PREVENTING LED HEADLIGHT FLICKER

I have LED projector headlight bulbs and they are brilliant (pun intended), but at tick-over speed the ignition causes them to flicker although as revs increase they do become steady. This in itself was not too much of a problem. What was though was the tendency for the nearside light to go out after a short time, sometimes within seconds, sometimes minutes but after switching them off and on again it would work for a few more seconds.
The problem was discussed on various forums and it seemed that good earths were absolutely necessary.

Well, I had all these as I had fitted a new wiring loom adding extra earth returns from every light, plus an earth strap between body and engine. Still the nearside light kept going out. I swapped the offside fittings and bulbs but still the nearside went out. I soldered extra earths on within the headlamp shell to no avail.

Then one day I was scrolling through posts on the Austin Seven Friends forum and someone posted exactly the same problem that I had. A lot of suggestions were offered including earth wires directly back to the battery, but towards the end someone suggested using ferrite clips. I had never heard of them. I started Googling ‘ferrite clips’, which were also listed variously as clamps, suppressors, chokes and beads but all essentially the same. I had nothing to lose by trying them so ordered four, one each for the dip and main wire on each headlamp. They come in various sizes to suit different wire diameters. I needed the smallest and the advice was to fit them close to the bulb. They are about 15mm long and in two halves hinged on one edge. Each half contains a magnet and a groove to accept the wire and they are snapped shut over the wire.

I was dubious as to their efficacy as I started the engine and switched the lights on, but they weren’t flickering. It was magic. I started it up several times, running for short spells and still they didn’t flicker. Would that near-side light stay on though? I drove to the church and back and it was still on. We went for a run with headlights on all the way. They were still on when we arrived; a miracle that only cost a few pounds.
Peter Lawson (Essex and Suffolk A7 Clubs) With many thanks.