Important

[HaleYes]

Anybody have any bright ideas on how to dry out the inside of a headlamp assembly? Not an XJ. Its a composite housing.

I might have a good idea since, I test headlamps for a paycheck.

We dry them out at 80°C (144°F) Take all of the bulbs out and the vent caps off.

What is the lamp off of?

 

[kastein]

If it's made from something that will not be harmed by acetone, wash it out with acetone and then hold it so that most of the fluid drains out. Acetone evaporates a lot faster than water and mixes with it, so it will displace the water but evaporate quicker.

If acetone will harm it, I'd use dry compressed air or use the same trick with pure (not watered down like rubbing alcohol) isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

Anybody have any bright ideas on how to dry out the inside of a headlamp assembly? Not an XJ. Its a composite housing.

Remove from vehicle, bring insid over night w bulb removed. Most newer composite lights remove easily.

 

[XJosh95]

Its on an 06 Chevy Equinox. Thing had a puddle of water in it. Customer doesn't want to buy a whole new housing, I've got almost nothing on the schedule, I can kill time. I don't know if acetone will harm it. I'm thinking of using a heat gun *very conservatively* to try and disipate the condensation.
Also, I've got the lights plugged back in and turned on. It's gotten rid of the moisture only in the projected beam area.

 

[HaleYes]

If it's made from something that will not be harmed by acetone, wash it out with acetone and then hold it so that most of the fluid drains out. Acetone evaporates a lot faster than water and mixes with it, so it will displace the water but evaporate quicker.

If acetone will harm it, I'd use dry compressed air or use the same trick with pure (not watered down like rubbing alcohol) isopropyl alcohol.

I don't recommend any of that.

 

[HaleYes]

Its on an 06 Chevy Equinox. Thing had a puddle of water in it. Customer doesn't want to buy a whole new housing, I've got almost nothing on the schedule, I can kill time. I don't know if acetone will harm it. I'm thinking of using a heat gun *very conservatively* to try and disipate the condensation.

I'm telling ya........heat is the way to go but, I wouldn't use a heat gun.

Put it in an oven.

If you put acetone in it, it will likely turn the lens of the lamp to a milky white color. It'll also likely make the metalizing inside the lamp look like a rainbow. Of course, you won't be able to see it through the milky white lens.

 

[XJosh95]

We don't have an oven here at work. C'mon, Hale! It's a dealership, not a bakery...Wait. I could go to the bakery with the housing and have them do it while I get a cookie. Hmmm....

 

[REWSTER]

Blow it out with your air gun...

 

[HaleYes]

All I can suggest it shake out as much as you can, take all the bulbs and vents off of it and try to get air to circulate in it as best you can. It may leave waterspots on the inside surfaces.

 

[XJosh95]

Well, it's small amounts. Mainly condensation and the air gun will just push it around and into the corners now. You should have seen me get the majority out. I couldn't just flip it over and have it spill out by the way its formed. So I got it puddled up under an opening and put a small hose into the puddle. Then I took an air nozzle and put the air stream at the other end of the hose creating vacuum. My boss looked at me like I was crazy until he saw the mist come out.

 

[Rev Den]

Why bother?

It is gonna fill up again.

If you really want to do it, follow Mikes instructions.....like he said, he does this for a living.

Rev

 

[HaleYes]

Why did it get in the lamp in the first place? The lamp obviously has a defect of some sort.
Another option would be to simply light it up and let the heat build up inside of the lamp. Just make sure you have the vents installed.

 

[XJosh95]

If I can get out all the condensation, I'm going to caulk up all the seams. Even though I couldn't find the seam where it was getting in...

 

[Fore Wheeler]

after paying the labor for this, she could have bought a new/used one.

you are charging for the 'expert' advice you're getting here, right?

 

[XJosh95]

Haha! Yeah, you guys want a cut? Really it probably won't be a lot of labor. My service damager will probably just write it up as half an hour or something regardless of how much time we actually invest.

 

[kastein]

I'm telling ya........heat is the way to go but, I wouldn't use a heat gun.

Put it in an oven.

If you put acetone in it, it will likely turn the lens of the lamp to a milky white color. It'll also likely make the metalizing inside the lamp look like a rainbow. Of course, you won't be able to see it through the milky white lens.

yeah... thus my warning about it possibly harming the plastic. Acetone is awesome stuff but dissolves or clouds damn near anything I put it on.

Is it sunny out? Just put it outside in the sun and wait.

 

[HaleYes]

If I can get out all the condensation, I'm going to caulk up all the seams. Even though I couldn't find the seam where it was getting in...

What we do is pressureize the lamp to leak check it. It does not take much pressure at all. .5 psi will do it. Seal it all up with the bulbs and seal up the vents. Make sure the bulbs and/or sockets are indeed water tight, not all of them are so you may need to seal them up. While the lamp is pressurized, we dunk the whole assembly under water. When you see bubbles, you'll find the leak.

 

[HaleYes]

If I can get out all the condensation, I'm going to caulk up all the seams. Even though I couldn't find the seam where it was getting in...

May not be on the weld joint. Look for cracks in the housing and that the o-rings are on the bulbs/sockets.

 

[XJosh95]

Yeah, we don't really have the resources you do for this kind of work. The boss tells me that we're gonna pretty much call it good where it's at and seal it up. I guess the customer isn't too concerned with getting out all the condensation. Whatever. Thanks guys!

 

[FlexdXJ]

I have ceased debating whether or not it's legal, I was just offering up what I have heard compared to what others were saying, etc, etc,...As far as the drums for the XD go, there's a bunch of stuff made and sold that isn't legal. Aside from that, its no where near practical to carry.

Haha, not practical at all but cool as shit. I went and looked at an LCP today. He was asking $275 for a new one. Byron, how much did yours run if you don't mind me asking?