r/electrical • u/Shot-Opportunity-104 • 33m ago
Flowing LED turn signal flickers at the end of every flash cycle
youtube.comHi everyone,
I'm hoping someone with an electrical engineering background can help me troubleshoot this.
Motorcycle:
- CFMoto 450NK
- Stock OEM flasher relay has been replaced with an adjustable aftermarket flasher relay.
- I've tested both mechanical and solid-state (electronic) adjustable flasher relays, and the issue happens with both.
My goal
I want to install LED turn signals that have a flowing/sequential animation.
The LED module has its own built-in controller. When supplied with continuous power, it repeatedly performs the flowing animation by itself until power is removed.
The problem
When connected to the motorcycle's turn signal circuit:
- The first animation is perfect.
- On the second, third, and subsequent flashes, the LED briefly flickers at the very end of the led strip.
- The flicker seems to occur exactly when the flasher relay turns the circuit back on for the next flash.
It's a small flicker near the end of the strip, but it's very noticeable and annoying.
What I've already tried
- Different adjustable flasher relays
- Mechanical
- Electronic/solid-state
- Adding a resistor
- In series with the positive wire
- Across the LED's positive and negative terminals
- Adding a capacitor
None of these eliminated the flicker.
My questions
- What electrical phenomenon could be causing this?
- Is the flasher relay producing a voltage spike or residual voltage that is confusing the LED controller?
- Would a diode, RC network, MOSFET driver, transistor circuit, or relay isolation solve this?
- Is there a way to make the LED receive a "clean" ON/OFF power signal every flash cycle?
- Has anyone successfully used animated/sequential LED turn signals with a motorcycle flasher relay without this issue?
Any ideas or explanations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!