tail lights flicker????

[gdbunn]

recently purchased a 2014 Yamaha Drive. It had a new light kit installed. Everything works fine. Headlights, tail lights, blinkers and flashers. But after cart sits for a while, sometimes about 1/5 of the tail lights flicker like the emergency flashers are on. Not all of the leds flicker, but like a 1/5 of it, looks like a piece of a pie flickering. I have swapped the module under the cupholders, swapped the lights with new ones but still flickers? Anyone ever have this problem??? THANKS for advice

[chrisr32]

Bad ground and did you check for AC along with the DC at those lights? AC with LEDS can cause them to flicker but you would think if that was the case all the LEDs would flicker.

[gdbunn]

No clue. They were put on there where I bought it from. I’m 3 hours from there so would like to fix it myself if possible instead of taking it back. What all would I. Red to test and where? Thanks again

[cgtech]

There is some value to buying the "wildly overpriced" light kits from Yamaha, they don't do the goofy $#!+ the cheap aftermarket kits do. I have seen so much, and widely variable problems with the aftermarket light kits. There is no "check here, then check here, then check here" list, because everyones kits uses different switches, modules and wire colors.

[CP241]

Originally Posted by cgtech

There is some value to buying the "wildly overpriced" light kits from Yamaha, they don't do the goofy $#!+ the cheap aftermarket kits do. I have seen so much, and widely variable problems with the aftermarket light kits. There is no "check here, then check here, then check here" list, because everyones kits uses different switches, modules and wire colors.

what he said.

component quality, quality control, craftsmanship, etc are all sketchy on the cheap aftermarket kits. That's why they are a fraction of the price of the OEM kits that use much higher grade LED's and other components.

LED's tend to flicker when they experience a low voltage condition. They're not light bulbs that brightness will dim with lower voltage, but they'll still work. LED's are either "on" or "off". There's no middle ground. So when voltage gets low, they'll shut off, and as voltage builds a bit they'll turn back on, and off (very quickly) so you see them "flicker".

Checking to make sure your grounds are good (look for less than about 1 ohm to negative battery terminal from the light housing's ground wire) and measure the voltage going IN to the light when they're on and flickering. IF it's less than ~12 volts then you've got an issue going into the lights, from the module, module ground, or something else potentially.

I would be willing to bet it's just the light assemblies itself that are the issue, but a quick check to verify input voltage and ground resistance will confirm. as the assembly heats up, heat increases resistance, which lowers voltage, which would cause LED's to flicker.

Check both the ground resistance and the input voltage 1. when they are all working, and 2. when they start flickering.