Xenons flickering

[e30325itourer]

Hi folks driving to work the last couple of nights, I have noticed my lights are flickering. Any ideas what would cause this?

Regards
Thomas


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[alanaslan]

Originally Posted by e30325itourer

Hi folks driving to work the last couple of nights, I have noticed my lights are flickering. Any ideas what would cause this?

Regards
Thomas


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Hi Thomas,
Not a nice thing to be happening, depending on what kind of flickering you have would help to nail down the problem.
Your Lights are what is known as discharge lighting, to try to explain in simple terms. Normal bulbs have a pice of metal that heats up to a white hot temperature contained in a glass envelope filled with an inert gas to stop the metal catching fire.
Your bulbs work by an electric arc being struck between two electrodes again in a glass envelope filled with an inert gas.
A bit like electric arc welding. A flicker on the bulb is caused by the arc not being constant and it having to be continually restarted. This job is done by the ballast.
You need to check that the car has a constant voltage. This can be done by connecting a digital volt meter to the battery with the engine running, at a fast tick over the voltage should be around the 14 volt area constantly, If the alternator is working properly. Assuming this is the case and you have a constant voltage, the main suspect for the flickering would be the bulbs have reached the end of their life and the bulbs are needing replaced. It is unlikely to be the ballast as it is striking the bulb back up when the arc is failing. Hope this helps.
Alan

[rayrahman]

I had the same thing happen to me, turned out to be the cheap set of side light LED’s I put in were interfering with the headlights. I put standard 501’s back in and problem solved


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[e30325itourer]

Originally Posted by rayrahman

I had the same thing happen to me, turned out to be the cheap set of side light LED’s I put in were interfering with the headlights. I put standard 501’s back in and problem solved


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Now that sounds familiar😡I have just done the same


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[clf]

I have the same issue(s)

LEDs flickering, however, with the headlights on, you should not be able to notice as the headlights light up something (or at least it will be difficult), unless they are super bright.

As well as the LEDs (which have passed 3 MOTs!) the passenger side looks like it flickers, but I have narrowed it down to the reflector rattling. I noticed it when I had pulled up behind a van at traffic lights. At idle, it flickered, and when I added about 100rpm, it stopped.

check your reflectors as well as the above (have the engine idling)

[klarzy]

Could also be your alternator brushes reaching end of life...

[Fishytroll66]

I had the same thing when I fitted LED side light bulbs, fitted a resistor pack (made by ring) and that sorted it.

[e30325itourer]

Thanks folks stuck the 501s back in and everything is good, only problem is they look NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-. Can anyone recommend bulbs that look similar to the xenons?


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[suzublu]

I've had canbus led sidelights in for 8 years, no problems

[Jamiewelch]

Originally Posted by e30325itourer

Thanks folks stuck the 501s back in and everything is good, only problem is they look NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-. Can anyone recommend bulbs that look similar to the xenons?


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http://www.halfords.com/motoring/bul...-car-bulbs-x-2

Me and my dad have them in both of ours, they are pure white with no hints of blue, and are nice and bright. If you know someone with a trade card they are £7.50