[simeon]

Has anyone noticed the Diode Dynamics SS3 Pro's make a humming sound when turned on?

I have a pair set to come on in the rear when the vehicle is in reverse, and I noticed they make a sound which seems odd.

I ran dedicated 12 gauge wire from the switch pros 9100 to it.

I have a 30 inch light bar from diode dynamics and they are silent.

Just curious if this is normal before I contact DD support about it.

Simeon

[Bobby12many]

Making an assumption here that the Switch 9100 is a "smart relay" and you arent delivering power directly off of a "switch"....

I dont have experience with these specific lights, but have dealt with dozens of different LED systems over the years. IME buzzing and/or humming almost always indicates something is amiss with the grounding or the driver. If the wiring is properly grounded/isolated/relay'd and the sound is coming from the light itself, I would suspect an issue with the driver module within the assembly.


grain of salt here, as this may very well be SOP for these lights.

[simeon]

For the rear lights I am using the frame as a return ground path. Is it possible for that to cause the humming vs. a home run for the ground to the battery?
I guess my next step would be to contact diode dynamics and see what they say. Thanks for the help.

[Bobby12many]

100% possible that this is a grounding issue. Just as bad grounds in an audio system cause whine and noise through your speakers, a bad ground can create noise and flickering in LED light systems.

Did you sand/wirewheel the surface of the frame before grounding to it? Is the wire securely crimped in your terminal?

All that said - some buzzing/hum may be inherent to these lights, but if its loud enough for you to question it, its worth investigating

[simeon]

I think the ground crimps should be fine. I will pull off the bolt on frame and grind it to make a better connection after it stops raining here. Will report back. Thanks.