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PowerBook LCD Lamp And Display Replacement Revisited

The PowerBook G3 2000 - aka “Pismo” - is one of the great Apple portables, in my opinion (I’ve owned one for five years) perhaps the best all-round PowerBook ever in the context of its era, which is still overlapping into a couple or three subsequent eras. The Pismo is still an impressive machine going on seven years since its introduction, performs decently well running OS X (better than decently with a G4 upgrade installed like mine has), and offers certain advantages unmatched by any current Mac laptop, especially its removable device expansion bay. I have SuperDisk/floppy, ZIP/ DVD-ROM, and CD/DVD RW 8x SuperDrive modules for mine, plus a FireWire 800 adapter card for the CardBus bay..

The Pismo has relatively few deficiencies and bad habits. The FireWire bus is a bit sluggish (a shortcoming shared with early model Titanium G4 PowerBooks), it has only 8MB of video RAM on a pedestrian RAGE Mobility 128 graphics accelerator, and some of the OEM DVD-ROM drives have proved unreliable. Another issue afflicting more Pismos as they age has been the dreaded “pink screen” display issue. My Pismo after six plus years of use (I got it when it was a year old) is now beginning to show a distinct and jarring tinge of pink (it even makes the translucent Apple logo on the lid glow alarmingly pink) for several minutes after startup or wakeup, although so far it eventually clears.

The good news is that for one thing, the Pismo is a lot easier to take apart for service and repairs than any later Apple ‘Book (forget about user servicing of TiBook or AlBook screens for instance), and that fixing “pink screen” may be surprisingly inexpensive. I posted a The Road Warrior column on this topic three years ago, but with the passage of time and new information, along with the unhappy demise of The Road Warrior Archive, it’s time for an update, which is now perhaps even more topical as the Pismo closes on its seventh anniversary. Note that while this column is focused primarily on the PowerBook Pismo and the other G3 Series PowerBook models, much of the information can apply to backlight replacement in other Apple laptop models as well.

Reader Bruce Miller produced a short tutorial article about LCD panel disassembly to get to the internal CCL bulb, and kindly granted permission to me to reprint it:

“Owners of well-used G3 and early iBooks are finding a common problem with their LCD screen brightness diminishing and developing uneven areas along with overall reddish-tinting (typically called “pink screen”). Note that G4 PowerBooks’ LCDs are laminated and the following instructions won’t work.

“The vast majority of these specific issues are simply caused by the fluorescent bulb that provides the LCD’s illumination aging and developing the same lower brightness, color casts and dark banding that all dying fluorescent bulbs do. The CCL’s LCD bulbs are rated for 20,000 hours life, but at 50% brightness, so these issues start showing up far sooner before the bulb finally stops lighting at all.

“If your LCD display sounds like this description of issues, its most likely simply the bulb aging. I have observed brightness diminishing starting within months after replacement with a brand new bulb. Not significantly, but that brilliance first enjoyed doesn’t last very long. After the first experience swapping out a CCL bulb, future replacements aren’t so scary and yearly installing a new bulb is tempting.

“If you have other problems such as dead pixel rows, specific color banding, screen quitting or other distinct LCD display issues it probably means the inverter board, logic board or cabling needs attention.

“Getting to the LCD for Pismos is well-documented in the archive of Scadboy’s great tutorial [see link above]. This article deals with the opening of the LCD panel once extracted from the laptop.”

[Editor’s note: PBFixIt’s wonderful illustrated tutorials can walk you through removal of the display panel assembly from the PowerBook. FixIt Guides are available for free on iFixIt’s website: http://www.iFixIt.com/Guide CM]

“Replacing the CCL bulb in an LCD panel is extremely cheap ($13 plus shipping) and relatively straight-forward for someone handy and meticulous, simply because the CCL bulb is amazingly thin and fragile and therefore must be handled carefully.

“LCD panels consist of several layers of glass and plastic sealed around the edges with a metal channel frame and taped for dust sealing. At the bottom channel there is clearly the encasement of the CCL bulb with a wire extending out from each side. Inside that metal channel frame is another U-channel frame holding the bulb.

“All one has to do is get that U-channel assembly to slide out one side, the bulb with wires attached. Each brand LCD uses slightly different styles for the metal channel holding the LCD together. Chi-Mei brand LCD uses a stamped locking slot that must be carefully pried open. Other brands may use screws.

“For any LCD, the minimum of slitting the sealing tape and the spreading apart the metal frame the better, just enough to extract the bottom’s CCL bulb U-channel unit. The U-channel unit may need to be unscrewed from the frame, depending on brand again.

