Cracked LCD screen

[empeake]

My kid manage to crack the screen of his LCD monitor (don't ask me how). The monitor is completely functional, aside from the crack lines. The flexible exterior coating is intact, but the glass underneath has a small spider web crack, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.

My question is: does using the cracked monitor represents any kind of risk? If it were a CRT monitor I'd replace it immediately, but I'm not sure if this is necessary with a LCD model.

[epepke]

My kid manage to crack the screen of his LCD monitor (don't ask me how). The monitor is completely functional, aside from the crack lines. The flexible exterior coating is intact, but the glass underneath has a small spider web crack, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.

My question is: does using the cracked monitor represents any kind of risk? If it were a CRT monitor I'd replace it immediately, but I'm not sure if this is necessary with a LCD model.

Not necessary, except, if your kid managed to crack the screen, for all you know, he could smash it and eat the pieces.

[geni]

My kid manage to crack the screen of his LCD monitor (don't ask me how). The monitor is completely functional, aside from the crack lines. The flexible exterior coating is intact, but the glass underneath has a small spider web crack, about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.

My question is: does using the cracked monitor represents any kind of risk? If it were a CRT monitor I'd replace it immediately, but I'm not sure if this is necessary with a LCD model.

Unknown. The toxicology information on most LCs is limted.

[empeake]

Not necessary, except, if your kid managed to crack the screen, for all you know, he could smash it and eat the pieces.

He's 10, so it's unlikely that that he would ingest something nutritive. :) My concerns were more along the lines of EM or toxic emissions, short circuits, fire, damage to the computer, etc.

[Miss Whiplash]

I can't speak for newer LCD screens, but older models contained phosphorus and could eat your fingers down to the bone if you stuck them into the crack. I would treat it as a hazard and replace it rather than waiting for the child's fingers to be burnt off.

[Dark Jaguar]

Down TO the bone, but not INCLUDING the bone right?

It's fine.

[Miss Whiplash]

Down TO the bone, but not INCLUDING the bone right?

It's fine.

At least that's what the Hazmat manual said at the time. Personally, I didn't try it. I like my fingers. I'd still err on the side of caution though, and have the screen replaced.

One can purchase LCD monitor protectors to help keep little hands (and larger ones) from cracking the screen. LCD Panel Protectors (http://www.eizo.com/products/accessories/lcd/protectors/index.asp)

[tygirwulf]

Well, a couple years ago, my dad put a big crack in an LCD panel at work. They taped it up with some clear packing tape and the monitor is still in use. He hasn't gotten sick after a couple years of working with it that way, so I reckon you're ok. Unless you're a state government bureaucracy, though, you could probably just get a new one anyway.

[Diazo]

I don't see any problem with keeping it in use.

You said the external coating is intact so nothing can come out (if there is anything TO come out, which I don't think there is). And unlike CRT tubes, there is no pressure difference between inside and outside the monitor that could cause a crack to expand and/or be a danger of some sort.

As long as you can live with any picture distortion caused by the crack, I see no reason not to keep using it.

[empeake]

I've tried the monitor for a couple of days and so far everything works normally. There's a slight distortion where the cracks are, but since they're limited to the upper left corner of the screen, they're quite easy to ignore.

I'll follow up if anything unsual happens (I sprout another arm, notice strange substances oozing out of the screen, or EM radiation burns my brain cells and I start believing conspiracy theories).

[infornography]

I'll follow up if anything unsual happens (I sprout another arm, notice strange substances oozing out of the screen, or EM radiation burns my brain cells and I start believing conspiracy theories).

The following is a test... Did you hear that our president was actually an alien who was sent to earth to collapse the government? Its true, think about it, what would be the most efficient way of doing that, what is he doing? Eh? Eh?


If you believed the previous then seek help.

[empeake]

If you believed the previous then seek help.

I feeling perfectly fine. No ill effects at all. Now, if you excuse me, I have to get back to reading the National Enquirer. :hypnotize

[maniak713]

The backlight may contain mercury. Some models have backlights using mercury-vapor fluorescent lighting.

I have my screen cracked in a laptop quite recently and after replacing it, I got back the broken panel - it had a whole lot of "dispose properly yada yada yada" stickers. Being master of evil, I have of course chucked it right into the nearest trashcan ;-)

OTOH if the backlight is still working, there should be no problem.

[scribble]

OTOH if the backlight is still working, there should be no problem.


Here's how you tell:

If you can see anything at all on the screen -- it's still working.

[stormer]

I know you don't feel anything right now, but I thought I'd tell you my experience.

I had an Acer notebook which had a badly cracked screen. So bad that it looked like the liquid crystal leaked out, and the screen was unusable. The parts not cracked still displayed a picture though. The screen was replaced.

Months later I found the old screen emitted some sort of fumes. There was a plastic coating on the front of the glass that had bubbled up like paint exposed to paint remover, and the fumes made my eyes water.

Just thought you might like to know.

[empeake]

Just thought you might like to know.
Thanks. I'll keep an eye on that.