Headlamp beam deflector advice

[mrbeck]

I go back and forward to Europe several times a year, and have never had an issue with just peeling them off after each use.
[/quote

Thanks - do you use any particular brand?

I just use the cheapo ones I found in Halfrauds and, as others have stated, use an IPA type cleaner to remove the gunk afterwards.  Never had any issue!

[Tamiyoman]

Used the RAC ones bought on Ebay for £3, easy fitting and easy to remove when done, worked a treat (Altho only drove for 2 hours in dark)

[homesqueeze]

Sorry but to stop false information spreading I must again point out that headlight washers are not there for the purposes of cooling the headlights.

1) They are there for removal of dirt from the headlight to stop/reduce dazzling from built up dirt on the headlights, as stipulated by EU  regulations for the production of new vehicles.
2) They are only operated when you operate the windscreen washers, and even then I think it's only every 2-3 pulls rather than every single time. So unless you drive around while constantly pulling your headlight stalk backwards they are not being "cooled" anyway. You don't need a physics pHD (which I have!! ..not got) to work that out. 


From HIDPlanet (who are like the kings when it comes to all things Xenons)

The tungsten filament in a halogen bulb burns at around 2800°C during standard operating conditions.

The arc in an HID bulb burns between 2000-3000°C depending on the manufacturer and generation of bulb.

That is the actual BURNING temperature of the core part of the bulb that burns to produce light

Further to that:

3) I had Xenons in Hella Celis projector headlights for 18 months, I didn't have washers, and never once did I burn or melt my headlights in any way..

I'm sure the places you read that Factory Xenons came with washers was to cool the headlight, are the same places than says diesels with a decat will fail the MOT on emissions!  

The reason that VW likely do not advise using headlight covers for Xenon lights is because of the fact that the beam pattern would not be correct.
Also that they have the tab on the inside of the headlights to change them...

I'm sure you know what you're talking about, but I wasn't suggesting that the washers were to cool down the lights. Just meant that they might clean off any dirt baked on by heat to stop dazzling. I probably read about it in car magazines. Again, not doubting you, was just saying what I read.

[GTI-Pirelli]

xjay1337 - RE: my earlier posts

I in no way stipulated that the washers are to directly cool the lights.

My understanding was that the focused light output heats up the dirt - which in turn heats up the lens. It's called conduction (I'm sure you understand conduction with your Physics PHD!  ) If there is no dirt, the light energy passes straight through the clear lens unimpeded! Simples 

So in conclusion:

Dirt on the lens = heat on the lens
No dirt on the lens = no heat on the lens

The lenses will be cleaned as you clean your windscreen so as to not allow excessive build-up. 1st, 5th etc.. trigger of the screen washer.

Please read my posts properly before replying with sarcastic comments.

[gjseb16]

hand bags 

[xjay1337]

It's not sarcastic at all. It's the fact that you believe that the reason Xenons have washers is because of heat.
Which it is absolutely nothing to do with. I understood your post perfectly and now you need to understand you are wrong, and I was trying to explain why - which you have completely ignored.

As I've explained (in a non-sarcastic way I made one jokey comment and it's got your back up?) it's because of the fact that dirt on the lens can possibly dazzle other road users by defracting the beam of light in an less than uniform pattern as the light passes through the lens.

A VW dealer told someone (wrongly, after all they are bigger idiots than most owners) who made one post on a forum that you can't fit the stick-on deflectors to the headlights because of heat and you take it as gospel..

As I said I had Xenons with no washers for a very long time and had no problems what so ever.

Most dirt comes from rain.. but when it's raining you're using your wipers (not washers) unless you believe that the falling rain and subsequent spray from the cars infront and then dries later as dirt, magically cools your headlights.... Lol.

I will re-itterate, the reason that Xenon light systems have washers is because of the glare which MAY be caused by light being refracted randomly and dazzling and blinding other users due to the more intense beam pattern. Not more intense temperature, as it is COOLER than a Halogen bulb.

But hey, if you want to believe that then that's up to you and that's fine. Every single legislative body in the world must be wrong, our mistake.

[torque777]

I'll be taking my GTI abroad later this summer and I'll need some headlamp deflectors.
The last time I put some on my own car, I had glass lenses, so cleaning them off again was not a problem - a scrape with a blade and a wipe with suitable solvent. All clean again.
The GTI of course has plastic lenses and I don't feel inclined to use the same procedure for fear of causing damage.
I've also heard of damage being caused to the plastic lens by heat being reflected back from the beam deflector.

Anyone used them? Got any advice on fitting/cleaning off? Types to use?

I found this link   http://www.europeandrivingkits.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d2_Headlight_Deflectors.html

Thanks

I used these on my last car ...only on a week and they left sticky crap on the headlights ...so now I bought these

Got them on ebay ..genuine vw golf mk5 covers and vw supply beam deflector stickers with them ...they even have guide marks to make it fool proof to fit ...having both a jetta and a golf its ideal for me ...plus my lights are like new and I don't want to have to remove sticky crap off them  ....if your lights have a lever in them to flick between left and right then all this does is flatten the beam to help stop blinding on European roads ...but it doesn't convert them to fully left hand drive

sent using my own fingers

[MrDo]

Got the headlamp covers as Mrs MrDo has family in Fance. Covers work fine on my Halogens. Simples.

Use to have stick on ones but they are a faff. Best to use wind screen washer fluid to remove sticky residues. Consider covers if you'll be popping over more often.