“Resist the temptation to peek deeper into the LCD panel layers, dust or failure is a risk. The three other sides should be kept solidly attached and original tape left in place as much as possible.

“With the U-channel assembly free, the CCL bulb simply slides out. Notice first that there probably are equally spaced tiny little clear rubber O-rings keeping the bulb in place.

“Unsolder one wire (with as low wattage solder iron as possible) and slip off the heat-shrink tubing, the O-rings and unsolder the other wire.

“The replacement CCL bulb must have its connection wires trimmed to match original bulb’s length and then soldered, O-rings added and heat-shrink tubing sealed just as the original. Study carefully the original bulb and wires to duplicate for the replacement.

“Then reverse assemble the LCD panel, add tape where seal was slit, reassemble the laptop and fire up the LCD. Enjoy the brilliance, pure colors and even illumination you thought you had when your laptop was first purchased long ago. You were right.

“With both guides printed-out in-hand, the task is only slightly a higher challenge harder than replacing a hard drive.”

Bruce Miller

However, before proceeding, take note of this caveat provided by reader Daniel T. Griscom

“My Pismo’s screen has been flaky for a few months, with shimmering colors extending to the right of bright graphic elements. My best guess is that it is one of the surface-mount components within the display, because a ‘Vulcan Nerve Pinch’ at just the right point would generally fix it for a while. Playing with the cable and connector didn’t cause or cure the condition, so it isn’t that. Nor is it the lamp (although it was getting a bit dim). So, I bought a used LCD from PowerbookMedic.com ($110 for the same model Samsung display, used, said to have some keyboard marks).

“Replacing the LCD took some time, but with Scadboy’s tutorial it wasn’t that bad. Unfortunately, the new screen was even dimmer than the old (it also has a few real scratches and an edge defect, but that’s a different story). I’d been thinking of replacing the bulb (since your notes from Bruce Miller sounded not all that difficult) so as a test I tried getting the bulb out of the old LCD.

“Unfortunately again, at least on this model LCD (Samsung LT141X7-124) it’s actually very difficult. There is a metal channel that the lamp lives in, but to get it out you have to take off a) the outside metal frame, b) an inside metal cover, and c) a plastic frame (which broke in my case, possibly the only way it could be done). And, many of these steps involve locking tabs which require other pieces to be bent out of the way. And, the wires for the lamp both come out of the same corner of the LCD; this is done by wrapping the wire for the other end of the lamp along the outside of the plastic so you have to unroute that as well.

“I’ve reassembled the old LCD with the old lamp, but I was concerned that with all that bending and snapping I’d damaged the LCD. I plugged the old LCD back into my Pismo (just by moving the cables) and I hadn’t damaged the LCD itself, but the lighting was pretty irregular (due to bent parts and imprecise placement). More care reassembling might fix this, but then again it might not.

“Bruce Miller’s notes mention the Chi-Mei brand LCD; from his description they’re much easier than the Samsung. Philips/LG also made Pismo panels; who knows what replacing the backlight is on them.

“You may post all of this if you like; if not, please at least add a note to your column that Samsung LCD panels make CCL replacement much more difficult.”

Reader Alex Mathew also commented on the previous edition of this article with eight points worth heeding:

“Hi Charles:

“I would warn [users] to be very careful at the stage where the actual lamp is removed and then replaced with a new one. I replaced the lamp on my Pismo a year ago (pink screen issue). I don’t have pictures or documentations but here are some points to be noted:

1. The length of the lamp (a 2mm diameter fluorescent light) is extremely critical. Make sure the new one matches the old one exactly (within 2mm). However, to know the exact length, you have to remove the old one without breaking it - its tough.

2. The actual lamp removal (after opening the LCD) is too complicated to document - but if Peter has experience with disassembly of the pismo, it’s probably Ok.

3. The lamp sits at the bottom of the LCD panel - in a groove that’s covered by a metal plate - the trick is to remove the metal plate cover and remove the lamp without disconnecting the LCD cables completely - visually examine the lamp mounting - and removing the metal cover will become evident.

4. The lamp is set in place with glue!! - so after removing the cover, the first instinct is pull it out - don’t! - the map will flex while still being attached at the bottom and - poof- it breaks. Carefully dislodge the lamp from the rubber-like glue.

5. The old lamp is “threaded” through a rubber end cap - again this has to be repeated with the new one - lots of patience while doing this.

