Laptop Repair....Where can I get an inverter?

[BoeingBoy]

I have a Medion 9873 laptop just under two years old. For the second time the screen inverter has packed up and I need a replacement. Previously Medion UK 'reluctantly' sold me a spare as the computer was two weeks out of warranty, but now they are quoting a minimum of 28 days to deliver whilst telling me they have six in stock!.

It's now been two weeks and no sight of the part. Since I ordered a hood clip eight months ago and am still waiting for it, I have little hope of ever seeing the screen inverter.

The local repair company who are standing by to fit the part tell me that it's unique to the computer and cannot be filled with a 'standard' replacement so I am looking at scapping a £1200 computer after less than two years!:*

Does anyone have any idea how I can track down a suitable replacement without breaking and entering Medion UK's warehouse? They are not known for innovative manufacturing so I presume that the part must be a standard unit from some Eastern Hemisphere factory.

And if anyone from Medion UK is reading this perhaps you might like to comment on why your customer service reps are briefed to be completely vague and unhelpful on providing any useful information or commitment to customers whose warranty has run out!

[fobotcso]

I would be thinking about reporting this to the Office of Fair Trading and your Local Trading Standards Officer. Lots of info on the Web as to how to go about this.

[Fujiflyer]

BoeingBoy, Have you actually separated the inverter PCB from the rest of the laptop? If so it would be interesting to see a close up photo of it to see if its repairable - the inverter is normally fairly simple electronics...

Fuji (Repair companies tend not to consider repairing actual PCBs that are dead)

[BoeingBoy]

I will have to nip over to the repair company to get it, but I could post a photo with a description of any markings.

As for the trading standards people etc, I will certainly be letting the Swindon office know of my enthusiasm for Medion UK's customer care policies.

Thanks for the replies.

[Memetic]

I think Medion are German, however that obviously does not mean that the laptops are made there.

Have you tried searching the laptop (Or if you have access the inverter) for an FCC ID / approval number then looking it up in the FCC database to get manufacturer details?

I think this is the right db (Not had to use it in a while!):

https://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/cf/eas/reports/GenericSearch.cfm

It might open up more leads for you.

If you can get an manufacturere and part number then there are lots of component brokers you can try to track it down via.

Good luck.

Memetic

[BoeingBoy]

Thanks again for the help.

For what it's worth I suspect that the machine is actually made by Fujitsu Seimens with a Medion label on it. Fujitsu were selling identical cased machines a few months before Medion brought theirs out through Aldi.

I am still not getting very far with Medion UK. A telephone shouting match with the receptionist to at least speak to someone who could help finally produced a voice who promised to call me back within the hour, he did, to tell me he would ring back by the end of the day, he did (at 7pm) to tell me he will ring me by lunchtime today. All this to tell me whether they will sell me a £30 inverter or not, never mind when!

Grrrr...:*