Bought some old LCD monitors with non-functioning backlights. In examining the CCFL driver circuit, it appears to be at Texas Instruments TL1451 PWM regulator chip driving essentially a solid state tesla coils for the HV/HF output.
Did some checking with my scope and found the 1451 didn't appear to be switching the output transistors, so I replaced it with a new 1451 chip and everything works great. I shut the power off and come back 10 minutes later to button up the case and the lights won't turn on again!
To make a long story short, through trial and error, I found that if I touch any lead of the chip for a few seconds with a soldering iron (heat it up) the chip works and back lights come on. If it cools off to room temp, the chip won't work. So now I have two monitors with the original chips and two monitors with new chips that do the same thing. I sat down with one chip and could literally touch a lead for 3 seconds with the soldering iron and get it to function normally, then put a couple drops of liquid freeze on it and the chip would quit.
Anybody know why my chips work at say 120F, but not at room temp?
Thanks Corey