Why Is My SSUPD Power Button Flickering?

Modified on Wed, Dec 31, 2025 at 7:49 PM

Overview

The red/white LED flicker on your SSUPD case is part of our dual-LED power button design — not a defect. It shows drive activity and system state. You can disable the red LED via BIOS settings or cable breakout (see below).

What the LED Flicker Means

Our power button integrates two LEDs:

White LED: System power status
Red LED: SSD/HDD activity status

These LEDs connect to your motherboard’s F_PANEL header, and their behavior depends on your BIOS and system activity.

LED Behavior Reference Table

Behavior	Meaning	Normal?
White LED always on	System powered on	✅ Yes
Red LED flickers frequently	Drive read/write (SSD/HDD in use)	✅ Yes
Red LED pulses in standby	Sleep mode (BIOS-controlled)	✅ Yes
Red LED always on, no blink	Possible freeze, bad SSD, reversed pins	⚠️ Check
Red LED flickers but system dead	Debug signal from motherboard standby power	❌ No

How It's Wired (And How to Disable the Red Flicker)

Default Unified 9-pin cable：Your power button module includes a single unified 9-pin ribbon cable routed to the F_PANEL header. This works directly with most motherboards using standard pin layouts.

Breakout Cable with Individual Pins

If you want to disconnect just the HDD LED, you can switch to this style.

You can only plug in the POWER SW pins and skip the HDD LED, thus stopping the red flicker — without affecting power-on functionality.

Individual header connectors with breakout cable		HDD LED / Power separately routed from the same PCB

BIOS Settings (To Disable LED Behavior)

Some motherboards support disabling the red LED flicker via BIOS:

ERP / Deep Sleep Mode → Prevents red LED from blinking when off
Power LED Sleep Mode → Stops red LED in sleep
HDD Activity LED → Can be disabled entirely

Refer to your motherboard manual under:

Power Management
LED Control
ACPI Sleep Options

When the Red LED Flickers While the System is Off

If your PC is fully shut down but the red LED still flickers:

This is usually caused by standby voltage sent to HDD LED pins
Enable ERP Mode / Deep Sleep in BIOS to stop it
If system won’t boot, consult your motherboard’s error code table

When to Replace the Power Button Module

Only request a replacement if:

The switch physically fails (no click / no response)
The white LED never lights up, even when powered on
You’ve confirmed correct wiring & BIOS settings

In those cases, we offer replacement power button modules:

?Submit a Support Ticket Here → Submit RMA Ticket

⚠️ Make sure to request the correct module version (Xhuttle, Meshroom S, Meshroom D)

Xhuttle Power Button	Meshroom S/D & Meshlicious Power Button Set

Summary Table: Solutions to Red Flicker

Use Case Recommended Action
Want to keep all LEDs Use 9-pin unified cable (default)
Only need Power ON (no red LED) Use breakout cable; plug in Power SW only
BIOS flicker persists after shutdown Enable ERP / Deep Sleep in BIOS
Debug flicker or always-on red LED Check SSD, reverse pins, or unplug HDD LED

Use Case	Recommended Action
Want to keep all LEDs	Use 9-pin unified cable (default)
Only need Power ON (no red LED)	Use breakout cable; plug in Power SW only
BIOS flicker persists after shutdown	Enable ERP / Deep Sleep in BIOS
Debug flicker or always-on red LED	Check SSD, reverse pins, or unplug HDD LED