Date:         Sat, 20 Jul 2002 13:50:41 +1200
Reply-To:     Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Andrew Grebneff <andrew.grebneff@STONEBOW.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject:      Re: Cloudy headlight glass?
In-Reply-To:  <001c01c22f6c$53365bc0$f976e1d9@rayskiste>
Content-type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1

>I donīt know what defines the US-headlights as "sealed beam", does it mean
>theyīre sealed so you canīt reach into them? Otherwise, our european
>headlights get foggy/cloudy because of deposits like burned dust etc.
>
>Remove the bulb and rinse the lamps with cleaner, alcohol, whatever, and let
>them dry. They look like new afterwards.
>
>Raimund
>P.S.: What makes sealed beam lamps "sealed"? Are the vanagonīs U.S.
>headlights sealed beams?

Sealed-beam lights have a 1-piece molded glass reflector/lens, and is
actually a large heavy crude lightbulb. Lens quality is very poor in
those I have seen.

Generic nonsealed-beam lights like proper H4s have a good-quality
glass (or plastic) lens with a crimped-on plated metal reflector. The
bulb plugs in from behind, and is "sealed" by a rubber boot, which
never really does seal.

Model-specific H4 lights have a glass or acrylic lens sealed into a
plastic housing, with a metal reflector within. The bulb plugs into
the back, with ill-sealing rubber boot.
--
Andrew Grebneff
165 Evans St, Dunedin 9001, New Zealand
<andrew.grebneff@stonebow.otago.ac.nz>
Seashell, Macintosh, VW/Toyota van nut