Athermal car windshield (anti-glare tinting)

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Many car owners are familiar with the situation when the scorching sun makes driving a car impossible even with the air conditioning turned on at full power. Typically, owners of budget cars face such problems. The middle and elite class are equipped with athermal windshield and side front windows.

At the production stage, manufacturers apply a composition based on silver ions to the surface of the product. The athermal coating is wear-resistant and also refracts rays so that the interior practically does not heat up. The glass itself also remains cool. The effect allows you to save the interior from burning out and melting elements. And traveling in a car with athermal glass becomes more comfortable.

What is an athermal front window

Do not confuse heat-resistant glass with tinting or spraying.

The coating becomes heat-resistant with the application of silver ions. The procedure is possible in services with high-quality equipment. Determal auto glass cannot be made heat-resistant at home. Some cars have athermal auto glass as standard.

Advantages and disadvantages

Athermal windows have their pros and cons.

Advantages of heat-insulating glass:

Durable and durable anti-reflective coating.
The coating works on the principle of a thermos: in warm weather it keeps the interior cold, and in winter it keeps it warm.
Saving gasoline.
In winter, the windows do not freeze or fog up.
Ultraviolet and infrared rays are half absorbed by the material.
Reduces heating of the front of the car and steering wheel.
The image is not distorted.
Reduces driver visual fatigue.
Eliminates thermal deformation of vehicle parts.

Minuses:

High price. It costs 2 times more than regular material.
Reduces the performance of radars and other equipment.
Not available for all car brands.

Disadvantages of speakers

The main disadvantage is that the production of such products is too expensive. As a result, such automobile glass costs almost 2 times more than usual. Although, if we take into account its long service life and the fact that the driver does not have to burn more gasoline in the summer or change faded upholstery, then such glass will eventually be able to be “beaten off”.

The second disadvantage applies only to those who like to use gadgets such as radar detectors and navigators. Unfortunately, due to the components that make up such glass, it can literally jam the signal. Therefore, problems may arise.

The third disadvantage is that such products are difficult to find for any car. Of course, there are fakes on the Internet for every taste and color, but there is no point in buying a fake. It’s better to wait until the factory model goes on sale.

By the way, counterfeit models that have flooded the market due to the growing popularity of speakers are another drawback. But, it can be excluded if you pay attention to several nuances.

How to produce

Athermal glazing is produced using special equipment. Anti-reflective glasses in pale green or pale blue are marked in the upper right corner with the stamps “Overtinted” or “Tinted”. Markings differ in the percentage of light transmittance: Overtinted transmits 81% of rays, and Tinted 3% less.

Each manufacturer produces glass differently, so they can have different shades: from brownish to purple. Athermal options with chameleon colors have beautiful iridescence and are becoming more and more popular on the market.

What kind of glass is called duplicate?

Duplicates are classified as ARG (automotive replacement glass) - this means that the product imitates the original. Original auto glass is much more expensive.

A duplicate is a product that imitates the original, made according to good patterns, but with deviations according to various criteria. Non-original ARG auto glass may not have the same molding, dimple, rain and light sensor on the glass. Otherwise, non-original glass can sometimes be as good as the original glass. Such glass is usually produced on modern equipment using good polished glass. On non-original glass you will never find the automaker's logo, only the name of the auto glass brand.

What to choose - original or duplicate?

The original is the ideal option, maximally meeting all standards and parameters. If the price suits you, take it. However, the price for original glass is often several times higher than for analogues.

Installing duplicate glass on your car is not something scary or surprising, because according to our statistics, 95% of car owners choose a duplicate. However, it should be borne in mind that duplicates also come from different brands and may differ in quality. There are European, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, costing from 1,500 to 150,000 rubles.

What are the disadvantages of duplicate glass?

— Possible reduction in the value of the car upon sale. A potential buyer can point out the fact that the windshield was replaced with a non-original one. However, the windshield is now considered a consumable and is replaced very often.

— Distortions are possible. All duplicate glass has tolerances for distortion, but they must comply with GOST.

— Deviations in geometry are possible. All duplicate glasses are made according to the dimensions of the original glass with permissible deviations. This means that the glass may be several millimeters smaller or larger than the original, or have a slightly different curve. In most cases, this is not noticeable to the eye and does not affect the quality of the installation.

