I was just given a Gateway 22" LCD it sure is nice has component s-vid composite vga and DVI (dont worry I am not going to ask "can if be used for a projector" The reason it was given to me is it has a backlight problem. Its weird you turn it on and for a second it shows the Gateway logo and then you cant see anything after that I did get it to show the DVD start up screen for like 3 seconds. Whats the best thing to do with this replace the CCFL or could it be the inverter. Could I just strip it and stick one of those flourescent bulbs behind it sort of DIY.

Since the backlight does actually light, it's probably not the backlight itself, but more likely the inverter.
If the inverter is built into a power supply board, it is likely to have some blown capacitors. Those can usually be easily identified by the top of the capcitors being bulged outward.
The first thing to do is to determine if it has an internal power supply. If the power cord plugs directly into the monitor, versus using an adapter (power brick) then it has an internal power supply. If so, then, the inverter is likely part of the power supply board.
If it uses an external power brick, then the inverter will be a separate board getting it's power via the controller board from the power brick.

In any case, you have nothing to lose by disassembling it to get at the board to see if you see any blown capacitors.
If you do see some, replace them, they are relatively inexpensive, and you can very possibly find the ones you need at Radio Shack.

Is the LCD you got the Gateway FPD2275? I have the same one and would like to know how it comes apart, if you do take it apart (dont want to break mine since it is my only monitor...)

Thanks

Oh and to help answer your question...I have an old laptop that does something similar. It will light for a second or two and then go dark. If I push on the bezel, where the inverter is, or leave it open enough(put pressure on the inverter), it will stay on. I think when I took it apart(beginning projector experiments), I didn't put the inverter back exactly right:-P Good luck.

Great guys here is what I have come up with I hooked the CCFL up to a 17" montior I had and they lit up nice and bright for a few seconds so I am thinking what fmerrill said its the inverter. I have taken it apart and it doenst have a power brick but inside it has main power to the contoller and the inverter so basically its all built in just like you said fmerrill.

fritz it is that exact one it was given to me so I was not gentle with it I had to pry all the way around and those snaps dont want to come apart easy but after it fianlly popped apart the rest was a cake job.

Great, thanks! It's a really nice monitor, hope you can get it working.

I know I couldnt believe it. They said just come over and get it I was thinking 15" only vga but then WOW 22 widescreen all the inputs WHOO HOOO if I do get it goin it will be a tv for a bedroom.

I found one blown cap I shall try to replace it down the road to many projects Will all the info be on the cap that I need to replace it with?

Yes, it should show the voltage rating and the capacitance ratings in Microfarads.
The voltage rating can not be below what it is now (although it can be higher), but the uF rating should be identical if at all possible.
It is also likely an electrolytic capacitor, and will be polarized. It will have either '-' or '+' indicated for one of the connections.
Just make sure you reinstall a new one with the correct polarity.
For example, if the existing one has the negative marked, but the replacement has the positive marked, you would use the unmarked connection on that replacement to go where the negative was.

Also, if you see any other capacitors that may be in the same area, and you suspect they may be bad, replace those also.

Also keep in kind that capacitors sometimes blow just because they were cheap to begin with, and may or may not indicate a problem elsewhere in the circuitry.
For most I have replaced, that was the only problem. Both of my daughters are using LCDs that had blown capacitors, and it has yet to recur on either of theirs.

Good Luck.

I have soldered many things none of which have been a capacitor. Soldering is no big deal but with all the stories about voltage in capacitors has me a little worried. What do I need to be careful with when working on a board full of caps

The capacitors used in these devices don't really hold enough of a charge to be worried about at all. You're not going to get any shock or anything like that.
To be sure, just leave it unplugged for at least an hour or so before starting, and the capacitors should discharge what little charge they have over that time.

I de-soldered the cap that was bulging and the specs on it are ........... 25V 1000 uf does this sound right and if so time to go find one. So you really think Radio Shack has them???

I think this is what I need unless I can rip one off some other equipment I have.

http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/50085-cap...eca-1em102.html

wow shipping is outrageous for such a small and lite item I would think you could throw it in the mail for .42

Yes that sounds reasonable and yes that link is what you need. Heres a suitable replacement from RS:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...rentPage=family
The voltage being 10 over is actually a good thing. You wont be running it at full spec, so less chance of failing. Only disadvantage is that it may be a little bigger.

Hey fmerrill where did you get your caps from??

If I don't have a particular size I need for something I am working on, I will pull them from some old junk equipment sometimes, or go to a local Radio Shack and buy them.
Like davegus91 said, that one at RS is a perfect replacement for what you have, since the voltage rating is actually higher than what went bad, and at $1.59, it's well worth spending that to see if it fixes the problem completely or not, especially considering what you paid for the monitor!

Holy Smokes this is what its like surfing on a 22" LCD widescreen thanks so much fmerrill. I pulled a cap from a broken 17" lcd but after I did that I thought well what a waste 2 bulging caps on this 17" to bad I busted it I could have saved it and had a 17 and a 22 Oh well live and learn.

Congrats on the score. Hmmm. I've got a 17" with a backlight problem. I didn't bother looking at it as I don't exactly need the 17" monitor, but another LCD monitor would be a good thing to have, so I'll have to look.

If what you pulled it from had other bad capacitors, then don't be surprised if the one you pulled also fails at some point.
If it does, replace it with a new one next time and see how long that lasts.

Yeah I am a cheapskate so it was there

Do all caps have this "high" rate of failure?????

No, not all, but capacitor failures in LCD display power supplies are fairly common.
First, they are usually spec'd just at their limit, so as not to last forever, and they are also not in a forced air ventilation system.

If they never broke, they wouldn't be able to sell you the shiny new LCD models they have waiting for you.

Well I returned it to the rightful owner, I felt bad for them they were using a 15" CRT somebody had given them. They asked how much they owed me and I said "dont worry about it" You know sometimes it feels good to help people out, but I sure am missing that LCD it makes my 17" seem so small. Oh well.

You know sdubb, I did the same thing, a buddy of mine brought his 19" 4:3 lcd monitor over for me to look at, 2 days after we had ordered his new computer with 20" widescreen monitor, he said the 19" just didn't work anymore, so I took it apart and could have easily told him it was dead (he's the type that just knows something should work, but not how to fix something that doesn't) and waited for him to leave to replace a blown fuse in it, but I told him "check it out, just a blown fuse" so I replaced it and put it back together turned it on and boom worked like it was supposed to.