Ceiling Light Flicker During Video Card Load - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Lowkus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 03:51:32 am
content: When my video card is running hard, typically drawing 600 to 800 watts, the LED ceiling lights in several rooms begin flickering a few times per second. I've tried using different video cards, different power supplies (BeQuiet 1200 and 1500 watt units), but it did not make a difference. I attempted to steady the pulsing by plugging the computer into a UPS (which I was meaning to do anyway), but it seems the UPS won't draw from the battery unless the system experiences something closer to a total power loss. Is there a device commonly used to isolate and smooth power to a heavy load that would remove the flickering (and ideally runs quiet)? Due to space constraints I cannot plug the computer into a different circuit in the house, and I am unable to redo the wiring in the walls.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 04:52:51 am
content: I'm not an expert on mains power, however if you are going to go down the path of a UPS, you might consider an online model instead of the more typical line interactive type.Online UPS always have the battery/inverter connected in-circuit, which also has the added benefit of zero transfer time (as there is no transfer). They are more expensive though. It still might not fix your problem however, someone with more electronic engineering knowledge would be able to advise.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 05:08:29 am
content: Quote from: Lowkus on September 25, 2023, 03:51:32 amNo, adding inertia to a domestic circuit is impractical. In the past it was done with motor-flywheel-generator and while it can now be done with a suitable inverter + energy storage caps/batteries... you'll not like the noise, or the price.

author: DimitriP
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 08:40:15 am
content: I'd try a long extension cord.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 10:17:49 am
content: Some LED lights are especially sensitive to mains voltage variations; this is usually the case with triac-dimmable type LED lamps. To create the dimmable control, these lamps directly modulate the LED current to be proportional to the absolute incoming mains voltage, so that a triac dimmer will cause the lamp to switch off at the right moment. However, if there is any noise on the input supply, they will flicker. I have an EV, and when I charge my car which pulls 7200W from a 240V supply, it causes the dining room lamp, a dimmable LED lamp from Costco, to flicker quite visibly. This is despite the car charging circuit being tapped right off just after my electrical meter on a dedicated circuit, the variation in supply voltage is clearly too much for the lamp.The solution is simple, change the LED lamps for a type that is definitely non-dimmable, and which uses a regulated current circuit to drive the LEDs (anything that's not absolute bargain basement will.) Of course, if you want dimming, you'll need another option, like smart lightbulbs.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2023, 12:00:45 pm
content: Quote from: DimitriP on September 25, 2023, 08:40:15 amOver this side of the world wall outlets are wired on a different feed than the lighting, for residential all the way back to the main (breaker) board. It does help as a surprising amount of loss is accepted in the installation wiring.