Blinking blue power light and dead screen... could it be a dead CCFL? (NEC 20WMGX2)

[wsaenotsock]

I've got a NEC 20WMGX2 here, and I hate to throw it in the trash as it's a pretty nice monitor even now. It's about 11 years old now and surely has a LOT of hours as it was my primary monitor for many years, then got handed down since it was still going strong...

When I plug it in, the power button LED just blinks blue every 7 seconds or so and the screen will not power on. I'm thinking that perhaps the CCFL is gone, but i've never replaced one of those before so I have no idea if that is really the problem or it's something else.

Anyone got any tips for figuring out if the CCFL is the problem, and if it's something user serviceable I could take a shot at replacing myself? I'm familiar with repairing phones and laptops but never attempted a monitor.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well, on a more "pedestrian" LCD monitor, I would suggest that perhaps the capacitors in the power supply board were shot. With an NEC, though, I don't know.

If it IS the CCFL, then you should be able to shine a flashlight up close to the screen, and actually see sort of a picture (eg. the LCD screen itself is functioning, just no backlight). If you still don't see anything, then my best guess is that the power supply is dead, and needs to be either re-capped, or replaced altogether. Sometimes you can get working PSU and LCD driver assemblies for LCD TVs and monitors on ebay. Not "New OEM" though, generally.

 

[C1]

Make sure that the "vacation switch" located on the backside of the monitor is set to "on."

NOTE:
The vacation switch is a true on/off switch. If this switch is on the OFF position, the monitor cannot be turned on using the front button. DO NOT switch on/off repeatedly.

PS: Otherwise, pretty sure that it's not CCFL, but most likely some power supply or other component issue.

 

[myocardia]

@wsaenotsock Do the test that Larry describes. If you see anything with the flashlight, it is still highly unlikely that it is the bulb. All fluorescent bulbs cannot turn on without what's called a ballast. With any fluorescent bulb, it's the very first thing you replace, before replacing the bulb. It's also highly unlikely that it is a specialized part, so once you have the part number, they should be easily and cheaply available from Amazon or the like.

edit: Not sure why I said it was unlikely to be a specialized part. It would make sense to me that it wouldn't be, but it's also somewhat likely that you would have to unsolder the ballast itself from a circuit board, then solder the new ballast that you ordered from somewhere like Amazon, Mouser, or Jameco back onto that same board.