Jump to content

Cheap LED headlights causing radio static


jad

Recommended Posts

Firstly, I know!..... Buy cheap buy twice, you get what you pay for, probably won't pass MOT etc etc.....

Well let's start off with the positives. A nice bright white light, flat beam, a good defined line , built in DRL and alternating indicator which definitely improves their visibility and only £50.... My feeling is that they should pass an MOT.

Right the only downside I have found so far.... They are causing radio interference (white noise) when on dipped beam only. They do not cause issues when just the DRL is lit and they do not cause any issues when on full beam. Which for me is the interesting bit as this does not turn off the dipped beam it just lights an extra part of the light.

So far I have tried 2 ferrite clips around the cabling from each unit, a capacitor at the alternator just because I had one lying around and earthing the shielding of the aerial cable. None of these has had an effect.

If I disable the RH headlight then interference is much less as this is closest to the aerial (wing mounted). So I assume it is the cabling acting as an aerial.

I also plan on trying an extra earth (jump lead) to make sure the earth on the wing is good and will try putting ferrite clips in other places.

Apart from refitting the original headlights.... Has anyone got any ideas of things I could try to get rid of the interference problem?

Cheers

Jad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks guys.

I will see if I have time tomorrow to pop the headlights out and wrap them in foil see if that makes a difference.

My dad also thought of the capacitor suggestion so will give that a go when I see him next. He has some capacitors we can try.

I had an interesting conversation with the seller on eBay and they talked with the manufacturer. This was their reply.

"Thanks for contacting us.
We are so sorry to hear that .
We checked the problem, it's the problem of interference current, you will need a EMC.
In this case, how about we send a EMC for you from China? It will take 7-15 days to reach you.
If you agree, we will contact the supplier for this part.
Please advise."

So I'm going to receive an "EMC" so will be interesting to give that a go 😂

Cheers

Jad

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

They work 😳 I mean not perfect... But significant improvement. If I open my door to ~45 degrees the radio starts to fuzz a bit so must be some Faraday cage effect going on. Will have to see how they are when I drive the car about...

Thanks for your suggestions everyone!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmm that might be a one way trip. There were no screws so might just nicely break when taken apart.... My dad thinks "Probably an inductor (also called a choke) in series and a capacitor across the line which is a high frequency filter
Providing the choke is wound with heavy enough cable it should be fine" I mean if a part fails then I'll definitely take a look inside!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By using our website you agree to our Cookie Policy