6. Soldering and desoldering is required - so get a good iron with good flux, solder and desoldering wick.

7. Buy at least TWO or more new lamps - you will break one!! You can sell the unused ones back on eBay.

8. Keep a digital camera handy and take lots of pictures during the disassembly, you will need it later! “

Alex added:

“The LCD is mounted on a metal frame inside the plastics. The plastics have to be removed by disconnecting some cables and also the inverter cables have to be removed - but the lamp can be replaced without taking the LCD off the metal frame. I think, though, that the bottom screws of the LCD fame mount have to be removed for access to the lamp.

“The CCL bulb is held in place by glue - so any attempt to slide it out without prying apart the glue will cause it to break. The rubber O-rings on the lamp are also easy to loose. Its best to do the entire procedure with the Pismo laying on a clear white sheet of art paper.

“Finally, after assembly, it might seem that the light across the bottom is not even - don’t worry - after about a month of use, the mechanical positioning of the lamp seems to get better and the light becomes more even.”

Another good tutorial entitled “Replacing an LCD or Laptop CCFL backlight tube/lamp/bulb” can be found here:
http://iantha.net/ccfl.htm

An illustrated CCFL replacement tutorial specific to the Clamshell iBook is available here:
http://homepage.mac.com/friesen/CCFL.html

MoniServ, Inc.” LCD Parts’ backlight CCFL tubes are available at very friendly prices here:
http://www.lcdpart.com/doc/ccfl.html

EG: MS20290 CCFL Backlight For 14”-14.1” Apple M4753/G3 LCD Panel - $9.99

You can find links to many useful information and tutorial pages on CCFL replacement here:
http://www.lcdpart.com/index.html

LCD Backlight Installation Guide:
http://www.lcdpart.com/doc/ccflinstallation.html

Another major supplier of replacement Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps (CCFLs) is JKL Lamps, a wholesale jobber that sells in minimum quantities of 100 units. However, JKL CCFl Lamps are available as individual units from DigiKey and Mouser Electronics.

The JKL part number for the 2mm x 292mm Pismo-compatible replacement CCFL is: BF20292-24B.

For more information, visit:
http://www.jkllamps.com/laptop.cfm

President and Technical Director for JKL Components Corporation Joseph S. Velas also offers some tips on laptop backlight lamp replacement in an article entitled “A Bright Outlook for Laptop Users with Dark, Dim Displays,” pub. ECN magazine 2004:
http://reed-electronics.com/ecnmag/article/CA414994

“It may come as no surprise that many problems with dead or dying laptop displays could be resolved by simply replacing the miniature fluorescent lamp(s) that backlight the liquid crystal display. It requires a certain degree of boldness, a basic knowledge of electronics and a few simple hand tools. But in many cases, the problem can be remedied in a matter of less than an hour and your display will glow like new.....

“The three most common problems that cause the failure of liquid crystal displays are the fluorescent lamp itself, the connector for the DC-AC lamp inverter and/or the high voltage wire connecting the inverter to the lamp....”

Info on how to measure the CCFL in your ‘Book is found here:
http://www.lcdpart.com/doc/ccflmeasure.html

Note that iFixIt offers used G3 Pismo Display Inverters (6 month warranty) for $19.95.

For more information, click here.

It’s unwise to even attempt lamp replacement on a TiBook, whose screen bezel is bonded together with adhesive. I’m not sure about the Aluminum PowerBooks and MacBook Pros, but I suspect that similar issues may obtain. However, for the Pismo and other G3 Series ‘Books, the task is doable.

Of course, in some cases, the LCD screen unit itself may really have failed. If a CCFL backlight replacement doesn’t restore your display’s performance, a replacement screen may be needed.

LCDS4LESS sells new replacement Apple notebook LCD screens ranging in price from $100 for a 12.1” display to $545 for a 17” MacBook Pro screen.

For more information, visit:
http://www.lcds4less.com/search-lcds.shtml?lcds_search=Apple

Replacement screens and CCFL lamps are also available from Wegener Media

Pismo LCD replacement to install yourself - $329.99

Pismo full replacement LCD Repair service (includes shipping, 24hr installation, and return shipping!) 90day warranty. Brand new LCD - $399.99

Backlight Bulb replacement (install yourself) - $69.99

Full Service backlight bulb replacement (includes shipping, 24hr installation, and return shipping) - $199.00

For more information, visit:
http://www.wegenermedia.com/pismop.htm

And a Merry Christmas to all as The Road Warrior begins its ninth year on the Mac Web with MacOpinion’s completely new redesigned and more user-friendly Website. Thanks for reading. We’ll be posting a day later than usual next week and the first week of ‘07 due to Christmas and New Years.

*** cmoore@macopinion.com

Provisionally, you can access The Road Warrior Archive to Jan. 16, 2006 by clicking here.

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