need replacement of Phico lcd

[jayp]

I have a Silent Knight security system with the lcd display fading out on the keypad. I need a replacement but am having no luck. The unit has (2) circuit boards:
Main board has 202660J, made in usa, silent knight sec.sys. on the board and (3) white stickers with the following numbers--
MDA 1290
FT. 1290
I10878 A04 J6 02

The lcd board:
Phico D-0 0240 94v-0
P-183-1
Also has 617035 in sharpie.
White sticker covering U2 area- DV16275-1 S2FTLY 3222112207 03.15/037578 and nothing underneath.
16-pin

 

[Sceadwian]

Have you contacted the maker of the systems for a relacement yet?

 

[jayp]

Yes, I have contacted Silent Knight and they have informed me they have no replacement and no repair.
The boards appear to funtion okay, just the lcd is getting so dim it can hardly be seen. Could I hook up a parallel lcd to get the display I need? If so, I would need the schematic to wire it correctly.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Most alarms etc. just use standard 2x16 LCD text modules, are you sure it's not just one of those? (I've rescued a number of such displays from old units).

 

[jayp]

It is 2-line with 16 pins. Is this considered standard? What can I use to replace this dim display? The pins are located at the lower right side (looking at the back, not the lcd side)

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

It is 2-line with 16 pins. Is this considered standard? What can I use to replace this dim display? The pins are located at the lower right side (looking at the back, not the lcd side)

Basically there are two types of standard connections on the LCD modules, you just need to get one that has the same type.

One type is shown in my tutorial hardware:

 

[jayp]

Mine must be the other as it is using all 16 pins. Backlight? I just received a reply from Futurtec--they don't have my board and did not offer a replacement. Any suggestions as to a possible stand-alone lcd that I can mount next to the keypad and just wire it in?

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Mine must be the other as it is using all 16 pins. Backlight? I just received a reply from Futurtec--they don't have my board and did not offer a replacement. Any suggestions as to a possible stand-alone lcd that I can mount next to the keypad and just wire it in?

Any 2x16 should do, they are all compatible with each other.

But these displays are VERY reliable, they don't usually go dull - have you tried adjusting the contrast?.

 

[jayp]

No, I wasn't aware of a contrast adjustment. How do you adjust? I don't see any adjustable components on either board.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

No, I wasn't aware of a contrast adjustment. How do you adjust? I don't see any adjustable components on either board.

Check the diagram in the site I posted, and see how it's done there - contrast adjustment is critical on LCD's, and changes with temperature and voltage as well.