— Possible lack of components. Some windshields must be equipped with additional moldings and bases for a rain sensor. Cheap duplicates usually don’t have this; you have to buy extra.

Bottom line: You can install both original and duplicate glass on your car. Consider your budget and the process of operating the car - if you often drive on the highway, then installing expensive original glass may not be the best idea. At the same time, you should not hope that a duplicate windshield for 2-3 thousand rubles will be of the same quality as one for 8-10.

Athermal film

If purchasing athermal auto glass is in doubt, install the film. It's cheaper and easier. Athermal windshield tint consists of many layers and does not contain metal. Two layers - film from ultraviolet rays. The main protection against the destructive effects of sunlight lies on the adhesive part of the adhesive layer, polyester, metallized and a special layer against mechanical damage. Tinting also contains substances that reduce the level of exposure to rays in the interior. The colors of athermal film are very different: from pastel blue to rich, bright chameleon.

Advantages of athermal glass tinting:

Ensuring normal temperature in the car.
The interior does not heat up.
Costs less than glass.
The upholstery does not fade and lasts longer.
Helps remove glare from car windshields.
Reduces the risk of parts becoming deformed due to sunlight.
Protects passengers and the driver from fragments in the event of an accident.

Minuses:

The driver's eyes get tired quickly.
The metallized layer interferes with the operation of radar and other similar equipment.
Attracts the attention of the police.
If the car's auto glass has decreased throughput, the thermal fluid will exceed the figure required by GOST. This threatens with a fine of 500 rubles.

How to install

To install the tint film, we will need:

Atermalka is in the right condition. Decide how many glasses you will tint and calculate the required area. Leave some room for customization.
Spray bottle or any other spray.
Liquid soap or a product like Fairy and water.
Blade or knife.
Felt napkins.
Forcing or a plastic, non-sharp spatula.
Scraper for cleaning car windows.
Construction hairdryer.

Tinting a windshield with athermal film does not require any special skills or dexterity. Let's start with the side windows:

Making a soap solution. You will need approximately 2 liters. Per liter of water, 5-10 drops of detergent. It’s better to take Fairy: it removes fat more thoroughly. Apply the solution to the outer surface of auto glass.
Unfold and place the cutout against the window. It is advisable to cut not closely, but with an allowance of several centimeters. The material will immediately adhere to the wet surface, and this will greatly facilitate installation.
Cut along straight lines. Now open the window slightly. Align the tint along the edge. Trim the curved line.
On many foreign-made cars, the windows have an uneven shape. We need to adjust the tint to match it. Apply more soap solution to the outside of the window. We apply the material. Smooth out by forcing from the center, after which folds will appear on the surface. We set the temperature to 550 °C on a hair dryer, direct it to the fold and level it by forcing it from the center. You need to stretch the tinting material so as to remove excess air and water. The film is ready in shape.
Wash the glass thoroughly with a special cleaner. If there are any small particles, scrape them off carefully with a blade. Do not scratch dry glass.
Let's start gluing. Remove the protective film. Preferably not all of it, but the top half. We wet the adhesive part with a soap solution. We try on the athermal to the window. Let's open it slightly to align the top side. The solution prevents the film from sticking and gives time for adjustments. We remove all excess (air and water bubbles) by forcing, moving from the center to the sides. It is necessary to achieve a tight fit of the film. We lift the glass and do the same with the lower half of the film.

The advantages of such glazing

Increases comfort in the cabin. In the southern regions, this is the main problem with car operation in the summer. Without air conditioning, it is generally impossible to be in traffic jams. It immediately becomes clear what athermal glazing in a car is.
The operating mode of the climate control system is simplified. Among other things, this leads to a reduction in fuel consumption.
The service life of interior parts increases. Plastic and leather do not tolerate high temperatures well. Especially when exposed to direct sunlight.
There is a certain effect in winter: glass with a lower transmittance in the IR range retains heat in the cabin.

The simplest way to impart thermal insulating properties to glass is to apply an athermal film to it. Unlike the well-known tinting, this will practically not impair visibility. There are complex multilayer metallized plastics that give the desired effect.

