AnAppleSnail
Flashlight Enthusiast
Supposedly, the bulb and glass are both UV filters...but then again, my eyes sometimes itch after using the thing around shiny things.
UV Curing light for Headlight Restoration
- Thread starter Ilikeshinythings
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Apollo Cree
Enlightened
Well, someone tried shining a different HID light at their face for a while and got sunburned. It might be interesting to experiment with HID (of any flavor) vs. UV sensitive materials. Remember, UV filters are not necessarily 100% effective. I'll have to see if I can find some old photogray lenses and see what a Stanley HID does to them.
Alaric Darconville
Flashlight Enthusiast
How about a germicidal lamp, like one of those uncoated 18" fluorescent tubes? I think they put out a ton of UV-C.
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
Did they win a darwin award?
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
Cool! What would be the best P60 host? (FYI, I know there is a TON of threads answering this question).
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
I wonder wher I could pick up a setup like this..maybe home depot?
Alaric Darconville
Flashlight Enthusiast
On the other hand-- how much will you charge to do a pair of headlamps?
How prepared are you to deal with complaints if, three months from now, every person you've done that work for finds their headlights deteriorating again?
If you use that specific purpose device, you'll know that you've done it "exactly right".
How prepared are you to deal with complaints if, three months from now, every person you've done that work for finds their headlights deteriorating again?
If you use that specific purpose device, you'll know that you've done it "exactly right".
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
Well I currently charge 80 to do the headlamps. After I have compounded and polished them I use an All In One automobile acrylic which is supposedly good for 8-12 months of protection from UV and the elements, and then I use a Sealant glaze over that which is good for another 4 months of UV protection. I also offer my customers a 3 OZ. bottle (good for 3 years or more) of said acrylic for self application every 6 months for $5.00. It's easy to put on and you just wait 15 minutes then buff it out.
qwertyydude
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2008
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- 1,115
If you want really long lasting protection you can apply Collinite car wax, far and away the best wax protection, longer lasting than any synthetic sealant on the market, pretty much agreed upon by professional detailers for ultimate durability.
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
Collinite wax eh? I'll definitely read up on it.
I think if you calculate the volume that 7 ounces takes up and then calculate how much surface you can get with a thin layer, you will find you can do a reasonable number of headlights. Why not just offer it as an added protection at a higher cost. If people want the best, they need to pay for it..... and buy the bloody right light... 
... reputation is everything .... and time is money. The time you WASTE looking for an alternative could be spent on customers.
Semiman
... reputation is everything .... and time is money. The time you WASTE looking for an alternative could be spent on customers.Semiman
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
If I were to decide to use this product in my business it would be at a higher cost. As of now I give my customers a 1.5 ounce bottle of Klasse All In One to wipe on the lights every 6 months. This should be fine. When my business gets in the green I will consider adding more products like clear plastic films, UV clear-coats and possibly even tinting lights (fronts or rears). I will definitely keep you all posted when I do this. And I will most certainly just buy the light offered by SolaRay when I buy the spray-on UV protection.
Another thing to consider though is overspray from the clearcoat--that stuff can really be nasty and the products required to cover up the car and surrounding areas are both expensive and time-consuming.
Another thing to consider though is overspray from the clearcoat--that stuff can really be nasty and the products required to cover up the car and surrounding areas are both expensive and time-consuming.
GLOCK18
Enlightened
If you get a chance go to the 2010 SEMA show you'll find dozens of manufacture from chine selling the product you're looking for. At my friend shop the simply spray the headlight with PPG 2021 clear after sanding it, or the mix a bit of black in the clear to make smoked lights. 2021 clear is considered one of the best automotive clears.
Ilikeshinythings
Enlightened
Thank you Glock! I will read up on PPG 2021. I don't see any threads on Autopia about this product so I wonder if people on there even know about it.
The light I believe they're using is actuallya lamp for raising lizards!. They do produce UV, but lots of o0ther light too. These bulbs are expensive, about 45-60 each and do not last very long.
It's an interesting topic becausemy company (Brite Lites) is developing a
UV lamp product for use with some of our headlight restoration products. We have not launched yet, so don,t look for us. As far as the UV light, you need to know two things about the coating you will use.
1) What wavelength does it need (most likely UV-A at about 350 to 390 nanometers.
2) What dosage. This should be stated in watt-seconds or joules. It does get complicated.
There is a minimum dosage required, but you can't over cure. After evaluating and measuring UV output from many manufacturers, we are going with 100 watt CFL UV=A bulbs. These bulbs are quite large, but product almost 20 watts of UV-A and cost about 35-40 ea and have a lifetime of 800 hours. The lizard bulb I metioned will probably require a few minutes to heat up.
There's nothing wrong with simply exposing to sunlight when you can. If your coating will cure in 2 minutes under the lizard lamp (150 watts) it willl most ceertainly cure in sunlight in 5. What they,re probably not telling you is that you will have to move the lamp around to cover it all and that would probably take more than 5 minutes.
Hope this helps.
Ray6
:welcome: Ray
Interesting post, the thread you've responded to is a couple of years old, your experience is welcomed here but please avoid posting anything which may be viewed as advertising for your company.
Cheers Norm
Interesting post, the thread you've responded to is a couple of years old, your experience is welcomed here but please avoid posting anything which may be viewed as advertising for your company.
Cheers Norm
even though the thread is old, good point on the lizard lights
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/compact_fluorescent_bulbs.php
the repti-glo 10.0 puts out a bunch of broadband UVA and B. A sheetmetal reflector, and some edison base sockets would be a good start on a headlamp curing fixture. (or even use one of theirs, maybe with modifications if needed)
The 2.0's are what I use in my snake cage, and they definitely give a good daylight color. They are pricy since they are specialized, but nothing too horrible.
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/compact_fluorescent_bulbs.php
the repti-glo 10.0 puts out a bunch of broadband UVA and B. A sheetmetal reflector, and some edison base sockets would be a good start on a headlamp curing fixture. (or even use one of theirs, maybe with modifications if needed)
The 2.0's are what I use in my snake cage, and they definitely give a good daylight color. They are pricy since they are specialized, but nothing too horrible.
Germicidal lamps may contain UC-C. Most UV cures want UV-B, around 290 to 390 manometers. Most common fluorescent UV lamps produce little UV /buck. You need lots of UV light or lots of time. Most cheap UV fluorescent bulbs produce less than .2 mwatts/cm2 as compared to sunlight at 6 mwatts (30 times more), so if a cure would take 5 min. under sunlight (common) it would take hours under common UV fluorescents.
There are porfessionally developed headlight coating products that cure by chemical reaction instead of UV. Expensive to buy, but per headlight costs are 50 to 80 cents. Cures in 5 minutes and no masking required. We warrant our restorations for 2 years.
ray6
Hi ray6,
I realize this is an old thread, but was wondering if you're still in the headlight restoration business? I'm considering starting business in FL and would love to hear what you have learned.
Would really appreciate if we could PM about this further.
Best regards,
Andrew
