Replacing EL backlit LCD with LED backlit LCD

[Jim T. Kirk]

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?

 

[James Sweet]

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?

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

 

[John Tserkezis]

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

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?

 

[Bob Urz]

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?

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

 

[Pete KE9OA]

I've also got some samples on hand. Lumitex, out in Youngsville, Ohio makes
these fiber optic backlights ( http://www.lumitex.com) 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