White's spectrum faulty display

[nickel_n]

My White's spectrum need repair.
It show only two lines of square dots on the display when it turn on. When i air/ground balance it the rest of the detector works.
Just no display, other than the two dotted lines.
I open the control box and reset the ribbon cable/connector that connects the control box with the display. I also spray it with contact cleaner spay. The display came good for an hour or so. Then the same problem again.
Looks like that the problem is on the display itself.
BUT i can’t figure out how to open it. I need some instructions if any one knows so i don’t damage it. Or perhaps it’s a common fault for the display of this detector and there is all ready a known solution for it.
Any info will help.
Thanks
Nickel
Ps. i got photos i will post them as soon as i figure out how.

[nickel_n]

Photos of display

photos of the faulty display and the ribbon connector
I will ready could do with some advice on how to open the display.

[bklein]

Just send it to White's for repair. They are VERY fair.
When a display goes faulty and it is determined to really be the display itself I've never had any luck fixing them. Just had such a battle with my sprinkler controller LCD. Cleaned the pcb contacts with a pencil eraser and alcohol. Reset the LCD on it; it worked ok for about 10 minutes then some segments died again. Keep the detector away from humidity and extreme heat/cold.

[nickel_n]

Thank you for your replay. It must be is something loose inside the display as it comes good when I fiddle with the cable, then go bad again.
Also shipping and insurance from Australia to US and back again I am guessing will be a lot.
I am really hopping that some of the people in the forum know about how to open the display without damaging it or perhaps the solution to the fault.

[bklein]

Oh, ok that's understandable. Their website doesn't show any service centers other than the US ones. I'm curious - how well is Whites selling in Australia, or does Minelab have it all sewed up?

Anyway, if you think it may be a cable problem, you can do something if it is at the connector side where it connects to the pcb. You should be able to wiggle the cable and determine if the bad end is there. If so, you can open connector from the sides - lift each end and remove the cap over the ribbon. Then pull the ribbon off. Cut a half inch or whatever off with sizzors and place it over the metal prongs. Put the cap back on and put this assembly in a vise to close it up.

[nickel_n]

Well I found the solution to my faulty display. The repair was not difficult.
What makes it difficult was my fear of damaging the detector while trying to fix it.
My difficulty was to open the display housing.
There is one screw on it witch is easy to remove. But what it’s really holding it together is a blob of silicon at the bottom of the handle where the ribbon cable enters. (You can just see it on the photo). this has to removed carefully so you don’t damage the cable.
After that is ease the plastic shell come open and you can see the display itself.
On my case there where dry solder joints on the first 4-5 pins on the display connector.
I re-solder them put it back together and its as good as gold.
Unfortunately I got no photos to show.