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Best way to keep heat from coming through the sunroof?
- Thread starter Rich15
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MikeRTX
Member
It seems silly to have a panoramic sunroof that we have to keep covered up all the time. Other cars I've had with pano roofs had nice motorized shades that were very effective at rejecting heat, but also allowed one-button retraction when sunshine/heat wasn't an issue. But with my M3 I have a huge glass roof that I can't even enjoy because of the searing heat.
Why can't Tesla do this?
Why can't Tesla do this?
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Most likely to keep production costs lower. There is an aftermarket product that clips into the M3 glass panels and are able to manually retract, I forget the name of the product but it has decent reviews from what I recall.
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Yes. I DIY on all my cars of every kind, and nothing is built to a budget like a Tesla.
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If you use TINT to minimize roof heat impact, be sure to use a film rated to stop Infrared. Most don't. Ceramic is just a term that represents ALL new tint films and has nothing to do with UV or IR protection. Even cheaper tint is ceramic. Tesla glass already comes with UV block but not IR.
For extended exposure to heat, NOTHING will help but AC. The heat eventually penetrates ALL shading.
For extended exposure to heat, NOTHING will help but AC. The heat eventually penetrates ALL shading.
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MikeRTX
Member
I know this is ghetto, but I actually thought about using a sheet of aluminum foil between my aftermarket shade and the actual glass roof (with the shiny side up, of course). But I worry a little about that that might concentrate heat on the glass and pop it. The shade has some shininess to it, but not much.
Anyone done anything like that?
Anyone done anything like that?
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stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
Many of the new ones might not have them anymore, but my aftermarket shade came with a separate reflective cloth layer.
I also have a windshield reflectors from my old car (that I still use) and there is basically a foil layer on both sides (which sandwiches bubble wrap in between).
Doing a search, people seem to say mylar emergency blankets work far more effectively.
I suppose there is some risk of causing an existing crack or chip to spread, but I haven't found people saying they had issues using such reflective shades.
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stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
Roof shades will help a lot with that. It won't prevent the car from getting hot in the long run, but it will reduce the direct heat you feel on your head.Yeah, the one thing I really dislike on my Model 3. The glass roof is getting hot hot hot, it is not just the rays coming inside the car, the glass itself becomes super hot.
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Falcon73
Member
I use reflective roll insulation under the glass and then put the shades on to help hold it in place. It looks great and is extremely effective. But, as noted above, heat will always get in. Insulation buys time, that's all. A/C (or at least the fan) will always be needed, but how much is the key.
Reflective Insulation Example (Lowe's)
What I really wish is for the roof to have solar panels (ala Fisker) and use that energy to run the fan to keep the car cooler. I once put a solar panel under the roof of a Model Y. It didn't get much kept a spare battery in the car topped off.
At home, I have a 13x13' pop up canopy that helps keep the sun off on days like this in SoCal (June Gloom burned off early today and yesterday).
Reflective Insulation Example (Lowe's)
What I really wish is for the roof to have solar panels (ala Fisker) and use that energy to run the fan to keep the car cooler. I once put a solar panel under the roof of a Model Y. It didn't get much kept a spare battery in the car topped off.
At home, I have a 13x13' pop up canopy that helps keep the sun off on days like this in SoCal (June Gloom burned off early today and yesterday).
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stopcrazypp
Well-Known Member
I tried a solar panel also in the rear parcel shelf of the car to keep a battery for my security camera system charged, but it was close to worthless. Too much energy is lost from going through the glass and/or there may be times of shade where the C pillars block it. I tried multiple different types of solar panels, even tried different controllers. In the end I returned everything and just spent the money on extra batteries.
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MikeRTX
Member
YEA!!! Thanks for the suggestion, @shopcrazypp ... I got a mylar survival blanket, cut a piece the size of the front roof shade and put it above the shade (well, in between the roof and the shade), and boy does it help! We're running 95 degrees today, and in the full sun it makes a BIG difference.
Gone is that layer of hot air that always hovered right about my hairline. Between the silvery mylar and the (aftermarket) shade I have, it has really made a big difference in heat rejection. I'm a happy boy!
Gone is that layer of hot air that always hovered right about my hairline. Between the silvery mylar and the (aftermarket) shade I have, it has really made a big difference in heat rejection. I'm a happy boy!
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Rather than aluminum foil, try an aluminized mylar space blanket (emergency blanket).
I use a roof cover similar to this:
that has a reflective upper cover.
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Ours seems to work pretty well, and it keeps the car cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
We use space-blanket mylar on our home windows in SE AZ and up here and it really cuts interior solar heating.
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MikeRTX
Member
This is getting to be an old thread, but I wanted to add that after adding the mylar to the front section of my shade, I decided (after 9 months) to finally add the rear shade. Wow, the combination of both front and rear shades, and mylar (even though only in the front), is amazing.
If you don't have a set of roof shades, I'd really really recommend you get them. Use the mylar - on the front at least - and if you really want to knock out the summer heat, use it in the rear, too. The difference is significant.
If you don't have a set of roof shades, I'd really really recommend you get them. Use the mylar - on the front at least - and if you really want to knock out the summer heat, use it in the rear, too. The difference is significant.
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