Xenon lights misting

[Vanbursta]

I had my new (to me) xenons fitted last week and I have just noticed that when it is cold (below 6 degrees) they mist up, I resealed them before they were fitted and have removed them again to check the seal (all OK), this only happens when the car is driven when cold not if it's just standing, as soon as the weather gets slightly warmer they clear again and stay clear until the temperature drops OR it is foggy, getting to the point where I feel like giving up now, had the car for ages but seem to be getting lots of niggly faults at the moment.

I have even put some silica gel sachets in the back of the lights as per the Rover TSB, has helped a little but the misting still happens. Any suggestions?

[capese21]

Damp air trapped inside the unit. Try warming them with a hair dryer which may drive the moisture out. Or remove them from the car and leave in the airing cupboard for a week:D

[Vossy]

Damp air trapped inside the unit. Try warming them with a hair dryer.

I agree, while they are off and separated put them in a warm oven - about 70 degrees for a while, this will dry them out completely then re-seal them.

[vindaloo]

Mine also mist up under the same conditions as do many others I have seen, not much you can do about it. Warming them up with a hair dryer won't cure it as it comes back again soon enough.
Making a small hole in the rubber back cover helps a bit as it allows the light unit to breath, trying to totally seal them often makes things worse.

[capese21]

Making a small hole in the rubber back cover helps a bit as it allows the light unit to breath, trying to totally seal them often makes things worse.

OEM HIDs do not have a rubber cover on the dipped side. Totally sealing them does work but not if damp air is then trapped inside. Maybe take apart then hair dryer or airing cupboard then reseal. Not that easy with OEM HID`s though.

[vindaloo]

OEM HIDs do not have a rubber cover on the dipped side. Totally sealing them does work but not if damp air is then trapped inside.


I know they don't, but they still have one cover and it's usually the lower one inch of each lamp that mists up. The silica gel makes a slight difference but needs changing regularly. Projectors also mist up in the same way.

[T-Cut]

- - - xenons fitted last week and I have just noticed that when it is cold (below 6 degrees) they mist up, I resealed them before they were fitted

Resealed? Any enclosed space will mist when the temperature falls to the dew point of the air inside. To prevent that, the sealed air must be so dry that the coldest ambient temperatures won't reach dew point. In practice it's virtually impossible to do. It needs a balance, inside with outside, which means ventilation. Sealing them airtight is guaranteed to fog them in cold weather. A vent hole somewhere at the rear is good advice.

TC

[vindaloo]

Resealed? Any enclosed space will mist when the temperature falls to the dew point of the air inside. To prevent that, the sealed air must be so dry that the coldest ambient temperatures won't reach dew point. In practice it's virtually impossible to do. It needs a balance, inside with outside, which means ventilation. Sealing them airtight is guaranteed to fog them in cold weather. A vent hole somewhere at the rear is good advice.

TC


Totally agree, hence me recommending a small hole in the rubber cap.

[pab]

Remove the rubber bung, mine mist and this is what I do. This damp weather has also put a misting in my front fogs. Nowt you can do really.

[rich17865]

I find that mine mist up, and only put it down to lack of use of the car.

I didn't feel too bad when a neighbours 64 plate VW Polo has completely misted up headlights.

[capese21]

Totally agree, hence me recommending a small hole in the rubber cap.

You should work in the R&D department at Hella.

No misting on my HID`s and no extra holes.

Ed:}

[vindaloo]

You should work in the R&D department at Hella.


Ed:}


They couldn't afford me.

[Dragrad]

Thread moved to appropriate forum. Re-direct left in old ;)

[wooly12345]

I wonder if the "anti fog" formula from rain x could help this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/390983080268?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

[Polly]

Any headlight that has a replaceable bulb is going to admit moist air, perhaps the HID lights might be more prone to misting because they do not generate sufficient heat to dry the air inside the lamp.