Screen inverter board
Laptop inverter boards (also know as LCD inverter, FL inverter, screen inverter, backlight inverter) come in different shapes and sizes. On the picture above you see some typical looking inverter boards found in laptop computers.
The inverter board works as a power supply for the backlight lamp mounted inside the LCD screen. The inverter board converts low voltage DC power (few volts) supplied by the motherboard to high voltage AC power (few hundred volts) needed for the backlight lamp.
When the inverter board works properly, the backlight lamp gets power and the LCD screen lights up. As a result, the image on the screen is bright.
HOW INVERTER CONNECTED TO LDC SCREEN
On the picture below you can see a typical laptop display assembly which includes the LCD screen, video cable and inverter board.
One side of the inverter board connects to the backlight lamp and another side to the video cable (LCD screen cable).
HOW INVERTER MOUNTED INSIDE LAPTOP DISPLAY PANEL
In most laptops the inverter board is mounted below the LCD screen as it shown on the picture below. You can get an access to the inverter board when you remove the screen bezel – a plastic frame around the LCD screen.
TYPICAL INVERTER FAILURE SYMPTOMS
Usually inverters fail in one of the following ways:
1. When you turn on the laptop, the screen lights up for a short period of time and then goes dark. You still can see an image but it is very dark, almost invisible and definitely not usable. When you restart the laptop, the screen lights up and then goes dark again. The laptop works fine with an external monitor.
2. Your laptop turns on but the screen remains dark all the time. You still can see a very dim image outline. The laptop works fine with an external monitor.
3. The laptop screen works fine for hours or even days, but sometimes it goes very dark as it mentioned above. When you restart the laptop, the screen works fine again.
Inverter failure symptoms are very similar to backlight lamp failure symptoms and in most cases you cannot tell which one is causing the problem until you replace either the inverter board or the backlight lamp. From my personal experience, inverter boards fail more often than backlight lamps. If you have to guess, replace the inverter first.
Laptop parts | Repair Man | 
December 26, 2008 3:14 pm
440 Responses to “Screen inverter board”
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Pages: [18] 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 … 1 » Show All
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:41 pm
@ Jake,
Did you have light on the broken screen?
If the original (cracked) screen was lighting up, you can try installing it again and see if the backlight still works. Maybe your new screen is defective.
Sorry cannot help here. I don’t fix motherboards on the component level.
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:33 pm
@ david,
You know, sometimes electronics fail without any reason. Just some components go bad.
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:28 pm
@ Max Jabbour,
I have no idea. Are these clips attached to the screen cover? If yes, most likely you will not be able to buy them separately. Probably they are part of the back cover.
January 19th, 2012 at 11:03 am
Thanks you for your website!
I brought a replacement screen off Ebay to replace broken on my Sony Vaio. It comes on (dark) but the backlight doesn’t work.
I replaced the inverter board and still no backlight. Screen vendor wants me to check a inverter fuse on the motherboard. Not sure where it would be located and how feasible it would be to replace. Laptop is a Sony VAIO VGN-NS295J. Could you advise?
January 18th, 2012 at 11:28 am
what causes screen inverter board failure on hp laptop?
January 14th, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Hey, ASUS has these clips that protect the screen’s cables on the sides of the screen. What are they called?
Could you please reply VIA my email?? thank you!!
January 5th, 2012 at 7:33 am
Thanks for your help. The wireless indeed stays orange no matter which way i have it in or off. It does seem like it is video related. Looks like a good fix if it works and i know it could make it worse. You’re the best thanks again.
January 4th, 2012 at 10:47 pm
@ charlie,
Why did you replace the screen in the first place?
It’s possible.
January 4th, 2012 at 10:45 pm
@ Paul,
HP Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 laptops are know for the graphics card failure. One of the symptoms – the wireless card stops working. You turn on the wireless switch, but the LED remains orange (suppose to be blue). Is it what you are experiencing?
The graphics fails because NVIDIA chip separates from the motherboard. If that’s the case, the laptop not worth fixing because it’s necessary to replace the motherbaord.
