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Carmate's Xclear Zero Wiper Glass Coating


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#11
cbsteh

Posted 05 January 2014 - 11:34 AM

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What about those windshield coatings that claim can last 12 months? Exaggeration? Or can last that long provided we don't wash the windshield?!! smile_shock.gif

#12
vr2turbo

Posted 05 January 2014 - 02:45 PM

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QUOTE (jonlsl @ Jan 4 2014, 10:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Got such thing as apply evenly wan meh. Rainx not like wax leh. biggrin.gif

Meaning cover all areas... smile_tongue.gif
Like bro jk mentioned wipers does wear the rain x away, but it rain x not applied covering all the glass area the juddering can be worse.

#13
vr2turbo

Posted 05 January 2014 - 02:46 PM

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QUOTE (cbsteh @ Jan 5 2014, 11:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
What about those windshield coatings that claim can last 12 months? Exaggeration? Or can last that long provided we don't wash the windshield?!! smile_shock.gif

I think will be same as rain x. When wipers are used the friction causes it to wear. May be good for the other windows....

#14
cbsteh

Posted 06 January 2014 - 12:08 PM

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Okay, this is what happened. I got me the Xclear Zero Wiper kit. Expensive, but try-loh. I never bought a detailing kit that came inside a office box file! Inside are glass compound, base coat, top coat, MF cloth, window applicator, sponge, 4-page instructions, and a DVD!

Well, it is no exaggeration when I say water repellency is 9.5 out of 10 -- this is when my car was parked (0 km/h)! Yesterday night it rained very hard, so I rushed out and sat inside my parked car. Water was bouncing off the glass like little ping pong balls. Just looking at the windshield, it looks as if outside was just a light drizzle when it was actually a heavy rain. My car isn't moving and yet Zero Wiper gave better water repellency than Rain X. Your wiper isn't actually needed when you have this glass coating.

Now comes the important drawbacks:

1) Zero Wiper needs practise to apply. Even with the applicator, it can be easy to have patches of thick and thin coat.

2) The coat is visible and is slightly opaque, so visibility through the glass is lowered slightly. As detailers, appearance is everything, so applying this coat will make your windshield rather ugly. A big no-no.

Will I continue to use Zero Wiper? No, only because of drawback (2). But if they can produce a coating that is transparent, oh my, it is no exaggeration when I say I can throw away my wipers. I have never seen my windshield so, so, so anti-water at 0 km/h ...

#15
jonlsl

Posted 06 January 2014 - 12:24 PM

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QUOTE (cbsteh @ Jan 6 2014, 12:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Okay, this is what happened. I got me the Xclear Zero Wiper kit. Expensive, but try-loh. I never bought a detailing kit that came inside a office box file! Inside are glass compound, base coat, top coat, MF cloth, window applicator, sponge, 4-page instructions, and a DVD!

Well, it is no exaggeration when I say water repellency is 9.5 out of 10 -- this is when my car was parked (0 km/h)! Yesterday night it rained very hard, so I rushed out and sat inside my parked car. Water was bouncing off the glass like little ping pong balls. Just looking at the windshield, it looks as if outside was just a light drizzle when it was actually a heavy rain. My car isn't moving and yet Zero Wiper gave better water repellency than Rain X. Your wiper isn't actually needed when you have this glass coating.

Now comes the important drawbacks:

1) Zero Wiper needs practise to apply. Even with the applicator, it can be easy to have patches of thick and thin coat.

2) The coat is visible and is slightly opaque, so visibility through the glass is lowered slightly. As detailers, appearance is everything, so applying this coat will make your windshield rather ugly. A big no-no.

Will I continue to use Zero Wiper? No, only because of drawback (2). But if they can produce a coating that is transparent, oh my, it is no exaggeration when I say I can throw away my wipers. I have never seen my windshield so, so, so anti-water at 0 km/h ...


You get the opaque coating as that is the nano layer which creates the microscopic peaks and valley to create the extreme hydrophobic properties. Only that can create that crazy beading as beading caused by chemical means at best will give a beading angle of 105-110deg max and that small contact angle still allows the water bead to "stick and not fly off the glass" because of the water's affinity to glass. Its the same as Glaco zero for side view mirror. That coating will wear away very easily, then I presume your are left with just base coat with rainX like effect.

But a nice find. I would suggest try this product on the side windows and rear windscreen. I'm sure you will see less of the opaque coating or it'll be less distracting.

Where did you get the product?

#16
cbsteh

Posted 06 January 2014 - 12:31 PM

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QUOTE (jonlsl @ Jan 6 2014, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You get the opaque coating as that is the nano layer which creates the microscopic peaks and valley to create the extreme hydrophobic properties. Only that can create that crazy beading as beading caused by chemical means at best will give a beading angle of 105-110deg max and that small contact angle still allows the water bead to "stick and not fly off the glass" because of the water's affinity to glass. Its the same as Glaco zero for side view mirror. That coating will wear away very easily, then I presume your are left with just base coat with rainX like effect.

But a nice find. I would suggest try this product on the side windows and rear windscreen. I'm sure you will see less of the opaque coating or it'll be less distracting.

Where did you get the product?


I got this at Autobacs Klang.

I also tested the coating with a spray water bottle. Still very impressive repellency even when I sprayed the glass from all sides/angles (directly facing the glass and a wide/acute angle too). I liked watching the mini ping pong balls of water! smile_big.gif


#17
jklow123

Posted 06 January 2014 - 01:39 PM

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QUOTE (cbsteh @ Jan 6 2014, 12:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I got this at Autobacs Klang.

I also tested the coating with a spray water bottle. Still very impressive repellency even when I sprayed the glass from all sides/angles (directly facing the glass and a wide/acute angle too). I liked watching the mini ping pong balls of water! smile_big.gif


Glad you liked the effect. I've used this product long ago on the rear windscreen and its great. Wifey loved it very much cos after a rain, the rear glass is very clear. No rear wipers in action...so, that layer lasted pretty long. Bout 7mths.

#18
vr2turbo

Posted 07 January 2014 - 09:21 AM

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QUOTE (jklow123 @ Jan 6 2014, 01:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Glad you liked the effect. I've used this product long ago on the rear windscreen and its great. Wifey loved it very much cos after a rain, the rear glass is very clear. No rear wipers in action...so, that layer lasted pretty long. Bout 7mths.

Looks like is much better for the rest of the windows then unless really do not use wipers, as the wipers will wear them out faster

#19
cbsteh

Posted 07 January 2014 - 09:49 AM

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QUOTE (vr2turbo @ Jan 7 2014, 09:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Looks like is much better for the rest of the windows then unless really do not use wipers, as the wipers will wear them out faster


I notice the coating is quite fragile to wiping with cloth. smile_blackeye.gif Or maybe I didn't leave the basecoat to dry long enough. I think the instructions say to leave the base coat to dry for 24 hours!


#20
vr2turbo

Posted 07 January 2014 - 10:02 AM

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QUOTE (cbsteh @ Jan 7 2014, 09:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I notice the coating is quite fragile to wiping with cloth. smile_blackeye.gif Or maybe I didn't leave the basecoat to dry long enough. I think the instructions say to leave the base coat to dry for 24 hours!

The glass must be very clean also for coating to stick on.