Replacing EL backlit LCD with LED backlit LCD

- J
- Jim T. Kirk
  
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posted
16 years ago

Tue, Jan 15, 2008 2:47 AM

I deal a lot with a legacy device with an EL backlit LCD. The backlight on this unit fades badly over time and the inverter is also prone to failure, so I sometimes need to fix them. Not only that, but EL backlit LCDs seem to be getting hard to find, and in particular the LCD module used in this unit is now almost impossible to find.

So I'm thinking maybe I could start using LED backlit LCDs, which are much easier to find. The inverter for the original LCD takes

5V dc input and produces 100V ac at 400Hz. I'm thinking I could just bypass the inverter altogether and route its 5V dc input directly to the LED backlight.

Is this a reasonable plan?

Would I need to worry about the LED backlight drawing too much power?

- J
- James Sweet
  
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posted
16 years ago

Tue, Jan 15, 2008 2:49 AM

Yes this should work fine. The LED backlight should take no more power than the EL, it's the route I would take.

- J
- John Tserkezis
  
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posted
16 years ago

Tue, Jan 15, 2008 3:13 AM

I've size issues as well. EL backlights are quite thin, and the only LED backlights I've seen are much thicker.

You might be able to get away with side-lighting, but it gets difficult and inconsistent with "home brew" concoctions.

Unless there are thin LED backlights I haven't seen?

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- B
- Bob Urz
  
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posted
16 years ago

Tue, Jan 15, 2008 3:57 AM

I got a sample (will try to find source) of a LED light fed into a fiber bundle that then goes flat to backlight sources. I got this to retro fit a Lexicon MRC controller.

Bob

- P
- Pete KE9OA
  
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posted
16 years ago

Tue, Jan 15, 2008 7:56 AM

I've also got some samples on hand. Lumitex, out in Youngsville, Ohio makes these fiber optic backlights (

formatting link

They are at least as thin as an EL panel, and the color is determined by the color of the high output LED that you use. I used these items in both my Palstar R30 and Lowe HF150 shortwave receivers. The Drake SW8 uses this item, as does the Intellitouch acoustic guitar tuner. Great item!

Pete