UV Worked great on my badly yellowed screen

[raj_n]

Seems that Tesla latest policy is try the UV treatment first. If it does not cure the problem, they will replace your screen under warranty.

Really? The only way you can get it replaced is by going to arbitration. Even the UV treatment is just a one-time "courtesy" as they call it.
Read the following thread on this.

Yellow screen? Force Tesla to Replace it!

 

[kingtj]

This may be the way to go because they replaced my screen a year ago and it’s already yellowing. Now to find out if this process can be a DIY project.

FWIW? I just tried to do a DYI fix on my 2017 Model X's screen this afternoon. I purchased a florescent 18" long tube/light (typically sold to mount on a wall above "glow in black light" posters), and mounted it to a piece of fiber-board, so I could lean it up against the dash and touch-screen, with the light positioned in line with one of the yellow borders. (My plan was to leave it on for 4 hours or so to hopefully clear one yellow border, and then re-position the whole thing to do a second yellow border for another 4 hour session, until I had all of it repaired.)

Unfortunately, even after 7 hours, I saw no perceptible improvement in the yellowing of the left-hand border I was trying to address first.

So I've got to chalk this experiment up as a failure. I was told that the LCD glue of the type most likely used on the screen should be possible to cure with UV-A light (as opposed to much more dangerous to work with UV-B or UV-C). But I'm now questioning if that's really what Tesla is using in their repair tool? If it's UV-A, perhaps it just requires a much higher intensity? Their tool did seem to have cooling fans on it, so it apparently generates a lot of heat in operation. My UV-A tube didn't so much as get warm to the touch....

 

[ucmndd]

FWIW? I just tried to do a DYI fix on my 2017 Model X's screen this afternoon. I purchased a florescent 18" long tube/light (typically sold to mount on a wall above "glow in black light" posters), and mounted it to a piece of fiber-board, so I could lean it up against the dash and touch-screen, with the light positioned in line with one of the yellow borders. (My plan was to leave it on for 4 hours or so to hopefully clear one yellow border, and then re-position the whole thing to do a second yellow border for another 4 hour session, until I had all of it repaired.)

Unfortunately, even after 7 hours, I saw no perceptible improvement in the yellowing of the left-hand border I was trying to address first.

So I've got to chalk this experiment up as a failure. I was told that the LCD glue of the type most likely used on the screen should be possible to cure with UV-A light (as opposed to much more dangerous to work with UV-B or UV-C). But I'm now questioning if that's really what Tesla is using in their repair tool? If it's UV-A, perhaps it just requires a much higher intensity? Their tool did seem to have cooling fans on it, so it apparently generates a lot of heat in operation. My UV-A tube didn't so much as get warm to the touch....

It does appear to take relatively high intensity for a decent period of time. My (rather successful) experience is detailed here:

DIY UV Treatment for Yellowed MCU Screen

Even with a 50W LED array, it took ~12 hours total for me. Tesla's rig must be quite powerful.

 

[cityberty]

I had posted this in the main ‘yellowing screen’ thread, but think it’s worth posting here too. I had the service performed at the Syosset service center. My screen was in really bad shape as I mentioned above. The service was hugely successful and my screen looks 100%. I may be imagining this, but I’d swear the screen looks brighter, not just the edges, but the entire screen.

It’s really amazing considering how skeptical I was when I first heard of this approach, but it really works. This is absolutely preferable to screen replacement since most of those wind up yellowing again within a short time anyway.

how long did it take?

 

[Ken7]

how long did it take?

About 2 1/2 hours, but I didn’t wait since they gave me a loaner. Mine was pretty bad and had the widest borders the mobile tech had ever seen when he was over to fix a clogged windshield washer line.

 

[rooter]

I had posted this in the main ‘yellowing screen’ thread, but think it’s worth posting here too. I had the service performed at the Syosset service center. My screen was in really bad shape as I mentioned above. The service was hugely successful and my screen looks 100%. I may be imagining this, but I’d swear the screen looks brighter, not just the edges, but the entire screen.

It’s really amazing considering how skeptical I was when I first heard of this approach, but it really works. This is absolutely preferable to screen replacement since most of those wind up yellowing again within a short time anyway.

I tried to tell y'all...

The lights they use are very bright and would be harmful if you were exposed for a period of time. DIY would have to be bright beyond safety limits.

 

[Ken7]

I tried to tell y'all...

The lights they use are very bright and would be harmful if you were exposed for a period of time. DIY would have to be bright beyond safety limits.

You need to read ucmndd's DIY experience. I don't think his lights were that right or dangerous. He provided a link a few posts above.

 

[Altes]

In another thread, someone said that they tried this and it didn't work. I think the cheap UV lights available on ebay and Amazon typically emit UV in the 365 - 420 nm range. Perhaps the adhesive used in the Tesla displays needs UV under 300 nm.

yes the majority of the "UV" lights on ebayazon are not tru UV. I have ordered some UVB lEDs in the 265nm range and will report. they are HELLA expensive for UVB so after experimentation I will post and success

 

[ucmndd]

yes the majority of the "UV" lights on ebayazon are not tru UV. I have ordered some UVB lEDs in the 265nm range and will report. they are HELLA expensive for UVB so after experimentation I will post and success

I encourage you to read my thread. I spent a fair amount of time researching this and almost all adhesives for glass bonding are cured with UV-A between 365-400 nm. It took about 12 hours of exposure with a 50 watt LED array, but the results were quite good.

 

[ucmndd]

I tried to tell y'all...

The lights they use are very bright and would be harmful if you were exposed for a period of time. DIY would have to be bright beyond safety limits.

DIY UV Treatment for Yellowed MCU Screen

It took about 12 hours, but I’m quite sure I didn’t exceed any reasonable “safety limits”.

 

[rooter]

I had read your post at that time, and I am sure you're fine. But without a warning others may accidentally misuse these powerful lights. With LEDs a 50w rating is far brighter than the apparent 50w. They're a serious safety hazard. Just because you can't see the light, doesn't mean it's not there as energy.

A long time ago I tried to tell y'all how to use UV for this and why it works, but nobody listened. You've taken the chance and tried it, and that's good, but I don't think you've emphasized the precautions enough.

Time and time again I make a post with unknown information, and there is only doubt because I'm always outside the well-worn ruts.

Everyone can downvote me now....