Insulating the panoramic roof in winter

[Chopr147]

What are you guys doing to decrease wind noise? I can't tell if mine is from the pano roof or somewhere else.

The noise is coming from that hideous insulation you put on the pano roof
Hey, what ever floats your boat but I just don't get the need for it. My S heats up so quickly and stays warm. Now I could use some better floor heat but, that's a Tesla weakness I live with.

 

[jerry33]

Do the Tesla SCs have that equipment? Thanks.

Don't know. They didn't when they adjusted my triangle windows, but that was almost four years ago.

 

[NewJerseyMS]

The noise is coming from that hideous insulation you put on the pano roof
Hey, what ever floats your boat but I just don't get the need for it. My S heats up so quickly and stays warm. Now I could use some better floor heat but, that's a Tesla weakness I live with.

I thought same .

If that's what it takes to be warm (it's not) then I will be cold.

 

[Blissedout]

I was planning to try to use Nyland's DIY (speaker foam + the sun screen), but I have an April-2016 Model S and the Tesla store states that the pano sun screens only fit pre-2015 date cars

I have an August 2016 Model S, and the sun screens work. They may not fit perfectly, but they fit well enough.

 

[srijey]

Well, I did the insulation and I drove with it this morning. There is definitely a difference. Note that it was only about 32 degrees, so not incredibly cold. I was getting convection cold currents off the top glass and this seems to have stopped that. Also, not surprisingly, the car is a little quieter on the highway and the radio sounds better. Here are some pictures.

For those that want to do this, it is very easy. Here is the link to the Amazon item:

Amazon.com: Acoustic Foam 2.5" Egg Crate Panel Studio Soundproofing Foam Wall Panel 48" X 24" X 2.5" (2 Pack): Musical Instruments

One sheet is all you need for each roof. They will need to be cut, and a heavy duty scissor does the trick. I made both of mine teh same size, even though there is a slight difference in shape between the two pieces of the roof. Oversize it an inch or two on all sides and stuff it in there. If it is too big it sags. Cut it right and it fits like a glove without sagging. You have to pull on it to get it down.

I will update when we get a real cold day in the teens or low 20s. It usually does not get colder than that in my neck of the woods.

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Do you mean to stay this stays on the top w/o glue/ tape/ suction cups if you can get the perfect measurement?

 

[jerry33]

Do you mean to stay this stays on the top w/o glue/ tape/ suction cups if you can get the perfect measurement?

If I was going to do this, I would:

1. Remove the sun screens (if you have them).
2. Add a couple of semi-stiff plastic strips (or other semi-rigid material) to the foam that are just longer than the foam (which you've cut to the exact size).
3. Put the strips into the grooves that the sun screens used. This will hold the foam in place without tape or glue.
4. Store the sun screens in a safe place for installation next summer.

 

[srijey]

I had some wind noise from the small triangle window when I first received the car, but the SC fixed it up and haven't had any since. Note that sometimes tire noise sounds like wind noise.

The real way to find wind noise is to get some microphones designed for finding automotive noises. You place them in various locations and then refine the placement until you find the spot(s) where the noise is coming from.

I feel temperature measurement is more sensitive to leakage of outside air than the sound meter. I feel glass transmits heat and sound more than the panelled body. Placing the acoustic pyramid studio foam on the roof and on the side glasses should reduce the heat loss and the noise transmission to some extent.

 

[Merle]

How cold does it have to be in order to have to consider insulating the windows where you're at?

Drove over Vail pass a month or so ago with snow conditions, and then up to Salt Lake City in UT during some blizzard where you couldn't see the road nor markings - just turned on the seat heater and played with the internal temperatures.

I'm up in the Lake Tahoe and we had snow as recent as this weekend, but it rarely gets down to single digits (and we burn oak). Of course I'm the type who rides a motorcycle with heated gear.

Maybe heated gear is an option?

 

[jerry33]

How cold does it have to be in order to have to consider insulating the windows where you're at?

Depends on how sensitive you are to cold and how long you're going to be in the car. Probably 0C for long duration and -10C for short duration (assumes you are preheating).

 

[Seawind300]

I did it with thinsulate velcroed to the sunshades , works very well

 

[jerry33]

I did it with thinsulate velcroed to the sunshades , works very well

Good plan.

 

[SplasherD]

1/4" fan fold sheathing vapor barrier works great. I had this on hand for my house and remembered last winter having to wear my hood or hat in the car. Starting cold, at -30 F it never would warm up to the set point on my two hour commute. With this insulated glass ceiling and the heated seats, I'm warm and passengers haven't noticed until I asked them . My head used to get cold and I'd leave the temp at 69 F. Now my bald head stays bare and I prefer the temp set to 67 F. I recommend it for winter. I haven't tried -30F with it, but am eager to.

 

[Jpeterferrell]

I know I'm resurrecting this thread from a long way back, but I've had similar issues in my 2016.5 Model S w/panoramic sunroof. I've had the same issues with my head getting cold when the temperatures in Colorado dip down below 35 F or so. The car interior itself was warm, it just always feels like there is a slight cold breeze coming down from the pano roof area. I figure it's just air getting cooled against the glass, then descending (denser) onto my head. I'm fairly tall, and I have a very close-cut haircut, so that seems to exacerbate things. There's definitely no actual air leaking through, so I'm going to try one of these foam insulation tricks.

Also, I'm hoping it has the secondary effect of stopping the last little bit of sunroof ticking/clicking noise coming from that area. The SC has managed to eliminate...85% of it, maybe this will muffle that last 15%.

 

[Kurtbe]

I know I'm resurrecting this thread from a long way back, but I've had similar issues in my 2016.5 Model S w/panoramic sunroof. I've had the same issues with my head getting cold when the temperatures in Colorado dip down below 35 F or so. The car interior itself was warm, it just always feels like there is a slight cold breeze coming down from the pano roof area. I figure it's just air getting cooled against the glass, then descending (denser) onto my head. I'm fairly tall, and I have a very close-cut haircut, so that seems to exacerbate things. There's definitely no actual air leaking through, so I'm going to try one of these foam insulation tricks.

Also, I'm hoping it has the secondary effect of stopping the last little bit of sunroof ticking/clicking noise coming from that area. The SC has managed to eliminate...85% of it, maybe this will muffle that last 15%.

I used this: 7 layers. Often used for mobile homes. You can buy them in big sheets. Cut them to size, had them trimmed (tape was included). Te side windows don't need fixing. Roof and trunk get held by the sun screens. Front window fixes with suction cups (also included). The insulation effect is defenitely there. Noise wise I doubt very much if it will stop the ticking. But the insulation is quite sound deadening which produces an intimate atmosfere.