tony359 on the tube has a recent video about a Dell 2709.
Its not gonna be identical, but maybe it can give you a few ideas?
Apart from the usual bad caps, dry or cracked solder-joints seems to be common on these screens.

I had 2005FPW that had similar issues, the problem was the two small capacitors on the control board. They looked perfect, but changing them fixed the problem. That was 10 years ago, I still use that monitor off and on as it has both composite and component inputs.

Hope this helps,
Josh

Good info but I see Dell 4:3 monitors all the time at thrift stores and Goodwill for cheap (like $5-$20). Recently grabbed two 1908fp's for $5 each. Sure they are 19" and only 1280 max but well worth it for some vintage work 😀 Both work as new.
Maybe better to check local and see what they have for cheap.... just a thought.

bofh.fromhell wrote on 2024-10-15, 17:44:

tony359 on the tube has a recent video about a Dell 2709.
Its not gonna be identical, but maybe it can give you a few ideas?
Apart from the usual bad caps, dry or cracked solder-joints seems to be common on these screens.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try to do what tony said in that video and come back with the results.

360alaska2 wrote on 2024-10-15, 17:51:

I had 2005FPW that had similar issues, the problem was the two small capacitors on the control board. They looked perfect, but changing them fixed the problem. That was 10 years ago, I still use that monitor off and on as it has both composite and component inputs.

Hope this helps,
Josh

Yours also didn't have the blue LED lit or do you refer to the first part of my post where it would turn off after some time?

Horun wrote on 2024-10-16, 04:17:

Good info but I see Dell 4:3 monitors all the time at thrift stores and Goodwill for cheap (like $5-$20). Recently grabbed two 1908fp's for $5 each. Sure they are 19" and only 1280 max but well worth it for some vintage work 😀 Both work as new.
Maybe better to check local and see what they have for cheap.... just a thought.

Problem is, there's nothing locally for me. All I can think of is flee markets but those usually have everything but PC monitors (and if there are they are really expensive).

Checked all the fuses I could see and they all are okay.

Okay, I have redone the solder on the control panel with me screwing all of the boards in place (backlight was almost shorting to the case) and.... IT LIVES!

And again, without a catch.
Now I can't get it to display anything. The screen turns on for a split second without any dell logo or anything on power on and then dies. It does come back on, but that's after like 30-40 sec... And it's the same thing again.

I do recall seeing image on it clearly, so it should at least try to display the w10 desktop from my laptop, but it doesn't do that...

And there seems to be an dim ticking noise, almost like water droplets falling, from the inside. I haven't left any solder shorted. I have checked the primary transistors and diodes on the PSU, but found nothing.

Any ideas?

I have forgot to plug in the screen, twice 😅

Now I do get an display out for a split second, but then it dies. I don't think it even displays anything when the backlight dies.
Reading posts on badcaps, the only rail the PSU generates in 19v, which is then buck regulated for 5V USB, 3.3V logic and backlight. If that rail died, then everything should die. Here I can still switch input chanels no problem, so the chances of a total death are bellow 50%.

The monitor displays correctly when you point a very strong flashlight at it without any other room lights. This points to the backlight being the only problem.

Now, are there any ways to check if it is the fluorecent tubes dell used or the backlight PSU?

Okay, and everything seems to be in working order after the LED conversion. Luckly, DELL was nice and they made the speaker power 12v (11.90v), so I could have backlight that turns on/off with the monitor!
Although I forgot I only had warm LED's and no cold LED's, so now the colors are funky.