Discussion
Hello, I face a curious problem with my TVR S1 gauges. After about 20 minutes, condensation appears
inside of all the gauges glasses.I changed the original gauges for new ones ( Racetech ), but the same phenomen remained ,at my great disapointment.I don't understand what can cause this problem ; this occurs in summer as well as in winter, heating on or off, and disappears after the engine shutdown.I really don't know how to fix this problem.If someone has an idea...it's welcome.
Thanks.
inside of all the gauges glasses.I changed the original gauges for new ones ( Racetech ), but the same phenomen remained ,at my great disapointment.I don't understand what can cause this problem ; this occurs in summer as well as in winter, heating on or off, and disappears after the engine shutdown.I really don't know how to fix this problem.If someone has an idea...it's welcome.
Thanks.
I think you'll find your answer in here... it was my baptism of fire to this forum 
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
ketvrin said:
I think you'll find your answer in here... it was my baptism of fire to this forum
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
I thought you got some constructive answers..!Podie said:
ketvrin said:
I think you'll find your answer in here... it was my baptism of fire to this forum
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
I thought you got some constructive answers..!
K
What I don't understand is why are the gauges steaming up when the car is running . there is no problem when the car is parked in the garage in cold temperature , or when it stays outside in a sunny day.I don't see the relationship between the temperature inside or outside the car and the steaming up phenomen.I'pointed out that it occured mostly when the cabin heat is on,but why??? In my opinion, steaming shoud be less when the car is hot...
aldea6 said:
I'pointed out that it occured mostly when the cabin heat is on,but why??? In my opinion, steaming shoud be less when the car is hot...
Problem is that the heater in the S does not have a fresh air intake, it is just recycling the cabin air. Air heats up, humidity goes up until the moisture starts to condense on the cold glass faces of the instruments...
Hi Michel,
I think I understand the fogging: Either the paint or a sealant in there is hygroscopic. That is, attracting water from the atmosphere when cold. I know Neoprene resins like bisonkit do this, but perhaps also others.
When you drive, the gauges heat up inside because of the lighting, and the bimetal that drives the needles. And water is driven off the hygroscopic "stuff" in there.
One cure is to intermittently switch the instrument lights say, 10 min on, 10 min off untill the fogging is gone. Something like 4 cycles pull off the trick. The gauges then "breathe" 100% relative humidity out (at gauge temperature) and whatever the ah (at ambient temp) is in. This can already be done/started before leaving in the garage, as luckily the lights work without ignition on. Alas, when parked the "stuff' absorbs water within a couple of days.
What I never tried, is to drill two small holes, high/low in each gauge. So you get a "chimney" effect and do not have to switch to drive off the water. Without taking out the dash, that would mean drilling in the glass with a dremel or so. My brothers are dentists...
Initially I was worried bisonkit rather than solder was used for the bimetals. That would make the water in the joint subject to freezing, and break up the bond. But it never happened, since 1991 that is....
mvg Boudewijn
I think I understand the fogging: Either the paint or a sealant in there is hygroscopic. That is, attracting water from the atmosphere when cold. I know Neoprene resins like bisonkit do this, but perhaps also others.
When you drive, the gauges heat up inside because of the lighting, and the bimetal that drives the needles. And water is driven off the hygroscopic "stuff" in there.
One cure is to intermittently switch the instrument lights say, 10 min on, 10 min off untill the fogging is gone. Something like 4 cycles pull off the trick. The gauges then "breathe" 100% relative humidity out (at gauge temperature) and whatever the ah (at ambient temp) is in. This can already be done/started before leaving in the garage, as luckily the lights work without ignition on. Alas, when parked the "stuff' absorbs water within a couple of days.
What I never tried, is to drill two small holes, high/low in each gauge. So you get a "chimney" effect and do not have to switch to drive off the water. Without taking out the dash, that would mean drilling in the glass with a dremel or so. My brothers are dentists...
Initially I was worried bisonkit rather than solder was used for the bimetals. That would make the water in the joint subject to freezing, and break up the bond. But it never happened, since 1991 that is....
mvg Boudewijn
Yes, there are circumstances in which steamed gauges can be useful...
.Nevertheless I think I'm going to try several tricks to fix the problem,like drilling small venting holes, as suggested by
ijbd, or fitting some kind of insulation around the gauges.If something works, I'll put it on the forum. Ahh, unique cars cause unique problems....
.Nevertheless I think I'm going to try several tricks to fix the problem,like drilling small venting holes, as suggested byijbd, or fitting some kind of insulation around the gauges.If something works, I'll put it on the forum
. Ahh, unique cars cause unique problems....not sure if it helps at all, however noticed that once on a really hot summers day all four used to steam up, parked at the seaside and the sun shone right on the fuel guage, no steam anymore..??
the other 3 steam up regardless of outside conditions, does drilling the hole mean the face or at the back???
and the sun shone right on the fuel guage, no steam anymore..??the other 3 steam up regardless of outside conditions, does drilling the hole mean the face or at the back???
ketvrin said:
I think you'll find your answer in here... it was my baptism of fire to this forum
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
Reading that thread again still makes me laugh. And yep they still mist up.http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
K
Dundarachtwo said:
not sure if it helps at all, however noticed that once on a really hot summers day all four used to steam up, parked at the seaside and the sun shone right on the fuel guage, no steam anymore..??
the other 3 steam up regardless of outside conditions, does drilling the hole mean the face or at the back???
I'll try do drill 2 small holes at the bottom of the gauge and 1 at the top, between the dial and the and the sun shone right on the fuel guage, no steam anymore..??the other 3 steam up regardless of outside conditions, does drilling the hole mean the face or at the back???
glass face; surely a tricky job,( I'll try first on a spare gauge ). Hope this will help.
The company I work for supplies lamps to the automotive industry. Condensation is also a problem for car lamp units, because of the repeated cold-hot-cold cycles in a sometimes damp environment. Some manufacturers solve this with a hole in the lamp housing, covered with a goretex membrane. The goretex allows the lamp to 'breathe in' dry air, and 'breath out' moist air. this usually solves the problem (until the gotetex membrane clogs up that is, as lamps are often placed in a dirty environment). As you want to go as far as drilling holes in the gauges, you could cut up a goretex coat and use it for this purpose. The downside is that you will get wet when wearing your coat
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