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Homemade MXT backlight

Xergix

Member
I have seen many attempts to illuminate the display of metaldetectors that were lacking.
Not all results were satisfactory, I have an explorer2 and I had an F75, not having the backlit display, even in daylight, it was really unpleasant.
I thought as backlighting my MXT and finally I got the right idea.
First you need to get an old laptop, which will detach from the display (not good external monitors) to its interior is a thick sheet of plexiglass tapered (wedge) going from 3.5 to 0.5 mm, plus a sheet of white plastic and two silver plastic on one side only has the characteristic of being biased, that the light passes from one direction only.
Of these sheets need to do a strip 16.5 mm wide, the plexiglass is cut with a knife and then bending the two sides along the score line is cut, how do I cut the glass.
The thicker side, it should be smooth with fine sand paper and polish to become transparent.
Below the display dell'mxt there are about 2 mm space between the PCB and the display, put on the three strips until they stop, one part is cut flush with the display, on the other, leaving about 3 mm more, except for the white stripe has to come flush with the PCB.
The second component that is found is a white LED with high brightness SMD format, the LED goes unsoldered but cut from the strip along the support.
The third material is a piece of fine wire recovered from the headphones of the Walkman, is unique because it consists of fine enamelled copper wire multiple, then it can be used to weld components such as miniature SMD LED.
Fourth component, a resistance of 470 ohms 1 / 8 watt.
At this point you remove the display dall'MXT unplugging the two connectors, then remove the second pcb card, it puts the white strip below the display leaving it flush with the printed side of VDI, the print is fixed with a strip of biadhesive tape, is thrusts plexiglass protrudes a few millimeters from VDI side, then the other side puts on the silver strip, plexiglass should be among the two strips and the silver must have the silver side of the plexiglass, I recommend the three components should not force the display when inserted!
Soldering the two wires to the LED and paste with little drop of Attak glue (put it on the LED) on the white strip in contact with the rim of Plexiglas (center), masking the top of the LED with a small piece of black ribbon.
Solder the other end of the positive resistance of the LED and solder the resistor to pin 1 of connector wires of the second five-card or pin + electrolytic capacitor C1 near them (see photos!) Solder the negative wire to the second pin connector pins or - the condenser C1.
If you did a good job turning the MXT will see the LED light, and try to close all dark.
Led current are 4.3 mA, for a reduced consumption so I preferred to leave it on.
The plexiglass is a plexiglass particular, as an optical fiber, so do not expect to replace it with a plexiglass normal because it does not work.

Photo 1
Two stripes, white and Silver.
2e1d7jl.jpg


Photo 2
The LED on the strip, cut and assembled with wires
i5b3iu.jpg



Photo 3
The whole assembly
2ry670z.jpg


Photo 4
The wires led welded tab, you see the tube serves to cover the resistance once put it back the card
160c687.jpg


Photo 5
The two points where you can solder the wires, I prefer to the leads of the capacitor C1.
20fcbpt.jpg


Foto 6-7
The result, except that the pictures are blurry, I could not do better, because it was half past midnight when do it this!
The backlight is perfectly uniform, a light blue color, almost like a F75


fdzvbk.jpg


qzg58k.jpg


4kwv2x.jpg


I hope it's an interesting project, I apologize for any translation errors.

Good hunting by night

(tnx Nancy)

Sergio
 
n/t
 
WOW! :surprised: That's cool. You put a lot into this Sergio. Thanks for the post and HH, Nancy
 
That's beyond my abilities but very impressive. Good job Sergio.
HH
Scott
 
srf2112 said:
That's beyond my abilities but very impressive. Good job Sergio.
HH
Scott

for me too, Im planning to fix a led outside and place a battery compartment behind the screen box. If I have time to do it and if it works I'll put pictures
 
Thanks to all, is not difficult, you just have to work clean and precise, but is very important to have the right components.

Sergio
 
Xergix said:
Thanks to all, is not difficult, you just have to work clean and precise, but is very important to have the right components.

Sergio

it doesn't look so difficult, but for an electronic-inexperienced like me, there is always a little fear :biggrin: but it is a very cool mod and I'll save it in case someday I get the courage :cool:
 
This is the difference between the plexiglass display PC and the normal plexiglass

Pc plexi and white sheet without light

j7ybed.jpg


Pc plexi and white sheet with light

wcmss3.jpg


Pc plexi and white sheet and polarized sheet

8vrcp1.jpg


Normal plexiglass with white and polarized sheet.

2vruz4g.jpg


As you can see, the third picture has a brightness widespread, while the normal plexiglass does not work.
That's the difference.
 
Or you could go the quick/dirty/easy route and head up to your local bicycle shop. They have many small lights that clip onto handlebars and are both light weight and will run for many hours on a little battery. It will clip right onto your detector shaft and can be adjusted on it's pivot to point right at the screen. Adjust it to the right angle so that there is no glare. If you can't find what you are looking for try the camping/hunting section of some where like Dicks.
 
Great idea for those of us technically challenged! Thanks critterhunter!
 
Firecracker said:
Or you we can hope whites to make a mxt with a back light.
HH
Firecracker

I agree, the MXT is such a great machine that I think it deserves doing that upgrade

I would put a backlight and I would separate the alternate search mode from the pinpoint, maybe call it MXTi :biggrin:
 
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