Condensation in headlights

[stinka]

After all this wading I've done recently both headlights have a bit of water in them and both glasses are covered in condensation

Any tips for drying them ?

And any tips for future water proofing of them ?

Cheers

 

[niks_terrano ii]

.

I trick I used when I had the same problem on my BMW was to put tin foil over the headlight and turn the headlights on and leave it for 30 mins or so and the tin foil reflects back and drys out the condensation

As for future sealing up have you for the rubber covers behind the light where the plug and bulb join that will help a little but you can't ever seal them to much or changing the bulb when it blows will be a pain
Paul

 

[stinka]

I think the covers on Terrano are polycarbonate ?? Would the heat build up not melt them ?

 

[solarman216]

having put the nose of mine underwater at the W,E, had lights half full of muddy water, took them off, washed them out and now waiting for them to dry before refitting, Rick

 

[makeitfit]

Make sure the stock rubber seals are there to start with. Vasaline is your friend here
Once you've got the worst out bung some grains of rice in there too. :thumb2

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Once you've got the worst out bung some grains of rice in there too. :thumb2

On the way home, chuck some chopped veg, and chicken in there as well, turn lights on, and by the time you get home, you should have a nice hot risotto...:augie:lol

 

[rustic]

No matter how good the seal is, it still has to breath.

If the head light is on, the air inside warm, and then you cool it with water, then the lamp will suck in moist air or water as the air inside contracts as it cools.
This will also happen with the headlamp off to a lesser degree as the water is often colder than the ambient temperature.

A solution would be to have high level vent pipes, or even better, a low pressure air pump to keep positive pressure inside.
Low pressure, you only have to overcome 18" of water pressure, so don't think about using 30psi as if used on the diffs etc, oil will be forced out of every gasket and seal :doh
This could also be done on both diffs and gearboxes etc and may help to keep the water out, but for the front wheel bearings you would need to fit a pipe to each.

Just a thought, something I was thinking about on my boat trailer axles to keep the water out, but never got around to doing though.:doh

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Just a thought, something I was thinking about on my boat trailer axles to keep the water out, but never got around to doing though.:doh

On my boat trailer, I have a grease cap, that keeps a positive pressure using a spring and plunger. Basically, you pump the grease in front of the plunger, which pushes it back against the pretty mild spring, and then as long as there is sufficient grease in there, the positive pressure created by the spring, stops the water from going in.

I wonder if you could do something similar for the diffs etc on the off roader. Not sure it helps much for the head lights though.

 

[firebobby]

On the way home, chuck some chopped veg, and chicken in there as well, turn lights on, and by the time you get home, you should have a nice hot risotto...:augie:lol

:lol:lol