[sdiy] Why do LCDs die?

[rsdio at audiobanshee.com]

Tony, I recall no ghosting at all. Some segments were very dim, which I consider basically the same as weak contrast. The problem affected different segments to various degrees, but there was no ghosting of incorrect segments. The Fluke 87 was almost usable, but after the cleaning was back to full contrast.

I’m not familiar with the term Zebra stripes, but you do raise a good point: Any attempt at self-repair of electronics is prone to the risks further damage (as I suffered when trying to repair my 6-disc car CD changer that never quite worked the same, mechanically, due to the near impossible alignment requirements during reassembly).

Brian


On Dec 31, 2018, at 12:23 AM, Tony Kalomiris wrote:
> I don't recommend messing with Zebra strips. I have messed up my Timex
> Indiglo watch, a Timer, and a great HP calculator "cleaning" those.
> I was never able to get the dead characters back. And yes I used distilled
> water and allowed to dry thoroughly.
> 
> Brian, could it be you are referring to the ghosting on that meter, from
> poor contact? The OP was referring to dying LCD (weak contrast).
> I can't recall off hand but I remember an excellent article on how LCDs
> work in a magazine> PE, R&EW, can't recall.
> 
> Tony
> 
> On 18-12-31 2:32 AM:
>> I have a Fluke 87 meter with an LCD display. That thing started getting
>> dim after about 15 or 20 years of use, so I took it apart to take a look
>> at how it was put together. Turns out that they used rubber impregnated
>> with carbon for the contacts between the PCB and the LCD. On a hunch, I
>> purchased some deionized water and carefully cleaned both the carbonized
>> rubber contacts and the PCB contacts on both sides. After thoroughly
>> drying the pieces, I reassembled it and the display was just as sharp in
>> contrast as when it was new. What¹s really interesting is that my
>> makeshift repair was done more than 20 years ago, and it¹s still just as
>> readable. Perhaps I lived in more humid conditions before?