How to Remove the CRT Circuit Board From the Bottom of the CRT Neck

CRT monitors and television sets are getting older and increasingly in need of repair work.

With the number of CRT monitors and television sets dwindling due to the introduction of inexpensive LCD technology, if you have a faithful CRT monitor that you want to hold onto, you might need to do some minor repairs yourself. To do these repairs, you might need to remove the circuit board at the bottom of the neck, which is known as the neck board. It can seem a little scary to get at, but with the proper tools it will be accessible.

Things You'll Need

• CRT monitor or television set
• Plastic-handled screwdrivers, both Phillips and flat head
• Wrist-strap grounding wire
• Hot tool

Instructions

1. Set the CRT monitor or TV on your work surface and examine the back. Several screws hold the monitor in place; unscrew them. Set the screws in a safe spot so that you can reattach the back of your monitor later.

2. Remove the back. You might need to pry the back off with a Flathead screwdriver even after removing the screws. The CRT neck board will be closest to where the back you just removed would be; a metal shield will cover it. You can see the neck board through a window cut in the shield. The shield is attached to the neck board with solder.

3. Before you touch anything on the back, put on your grounding wire. Fasten the clip end to a metal object and wrap the other end around your wrist, per manufacturer's instructions.

4. Use your hot tool to remove the solder that attaches the shield to the neck board. Be very thorough on this step; any attempt to remove the shield while it is still attached to the neck board could damage the neck board.

5. Remove the shield. The neck board now will be totally exposed and is attached only to something that resembles a light bulb. You can pull the neck board directly off and continue your repair.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep any screws in a bowl or plastic baggy so they don't roll off your work surface and get lost.

• CRT monitors and televisions have capacitors in them which can deliver a painful and sometimes deadly shock. Don't attempt this repair if the unit has been plugged in recently. Leave it unplugged for at least two weeks before opening the monitor.

• Using the CRT monitor or TV without the neck board can completely disable the unit.

References

• RepairFAQ: TV and Monitor CRT (Picture Tube) Information
• Electronics Repair Made Easy: How to Access the CRT Neck Board of CRT Monitor
• High Display: How to Take Apart a Computer Monitor