Replace Enviro+ Screen?

Support
#1

Is it possible to replace the screen on the Enviro+?

I unwittingly used a GPIO ribbon cable that wasn’t intended to be an extension for “hats” and as a result, I believe the over voltage damaged the screen. All the other sensors still appear to function, but the screen was sort of the thing I was really looking forward to.

It previously worked fine when plugged directly into the Raspberry Pi, and it worked briefly once I had built my own wiring harness, but I think the damage was already done at that point.

#2

Maybe? If you had cracked it or only damaged the screen part, you could likely buy one of these and carefully do a swap of the screen part after undoing the ribbon cable.
0.96" SPI Colour LCD (160x80) Breakout – Pimoroni
It’s still a bit risky as you could crack it getting it off of the breakout.
Honestly though, best guess is its the part that drives the screen that’s fried, the bit on the enviro+.
You could use the above linked to breakout in place of the enviro screen. Just wire it up so it uses the other chip select and enter that in the screen config part of your python file.

disp = ST7735.ST7735(
    port=0,
    cs=0, # instead of cs=1
    dc=9,
    backlight=12, # << may have to also change this?
    rotation=90,
    spi_speed_hz=10000000
)
#3

If the screen is just held in place with double sided sticky tape or sticky pad, you can get it off by pulling dental floss or fishing line behind the display. You just do a slow back and forth motion and saw the pad in half. Once the display is off you can peal off what’s left of the sticky stuff with your finger nail etc.

#4

One thing I would definitely do is check the 3.3v pin on the Pi’s GPIO. If it reads 0V that Pi is dead. The 3.3v regulator has been fried if it shows 0V on pin 1.

#5

I am getting 3.3v of the PI, although and please correct me if I’m wrong, based on the pinout I didn’t appear the Enviro+ needed that, pulling its power from the 5V rail instead?

As luck would have it, I actually impulsively purchased one of those screens you suggested and have it on hand. I suppose I could redo a couple things to make use of that now. I’d probably have more luck that way than trying to carefully peel it away and reapply it to the Enviro+.

#6

Ok, pi is likely fine. I’d hook the display up as is to that Pi just to make sure SPI is working OK. I use the scrolling-text example as a test file.
I’m thinking it’s more likely its the display driver bit that fried. The electronics on the enviro that drive the display, not the display itself.

#7

Hmmm… I wonder, if it would be at all possible just to replace that? I’d bet it’s an IC of some sort?

I could also just get another. Then use this one for an air quality station where a display isn’t needed. I was thinking of making another outdoor one for the front of the house.

#8

SMT stuff is really hard to work on with basic home soldering tools etc.

#9

Screen driver chips are usually built-in to the screen, so it’d be a case of buying a new screen and replacing it. You’d need to get one with the exact same driver chip (ST7735) and flat-cable format, maybe something like this?

#10

Ok, maybe I got that a bit wrong? I have several of the Breakout Garden versions of that screen. I just assumed the driver chip was on the backside of the circuit board. Looking at the product pictures, it appears Shoe may be right?
I’d need a magnifying glass or microscope to read any chip numbers though.
You may be able to undo the ribbon cables on the breakout and Enviro+, and hook the breakout garden screen to the Enviro+ to test it. If it works then wory about getting it off without breaking it. Just be warned, doing this may kill your working screen, if something on the Enviro got fried, that then fried the first screen.

#11

Thank you Shoe; for that price I could probably get a few and try at least. If it doesn’t work, I end up where I’m at now anyway.

#12

Looking at he numbers on the ribbon and the units being offered, I think this might be a good replacement. I’m going to give it a shot and see what happens.