Removing Sun Film from windshield with defogger.

muralisk · 3rd June 2009, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

For my understanding - can you tell me if the defoggers are switched on, wont the film also get heated and thereby destroy it? Or is the film strong enough to handle that heat?

EDIT: And another strange thing I notice here: for sticking the tint on the rear glass, they actually remove the glass from the boot! There goes your OEM beading setting and all! <head bang>

I guess the heat that the copper lines generate is too little when compared to the heat that gets generated when the car is parked under sun. Also, the amount of time you need to run the defogger is not that long enough for the film to get damaged.

Also, I did not quite get your last point on removing the rear glass from the boot to install the tint. I am not quite sure if they actually remove the rear glass from the boot. They just get the measurement from the outside, heat the film to take the rear glass contours and then install it from the inside.

JayD · 3rd June 2009, 15:24

Thanks for the suggestions guys, I guess i'm not the only person facing this problem. Some guys here told me that we can heat up the rear window with a heat gun/ hair dryer and it'll be easier to peel it off. Whereas, a film installer here recommended me to put the car in rain for some time, as when the temp decreases, the gum will loosen up. I somehow tend to believe the first theory though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by invincible7

Ok..worst case scenerio..what is the cost of the defogger if it gets damaged. I mean an appx cost.

The defoggers come with the glass. they cannot be retrofitted.

invincible7 · 3rd June 2009, 15:31

Yeah fine bro..what will be cost for replacing it.....

Also as a best practise it would be better to put a good film if one wants to install in on the defogger glass. Cheap films are hard to take out due to the gum being used.

Also better to stick to permisible limits of rear films like 70% visibility to avoid removing again because of darker films being against the law.

HappyWheels · 3rd June 2009, 15:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by invincible7

...As far as the burning of the film is concerned due to defogger, i dont think the glass heats up to that level wherein the heat would catch fire to the film...

Nope, not fire. (That would too much of defogging!!!). I am asking if due to usage, you get any discoloration / distortion in the film, where the heating element meets the film.

Guess not, since none have mentioned it so far.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadu

...
- On a very hot day, park you car in the sun with windows closed for 2-3 hrs and then get it removed at the peak of the sun. Ofcourse the risk remains.

- Carefully cut along the lines of the heater alloy leaving some gap.

Two ways yes, but the point to be noted is your remark on the risk. The connectivity is very crucial.

Quote:

Originally Posted by muralisk

...Also, I did not quite get your last point on removing the rear glass from the boot to install the tint. I am not quite sure if they actually remove the rear glass from the boot. They just get the measurement from the outside, heat the film to take the rear glass contours and then install it from the inside.

For my car (and few others that I had been with when tinting), they removed the whole glass from its location, pasted the tint, waited for some time for it to dry up and then fixed it back. Used to argue at first, but then, when when they say that this is the only way, what other choice do we have.

Quote:

Originally Posted by invincible7

Yeah fine bro..what will be cost for replacing it...

Will vary from make to make. But then, yes, you will have to REPLACE the entire glass, but hey, you have one for standby (minus the defogger),just in case.

AbhiJ · 3rd June 2009, 22:36

Well, I tried my best to save my Viva's defogger, but failed.

The installer had told me that the defogger will die for sure if I change the rear filming..

I thought I ll be able to remove the film w/o damage and I tried using alcohol, solvents, cleaners and whatnot... but no results...

On the positive, I have come across methods on the net which claims to repair damaged defoggers...

Edit: Would just like to add, No, none of the alcohol went inside me

msaudf · 7th June 2009, 00:15

guys guys i just undid 6 year old tints from my rear windscreen which has defoggers on it without any problem and no damage to the defoggers. let me illustrate my ingenius method lol.
1. look for a small opening in the film at any of the corners of the wind screen, if not create one using a blade by scratching the corner and peel off about 1cm of the film.
2. prepare a solution of soap water in a sprayer. yes! just like how they install the films!
3 spray the solution in the opening and get some grip in the fil and pull gently. you should spray the solution continuously.

do not worry if the film tears, just keep going in the same pace.

this is not a very quick process as you will be peeling in a rate about 1cm per second, but still YOU SAVE THE DEFOGGER!

there you go guys. it worked for me. now someone give it a try and let us all know how it turned out.

oh and remember to place a cloth just below the lower end of the windscreen to soak up the soap solution that flows down.

white_vdi · 7th June 2009, 22:44

i had film installed on my indigo from inside only. got it removed and dint damage the defogger.
for starters, get it done on a sunny day. the installer just peeled off the film as usual. and then cleaned the gum with petrol. was a very tedious task but was very well done. one has to be very patient with this. no blade to be used!

D3NZ1L · 20th July 2009, 12:30

hey i too faced the same problem , when i removed the old tints on my car , my defogger too is not working .

D3NZ1L · 20th July 2009, 12:33

hey guys here is how you can check if your defogger strips are damaged

car-dent · 29th January 2010, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadu

Its for the same reason I dont have tints of the rear glass. But anyways the heat is of very low intensity to cause any damage to the tints.

.

i actually can damage the film. i was driving my bosses verna the other day and switched on the defogger. few days later saw that the film is showing bubbles all along the defogger lines.(my boss didnt suspect it being me though

)
so i guess no rear sunfilm is the best way if u have defogger.

tsk13 · 29th January 2010, 23:01

Car-Dent, the problem may be because of low-quality film. I have two cars with de-foggers and films and there is no such issue.

sanjayc · 29th January 2010, 23:57

Why do you want to remove the tint in first place? Is it becos of some darker shade or different color?

