Am I being lied to by the tint business

[Big Dog]

he's definitely lying about one thing, and that is UV protection. As I learned in HS physics, even normal glass (in a home window for example) has a lot of UV protection. (google it)

Not saying you shouldn't tint yoru windows, but using UV protection for a reason is a common lie by the tinting folks. (Suprised that they still get away with this scam.)

 

[rub1k]

FWIW, here are my notes on the subject (from watching a bunch of YT videos of people measuring factory windows, from forum threads here and elsewhere, etc.)

Notes: You can ignore the specific post-tint estimates. All measurements (even factory ones) are estimates I've seen/found and they may not be 100% correct; do your own measurements, blah blah.

• Factory front: 100% UV, 76.7% IR Rejection, 80.5% VLT
• +Xpel XR Plus 30 front: 100% UV, 99.1% IR Rejection, 29.1% VLT
• Factory rear: 96.2% UV, 91.5% IR Rejection, 21.6% VLT
• +Xpel XR Plus 55 rear: 100% UV, 99.6% IR Rejection, 14.9% VLT
• Xpel XR Plus 70 windshield: 99% UV, 92-94% IR Rejection, 67% VLT, 52-54% TSER (see
  )
• Xpel XR Black 70: 99% UV, 85-88% IR Rejection, 68% VLT, 49% TSER (per specs)
• Factory roof: 100% UV, 98% IR Rejection, 2% VLT (see
  )

 

[whisperingshad]

Stock Y Roof in Cali get hot as heck on your head(not sunburn level, just uncomfortable, especially if tall), way better but still noticeable with tint.

 

[Mateo83]

I'm pretty sure DOT REQUIRES They have the ratings stamped on the window.

 

[jgt1942]

The shop I went to put a measuring tool under the top glass and showed me, it was rejecting about 98% of UV. I tinted everything else, more for looks.

The shop suggested a lite tint on the windshield to keep the car cool, it worked.

Have you taken any measurements, either before or after tinting? I could not find my IR temp meter or my son's so I purchased one. unfortunately, I did NOT measure any temp before installing the tint on the front windshield and the back window with a nano-ceramic tint (thus all of the glass on the top has been covered with tint that is reflecting 98% of the heat, per the tint guy). I have NOT tinted any of the side windows. I'm going to try and find a local owner who has NOT tinted his windows and make a "before" measurement.

After having the tint installed I did take some measurements with my IR meter in an attempt to see if there is a difference when I use a front windshield shade. I want to take two sets of measurements over several days, one without the windshield shade and one with the shade. Also, I wanted to take the two measurements on the same day but I goof and often forget to make a 2nd measurement, here are three days I managed to make the 2 sets of measurements.

Currently, I'm not very happy with my measurements, possibly I've introduced factors that are impacting my measurements. Examples:

• Some thoughts about the measurements
  • I was not recording the time for the first few measurements
  • I should not be making a measurement after the sun starts to set
  • Ideally I should make the measurement at the same time each day, say at 1100 hours and 1400 hours. Possibly, the best setup would be in the garage with heat lamps, but my garage is full of woodworking equipment.
  • I discovered that I should always measure the same areas, e.g. on the dash the best location is just under the rearview mirror. If you measure over the AC ducting it will impact the measurements. My AC comes on as soon as I open the driver's door.
  • The windshield shade I use is a two-piece unit, when it is in place almost 100% of the windshield is blocked.
  • My perception is that the car is a lot cooler when I use the windshield shade, but I'm not sure how much. I need to tape a stick to my meter that when placed on the area to be measured the meter is about 6" away. I have not done this yet, thus I may be introducing an error.
  • I was surprised that the Car Temp (I measured the area on the floor near the brake pedal) was so close together.
  • For the seat, I measured the area where my back would be and the sun had been shining on it. Here I did get some big differences, even though the windshield shade often did NOT block the sun from hitting the seat area. It seemed that the sun hitting the seat was coming from the driver's window.
  • The areas that seemed to have the largest differences when I made the two measurements on the same day are (1) seat temp, (2) dash temp
  • I did have the car parked in the same spot and position.

I'm open for suggestments.

 

[Dracaris]

We tinted everything but the roof with ceramic-based tint products for the specific purpose of heat rejection. We kept the front driver/passenger side windows pretty close to factory color and the windshield to the lightest possible color. Second row side windows and rear window are a little darker, but not much. Our theory, proven out for us by the Tesla loaner we're currently driving is that darkened front driver/passenger side windows can make it harder to see at night when making turns. For the loaner we're driving while our car's in the shop for minor warranty service, the front driver/passenger side windows are tinted so dark that I had to roll the windows down after sunset when I wanted to make a turn. We're surprised they loaned out a car with such dark tint on those windows!

For the roof, we've opted to use the Tesla-branded sun shade as needed. It's well made, fits nicely, easily folds up for storage in the provided bag, blocks additional heat and reduces the glare we otherwise get in our eyes when the sun is at just the right angle coming through the roof. Oh, and it's cheaper than tinting the roof.

 

[alve]

After over 2 years of owning my May, one of the best things i did was front windshield tint. Don’t know if it has any protection from factory but there definitely is a difference when compared to other people’s MYs ive been on. All other windows I did diy at home. The only glass not tinted is the roof but I don’t think it’s necessary. If it gets bad i guess I’ll throw the covers on for the two days a year

How much did you tint the windshield? One place I called said they won't do windshield because it may crack or something. Other said they can do either clear film (ceramic) or 45% which is pretty dark and will impact nighttime driving (according to the tint guy who has the same tint on his car and spoke from his own experience). Not to mention it is illegal to put anything on the windshield.