You can try the following trick though: http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2011/02/23/fix-laptop-motherboard-with-failed-nvidia-graphics-chip/
January 4th, 2012 at 8:23 pm
I found your information very useful. I just bought a new screen for my laptop and when I set it all up, the backlight doesn’t turn on.
Inside my inverter, there is this little black rectangle thing. It has a crack in the middle, so I assumed it was that. But now I’m positive that is the case. Thanks
January 4th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
To the Repair Man—Yes i am actually having troubles with wireless. Sound works great though. I guess if it is video card it would eventually stop working all together. Thanks for the help
January 4th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
@ Paul,
No, this doesn’t sound like inverter failure. When inverter fails, you only lose screen backlight. Everything should work just fine.
Do you have any problem with internal wireless card or sound? When they fail, it’s one of the symptoms of the graphics card failure on HP Pavilion dv2000/dv6000/dv9000 laptops.
January 4th, 2012 at 9:58 am
I have a hp dv 2000. Sometimes the screen will come on sometimes it won’t. When it does not it will not even post. When it does not post it will not go to external monitor either. Could this be an inverter? Short somewhere in screen? Have replaced the ram checked connections on mb. Tried another battery. It’s so weird because when i plug power in it works 4 out of 5 times. Any guess to what the problem is. Any help much appreciated
December 27th, 2011 at 11:55 am
@ Raja llyas,
New and used LCD cables for Compaq Evo N800c laptop available on eBay
December 26th, 2011 at 5:23 am
Hello Sir,i have a problem, i have lost my Laptop LCD to Main Board Cable, My laptop model is COMPAQ EVO N800C. Have you its VGA cable or tell me alternative way to resolve problem… I will be thankful to you…
December 16th, 2011 at 10:34 am
@ eduardo zabala,
Are you sure the new screen is compatible with your Acer laptop? I think you can get multiple desktop images on the same screen when it’s incompatible.
Does it have same resolution as the original screen?
December 16th, 2011 at 3:06 am
i have a problem with acer laptop. when i replace the led screen. the screen split into eight division. but normal on external monitor.i used the led screen to other laptop but its normal. whats probably the problem.
December 14th, 2011 at 12:00 pm
@ Mike Mann,
It’s possible the liquid went down to the motherboard and damaged it. It’s necessary to remove the palmrest and take a closer look at the motherboard. If you see corrosion, try cleaning it with a toothbrush and alcohol.
I published some tips here: http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2011/08/17/fix-laptop-after-liquid-spill/
December 14th, 2011 at 11:34 am
Thanks for your replay..Yes I replaced keyboard but no luck and yes an external keyboard works fine.
December 14th, 2011 at 10:45 am
@ Mike Mann,
This is not inverter failure, that’s for sure. This sounds like LCD screen failure. I don’t think this is related to liquid spill although possible.
Probably that’s where the liquid damage is. Have you tested the laptop with an external USB keyboard? Is everything working fine?
If yes, try replacing the laptop keyboard.
This laptop could be similar to yours:
http://www.insidemylaptop.com/replace-broken-display-hinge-in-acer-extensa-4620z-laptop/
In order to remove the keyboard you’ll have to remove the bezel as it shown in the step 1.
December 14th, 2011 at 9:30 am
I have a Acer Extensa 4630z and the bottom 1/4 inch of LCD flickers like a wave moving up and down when tested on a external monitor it shows no sign of problems. This LT have some liquid spilled on it(not sure where)and I’m wondering if this problem could be the inverter or power switch board. Also keyboard in not working but the rest of the LT appears to work fine. Any advice?
December 12th, 2011 at 6:36 pm
@ Siana,
It’s hard to tell. Both the inverter and CCFL produce heat.
It’s impossible to troubleshoot backlight problem without spare CCFL or inverter. If you have to guess, try replacing the inverter board first.
December 12th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
@ SAF,
How the laptop screen fails? No light, no image, wrong image, etc???
December 12th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
@ monemvasios,
The description is not very clear. The external monitor is also very dark???
December 12th, 2011 at 3:59 pm
@ Dee,
Sounds like this is LCD screen failure. You cannot fix failed LCD screen, you’ll have to replace it with a new screen.
You’ll find some guide for Acer laptop disassembly here: http://www.insidemylaptop.com/category/1-acer-laptops/