Glenda's pulsating

[emsjr]

I installed the Glenda LED lights on my 2008 FJR, (no problem with the install,) however, while checking everything the lights were pointed to a dark piece of wood. At idle, with the lights at their lowest output, you could see a faint pulsating pattern against the wood from the lights. Increase the RPM or the intensity of the lights and it was gone. If you looked at the lights straight on, you also could not see the pulsation. Called Clearwater and Glenn was not in today, so I thought I would bother the board with the question. Is this normal?

Thanks, Gene

 

[SacramentoMike]

Is this normal?

Yes. It's come up before. For one thing, the lights appear to dim and brighten by turning off and on more or fewer times per second. They don't ever actually dim. Some other have also noticed it at idle and at the lowest brightness setting. No problem at all.

As an aside, I just got back from a ride with Brodie for several days. He's got the amber lens covers on his Glendas (just little colored discs over the lens). It makes them stand out visually from the headlights and his white Kristas much more than the clear whites like mine. Seems to make the bike jump out from the rest of traffic even more. I'll be getting a set of those my next time out Clearwater's way.

 

[ionbeam]

I installed the Glenda LED lights...At idle, with the lights at their lowest output, you could see a faint pulsating pattern...Increase the RPM or the intensity of the lights and it was gone...

Was the battery voltage stable when the lights pulsed? If the 14.X volts was not stable the .X would be seen to flicker. Use a quality DMM or Datel to check the battery voltage. If the voltage flickers, then this is probably why the LEDs seem to flicker.

Very common methods to control the perceived light output of LEDs is to pulse width modulate the power to the LEDs or vary the rate that power gets pulsed to the LEDs. Instead of tricky current regulation it is easy to take the 14 volts and pulse it to the LEDs. The longer time between pulses, the dimmer the bulbs appear, even though they are receiving full 14 volts each time they are on. The human eye can see pulsing lights when they pulse 30 times a second, as the pulsing gets faster, such as 60 times a second the human eye can no longer detect the pulsing so the light looks like it is steadily on. It would make sense for the LEDs to have the slowest pulse rate at the dimmest setting and it may be just at the edge of your eye's ability to detect it.

Edit: I see that ScrotumentoMike answered while I wuz typing. We agree, there is just a word count difference.

 

[emsjr]

Thanks for the quick reply! Now Glenn can disregard the message I left for him at Clearwater's office today.

Gene

 

[Patriot]

As an aside, I just got back from a ride with Brodie for several days. He's got the amber lens covers on his Glendas (just little colored discs over the lens). It makes them stand out visually from the headlights and his white Kristas much more than the clear whites like mine. Seems to make the bike jump out from the rest of traffic even more. I'll be getting a set of those my next time out Clearwater's way.

I'd appreciate a pic with amber Glendas...guess I should PM Brodie

that's very interesting and sounds like you agree with me, very unexpected

I wonder if either of you run your glendas at full bright 100% of the time

my dimmer only adjusts the Kristas and I was gonna get a separate dimmer for the Glendas, but soon saw no reason to do so...

Brodie, paging Mr Brodie to the white courtesy phone...

 

[dcarver]

..dang, is it Friday somewhere in the world?

Glenda is pulsating?

Who and where is Glenda?

<sorry>

:yahoo:

 

[SacramentoMike]

Here's Brodie and Dan on the Chief Joseph last week. Sorry about the focus but it's the best shot I had of the amber Glendas.

And if I have the Kristas "off," I run the Glendas at 100%. Can't adjust them separately for brightness. But now I'm wondering why you're surprised I agree with you?? I'm pretty agreeable.

 

[not2shabby]

..dang, is it Friday somewhere in the world?

Glenda is pulsating?

Who and where is Glenda?

<sorry>

:yahoo:

That's what I was thinking! Can we get her to gyrate too?!

 

[RadioHowie]

..dang, is it Friday somewhere in the world?

Glenda is pulsating?

Who and where is Glenda?

<sorry>

:yahoo:

That's what I was thinking! Can we get her to gyrate too?!

...or at LEAST sit and spin???

 

[beemerdons]

..dang, is it Friday somewhere in the world?

Glenda is pulsating?

Who and where is Glenda?

<sorry>

:yahoo:

That's what I was thinking! Can we get her to gyrate too?!

...or at LEAST sit and spin???

As Silver Penguin, Miss Jilly Beans, would say: "This thread is worthless without pictures!"

 

[RadioHowie]

..dang, is it Friday somewhere in the world?

Glenda is pulsating?

Who and where is Glenda?

<sorry>

:yahoo:

That's what I was thinking! Can we get her to gyrate too?!

...or at LEAST sit and spin???

As Silver Penguin, Miss Jilly Beans, would say: "This thread is worthless without pictures!"

ONLY for YOU, Don.....