 

[fredzos]

got the whole car tinted with xpel prime xr plus.

side windows at 30%
roof, front and back glass at 70%

living in south texas..any kind of protection is needed during the long summer months

 

[Mulkogi]

How much did you tint the windshield? One place I called said they won't do windshield because it may crack or something. Other said they can do either clear film (ceramic) or 45% which is pretty dark and will impact nighttime driving (according to the tint guy who has the same tint on his car and spoke from his own experience). Not to mention it is illegal to put anything on the windshield.

IIRC was around $350 in San Jose, CA. Got Llumar ceramic 70% or 80% which i think was the lightest they had. It is illegal and the shop let me know before hand. If you are in Australia i don’t know the rules there but over here there are plenty of other cars, many trucks with way darker tints on their glasses. I never had any issue so far

 

[fholbert]

How much did you tint the windshield? One place I called said they won't do windshield because it may crack or something. Other said they can do either clear film (ceramic) or 45% which is pretty dark and will impact nighttime driving (according to the tint guy who has the same tint on his car and spoke from his own experience). Not to mention it is illegal to put anything on the windshield.

I went 50% on the windshield. No issues with driving at night.

I’ve never understood the windshield will crack comments.

 

[vickh]

Tinted windshield too. Would rather deal with tickets rather than AZ heat.

 

[GuyFromGPT]

Have owned three teslas, and swear by the difference made by putting light colored ceramic on the front window. Had XPEL Prime XR Blue 80%, and it visually looks transparent. The difference in heat felt through the windshield is extremely noticeable.

I've never placed tint on roof panels because 1) cost, and 2) reading somewhere that tinting that window could possibly result in cracking due to absorption. I didn't research it to verify. But it was enough for me to rely solely on effective and much less expensive roof shades.

 

[vindroid]

got the whole car tinted with xpel prime xr plus.

side windows at 30%
roof, front and back glass at 70%

living in south texas..any kind of protection is needed during the long summer months

Are your numbers VLT or blocking %?

What do you make of Am I being lied to by the tint business ?
If the rejection rate of the factory glass is high per that post (except for windshield), does it add a lot of plus to re-tint back glass and roof?

 

[coloradoYski]

I have done cars in regular tint, ceramic tint etc. The ceramic tint cuts down on heat a lot more. Windshield is one of the most important btw, had to replace windshield and waited 2 weeks to get it tinted(HUGE DIFFERENCE). Also coworkers have 3 and Y without tint and they cook in the heat and notice my car is much cooler on their heads

I just got my LR Y and am wondering about tinting the lightest to help with UV and heat. will do front windows as well. yes, I'm cooking in the car whenever I drive it.

 

[QtownTaxiGreg]

I just got my LR Y and am wondering about tinting the lightest to help with UV and heat. will do front windows as well. yes, I'm cooking in the car whenever I drive it.

Good thread to bump.

Ah, the greenhouse effect. Unless you block all light, where the cabin is completely dark, it will get heated.

Not actually.
The accepted wisdom is Tesla light absorbing roof is indeed absorbing it. You don't feel the IR from the sun.

However it then radiates the absorbed heat back to the world. Most likely that is half up and half down once it gets hot enough to be warmer than the glass either side.

Inside still gets hot as blazes.

I believe the difference in putting a film over the top is the sandwich of glass between IR blocking films is itself an insulator. Half the heat coming through from the top film is bouncing back at the top film and half of that is rebounding ad infinitum.

Nobody ever said thermodynamics was simple! To give a proper analysis I would have to remember some maths I haven't used in 35 years.

I think you can ignore the glass conduction inward as the inside is hotter than the outside.

It's a good start having half your heat chucked back at the sky before the roof gets any.

 

[laservet]

I just got my LR Y and am wondering about tinting the lightest to help with UV and heat. will do front windows as well. yes, I'm cooking in the car whenever I drive it.

You don't need any help for UV, transparent glass filters out all UVB and a portion of UVA, and whatever Tesla puts on the glass filters that out, too.

 

[elambo]

You don't need any help for UV, transparent glass filters out all UVB and a portion of UVA, and whatever Tesla puts on the glass filters that out, too.

UVA passes through regular glass nearly unaffected. A is what accelerates skin cancer. I don't know how much filtering is employed in Tesla glass.

 

[laservet]

UVA passes through regular glass nearly unaffected. A is what accelerates skin cancer. I don't know how much filtering is employed in Tesla glass.

Regular glass is a combination of silicon dioxide and sodium dioxide. This combination has a band gap of 4 eV which gives it a sharp cutoff at 310 nm, it absorbs all wavelengths shorter than 310 nm. However, laminated glass picks up most of the rest of the UVA, absorbing 98% of all UV light. Tempered glass also absorbs UVA. Tesla glass isn't plain window glass, is both tempered and laminated.

I've measured UV transmission with a meter that has the best accuracy one can get for ~$400, would have to spend 3-5x that much to get better accuracy. I get zero UV through all windows except the front seat side windows which let a little UVA through. But mine is a 2020 model so those side windows are not laminated like the current models, that lamination should take care of the rest of the UVA.

 

[elambo]

Tesla glass isn't plain window glass, is both tempered and laminated.

I hadn't intended to imply that it was, only to describe regular glass.