Acer Aspire 1800 Lid Switch

Hello there,

Since four years, I have an Acer Aspire of the 1800 series that has served me well all this time, although I must say that it has had its share of repairs.

The current problem is that since a few days, I have no image on the LCD screen - that is, only the faint image. The problem is not the video card (I have the laptop connected to an external monitor that works fine), not the inverter (that I have replaced), not the cable (checked) and not the bulb (also replaced). So, as far as I can figure out, it could only be the lid switch that is faulty.

Now on this type of laptop, there is no mechanical switch; instead, the LCD switch is integrated in the motherboard (SW1 on the drawings). It feels like a small tube of glassy material, but I'm no expert to tell what exactly it is.

My question is: Would it work to bridge this switch electrically in some way? How safe would that be? Is there a chance of causing any permanent damage to the motherboard?

Any ideas, people?

 

You could try run a magnet over it. On my Dell Inspiron 4100 there was a corresponding magnet in the lid that went right over something similar to that glassy thing when the lid was closed.

 

Thank you, brainstew, for your reply.

It was a nice and non-invasive piece of advice, so I did what you suggested (hoping that running a magnet over the switch would somehow "unlock" it), but with no success. But, at least, I now understand the mechanism of the switch. ;-)

My estimation is that the lid switch must be internally broken or otherwise faulty, so I will probably take the risk and try to connect its two ends electrically, to see what happens then.

Of course, I realise that there can also be some incontinuity in the circuit at another location of the motherboard. Just hope that's not the case.

 

try some eletric contact cleaner
when you push on microswitch it shound make clicking noise maybe it stuck