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Carnage
11-18-2012, 06:11 PM
The other day I went through an Esso carwash and after I had condensation on my headlights but I thought it was on the outside and would dry off and didn't pay much attention to it.

Then today I realized it's still there so I tried wiping it off and it's on the inside of both of my headlights.

I've recently put HIDs and LED turning lights in, did I do something wrong when I installed them? Is water getting into them now?

What should I do?

Thank you :bang

Carnage
11-18-2012, 06:20 PM
INB4 L2 search. I've come to the conclusion either the bulbs aren't properly put in, or that there's a crack on the headlights.

But what are the odds that both of them would crack at the same time? Also I washed my car before and went through the car wash with no condensation.

Is it maybe because of the cooler weather?

Hyperion
11-18-2012, 07:57 PM
Cooler weather will instigate it.

silverstarmazda
11-18-2012, 08:45 PM
park it indoors, put you halogens back in and keep them on. might take a couple tries but it usually works for me. after its all gone u can put your hid's back in.

Hyperion
11-18-2012, 09:30 PM
park it indoors, put you halogens back in and keep them on. might take a couple tries but it usually works for me. after its all gone u can put your hid's back in.

Probably won't fix the problem if there's a build up of water. After going through the power wash i had probably 20 ml in my lights and I had to reopen them and drain it. One way to check would be to take off the bumper.
But of course, always take the easiest routes first and go for this.

silverstarmazda
11-18-2012, 09:54 PM
Probably won't fix the problem if there's a build up of water. After going through the power wash i had probably 20 ml in my lights and I had to reopen them and drain it. One way to check would be to take off the bumper.
But of course, always take the easiest routes first and go for this.

true, mine had condensation in it where it was making drops. i left all might lights on for 10 minutes wile facing the sun in summer and got rid of most of it. not sure how effective itll be in this weather though... could take the bulbs out and blow some compressed air through it for a while.

Hyperion
11-18-2012, 10:02 PM
true, mine had condensation in it where it was making drops. i left all might lights on for 10 minutes wile facing the sun in summer and got rid of most of it. not sure how effective itll be in this weather though... could take the bulbs out and blow some compressed air through it for a while.

It's a good temporary fix, I use a heat gun for that. For a permanent fix you would probably have to stick it in the oven at a very low temperature for a long time

-ToM-
11-18-2012, 11:12 PM
this has happened to me, i use the self washing stations, and pretty much if i point the jet water at the headlight it will condensate, im assuming the mist and water go through the halogen entrance, where my hids go. Pretty much to prevent this i just dont point high pressure water on the headlight, now when i do washes no condensation. Idk if this helps but pretty much only i know u can solve it, u could try sealing the hid better or just not do carwashes and hand wash or do those stations

trulankan
11-19-2012, 01:01 AM
that sucks, i thought condensation would only be a problem if you break the seal and crack open the housing (to install halos for example) but i guess even changing the bulbs will do it? i haven't run into this problem so far (knock on wood)

silverstarmazda
11-19-2012, 01:48 AM
the headlight housing is not a sealed component. they have vents in them to help get rid of excess moisture by having the halogen bulbs evaporate the moisture with heat. as you headlight are on, the air inside is heated and expanded. as you wash the car the water suddenly cools the plastic surface causing the air inside to shrink. the shrinking draws the moist air from the car wash into the housing. cycling the air inside the housing should get rid of excess moisture. heating pushes out the moist air, and shrinking the dry air back in. however this should be done on a dry day when your car is dry as well. halogens also burn hotter than HIDs which is why i suggest you use halogens to evaporate the condensation.

reason why rain doesnt cause that dramatic of a "flash condensation" is because its not a sudden change in temp, but droplets slowly bring the temp down. however a broken seal between the lens and housing can cause constant excessive condensation. there are many ways for condensation to happen, the way describe it is one of the most common after a car wash.

Carnage
11-20-2012, 12:07 AM
So basically I should take a sledgehammer to my headlights?

peterm15
11-20-2012, 12:56 AM
So basically I should take a sledgehammer to my headlights?

Yes.
But that would mean buying new headlights that will have the same problem.

silverstarmazda
11-20-2012, 02:06 AM
Yes.
But that would mean buying new headlights that will have the same problem.

but no lens = no problems loool

Carnage
11-20-2012, 02:25 AM
Without starting a new topic, does anyone know why my Nokya Artic White bulbs don't actually look white?

There's the pic as my avatar.

silverstarmazda
11-20-2012, 02:31 AM
Without starting a new topic, does anyone know why my Nokya Artic White bulbs don't actually look white?

There's the pic as my avatar.

they look white to me lol. wat do u mean?

Carnage
11-20-2012, 02:48 AM
they look white to me lol. wat do u mean?

They're in my fogs! Don't look white at all I think.

silverstarmazda
11-20-2012, 03:01 AM
They're in my fogs! Don't look white at all I think.

oh your fogs!well do they look white in person? it looks like when you took the picture, your headlights overpowered the picture and make the fogs look dimmer. then you parked on a brown floor? that might make it look off in the picture

Simon99
11-26-2012, 01:28 PM
Anybody tried silica gel packs to remove condensation ? I have a bit after angel eye install ..