DIY UV Treatment for Yellowed MCU Screen

[Messagepads]

Then you are luckier in the US than I am as, apparently, these UV devices did not reach the Tesla SC in Belgium yet.

So, for the moment, we are left with the problem as far as I know.

To get an official answer, I will request a repair through the smartphone application with some pictures of my MCU screen and see what they will reply.

 

[tcoombes]

This is what I’m thinking.

Mine did start to return, but another treatment got it back to looking good again. Thinking I might need to do it a few more times.
Whatever light Tesla is using must be pretty intense.

Yes, mine is only a 9 watt LED.

 

[P16888]

Update: Couldn't remove the remaining yellow border after using the DIY LED method for a few days. Took it to the SC and they also couldn't remove it. They decided to replace the screen for me since it's still under warranty. :

 

[SongjinDK]

This thread has been very informative and lead me to my own solution for $14.99.

I found this device that has 4 UV bulbs at 365nm:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X8ZVJSS

View attachment 493848

I removed the lower sides of the bottom cover and lined the inside with foil HVAC tape.

View attachment 493850 View attachment 493851 View attachment 493852 View attachment 493853 View attachment 493854

I placed the box on 1 quadrant of the screen at a time for 13 hours. I noticed the yellow fading at 5 hours then left it on overnight. Possibly it didn't need att 13 hours. The temperature in my garage was 65 degrees F. The screen was slightly warm but not hot. The size of the box did not let light out so I didn't need to cover anything.

View attachment 493859

Here are the before and after pictures:

View attachment 493858 View attachment 493860

My car is a 2018 X100, manufactured 10/18. Yellow border appeared 7/19.

I don't know if this will work for anyone else and if you try this method, you do so at your own risk.

Thanks for your info. I am wondering if this can fix the yellow band on the small screen.

 

[Country Roads]

This thread has been very informative and lead me to my own solution for $14.99.

I found this device that has 4 UV bulbs at 365nm:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X8ZVJSS

View attachment 493848

I removed the lower sides of the bottom cover and lined the inside with foil HVAC tape.

View attachment 493850 View attachment 493851 View attachment 493852 View attachment 493853 View attachment 493854

I placed the box on 1 quadrant of the screen at a time for 13 hours. I noticed the yellow fading at 5 hours then left it on overnight. Possibly it didn't need att 13 hours. The temperature in my garage was 65 degrees F. The screen was slightly warm but not hot. The size of the box did not let light out so I didn't need to cover anything.

View attachment 493859

Here are the before and after pictures:

View attachment 493858 View attachment 493860

My car is a 2018 X100, manufactured 10/18. Yellow border appeared 7/19.

I don't know if this will work for anyone else and if you try this method, you do so at your own risk.

This is the ticket. Many thanks for finding and sharing. I'm using it directly out of the box without any additional modifications and have cleaned up the bottom two corners in roughly 5-6 hour sessions each. What's more, this stays cool and seems safe to run all night long.
Am very happy.

 

[D.E.]

I’ve got the yellow border on my screen. I’ve ordered this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081F6S93Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I plan to cut 3” plastic pipe in half lengthwise, miter the ends, then make a frame of pipe to expose just the edges of my screen. I’ll use some foil in the pipe to reflect. I’ll use some adhesive felt to protect the car from sharp edges. This kit has a timer so I can set it up and start the timer. The strip of LEDs can be cut. Anyway we’ll see how this works.

 

[KArnold]

I plan to...

Love it. Clean it up, build a few dozen to start, reproduce, and sell for $79.95 each! That would be a lot cheaper/easier for most folks out of warranty.

Make a $99.95 "pro" version that will convert back into the party light!

 

[Country Roads]

I’ve got the yellow border on my screen. I’ve ordered this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B081F6S93Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I plan to cut 3” plastic pipe in half lengthwise, miter the ends, then make a frame of pipe to expose just the edges of my screen. I’ll use some foil in the pipe to reflect. I’ll use some adhesive felt to protect the car from sharp edges. This kit has a timer so I can set it up and start the timer. The strip of LEDs can be cut. Anyway we’ll see how this works.

Actually, I bet it doesn't work - not the right wavelength. Looks to be the same as the party light that kicked this entire thread off. 385-405 nm. That one barely touched my screen despite over 24 hours of continuous exposure. The nail dryer worked better at 365nm.

 

[kdday]

Actually, I bet it doesn't work - not the right wavelength. Looks to be the same as the party light that kicked this entire thread off. 385-405 nm. That one barely touched my screen despite over 24 hours of continuous exposure. The nail dryer worked better at 365nm.

I think you're right. I spent days/weeks at 385/405nm 100w light with little benefit.

 

[ucmndd]

I think you're right. I spent days/weeks at 385/405nm 100w light with little benefit.

Good point. I went back and looked at the listing for the light I linked to in the first post, and the specs seem to have changed? The listed spectrum is quite different than I recall and what I listed in my original post - I agree the best results seem to happen around 365nm.

This may explain why I’ve had decent luck and later posters have reported poor results? Dunno.

 

[D.E.]

If it doesn’t work I’m out $28 and some time. I can afford that.

 

[TonyT]

Good point. I went back and looked at the listing for the light I linked to in the first post, and the specs seem to have changed? The listed spectrum is quite different than I recall and what I listed in my original post - I agree the best results seem to happen around 365nm.

This may explain why I’ve had decent luck and later posters have reported poor results? Dunno.

I think I got mine close to the time you originally posted. I've had decent success.

 

[D.E.]

So you guys think this would be better for treating the yellow screen border?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BHXHRTK/

 

[Country Roads]

So you guys think this would be better for treating the yellow screen border?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BHXHRTK/

Those rays might be too short and unnecessarily dangerous to your eyes. It’s talking about UVC rays, which are 100-280 nm.
And the talk of burning smells. Lol. Yes, I would stay away. That nail dryer thingy is easy and works great.

 

[mrjedistud]

I just had the SC treat my yellow borders. I am out of warranty, but had registered the issue previously so they did not charge me. The service advisor said that even if I had not registered the issue, they may have done the UV treatment as goodwill. On the invoice, before crediting the charge, it showed up as $36 for the treatment.

 

[tcoombes]

365nm is correct for curing the LOCA in our screens.

 

[Country Roads]

So you guys think this would be better for treating the yellow screen border?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BHXHRTK/

D.E. - curious how your half-pipe frame project is going. Please do report back. If you go with the UV sterilization light with the shorter wavelength, I'd be interested in knowing if it cleans up the screen better/faster.

 

[D.E.]

D.E. - curious how your half-pipe frame project is going. Please do report back. If you go with the UV sterilization light with the shorter wavelength, I'd be interested in knowing if it cleans up the screen better/faster.

I haven’t done anything with it. I assume the others are correct in saying the wavelength is too long so I haven’t bothered trying it. The current favorite seems to be the fingernail “drying” (better called curing) system in which the UV cures the UV sensitive nail treatments.

 

[‘Merica]

Curing mine right now.

thanks for this thread!

 

[wwu123]

I've also been using the nail dryer suggested by Blue X90 over several sessions the past few weekends, and my yellowing is largely gone.

Its rectangular shape is easy to lay right against the screen for maximum intensity, but need to re-position several times to get exposure on all the side and top borders. I found about 6 to 8 hours in each position got rid of most of the yellowing for me.