argh, can't figure out why billet shift lights are on!

[mikey]

Ok, so I have a new to me pro mazda with ADL (original) and billet shift light. The car runs an M400 ECU.
when I turn on the main power at the battery disconnect, the dash powers on and the billet shift light exhibits light 3 at approx. 30-50% bright and light 4 (the center 3 red led's) at a very dim setting. When the fuel pump first runs to build pressure (before starting car thought, just at first power up), light 3 brightens and stays bright (the 2 green led's 3rd position from each end).

I am convinced there is nothing in my dash config that would cause this. I am unsure if my M400 would be causing it, but I couldn't find any output settings in that file that made me believe it might be causing it either. I suppose next is to start tracing wiring and see if there is a ground issue? Files attached if anybody wouldn't mind taking a look.

Cheers,
Mike

[SprinterTRD]

I haven't looked at your file however just go into "Online" "Test""Outputs" to see which output (if any) toggled the LEDS.

The ADL Grounds its outputs so that shouldn't be the problem unless there is resistance in the wire.

For the LED to be dim its probably duty cycle driven.

[mikey]

Thanks for the response. I did go through that test step earlier today, I know through testing that aux1 output through aux4 output from the ADL correspond with lights 1-4 on the billet shift light. The ADL functions and lights the billet shift light just as I would expect, in both testing and in simulation. However the "faulty" light 3 and very dim light 4 conditions remain independent of the ADL it seems. They never go off. I even disabled aux3 in the ADL config file for a bit to see if that would shut off the light 3 but it did not. Somehow that light is getting a ground it seems but the very dim light 4 confuses me, because like you noted, it would have to be duty cycle driven at 1 or 2% to be that dim, but I have no idea what is driving it. I tested other ADL outputs for lights 1 and 2 at 1% and that seemed to match how dim light 4 is acting.

Note lights 3 and 4 will come on full when aux 3 and 4 are enabled by the ADL and they operate as expected when I vary RPM or trigger an alarm.

[SprinterTRD]

Now I understand,
It is normal for the LEDS to be dim when connected to the outputs and not turned on. ( This is noticeable at night )

You could try to use larger value current limiting resistors to solve this however it will affect the brightness when turned on.

[mikey]

ok, that explains light 4. but light 3 is like 50% and then goes to 80-100% when the fuel pump kicks on and stays that bright even after the fuel pump shuts off (initial car power on, ignition still off). headed back out to the car tomorrow with a multimeter.

[mikey]

original post updated with a short video to show the odd light behavior

[Holmz]

I seem to recall from electronics class that LED brightness was a function of current. I am pretty sure that at a high frequency that the duty cycle would have no effect on the perceived brightness.

[mikey]

actually kind of the opposite for some reason with the ADL, duty cycle negates lower frequency effects. If I set duty cycle to 100%, then changing frequency up or down doesn't make any difference in appearance. At least not down to the ADL limited 22 hz lowest setting. If I reduce duty cycle to 50% or less, then I can start to see the frequency chosen.

I fixed all that by turning the output on/off with a timer condition to make up my own frequency. Have it running at 7hz at shift rpm now.

[mikey]

update on behavior of the lights. it turns out the ADL config was responsible for the position 3 green LED's going to "bright", it had nothing to do with the fuel pump kicking on. The condition causing it was the "down shift RPM" channel was "true". I guess I don't understand how "down shift light" and "down shift rpm" function in the ADL. "down shift light" seems to be a simple "enable" option in the functions->shift lights->down shift menu. There does not seem to be a setting for the rpm. Through simulation, it seems it enables below 3000 rpm.
"down shift rpm" channel is enabled in the same functions menu, however it also allows you to input an rpm setting. I had put in 4000 rpm. Oddly, the "down shift rpm" output is "true" even at 0 rpm. I don't understand how that works.

anyhow, so now I fixed aux3 so it only triggers (as part of condition 3) when down shift light is true and gear >=2. (who needs a down shift light in 1st gear?)

now the 3rd green light as shown in the video only comes on to 50% and does not get brighter unless activated due to shift up or down light. still don't know why it is always on at 50%.

if anybody can explain to me how "down shift light" and "down shift rpm" channels determine what rpm or condition to become true, I'd appreciate it.

[Holmz]

actually kind of the opposite for some reason with the ADL, duty cycle negates lower frequency effects. If I set duty cycle to 100%, then changing frequency up or down doesn't make any difference in appearance. At least not down to the ADL limited 22 hz lowest setting. If I reduce duty cycle to 50% or less, then I can start to see the frequency chosen.

I fixed all that by turning the output on/off with a timer condition to make up my own frequency. Have it running at 7hz at shift rpm now.

Not the oppoite at all...
Turn the duty cycle to 10% and play with the frquency.
Your eyes react different than a photo diodeor CCD because it is a chemical based reaction. If the duty cycle is slow enough to have the lights go out then that gets more intesting to figure out the mehcanim.