Inkplate 10 display bleeding at edges after heavy use

TECHNICAL SUPPORT Inkplate
1

Customer:

I’ve had my Inkplate 10 running ESPHome for the past year and a half, with a partial update every minute and a full update every 10 minutes. Recently, the display has started to “bleed” in from the edges. The pigment around the edge of the display (which normally displays as white) has become darker, and during a full update, it doesn’t update fully.

Is this caused by the high usage of the display, or have I done something wrong like powering it on for too long?

Also, is it possible to buy just a replacement e-ink display for Inkplate 10? The board works fine.

Originally submitted via email support on 24 November 2024. Migrated to the forum for community visibility.

2

Soldered Support:

This is due to e-Paper usage. E-ink displays have a physical lifespan that is affected by how much they are used. Inkplate 10 uses Kindle recycled e-paper screens which already have some prior usage. A year and a half is a good lifespan with updates happening that frequently.

E-paper models compatible with Inkplate 10:

  • ED097OC1
  • ED097OC4
  • ED097TC2

You can source these online. We don’t sell e-papers directly, but we do sell just the board without the e-paper.

Before buying a new e-paper, try the burn-in clean sketch: Inkplate-Arduino-library/examples/Inkplate10/Diagnostics/Inkplate10_Burn_In_Clean/Inkplate10_Burn_In_Clean.ino at master · SolderedElectronics/Inkplate-Arduino-library · GitHub

You can also try adjusting the VCOM: Inkplate-Arduino-library/examples/Inkplate10/Diagnostics/Inkplate10_Factory_Programming_VCOM/Inkplate10_Factory_Programming_VCOM.ino at master · SolderedElectronics/Inkplate-Arduino-library · GitHub

To run the VCOM sketch, change the EEPROMoffset number and comment out the call to testPeripheral() so you can enter a new VCOM value. Your old VCOM should be written on your e-paper’s flat cable connector. If it’s not there, try a negative voltage like -2.5. Push the voltage further into the negative if needed, as older panels may require stronger negative voltage to drive. Experiment with different values to see if you can restore the display.