Flickering LEDs

[weldguy]

I decided to swap out the 1056 headlight bulbs on my BX2200 with brighter LEDs. The first pair I installed flickered at a high rate. I tried adding 50 ohm resistors with no difference. I returned those LEDs and ordered another set advertised as "with proper resistance to avoid flickering." Nope... the new ones flicker just as bad. They flicker with and without the engine running.
Has anyone tried LEDs that don't have the flickering problem?

 

[Hugo Habicht]

I replaced the bulbs with LEDs as well and they flickered pretty badly. I left them in and the flickering stopped after a while. No idea why.

The engine was running, I do not know if they would have flickered as well with the engine stopped.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Just a thought, but could the flickering be related to "tractor vibration” somehow? (instead of being electrically related)

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Just a thought, but could the flickering be related to "tractor vibration” somehow? (instead of being electrically related)

Very good point, but he wrote the flickering is also there when the engine is not running.

I would find a tractor that is vibrating when the engine is off deeply worrying

 

[mikester]

cheap chinese LEDs flicker more often than good quality ones

 

[lynnmor]

I just installed 10 4 foot LED shop lights in my basement and had flickering. At first I thought it was just cheap Chinese lamps, but after some investigation I found a poor connection where the breaker clamped on to the bus. A new breaker and cleaning of the bus fixed it. Check for bad connections anywhere on the circuit.

 

[imarobot]

You will notice the flicker in an LED more than an incandescent light because the LED turns off immediately. An incandescent light will remain bright for a short while because the filament is still hot.
Flakily electrical connections will be noticeable with an LED that you may not notice with an incandescent.
Cheap LED's also have cheap internal electronics which are not filtered well, and the voltage fluctuation can be seen.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

You could add 100-250mfd caps in parallel at the LEDs. 'Flickering' could be the alternator 'noise' as it's not pure DC.

 

[imnukensc]

You could add 100-250mfd caps in parallel at the LEDs. 'Flickering' could be the alternator 'noise' as it's not pure DC.

OP said it happens whether the tractor is running or not. Doubt it's alternator noise.

 

[Bee-Positive]

If you’ve checked all the connections and they are tight with no corrosion it could be voltage drop.

Measure the voltage at the light fixture. If the voltage measured is significantly lower than the output, or if it falls below 11.5 volts, excessive voltage drop is occurring. Could be inadequate wire gauge or bad wires.

Watch this vid.
Voltage Drop Explained

Then again it could be cheap LED's.

 

[xrocketengineer]

Polarity?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Very good point, but he wrote the flickering is also there when the engine is not running.

I would find a tractor that is vibrating when the engine is off deeply worrying

hahaha….missed that.

too much/not enough Coveffee

 

[skeets]

I was going to say a poor connection or a high resistant ground, but somebody already said that

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Polarity?

not really possible, LEDS ,being diodes, don't take kindly to 'reverse voltage' and poof, let out the 'magic smoke'. good LED lights( those with 2 wires) will have a diode bridge in them to prevent that from happening.
Since most LED 'offroad' lights are good for '12-24' volts, the PCB of parts has been poorly designed. White LEDs require 3.4 volts to light up. 3 in series need 10.6, so a small resistor is need to drop the '12v' battery down. 4 LEDs in series needs 13.6. which a 12v battery can't light up. Now depending on the design and parts, it might just come on briefly,then off, try again, and the cycle repeats. Easy to test,put 2 batteries in series and see if the LED flashes or comes on steady. I'd have to see what's inside or a real schematic to say why they flicker. I know the ones I've built do not flicker. 3white LEDs in series with a constant current supply.

 

[D2Cat]

not really possible, LEDS ,being diodes, don't take kindly to 'reverse voltage' and poof, let out the 'magic smoke'. good LED lights( those with 2 wires) will have a diode bridge in them to prevent that from happening.
Since most LED 'offroad' lights are good for '12-24' volts, the PCB of parts has been poorly designed. White LEDs require 3.4 volts to light up. 3 in series need 10.6, so a small resistor is need to drop the '12v' battery down. 4 LEDs in series needs 13.6. which a 12v battery can't light up. Now depending on the design and parts, it might just come on briefly,then off, try again, and the cycle repeats. Easy to test,put 2 batteries in series and see if the LED flashes or comes on steady. I'd have to see what's inside or a real schematic to say why they flicker. I know the ones I've built do not flicker. 3white LEDs in series with a constant current supply.

When I installed LED headlights on an L1500 a few years back they didn't work until I reversed the polarity. There was a thread about it on this forum.

 

[Dustball]

Is it flickering or is it blinking? Those are different issues.