My Huper-Optik guys are recommending me to put another layer over the existing layer of the same or darker color! I have first installed a 50% visibility shade but now feel the same inadequate as far as inside privacy is concerned (though no issue about the heat rejection). Wanted to put a darker one, but was suggested to put another one on top of the installed layer. This will result in a darker shade as well as double the heat rejection!

tintin82 · 30th January 2010, 00:48

I agree with msaudf's method and it works if done with patience and care. One important point to remember is have the defogger running when this is being done. The combination of soap water and the defogger heat will generate steam and subsequently heat bubbles which will make peeling off the film easier.

Also, older films tend to come off faster and without damaging the defogger. This is because the adhesive would have weakened after repeated exposure to heat-cold cycles and the film itself would've hardened. On newly installed films and high quality films, this is very very tough.

Whatever you do, don't go to your local accessories shop to remove them. Go to a reputed film installer who does exclusively films only, like tintmart, v-kool retailers etc.

WanderNomad · 30th January 2010, 02:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Will vary from make to make. But then, yes, you will have to REPLACE the entire glass, but hey, you have one for standby (minus the defogger),just in case.

+1. A defogger cant be replaced, you have to replace the entire glass.

pcpranav · 11th September 2010, 23:01

regarding the damaged defogger, I've posted some query/info, if someone can respond back : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post1843318 thanks, Pranav

3rd June 2009, 15:31	#18
invincible7 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Delhi NCR Posts: 664 Thanked: 173 Times	Yeah fine bro..what will be cost for replacing it..... Also as a best practise it would be better to put a good film if one wants to install in on the defogger glass. Cheap films are hard to take out due to the gum being used. Also better to stick to permisible limits of rear films like 70% visibility to avoid removing again because of darker films being against the law.
	() Thanks

3rd June 2009, 22:36	#20
AbhiJ Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Kolkata Posts: 1,497 Thanked: 1,259 Times	Well, I tried my best to save my Viva's defogger, but failed. The installer had told me that the defogger will die for sure if I change the rear filming.. I thought I ll be able to remove the film w/o damage and I tried using alcohol, solvents, cleaners and whatnot... but no results... On the positive, I have come across methods on the net which claims to repair damaged defoggers... Edit: Would just like to add, No, none of the alcohol went inside me Last edited by AbhiJ : 3rd June 2009 at 22:41.
	() Thanks

7th June 2009, 00:15	#21
msaudf BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Cochin Posts: 269 Thanked: 164 Times	guys guys i just undid 6 year old tints from my rear windscreen which has defoggers on it without any problem and no damage to the defoggers. let me illustrate my ingenius method lol. 1. look for a small opening in the film at any of the corners of the wind screen, if not create one using a blade by scratching the corner and peel off about 1cm of the film. 2. prepare a solution of soap water in a sprayer. yes! just like how they install the films! 3 spray the solution in the opening and get some grip in the fil and pull gently. you should spray the solution continuously. do not worry if the film tears, just keep going in the same pace. this is not a very quick process as you will be peeling in a rate about 1cm per second, but still YOU SAVE THE DEFOGGER! there you go guys. it worked for me. now someone give it a try and let us all know how it turned out. oh and remember to place a cloth just below the lower end of the windscreen to soak up the soap solution that flows down.
	(3) Thanks

7th June 2009, 22:44	#22
white_vdi BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: new delhi Posts: 856 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	i had film installed on my indigo from inside only. got it removed and dint damage the defogger. for starters, get it done on a sunny day. the installer just peeled off the film as usual. and then cleaned the gum with petrol. was a very tedious task but was very well done. one has to be very patient with this. no blade to be used!
	() Thanks

20th July 2009, 12:30	#23
D3NZ1L BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Geneva Posts: 55 Thanked: 4 Times View My Garage	hey i too faced the same problem , when i removed the old tints on my car , my defogger too is not working .
	() Thanks

20th July 2009, 12:33	#24
D3NZ1L BHPian Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Geneva Posts: 55 Thanked: 4 Times View My Garage	Rear defogger repair hey guys here is how you can check if your defogger strips are damaged Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

29th January 2010, 23:01	#26
tsk13 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New Delhi Posts: 1,256 Thanked: 362 Times	Car-Dent, the problem may be because of low-quality film. I have two cars with de-foggers and films and there is no such issue.
	() Thanks

29th January 2010, 23:57	#27
sanjayc BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 953 Thanked: 8 Times	Why do you want to remove the tint in first place? Is it becos of some darker shade or different color? My Huper-Optik guys are recommending me to put another layer over the existing layer of the same or darker color! I have first installed a 50% visibility shade but now feel the same inadequate as far as inside privacy is concerned (though no issue about the heat rejection). Wanted to put a darker one, but was suggested to put another one on top of the installed layer. This will result in a darker shade as well as double the heat rejection!
	() Thanks

30th January 2010, 00:48	#28
tintin82 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Bangalore<-->Madras Posts: 58 Thanked: Once	I agree with msaudf's method and it works if done with patience and care. One important point to remember is have the defogger running when this is being done. The combination of soap water and the defogger heat will generate steam and subsequently heat bubbles which will make peeling off the film easier. Also, older films tend to come off faster and without damaging the defogger. This is because the adhesive would have weakened after repeated exposure to heat-cold cycles and the film itself would've hardened. On newly installed films and high quality films, this is very very tough. Whatever you do, don't go to your local accessories shop to remove them. Go to a reputed film installer who does exclusively films only, like tintmart, v-kool retailers etc.
	() Thanks

11th September 2010, 23:01	#30
pcpranav BHPian Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Mumbai Posts: 746 Thanked: 1,012 Times	regarding the damaged defogger, I've posted some query/info, if someone can respond back : http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...ml#post1843318 thanks, Pranav
	() Thanks