The following LCD screen just came out of my DMM. It wasn't soldered to anything. I've never seen anything like this before. How does it work, and how do I put it back together.






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There are two conductive elastomeric strips on the two connectors. These are called zebra strips.
Just put the LCD back on to the circuit board with the zebra strips intact lined up with the gold plated pads. Alignment is not super critical.

 

These are called zebra strips.

That'd be ZEBRA® strips. Otherwise, they're elastomeric connectors.

 

The following LCD screen just came out of my DMM. It wasn't soldered to anything. I've never seen anything like this before. How does it work, and how do I put it back together. View attachment 194810View attachment 194811View attachment 194812View attachment 194813View attachment 194816

 

Is there anything on the back of the display that looks like it would contact the pads on the board?

 

Those are "zebra" connectors. Basically an elastomer that is segmented with thinner portions of lower resistance elastomer (e.g., carbon filed). LCD's require very low currents, so the difference in conductivity is sufficient.

They are very difficult to replace and get every segment working again in my limited experience. Extreme cleanliness (no lint or oil) and some wetting agent (e.g., isopropyl alcohol, water, or hydrocarbon) helps.

EDIT: That reply was written when there was only one reply to a duplicate thread, That thread was apparently moved. I got an error, found the new thread and posted here. My apologies if I am repeating what others have said.

 

I would also relegate the meter to the bottom drawer and find a better-made meter.

 

Many modern meters use this method and they can be brought back to life fairly easily in most cases. Cleanliness, alignment and proper tension seem to be the most important pieces to getting them to work properly. Clean the contacts on both sides with an eraser and isopropyl alcohol as mentioned. Ensure both pieces are back in their respective cases and aligned properly. The case should also provide the proper tension when reassembled. Cleanliness is the biggest factor here