SVX Network Forums Live Chat! SVX or Subaru Links Old Lockers Photo Post How-To Documents Message Archive SVX Shop Search |
IRC users: |
#1
|
||||
|
||||
How do I dry out a headlight housing?
I've got some water in there that keeps evaporating onto the inside of the lense and won't go away. I don't feel like heating them up and ripping them apart again.. The seals are all tight, there's just water in there that won't come out. Right now the housing is out laying in the clouded sun, hopefully that works.
__________________
Brian |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
tried that too.. stood there for ten minutes blowing into the fog light hole and nothing happened.
__________________
Brian |
#4
|
||||
|
||||
Brian, leave the car during the day with your headlights facing into the sun.
Take out both bulbs behind the lights. Just leave them hanging there. Remember the bulb holders have rubber jackets around them to keep water from getting in. So in theory the headlamp is a sealed unit, and the moist air has no way to get out while the bulbs are in position and rubbered up. It might take a few days of sunshine, but they will dry out OK. Just remember to plug the bulbs in if you are driving at night, K? Joe
__________________
Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing Betty Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K Jersey Girl @ Mersea Candy Purple Honda Blackbird Plum Dangerous White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI. Vantastic 40,000 miles Jersey Girl |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
The trick I use is placing in front of a dehumidifier over night.
__________________
Tim 92 Liquid Silver SVX 5MT 2009 BMW Z4 (Gone) 2012 Camry V6 SE |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
I just re-read that. You don't have the lamps fitted to the car, do you?
Well in that case I would use something like a fan heater or a hair dryer. You need to turn the hot air on the lens surface, and you need the lamp pointing at the ground, propped or held by a vice, so that the moist air can leave through the bulb opening on top. If you make it too hot, the plastic will warp, so be careful. Joe
__________________
Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing Betty Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K Jersey Girl @ Mersea Candy Purple Honda Blackbird Plum Dangerous White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI. Vantastic 40,000 miles Jersey Girl |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
no it's back in the car now, only one has moisture in it.. but I'll try the hair dryer thing tomorrow.
__________________
Brian |
#8
|
||||
|
||||
I had moisture in one of my rear lamps. It has taken me about five days of parking facing the sun with the boot open [and the boot lamp off!]. However, it worked. All the moisture now gone, using sunshine only.
Slow but sure. Joe
__________________
Black Betty [Bam a Lam!] '93 UK spec, still languishing Betty Jersey Girl Silver '92 UK [Channel Isles] 40K Jersey Girl @ Mersea Candy Purple Honda Blackbird Plum Dangerous White X2 RVR Mitsubishi 1800GDI. Vantastic 40,000 miles Jersey Girl |
#9
|
||||
|
||||
That's the key to heating plastic without warpage....slow, but sure.
If the litle lady has a food dehydrator that'll do the trick in a couple hours. they run about 120deg f.
__________________
[SIGPIC]http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=5569&dateline=1207440 507[/SIGPIC] Naught but by the grace of God "42" Current Stable By Age:'89 Subaru XT6 Silver "Audrey" as in Hepburn '96 SVX LSi #767Brilliant Red "Lil Red" Now on the front burner. Looking for a totalled, but running parts car. |
#10
|
||||
|
||||
I face my lights into the sun, but nobody likes the angle I park my car.
__________________
. Earl .... ... .... ><SVX(*> Subaru Ambassador [COLOR=”silver”]1992 Tri Color L[/COLOR] ~45K (06/91) #2430 1992 Dark Teal LS-L ~184K (05/91) #0739 1992 Claret LS-L ~196K (05/91) #0831 1992 Pearl LS-L ~103K (06/91) #1680 1992 Pearl LS-L ~151K (06/91) #2229 1992 Dark Teal LS ~150K (07/91) #3098 (parts car) 1992 White LS-L ~139K (08/92) #6913 1993 25th AE ~98K (02/93) #164 1993 25th AE ~58K (02/93) #176 1993 25th AE ~107K (02/93) #215 1993 25th AE ~162K (02/93) #223 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~124K (1/94) #2408 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~144K (10/93) #1484 1994 Laguna Blue Pearl LSi ~68K (10/93) #1525 1994 Barcelona Red LSi ~46K (02/94) #2624 1994 Pearl LSi ~41K (12/93) #1961 1995 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~70K (02/95) #855 1996 Polo Green LSi ~95K (03/96) #872 1997 Bordeaux Pearl LSi ~55K (08/96) #097 2003 Brilliant Red LS1 Convertible ~29K (04/03) #8951 1999 Magnetic Red LS1 Coupe ~33K (04/99) #6420 My Email | Old Locker | New Locker | Picture of 15 of the 19 |
#11
|
||||
|
||||
what if I stick the housing in the oven at 120 for about 10min?
__________________
Brian |
#12
|
||||
|
||||
I've did a tail light once by taking out the bulbs and placing it in a big box with a hairdryer on "low" shooting into the bulb holes from about 6 inches away. The box helped keep the heat in like a little sauna (someone on here gave me the idea years and years ago). Worked great and only took about 15 minutes, plus with the hairdryer positioned in the box I didn't have to stand there holding it the whole time. Of course I supervised to make sure nothing caught on fire.
__________________
Troy 1992 SVX LSL "Serenity" 250,000 miles! I don't care, I'm still free, You can't take the sky from me... |
#13
|
||||
|
||||
Quote:
The oven works best for me. Ten minutes on about 130 degrees with the bulbs out does the trick. If you had the lights on for a while and you shut off the car in a heavy rain, as the headlight cools, it sucks in the wet outside air through the vent tube. Doug
__________________
1992 LS Touring (6/91) - Currently undergoing a five speed swap Black over Claret with spoiler; 235,000 miles; Mods: 2002 Legacy 5 speed, ACT Pressure Plate, Excedy Clutch, Short Throw Shifter, Aussie Powerchip 1992 LS Touring (6/91) Black over Claret with 2.5" setback spoiler; 202,000 miles; Mods: B&M Cooler 1994 LSi (4/93) Bordeaux Pearl; 198,000 miles; Mods: Weight reduction. 1969 Mustang GT Convertible 1970 Mustang Convertible 2000 Ford Excursion Sola lingua bona est lingua mortua. My Locker |
#14
|
||||
|
||||
I stuck it in the oven for 10 minutes at 170 (lowest it goes) and it looked kinda dry. AS I was putting it back on the car it fogged back up. Guess I'm gonna have to rip it apart again and dry it out
__________________
Brian |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|