clear headlight protectors
12-22-2005, 11:07 AM
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clear headlight protectors
I have read somewhere that it is not good to cover bixexnon headlights with a clear bra or the clear headlight protectors that are on the market. Fact or fiction???
Bill
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12-22-2005, 12:00 PM
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I was told by the dealer a couple of weeks a go when I inquired as to why when they did the clear bra, headlights were excluded. The answer was that Porsche has stated that if the headlights are clear protected, they will not honor the warranty because there is additional heat retention that tends to crack the headlight components.
12-22-2005, 02:26 PM
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The reason they state that is so you don't completely and inadvertently cover over the interface between the headlight and the fender with one continuous film. That interface, as I understand it, is used for venting off excessive heat buildup in the headlamp unit. So it's perfectly okay to cover the headlight lens provided the film is limited to within the perimeter of the lens.
This was discussed at length here in this forum at one time and I did a qualitative analysis at the time on the thermal conduction properties of the plastic lens cover and the plastic film over it. I concluded that the thermal conductivity properties of the plastic film did not differ much from the thermal conductivity of the plastic lens so that by having the film over it, there shouldn't be excessive heat buildup as a result. If this were not true, the plastic film being quite elastic would simply bubble up from excessive heat, and we know this doesn't happen. Also, by placing your hand over the film covered lens you'll notice it doesn't get hot at all.
Incidently, it's illegal in some states, including CA, to cover headlamps with any type of film. I think it's actually a DOT mandated law, and if so, it applies to all states. The reason being, presumably, is so that no one places a tint film or any kind of film that would limit the luminescence of the headlamps.
This was discussed at length here in this forum at one time and I did a qualitative analysis at the time on the thermal conduction properties of the plastic lens cover and the plastic film over it. I concluded that the thermal conductivity properties of the plastic film did not differ much from the thermal conductivity of the plastic lens so that by having the film over it, there shouldn't be excessive heat buildup as a result. If this were not true, the plastic film being quite elastic would simply bubble up from excessive heat, and we know this doesn't happen. Also, by placing your hand over the film covered lens you'll notice it doesn't get hot at all.
Incidently, it's illegal in some states, including CA, to cover headlamps with any type of film. I think it's actually a DOT mandated law, and if so, it applies to all states. The reason being, presumably, is so that no one places a tint film or any kind of film that would limit the luminescence of the headlamps.
12-22-2005, 10:28 PM
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I've been running Xpel headlight protection film on my Cayenne's BiXenon headlamps for 2 years now....no issues whatsoever.
Xpel headlight film is MUCH thicker than bodywork 'clear bra' film.
They also offer a $1000 replacement warranty for any headlight protected by their film once installed...not bad considering the replacement cost of a BiXenon.
Xpel headlight film is MUCH thicker than bodywork 'clear bra' film.
They also offer a $1000 replacement warranty for any headlight protected by their film once installed...not bad considering the replacement cost of a BiXenon.
