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Information about UV Blocking for Tinted Windows
- Thread starter Lanzer
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- window tint
mcl627
Member
I got the 3M Crystalline 70 done on my Model 3 (sides and back) and I am based out of the Bay Area.
Wincos 10 on the sides and back, wincos 70 on the windshield.
Had it done the day I got the car, so no anecdotal evidence purely for the 3, but it seems a lot cooler than my other cars.
Hi. New M3 owner. I am going to tint the glass and one installer I reached out to told me that if the rear glass breaks and I take it for Tesla warranty work and they blame the tint then it's on me to replace it. Is there any reason the glass would break due to tint? I see a lot of M3's on the road with tint. Anyone experience anything like this? Also, he says that they try to minimize water from going down the front to the computer if tinting the wind shield but again on my own if anything happens. I don't really care to much about the wind shield but the disclaimer about the rear window seems interesting. Thank you and sorry if this isn't where I should have posted this.
I think there had been mis-communication between people. In this thread the Tesla rep definitely knows about window tint being installed and had no trouble with replacing the glass roof that is under warranty. The only issue was that Tesla will not pay for any tint that had already been installed.
The disclaimer about water running down to the computer is kind of strange. Who wouldn't put a tarp over the dash while installing a tint in the first place?
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That makes sense to me. I wouldn't expect Tesla to pay for the window tint if the rear or any window cracked. Any thoughts on the wind shield tint and water leaking down and damaging the computer? I'm still undecided on wind shield tint anyway.
Installers uses a pump that shoots water mist during installation, it won't be like firing a water hose inside your car, so I highly doubt that they would cause water damage to any electronic equipment. Besides, if they really don't bother with putting any plastic sheets or tarp on top of your car dash prior to installation, I would not trust that installer.
Lastly, the front windshield already has built in UV protection. I would consider tinting the side windows before anything else.
Thanks again. Yes, I'm doing the sides for sure and just the back. I'll skip the windshield as I see no real reason to do it.
rafacq
Member
I had the front windshield tinted with Llumar 80%. It really made the interior of the car feel much cooler in the hot Texas sun. For the sides and the back went with Autobahn Ceramic i3 film. More expensive but really cuts down the heat! And it looks really sharp!
No. You can’t get a sunburn in a car if the windows are up. Glass—any glass—blocks UVB, which is what causes tanning and sunburns. You’ll never get tan on a cloudy day for the same reason; UVB is easily blocked even by clouds.
But! But! Normal auto side window glass does NOT block UVA, which is the wavelength that’s most carcinogenic. So that’s where the tint comes in. You’d never sit in the sun for three hours in mid summer with no sunblock—you’d cook and blister—but you can take a three hour drive in the summer sun and your left arm gets the same UVA cancer-blast and you don’t even know it.
(This is the same reason dermatologists are adamant that you put on sunblock even on cloudy days. You can get a whole day’s midsummer UVA exposure and not even notice because you won’t tan or burn.)
And that’s why this thread is important. Because if tint companies are faking their UV protection, people could be getting exposed and not know it. I had midlevel 3M tint on an old car and took for granted that the whole 3M line was “99.9%” protective. Thanks, OP, for making me think twice!
Here's a snipplet that will help clarify the topic about UVA and UVB:
How Much UV Is Filtered by Glass?
Glass that is transparent to visible light absorbs nearly all UVB. This is the wavelength range that can cause a sunburn, so it's true you can't get a sunburn through glass.
However, UVA is much closer to the visible spectrum than UVB. About 75 percent of UVA passes through ordinary glass. UVA leads to skin damage and genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. Glass does not protect you from skin damage from the sun. It affects indoor plants too. Have you ever taken an indoor plant outside and burned its leaves? This happens because the plant was unaccustomed to the higher levels of UVA found outside, compared with inside a sunny window.
Do Coatings and Tints Protect Against UVA?
Sometimes glass is treated to protect against UVA. For example, most sunglasses made from glass are coated so they block both UVA and UVB. The laminated glass of automobile windshields offers some (not total) protection against UVA. Automotive glass used for side and rear windows ordinarily does not protect against UVA exposure. Similarly, the window glass used in homes and offices does not filter much UVA.
Tinting glass reduces the amount of both visible and UVA transmitted through it. Some UVA still gets through, though. On average, 60 percent to 70 percent of UVA still penetrates tinted glass.
