I dropped coffee inside my TFT screen (I mean REALLY inside)

[claudiodeviaje]

Hi everyone!
Yestarday morning I had a really stupid accident with my laptop. I hit a cup of coffee ans some coffee was spilled over the TFT screen of my notebook. I cleaned everything and let it dry for the whole day. Luckily the Laptop was ok, but the TFT has now a stain on the opposite corner to where the coffee landed. It look like a wet stain. It dried a little since yesterday but it left a light brown traces.

I dismantelled the screen to check if it was possible to clean it, but it is inside the screen.

Is it possible to dissmantle the whole screen and clean the "glass" or surface from the behind?
What should I pay attention to, when dismantling?
Can I just use a normal window cleaner to remove the stain?

Ive attached some photos where you can see the stain.

I'd really appreciate your help!

Claudio



PS: has someone used a Notebook TFT for a Beamer insted of a normal monitor? I've read Laptop screen are too complicated to use.... is it true?
How do I post photos as Thumbnails?

[dnsey]

Yes, it is possible to completely dismantle a TFT screen, but if you are not confident enough to work out how to do it yourself I'd advise you to take it to a professional repairer :-) There's a lot to go wrong if you're not used to this sort of work.

[claudiodeviaje]

Hi!!

Thank you for the fast response.... I am able to repair this kind things and I do have experience with fragile computer components and electronics and CRT monitors. The thing is that I've never opened a TFT and I dont know what I'm going to find inside.
Maybe just by opening it, it would never work again. Or maybe it was necesary a super-dooper-mega Vacumm pump or something like that in order to close it again. .... But I'm relived to hear its possible.

Do I need special tools?

What should I take care of? (luckily no jumping springs )

Do I need a special cleaning liquid to clean the TFT from inside?

Do you have links with the basic of such an open-heart operation? (to see what to expect)

Thank you again!!!

Claudio

[johnnyx]

There are no surprises inside (no springs that leap across the room) but they are delicate, especially flex print connectors. There are long thin fluorescent tubes for the backlight, the shadow could be that the dried coffee is clouding the backlight. these tubes are fragile, but are of the type used by computer modders inside their cases. They have a high voltage inverter to drive them (ouch). Sometimes the drive chips are mounted on flex print.

To clean coffee, maybe a foam cleaner would be best since coffee is water soluble. Allow to dry.
Hope this helps.

[dnsey]

I agree - it just needs care and a delicate touch to work on the display. The ribbon cables fracture very easily, and the backlight tubes are fragile. It's important to observe anti-static precautions. Take careful note of how the various diffusers are orientated, and watch out for fingerprints, fluff etc. on re-assembly.
Self-adhesive foil screening is often used, which is almost impossible to remove intact, so you will need to improvise a repair.
Foam cleanser will be good for accessible parts, but it leaves its own residue if left to dry. I'd recommend isopropanol and distilled water for flushing anything you can't reach (check first for compatibility with plastics, etc).
Make sure everything is fully dry before testing - it's stray current tracking that tends to kill liquid-damaged equipment, rather than the actual immersion.
Good luck!

[jereth]

i also was working on a tft screen this week to get at the backlight

how can you clean the difusers
and does anyone know the order of them
i may have mixed them up when someone moved my work station and put it all in a box