Sun protection film on the windshield of a car

Content

Types of sun protection films
Is athermal film allowed
- Traffic police requirements for tinting
- How is light transmission measured?
Top brands of athermal films
Step-by-step instructions for tinting windows with athermal film

The film on the car from the sun protects the interior of the car from stuffiness and overheating on sunny days. The main thing when tinting windows is to take into account the light transmission values so as not to pay fines and not have problems with the traffic police.

With comfort to drive a car even on hot days, a sun film on the windshield of a car will help, which is used to protect the interior from temperature rise, bright light or invisible spectrum radiation (UV and IR rays).

Types of sun protection films

Protective films for the car from the sun are:

ordinary with tinting - the effect is created by darkening the glass;
athermal - transparent materials that protect against heat, UV and IR radiation;
mirror (prohibited for use in 2020);
colored - plain or with a pattern;
silicone - are held on the glass without the help of glue, due to the static effect.

Types of sun protection films

As a temporary measure, you can use sunscreens that are attached to the glass with suction cups.

Normal

Ordinary car sun protection film cannot reflect invisible rays. It simply dims the windows and protects the driver only from blinding bright light. Opaque tinting is best used on the rear windows to protect the interior from prying eyes.

Athermal

A transparent film from the sun on the windshield of a car that absorbs UV and infrared rays is called athermal. It is thicker than ordinary tinting, because it consists of more than two hundred different layers that filter light waves. Due to the presence of graphite and metal particles, the coating may have different shades on sunny days and be almost completely transparent on cloudy weather.

Athermal film "Chameleon"

Athermal film "Chameleon" adjusts to the level of lighting, giving coolness under the bright sun and not reducing visibility at dusk.

Advantages of athermal tint films

Using a reflective athermal film on a car from ultraviolet radiation:

saves the car interior from the "greenhouse effect";
keeps fabric seat upholstery from fading;
Helps reduce fuel consumption for air conditioning.

In cars with natural or eco-leather interior, athermal protection will not allow the seats to heat up to such a temperature that it will be hot to sit on them.

Is athermal film allowed

Since athermal windshield sunshield film does not obscure the view, it is conditionally allowed. But it should be borne in mind that according to the Technical Regulations (Appendix 8, clause 4.3), the light transmission value on the front windows is allowed from 70%, and the factory glass is initially shaded by 80-90%. And if even a blackout that is imperceptible to the eye is added to these indicators, then it is possible to exceed the norms of the law.

Is athermal film allowed

Owners of expensive cars need to especially carefully check the percentage of light that the material can transmit, as their glasses are initially well protected.

"Atermalki" with a high content of metals and their oxides can shine on the windows with a mirror shine, such tinting is prohibited for use as of 2020.

Traffic police requirements for tinting

Auto glass tinting is measured as a percentage: the lower the indicator, the darker it is. The film from the sun according to GOST on the windshield of a car can have a degree of shading from 75%, and on the front side permissible values - from 70%. By law, only a dark strip (not more than 14 cm high) is allowed to be stuck on the top of the windshield.

Since at light transmission values from 50 to 100 percent, tinting is almost imperceptible to the eye, it makes no sense to glue ordinary shading film on the front windows of the car. It is better to use athermal, which, although it does not obscure the view, will protect the driver and passengers from heat and sun.

The percentage of rear window shading is not regulated by law; only mirror tinting is prohibited on them.

How is light transmission measured?

The shading of the film in the car from the sun and the auto glass itself is measured using taumeters. When checking, the following conditions must be met:

air humidity 80% or less;
temperature from -10 to +35 degrees;
the taumeter has seals and documents.

Light transmission measurement

Tinting indicators are taken from three points on the glass. Next, their average value is calculated, which will be the desired figure.

Top brands of athermal films

The top 3 best solar film manufacturers for car windows are Ultra Vision, LLumar and Sun Tek.

Ultravision

American film from the sun on the windshield of a car Ultra Vision extends the life of auto glass by increasing their strength, as well as:

protects the surface from chips and scratches;
blocks 99% of UV rays;
does not obscure the view: light transmission, depending on the model and article, is 75-93%.

Ultravision

The authenticity of the material is guaranteed by the Ultra Vision logo.

LLumar

LLumar car sun protection film does not transmit heat: even with prolonged exposure to the sun, people in the car will not feel discomfort. Tinting protects against such rays:

solar energy (by 41%);
ultraviolet (99%).

LLumar

In addition, LLumar materials protect car windows from scratches and other minor damage.

Sun Single

Athermal Sun Tek windshield film is completely transparent and does not impair the light transmission of the glass. The main advantages of the material:

anti-reflective coating that does not fade in the sun;
maintaining a pleasant coolness in the car interior due to heat absorption;
reflection of invisible rays: up to 99% UV, and about 40% IR.

Sun Single

The material is easy to use, any driver will be able to install SunTek self-adhesive tinting on their own.

Step-by-step instructions for tinting windows with athermal film

Before sticking car tinting, it is shaped, this is done from the outside of the glass. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the outer surface of the window and wipe it with alcohol. Next, proceed to the molding process:

Cut off a piece of athermal film of the desired size, leaving a margin on each side.
Sprinkle glass with talcum powder (or baby powder without additives).
Smear the powder all over the glass in an even layer.
Sponge "draw" on the surface of the window the letter H.
Evenly distribute the creases in the upper and lower areas of the tint film.
In order for the part to accurately take the shape of glass, it is heated with a building hair dryer at a temperature of 330-360 degrees, directing a stream of air from the edges to the middle.
Upon completion of molding, the workpiece is sprayed with soapy water from a spray bottle.
Smooth the surface over the solution with distillation.
Cut the tint around the perimeter without going beyond the silkscreen.

Step-by-step instructions for tinting windows with athermal film

The second step is to process the inside of the glass before installing the coating. Before starting work, the instrument panel is covered with a cloth or polyethylene to protect it from moisture, after that:

See also: Additional heater in the car: what is it, why is it needed, the device, how it works

Wash the inner surface of the glass with soapy water using a soft sponge.
The substrate is removed from the workpiece by spraying a soapy solution from a spray bottle onto the exposed surface.
Carefully apply the part with an adhesive layer to the glass surface and glue it (it is better to do this with an assistant).
Expel excess moisture, moving from the center to the edges.

After gluing the sun-reflective athermal film, it is left to dry for at least 2 hours before the trip. Complete drying of the tint takes from 3 to 10 days (depending on the weather), during this time it is better not to lower the car windows.

Toning. Stripe on the Windshield With Your Hands