach the new panel to your prepared PCB. I used acetone/IPA mix to clean off all the old adhesive/solder flux/random debris.

Make sure it is correctly centred using the two index holes for precise location.

Step 4:

Now you will need to carefully solder each pin. I'd use the thinnest solder available, this looks like about 32 gauge.

Be careful not to bridge contacts, if you do use solder wick to clean up and resolder.

Step 5:

Finishing the soldering, make sure that all pins are correctly soldered as it is hard to fix otherwise once the panel is folded over and taped in place.

Step 6:

Install the kapton tape over the soldering and FPC

Step 7:

Fold display over, having first removed the protective plastic on the metal backplane.

Then replace the previously removed metal EMC shields as shown here.

Step 8:

Reassemble phone, it should now work. If not check the soldering and ribbon cable.

I have noticed that occasionally the panel doesen't exactly fit, however this shouldnt matter in most cases.

Enjoy your resurrected E250 :)