The correct solution would be to use specialized glass. Good technologies for its manufacture have appeared relatively recently, due to the rather complex production process.

A car windshield is usually made using triplex technology. These are two layers of heat-treated glass, between which there is a durable synthetic film. When broken, the fragments remain on it, preventing injury to passengers. The same film can also be used to create a thermal barrier.

To impart reflective properties in the IR range to single-layer glasses, this method is not applicable. As well as the surface introduction of metal atoms into the glass layer. Therefore, silver ions and oxide molecules of other metals are introduced into the glass mass when it is in a molten state.

Transmittance in the visible range ranges from 90% for windshields labeled “Tinted” to 75% for side windows, in the case of a higher degree of protection “Overtinted”. This fits well within the domestic GOST, which normalizes light transmission indicators.

Is there a penalty for installation

According to GOST, permitted tinting transmits more than 70% of sunlight without a mirror effect. This means that there is no fine for installing athermal glass on a car if it complies with the law. Only the front side windows and windshield are adjustable. But athermal film, which transmits less than 60% of the light, begins to mirror. This is not allowed on any window.

The fine for incorrect tinting is 1,500 rubles. In case of repeated violation, the amount increases to 5000.

What kind of glass is called original?

Vehicle glazing is a visible replacement part and is labeled by vehicle manufacturers with branded logos or wordmarks (such as “TOYOTA”) that are protected by intellectual property rules, the use and distribution of which are restricted.

(!) There are exceptions - if the car has a twin, made on the same platform, but under a different brand, the original glass may not be marked with the name of the factory. Example: Porsche Cayenne - VW Touareg, MMC ASX - Peugeot 3008. A “native” part refers to an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) - this means that the product sold to retail customers is released under the original brand.

According to standards, automakers require dealers and services to use OEM spare parts for warranty repairs. But at the same time, automakers do not limit their partners from selling spare parts under the brand to independent service companies.

Spectral composition of sunlight

Light energy is conventionally divided into three ranges:

visible light;
infrared (IR) radiation;
ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

All these are ordinary electromagnetic waves, differing only in frequency or wavelength. These two characteristics are inversely proportional and are uniquely related to each other through the speed of light. Only the narrow region between the IR and UV ranges, to which his organ of vision reacts, is useful for a car driver. It is advisable to cut off everything else, preventing unwanted energy from penetrating into the car interior.

As for the UV range, high-frequency light is well absorbed in the atmosphere. At sea level, only 3 percent of total energy comes from this shortwave portion of the spectrum. And after passing through ordinary car glass, almost nothing remains from ultraviolet radiation.

The situation is much worse with infrared, otherwise called thermal radiation. Its share in total energy exceeds 50%. Traditional glass practically does not block IR rays. When they enter the cabin, they cause the interior to heat up, which is why even the most powerful car air conditioner is difficult to save in the summer. And in the parking lot it comes to irreversible destruction of interior materials.

Requirements for light transmittance of glass according to traffic regulations and GOST

Clause 7.3 of the Road Traffic Regulations states that it is prohibited to operate a vehicle if it is equipped with coverings or objects that interfere with the driver’s normal visibility. It is further explained:

Colored transparent films can be attached to the top of the windshield.
You can use tinted glass (in addition to mirror glass) with light transmission in accordance with GOST 5727-88.
The rear windows of passenger cars are allowed to be covered with curtains or blinds, provided that there are mirrors on the outside located on both sides.

Another document regulating the level of tinting of ground vehicles is GOST 5727-88. Its paragraph 2.2.4 states that glass that provides the driver with a view of the road must have the following level of light transmission:

wind - from 75%;
non-wind, included in the front visibility area - from 70%.

The light transmission of non-window glasses that are not included in the standard field of view is not standardized.

It must be remembered that no car glass is 100% transparent. In most cases, this figure is 85-90%. This feature must be taken into account when choosing athermal film. Without special measuring equipment, this will be problematic, so it is recommended to entrust the application of tinting to the employees of a specialized center. They will make sure all necessary measurements are taken and ensure compliance with the law.

Tinted and painted windshields must provide the correct perception of red, green, yellow, blue and white.