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Posted by Blabber on April 10, 2007, 3:51 pm
Hi:
Hoping that someone can offer some advice on this.....
I have an old style standard "Stanly" 7 inch (I think) H4 headlamp. Over
the years the inside of the lamp seem to have become a bit foggy. I pulled
the bulb out of the lamp housing and washed the inside out with some
detergent and alcohol. There are patchy bits of a foggy film left on parts
of the reflector surface. Anyone else tried cleaning one of these lamps
out. What did you use as a cleaning product? Thanks for any advice.
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Posted by Dave H. on April 10, 2007, 6:35 pm
> Hi:
>
> Hoping that someone can offer some advice on this.....
>
> I have an old style standard "Stanly" 7 inch (I think) H4 headlamp. Over
> the years the inside of the lamp seem to have become a bit foggy. I
pulled
> the bulb out of the lamp housing and washed the inside out with some
> detergent and alcohol. There are patchy bits of a foggy film left on
parts
> of the reflector surface. Anyone else tried cleaning one of these lamps
> out. What did you use as a cleaning product? Thanks for any advice.
>
Dunno about headlights, but for antique decanters (yes, really!) I've used
uncooked rice and hot(ish) water with a touch of detergent to take the filmy
coating off the inside - pour a couple of desertspoons of rice in, shake for
several minutes, add detergenty water, shake for several more minutes, pour
out, rinse and repeat. For cleaning Stealth bombers, they do the same with
cold water and wheat husks...
Dave H. (The engineer formerly known as Homeless)
"Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise men" -
Douglas Bader
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Posted by John Johnson on April 10, 2007, 8:44 pm
> > Anyone else tried cleaning one of these lamps
> > out. What did you use as a cleaning product?
>
> Oh, yes. I tried the same things you tried, and it didn't work. I
> thought about vinegar as well, but maybe that's not such a good
> idea...
>
> Perhaps something like Lime-Away or CLR would work, but using them is
> completely at your own risk,
> don't blame me if the inside of your headlight reflector is worse
> afterwards.
>
Don't put strong bases anywhere near glass. You won't be at all happy
with the results.*
Here's an article with some basic information, and references for
further reading:
http://ceramic-materials.com/cermat/education/143.html
I see that CLR's pH is listed as somewhere between 7-9. A pH 9 material
will probably ruin the headlight. Don't use it.
[moderately interesting, but mostly irrelevant, and
not-entirely-correct, stuff snipped]
The OP should try mechanical removal with rice or other non-agressive
abrasive (I suspect that corncob would work well, for example) in water,
as suggested by Dave H. Anything more complicated or subtle (and any
chemical approach) will have to be chosen with _much_ more detailed
information about what the actual situation in the lamp housing is or
else run the very real risk of simply ruining the thing, especially if
the "film" on the reflector is actually very small pinholes in the
chrome plating on the reflector (well, I'll admit that it's an
assumption that it's chrome plating, but most are, IME).
Obtaining another housing from a breaker/junkyard is an option; if the
bike is a popular one, there's likely to be a local breaker with some
lying around. Look at it before you buy, and if it's in good enough
shape and cheap enough go for it.
*yes, I'm aware that acids (particularly HF) can attack glass too, and
I'm aware that you can make glass that resists attack by strong bases.
It's exceedingly unlikely that this glass is resistant in that way.
--
Later,
John
johajohn@indianahoosiers.edu
'indiana' is a 'nolnn' and 'hoosier' is a 'solkk'. Indiana doesn't solkk.
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Posted by The Older Gentleman on April 11, 2007, 2:26 am
> [moderately interesting, but mostly irrelevant, and
> not-entirely-correct, stuff snipped]
Good.
A reflector is a mirror, right? They sell mirror cleaning stuff in
hardware shops. I'd start with that.
--
BMW K1100LT 750SS CB400F CD250 SL125
GAGARPHOF#30 GHPOTHUF#1 BOTAFOT#60 ANORAK#06 YTC#3
BOF#30 WUSS#5 The bells, the bells.....
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Posted by Stephen Cowell on April 11, 2007, 10:04 am
> > Anyone else tried cleaning one of these lamps
> > out. What did you use as a cleaning product?
>
> Oh, yes. I tried the same things you tried, and it didn't work. I
> thought about vinegar as well, but maybe that's not such a good
> idea...
I think vinegar is a *great* idea... much gentler
than CLR, I'll guarantee that! This thing is probably
toast, anyway... but here's a tip... put some cooking
oil in, roll it around so it coats the reflector surface,
then get the excess out... now you can try vinegar
on wooden cotton-tip swaps or perhaps stronger
stuff... wash with soap and water afterward.
__
Steve
'06 FXDI
KI5YG
#0627
.
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