P
Philip
Hi
You might recall I had problems with condensation in my headlamps on my year
old Astra (completely new to me as not had the car long).
Originally it started off as a bit of condensation then gradually got worse
until it was dripping on the inside of the glass, and this affected both
headlamps.
Anyway new headlamps were fitted by the Vauxhall dealer free of charge under
warranty. Even when they were brand new on a dry day, I arrived home
(headlights had been on and the car hadn't been wetted at anytime upto
then), and there was a small amount of condensation! This seemed to clear
up, although sometimes I would notice a bit of condensation at the extreme
edges using the car with headlamps on since then.
A few weeks on and after the car has been sat idle over the Xmas holidays, I
arrive home from work today to notice yet again condensation appearing.
Now I had taken advice from before about the rubber bungs that are used to
adjust the height of the bonnet when it sits closed, and did adjust them
downwards slightly so the bonnet sits slightly hirer. Comparing my car to
an almost identical friends Astra who never gets condensation in the
headlamps, I can not really see any difference between the way the bonnet
sits between our two cars, and the rubber seals around the headlamps are
identical and fitting the same way.
However there is one difference, my headlights are sportyish ones, by that I
mean inside they are not all silver as my friends, but are black plastic,
with only silver reflectors immediately around the bulbs. I am wondering if
this black plastic is absorbing the heat from the headlamps so heating them
inside, making a bigger temperature difference between the air in the
headlamp and the cold hitting them from outside. Even that seems odd as
without water in the headlamp in the first place, the heat would simply dry
the air (relatively) anyway, so it isn't adding water, but might make water
migrate to glass and stay there, with the atmosphere providing more for the
next journey.
Any advice, I really do not want to see water building up in the headlights,
and if they are continually damp I will end up with green mould growing
inside, and it is silly to be getting new headlamps every couple of months!
Regards
Philip
You might recall I had problems with condensation in my headlamps on my year
old Astra (completely new to me as not had the car long).
Originally it started off as a bit of condensation then gradually got worse
until it was dripping on the inside of the glass, and this affected both
headlamps.
Anyway new headlamps were fitted by the Vauxhall dealer free of charge under
warranty. Even when they were brand new on a dry day, I arrived home
(headlights had been on and the car hadn't been wetted at anytime upto
then), and there was a small amount of condensation! This seemed to clear
up, although sometimes I would notice a bit of condensation at the extreme
edges using the car with headlamps on since then.
A few weeks on and after the car has been sat idle over the Xmas holidays, I
arrive home from work today to notice yet again condensation appearing.
Now I had taken advice from before about the rubber bungs that are used to
adjust the height of the bonnet when it sits closed, and did adjust them
downwards slightly so the bonnet sits slightly hirer. Comparing my car to
an almost identical friends Astra who never gets condensation in the
headlamps, I can not really see any difference between the way the bonnet
sits between our two cars, and the rubber seals around the headlamps are
identical and fitting the same way.
However there is one difference, my headlights are sportyish ones, by that I
mean inside they are not all silver as my friends, but are black plastic,
with only silver reflectors immediately around the bulbs. I am wondering if
this black plastic is absorbing the heat from the headlamps so heating them
inside, making a bigger temperature difference between the air in the
headlamp and the cold hitting them from outside. Even that seems odd as
without water in the headlamp in the first place, the heat would simply dry
the air (relatively) anyway, so it isn't adding water, but might make water
migrate to glass and stay there, with the atmosphere providing more for the
next journey.
Any advice, I really do not want to see water building up in the headlights,
and if they are continually damp I will end up with green mould growing
inside, and it is silly to be getting new headlamps every couple of months!
Regards
Philip