I do my checking with a 3.7V Li-ion battery from a scrapped cheapie camera, a toy camera would take better shots..... apply +ve to the P on and, the -ve going to the metal work, with the main supply ON the inverter should start up.
Also checked power boards this way by forcing them ON, that little battery saved a lot of work.
Have you tried forcing the inverter ON, could be the backlights as well, is it possible to hook any up?
Dave