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#1 2011-04-02 01:17:15

ngoonee
Forum Fellow
From: Between Thailand and Singapore
Registered: 2009-03-17
Posts: 7,354

Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

My Philips 17-inch LCD screen (more than a year old at least, maybe up to 3 years) yesterday gave a sort of hissing noise when I turned it on, as I was looking to find the source a bit of white smoke came out the side USB port (never used).

So I shut it off and brought it to another plug point to test, same thing happened, with a LOT more smoke and all around the lower corner. The area with smoke was not hot to touch, nor any evidence of heating anywhere in the region.

So I thought I would have to trash it (I mean RECYCLE it, of course..). Today morning when my younger sister woke up I thought to show her a monitor going up in flames or sparking or whatever, so I brought it outside to the pavement. Lo and behold, it just showed the 'no connection' screen (which it hadn't both times the previous night). I'm typing on it right now, no more hissing/smoke.

Any previous experience with similar happenings? I'm just surprised it works now, to be honest, but wondering whether I should just play it safe, wouldn't want it blowing up right next to my laptop....


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#2 2011-04-02 01:42:59

my0pic
Member
From: Melbourne, Australia
Registered: 2008-05-23
Posts: 206

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

Seems like a short in the usb side of things. Same thing happened to me with a Viewsonic lcd with integrated usb ports. Fried the bluetooth dongle plugged into it but the monitor thankfully was ok. Still using it today. Lucky I didn't promise my sister a flaming light show big_smile

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#3 2011-04-02 02:19:18

ngoonee
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From: Between Thailand and Singapore
Registered: 2009-03-17
Posts: 7,354

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

my0pic wrote:

Seems like a short in the usb side of things. Same thing happened to me with a Viewsonic lcd with integrated usb ports. Fried the bluetooth dongle plugged into it but the monitor thankfully was ok. Still using it today. Lucky I didn't promise my sister a flaming light show big_smile

USB port has never been used though (I'm not even sure how to use it...). I suppose an insect could have gotten stuck inside....


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#4 2011-04-02 05:13:58

Inxsible
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From: Chicago
Registered: 2008-06-09
Posts: 9,183

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

hmmmm crunchy roasted bug !!!


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#5 2011-04-02 05:37:07

cactus
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From: t͈̫̹ͨa͖͕͎̱͈ͨ͆ć̥̖̝o̫̫̼s͈̭̱̞͍̃!̰
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Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

ngoonee wrote:

My Philips 17-inch LCD screen (more than a year old at least, maybe up to 3 years) yesterday gave a sort of hissing noise when I turned it on, as I was looking to find the source a bit of white smoke came out the side USB port (never used)..

Step 1. Listen for a rattle.
Step 2. Take the snake out!


"Be conservative in what you send; be liberal in what you accept." -- Postel's Law
"tacos" -- Cactus' Law
"t̥͍͎̪̪͗a̴̻̩͈͚ͨc̠o̩̙͈ͫͅs͙͎̙͊ ͔͇̫̜t͎̳̀a̜̞̗ͩc̗͍͚o̲̯̿s̖̣̤̙͌ ̖̜̈ț̰̫͓ạ̪͖̳c̲͎͕̰̯̃̈o͉ͅs̪ͪ ̜̻̖̜͕" -- -̖͚̫̙̓-̺̠͇ͤ̃ ̜̪̜ͯZ͔̗̭̞ͪA̝͈̙͖̩L͉̠̺͓G̙̞̦͖O̳̗͍

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#6 2011-04-02 06:05:54

lilsirecho
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Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

Its most likely that a capacitor failed releasing the smoke and creating a hissing noise.

This is likely to be found in the power supply section of the monitor.


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
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#7 2011-04-02 06:25:10

bones
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From: Brisbane
Registered: 2006-03-24
Posts: 322
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Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

Inxsible wrote:

hmmmm crunchy roasted bug !!!

I second that. I get damn geckos setting off our smoke alarm every so often. And always around 2.00am yikes


"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return."

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#8 2011-04-02 07:29:06

ngoonee
Forum Fellow
From: Between Thailand and Singapore
Registered: 2009-03-17
Posts: 7,354

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

lilsirecho wrote:

Its most likely that a capacitor failed releasing the smoke and creating a hissing noise.

This is likely to be found in the power supply section of the monitor.

Sound reasonable (I blew capacitors back in power electronics), but why would the monitor still be working (it has, since I first posted this thread, been on all the while).


Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
Griemak-Bleeding edge, not bleeding flat. Edge denotes falls will occur from time to time. Bring your own parachute.

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#9 2011-04-02 08:40:46

jeff story
Member
Registered: 2009-05-31
Posts: 237
Website

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

A quick Google search for a smoke installer should do the trick. Did you by chance save the smoke that came out in a container of some sort?
If not, it's sometimes difficult to find the correct smoke to reinstall, but I hear Craigslist may be a good source for OEM smoke.


"White Smoke Installer"  but it's for Ubuntu, so probably won't work for your Arch box monitor....
http://freewaretools.net/search/white-s … tu/page/4/

OK.........seriously,

My 2yo 19" wides screen exhibited similar symptoms, for a short time before expiring. Turned out to be the power supply board. The used boards I found on line cost around  $50.00, so I decided on a new monitor.


Check out my website for info on the Arch Linux Installer

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#10 2011-04-03 15:07:00

lilsirecho
Veteran
Registered: 2003-10-24
Posts: 5,000

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

ngoonee:

Perhaps the particular failed capacitor reduces the maximum available power whereas the monitor doesn't use that level at all times.


Prediction...This year will be a very odd year!
Hard work does not kill people but why risk it: Charlie Mccarthy
A man is not complete until he is married..then..he is finished.
When ALL is lost, what can be found? Even bytes get lonely for a little bit!     X-ray confirms Iam spineless!

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#11 2011-04-03 16:15:17

ewaller
Administrator
From: Pasadena, CA
Registered: 2009-07-13
Posts: 19,740

Re: Hissing and smoke from monitor - time to dump it?

Sometimes systems can work with bad capacitors.  They are often redundant and are used to control ripple or electromagnetic emissions.  Ripple might show up as noise in your display.  EMI might show up as noise in other peoples' displays.

Any capacitor that smokes is likely to be electrolytic or tantalum.  In both cases, the residue that vents is caustic and corrosive. If you have any hope of using the monitor for any length of time, you have got to get that residue of the remaining electronics.  Use protective gloves and anhydrous isopropanol and give the electronics a good cleaning.

Does your monitor have an external power supply?  If it attaches to the mains, and if the capacitor is in the power supply, I would recycle it.

The other likely candidate is the inverter.  A three year old, 17 inch monitor is very likely to use CCFL lamps.  For a 17 in display, there will be at least two lamps -- possibly four.  There are high voltage inverters that generate the high voltage RF strike and sustain voltages for those lamps.  The "Hiss" may well have been arc-over at the 1-2 kHz frequency of the inverter.  This will cause a melt down of the transformer or drive transistors.

You may find that your display is not as bright as it had been, or that the uniformity of luminance across the display is shot.  If you can get the cover off, this is easy to determine -- just look for the lamp around the edge of the display that is not lit. 

Note -- Be Very careful or you will be doing the high-voltage dance.  The strike voltage of the lamps is on the order of 2000Vac@1500Hz.  The sustain voltage drops to only about 800 Vac.  Fortunately, at these frequencies it is painful, but not (usually) lethal.  The Mains, on the other hand, are lethal.

Last edited by ewaller (2011-04-03 17:40:34)


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