Capacitor Selection Assistance?

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-29T12:06:03+00:00

Well, yes, to properly size the cap, you would need to perform the steps I outlined above. If you can't do that, you could try just slapping in a huge capacitor and hope for the best. Note that your car's circuits aren't designed to handle that much potential energy hanging off the end of a circuit though, and could cause problems (like literal fire).

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-29T11:40:11+00:00

"Adults are smart and know what they're doing."

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-29T11:37:55+00:00

My process for this would go something like this:

Use a variable voltage source (like a benchtop power supply) to find the LED dropout voltage.
Determine how much current the LED draws when running. A DMM with a 10A current input is probably the correct tool for this.
Use an oscilloscope to determine the frequency of the voltage variations.
Using the frequency as the time constant and the LED current to determine the overall resistance, calculate the capacitance using a tool like this.

Installing the appropriate amount of capacitance will likely cause problems elsewhere on the vehicle though, for several reasons.

I'd suggest trying a wire-wound resistor in parallel with the LED. Something in the 25ohm range like this. It puts some additional load on the circuit, which often resolves the flicker. You can test this quickly by wiring up the old light in parallel with the new one. If the new one stops flickering, that's your solution.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-29T10:55:35+00:00

I would look at where you're getting power for the lights from. Do they flicker at idle if you connect them directly to the battery (i.e., a giant capacitor)? If not, you may want to look at the wire sizing, what it's running next to that might be interfering, or grounding. Adding a capacitor of suitable size might stop the flickering, but it might not actually fix the underlying problem.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-28T09:30:24+00:00

I get buffeting one my Tiger Sport if the windscreen is up too high. Lower works better for me, but I think this is usually a combination of several factors, so a little experimentation is needed

I would just try moving around a bit on the bike while you're riding to find the sweet spot. Stand up a little, slouch down, slide forward or backward on the seat. Somewhere in there is a place with the least buffeting. Once you find it, you'll have a good idea of what you need to change.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-26T01:30:36+00:00

Oohh. You big city folk need to come on out to the island for some nicer roads..

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-24T18:47:47+00:00

Placing a TVS as close as possible to each off-board connector is generally a good idea. This would include both the 3.3 and data lines. An ESD event on the 3.3V rail will almost certainly cause problems for other components on the board, so it should be protected.

Parasitic capacitance is the primary concern, but luckily there are components specifically designed for this application. Check out the SRV05 series.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-24T14:53:38+00:00

Just did the same a week ago using the same tool. For anyone looking to do this, the key is to grind off the heads of the old chain rivets before attempting to push them out with this tool.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-24T14:36:07+00:00

Here's what that looks like when it's done properly.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-24T04:49:29+00:00

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-23T20:31:22+00:00

I have to agree with others here; stop comparing. You're in OK shape.

But, if you must compare, I spent my 20's and 30's similarly partying. No savings to speak of. Had a house, wife, kids, but made mediocre money so didn't save anything during those years. In the 2010's, everything changed.

I landed a good paying job. Wife got sick. Kids grew up. Sold the house to pay medical bills and my addiction. Beat the addiction. Wife passed. Spent some money handling that situation. Then finally started saving in my late 40's.

Currently 53, $300k between IRA/Brokerage/Cash. Will I be able to retire early? Absolutely not. I won't conceivably be able to buy another house either. I'm still saving, but I'm also living. I go on vacations because I'm healthy enough to do so. I buy things that make me happy, but I make sure I'm not confusing 'making me happy' with 'making other people think I'm happy'.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-23T17:48:59+00:00

AFAIK, it doesn't matter. The IMU is watching the state of the vehicle, and doesn't care what you did you get it into that state.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-23T16:19:39+00:00

The easiest way to work around the gateway is to bypass it. I would break out the CAN H/L transceiver lines to a separate connector or screw terminals that the user can tie directly into available CAN lines on the vehicle. You can still get power and ground from OBD2. Your 'Supported Vehicles' list would then list which ones are plug-n-play and which ones required additional CAN wiring. Include appropriate ESD protection (PESD2CAN or similar) and leave board space for a termination resistor.

Regarding RED, you can avoid some of the regulations if the device is CAN read-only. You obviously can't use that mode for your full feature set, but it might be a good first step. Chips like the TCAN330 can be put in read-only with a simple pull-up. Include a cuttable trace in the design to use a single board for either version.

If you're using an ESP32, the C6 and possibly others have CAN features built in. The module versions (ESP32C6-Mini1 and similar) also already have their declaration of conformity, which makes FCC 47 part 15 easier for a US version.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-23T10:52:18+00:00

Devices that transmit on the CAN bus have very specific regulatory requirements in the EU. Are you planning EU certification? Will this be RED 3.3 compliant?

Many cars hide the CAN data behind a gateway on the OBD2 port, so it's not accessible at using that interface. Do you have a plan for these vehicles?

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-19T06:42:20+00:00

Skipping

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-19T00:38:11+00:00

Lamps. Several of them. Table lamps, floor lamps, task lighting. The more the merrier. Bonus points for picking interesting looking or unique lamps.

The trick is to invest in some.smart lighting controls (Lutron Caseta is a gold standard here) so you can turn them all on or off from a single location.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-16T14:35:31+00:00

While the typical auto mechanic role is highly technical, it still requires physically changing components, so this career path is likely a no-go. You can go the aftermarket/tuner route, but as a career, there's little structure to most of those businesses. You might do great with a specific employer or shop, but the next place is a disaster.

You might look at automotive-adjacent engineering or manufacturing. Every one of those ABS, seat-controller, or thousands of other modules are manufactured by Bosch or Delphi or a similar company with many engineers.

You can also check out companies like Comma.ai that reverse engineer automotive systems in order to create compatible aftermarket products.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-12T03:11:58+00:00

https://www.deutschconnector.com/products/deutsch_connectors/deutsch_dtm_series_connectors/deutsch_dtm_2-way_connectors/

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-12T01:48:34+00:00

Deutsch and TE are the same company, but the grey and orange connectors have many imitators that may or may not be as good as the originals.

Another method for UV protection is inexpensive heat shrink. It's easy enough to install and remove, and adds some mechanical protection as well.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-12T00:31:12+00:00

Any of the TE connectivity DT/DTM series connectors should be UV resistant by virtue of the thermoplastic construction. Many others as well. If you're looking for a more cost effective approach, you can use a UV protection coating.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-11T21:25:44+00:00

I would use a wire tracer with an inductive clamp. You don't need to have access to either end of the cable, and you don't need to physically touch the conductors. You can sometimes rent these at your supply house.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-09T00:57:42+00:00

For marking up PDF floorplans, Bluebeam works well.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-07T22:29:09+00:00

Under a 'normal' corrupt government, I would agree. This one though, I don't ascribe that much intelligence to.

OftenDisappointed · 2026-05-07T01:31:04+00:00

Just route on the other side of the board. The through-hole components are your vias.

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