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Main => Everything Else => Topic started by: smalltownguy on October 19, 2010, 09:57:20 am

Title: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: smalltownguy on October 19, 2010, 09:57:20 am

One of our sales managers came up to me 2 weeks ago and said, "My monitor won't turn on anymore."

Now, having worked in IT for just a few years now, monitor repair has always been one of those things where I feel like I'm rolling the dice. Monitor is an HP L155 19" LCD. Really nice monitor -- we have several of them here at work. Turning it on, I could hear a slight fizzle/click repeating at 2 second intervals. So, of course I de-cased it :)

I found a very large capacitor, a 150uf 450v, that would SPARK when you turned on the monitor. Hm...that didn't seem right. I figured, "what the heck? It's worth a shot." I went to Digi Key and ordered one. My replacement cap was a radial like the one in my monitor, but it was designed for upright installation, not lying down. The leads would reach the PCB. So, I had to cut the leads off the old cap and solder them to the new one.

Powered it up, and holy crap! It works! A $250 monitor, repaired with a $15 part! Yay!

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: Rick on October 19, 2010, 10:48:23 am

So, you a) fixed this for your Manager, who now thinks you're awesome, or b) took it home, and got a 19" LCD for $15?  You're answer will make me either a) proud of you, or b) really proud of you.

 ;D

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: smalltownguy on October 19, 2010, 10:50:10 am

Ahem. I'll never tell.  ;D

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: Rick on October 19, 2010, 11:11:38 am

Quote from: smalltownguy on October 19, 2010, 10:50:10 am

Ahem. I'll never tell.  ;D

Then, I'll just be really proud of you, and we'll never speak of this again.

 :laugh:

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: northerngames on October 19, 2010, 11:31:33 am

I just felt the need to toot and am feeling better now  :cheers:

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: Rick on October 19, 2010, 11:37:37 am

Quote from: northerngames on October 19, 2010, 11:31:33 am

I just felt the need to toot and am feeling better now  :cheers:

In related news, nobody else is.

(http://www.thinkbaby.co.uk/forum/smilies/sick_smiley.gif)

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: Edwards80 on October 19, 2010, 11:40:33 am

Hehe nice work.

This reminds me of how I acquired my triple monitor setup :) There were 4 monitors being thrown out. 2 Had fuzzy images and 2 had "failed backlights".

Whipped the inverters out of the 2 fuzzy ones, popped them into the non-lit ones and they were good as new :) Boss said he had written them off already so I could keep them - 2 new lovely monitors guilt free, not even the wife could complain ;) http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3334035&l=9838922d8c&id=690757474 (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3334035&l=9838922d8c&id=690757474)

Title: Re: Just felt the need to toot my own horn
Post by: lilshawn on October 19, 2010, 03:11:10 pm

i got me a *free 50 inch LCD a few days ago that just needs a new bulb (about 100 bucks)... i have still yet to purchase said bulb since ive been busy with moving... but a fancy pants TV for the price of a new backlight bulb... not bad at all.





*gave the guy a sixpack to the guy help load it in my van.  :cheers: