Fix a Dead Sceptre LCD Monitor

 

• Symptoms:
• Started with occasionally not powering on,
• Progressed to never turning on.
• Cheapo LCD monitor.
• Uses low quality capacitors or bad design - prone to failure.
• Mild smell of damaged caps.
• Procedure requires removing and replacing capacitors - needs soldering iron and solder.

 

 

• Mine is X9G-NavaV model

 

 

• There only two screws to open case. They remove front. Comes off pretty easy.
• Display snaps out at sides.
• Display remains attached to metal frame. Don't unscrew from metal frame.
• Carefully pry along sides separating bezel from rear plastic piece.
• Unplug cable that goes to front bezel.

 

 

• Bezel should be set aside.
• Here's the screws in case you forget where they go 
• Upper left - 2- attach back
• Upper right - 6 - attach base to back (don't need to remove, but it's easier
• Lower left - 2 - hold in power jack
• Lower right - 3 - hold in PCB 
• Put screws in ziplock.

 

 

• Ground wire - remove screw. Wire is on lug.

 

 

• Reinstall screw for now to not lose it.

 

 

• Base after removing screws.

 

 

• Base attachment. I removed it, but it does not need to be removed.

 

 

• 4 cables - carefully slide out.
• Another cable on the other side.

 

 

• Stand up caps are bulged up at the top.
• Caps may have slight smell.

 

 

• Unsolder caps.
• White RTV looks like bathtub caulk. May need to carefully remove with xacto knife. 
• Use solder sucker or wick.
• Don't bust nearby etches.

 

 

• Caps and RTV.

 

• Replace caps with new ones. Replacement part specs:
• 1000 uF, 16V part
• Higher voltage, same capacitance is OK.
• Low ESR caps used for switching P/S.
• Higher temp rating is much better, prefer 105 deg C over 85 deg C.
• Lead pitch, diameter and height important.
• Make sure polarity is right. It matters. A lot.
• Don't cause shorts.
• Mouser
• Removed caps close-up
• Parts were 105 deg C 
• Note RTV stuck on the parts
• These are not all that old - date code looks like 38th week of 2005 (5 years to failure)
• Not sure what voltage these are being run at.
• Higher voltage parts with same  specs might be better
• Does PS stay on all the time? Power strip to shut off may help.

 

• CapXon KF series, 1000 uF, 16V specs
• Size 10 mm (dia) x 20 mm (height)
• Ripple 1350
• Impedance 0.065 ohms
• Lead pitch 5 mm
• Panasonic equivalent is EEU-FR1C102
• Mouser part
• Got new part in three days.
• Installed - make sure stripe marked on PCB goes to ground (-) side of cap. 

 

 

• Put plastic shield under the PCB.
• Attach PCB to base.
• Attach ground wire. I forgot and had to disassemble.
• Screw in the power plug. It sits "weirdly" straddling in front of the metal plate which has threaded holes.
• Put LCD into back.
• Attach wire to bezel.
• Screw back to front. Only 2 screws seems weak to me...
• Result:

 

 

 

IT WORKS!!!