Source: How Much UV Light Does Glass Really Filter?
Do UVA cause cancer?
UVA, which penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB, has long been known to play a major part in skin aging and wrinkling (photoaging), but until recently scientists believed it did not cause significant damage in areas of the epidermis (outermost skin layer) where most skin cancers occur. Studies over the past two decades, however, show that UVA damages skin cells called keratinocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis, where most skin cancers occur. (Basal and squamous cells are types of keratinocytes.) UVA contributes to and may even initiate the development of skin cancers.
Source: UVA & UVB - SkinCancer.org
I'm surprised that the article from Thoughtco mentioned that most tint only block 60 to 70% of UVA.
How Much UV Is Filtered by Glass? (part 2)
Source: Optical Properties of Glass: How Light and Glass Interact - GLASS TRANSFORMING LIGHT
Article mentioned that absorption differs between composition. In this example the wavelength for UVB (290-320nm) seems to have absorption index of 0.2 to 1, with low external transmittance which doesn't mean 100% on both aspects. I think the line "glass blocks 100% of UVB" should not be taken for granted, probably good to assume otherwise unless tested.
How Much UV Is Filtered by Glass?
Glass that is transparent to visible light absorbs nearly all UVB. This is the wavelength range that can cause a sunburn, so it's true you can't get a sunburn through glass.
However, UVA is much closer to the visible spectrum than UVB. About 75 percent of UVA passes through ordinary glass. UVA leads to skin damage and genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. Glass does not protect you from skin damage from the sun. It affects indoor plants too. Have you ever taken an indoor plant outside and burned its leaves? This happens because the plant was unaccustomed to the higher levels of UVA found outside, compared with inside a sunny window.
Do Coatings and Tints Protect Against UVA?
Sometimes glass is treated to protect against UVA. For example, most sunglasses made from glass are coated so they block both UVA and UVB. The laminated glass of automobile windshields offers some (not total) protection against UVA. Automotive glass used for side and rear windows ordinarily does not protect against UVA exposure. Similarly, the window glass used in homes and offices does not filter much UVA.
Tinting glass reduces the amount of both visible and UVA transmitted through it. Some UVA still gets through, though. On average, 60 percent to 70 percent of UVA still penetrates tinted glass.
Source: How Much UV Light Does Glass Really Filter?
Do UVA cause cancer?
UVA, which penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB, has long been known to play a major part in skin aging and wrinkling (photoaging), but until recently scientists believed it did not cause significant damage in areas of the epidermis (outermost skin layer) where most skin cancers occur. Studies over the past two decades, however, show that UVA damages skin cells called keratinocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis, where most skin cancers occur. (Basal and squamous cells are types of keratinocytes.) UVA contributes to and may even initiate the development of skin cancers.
Source: UVA & UVB - SkinCancer.org
I'm surprised that the article from Thoughtco mentioned that most tint only block 60 to 70% of UVA.
How Much UV Is Filtered by Glass? (part 2)
Source: Optical Properties of Glass: How Light and Glass Interact - GLASS TRANSFORMING LIGHT
Article mentioned that absorption differs between composition. In this example the wavelength for UVB (290-320nm) seems to have absorption index of 0.2 to 1, with low external transmittance which doesn't mean 100% on both aspects. I think the line "glass blocks 100% of UVB" should not be taken for granted, probably good to assume otherwise unless tested.
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I got some left over 3M paint protection film so I measured its UV block, and the result is that the PPF blocked about 41% of UVA. 3M Paint protection film never claim the amount of UV it blocks, so it's interesting to find out for myself. Of course, a modern car's clear coat is supposed to block UV also, so I'm not certain if we need UV protection from PPF in the first place.
UV is very important, and they are many reasons why tint is good, if not necessary, I am for heat, I am in San Antonio, Texas and, let me tell you, all the other values are important. However, Lumar seems the best all around for what I have been reading. How expensive was Lumar? I have a quote for SunTek for 800 plus 150 for Sunroof, I like the numbers from SunTek for protection/Heat/UV and color density. I tend to see the spec sheet and look what calor and intensity, and other values, SunTek protection looks great... I am not sure why many people prefer Lumar the specs are similar, but the price seems quite different, so I dont want to regret paying for something is not the best I can use for the car
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