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Date:         Wed, 8 Sep 2004 15:20:52 -0700
Reply-To:     Jim Thompson <jim@KARMANNGHIA.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Thompson <jim@KARMANNGHIA.COM>
Subject:      Re: Question about running reflective tint in CA
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

While 26708 overall somewhat addresses this issue, CVC 26708 (b)(10) & 26708.2 seems to get a bit more specific as follows:

26708 (b)(10) Sun screening devices meeting the requirements of Section 26708.2 installed on the side windows on either side of the vehicle's front seat, if the driver or a passenger in the front seat has in his or her possession a letter or other document signed by a licensed physician and surgeon certifying that the person must be shaded from the sun due to a medical condition, or has in his or her possession a letter or other document signed by a licensed optometrist certifying that the person must be shaded from the sun due to a visual condition. The devices authorized by this paragraph shall not be used during darkness. ************** 26708.2. Sun screening devices permitted by paragraph (10) of subdivision (b) of Section 26708 shall meet the following requirements: (a) The devices shall be held in place by means allowing ready removal from the window area, such as a frame, a rigid material with temporary fasteners, or a flexible roller shade. (b) Devices utilizing transparent material shall be green, gray, or a neutral smoke in color and shall have a luminous transmittance of not less than 35 percent. (c) Devices utilizing nontransparent louvers or other alternating patterns of opaque and open sections shall have an essentially uniform pattern over the entire surface, except for framing and supports. At least 35 percent of the device area shall be open and no individual louver or opaque section shall have a projected vertical dimension exceeding 3/16 inch. (d) The devices shall not have a reflective quality exceeding 35 percent on either the inner or outer surface.

And then there's CVC 26708.5: 26708.5. (a) No person shall place, install, affix, or apply any transparent material upon the windshield, or side or rear windows, of any motor vehicle if the material alters the color or reduces the light transmittance of the windshield or side or rear windows, except as provided in subdivision (b), (c), or (d) of Section 26708.

(b) Tinted safety glass may be installed in a vehicle if (1) the glass complies with motor vehicle safety standards of the United States Department of Transportation for safety glazing materials, and (2) the glass is installed in a location permitted by those standards for the particular type of glass used.

Looks like to me 35% is the max someone could use for reflectivity and still remain legal (at least in California).

For further research, check: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c4.htm

I'm not a lawyer, nor do I have the patience to play one, even on TV ;-)

Jim Thompson 84 Westfalia 2.1 "Ole Putt" oldvolkshome@earthlink.net jim@karmannghia.com http://www.oldvolkshome.com *********************** ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug in Calif" <vanagon@ASTOUND.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 2:29 PM Subject: Question about running reflective tint in CA

Any other vanagon folks have any experiences with running various types of window tint in CA or Oregon, Nevada, AZ, WY, WA, ID, UT, or other places I may travel out west.

Here's the specifics to my questions:

The non reflective "dark limo" tint will actually raise the interior temps of your van. It absorbs heat and radiates this heat into the van.

The "reflective" (slightly mirrored) tint will reject this heat energy and will cool down the interior.

State laws on tint are all over the place on what is legal.

CA has a MNIR law which states (must not increase reflectivity)

Yet I could not find the specifc MNIR vehicle code.

The closest thing is could find is 26708.a-1 Which pertains to blocking of light not reflectivity. This would also not allow you to tint the back window at all.

I called my local police and call the local California Highway Patrol and they told me "the way its enforced" is you can put whatever you want on the back and sides just not the windshield and front drivers/ pass windows.

I asked specificly about a "reflective or mirrored" tinting and was told "no, you should not have any problem with that, just as long as its only on the back and side windows".

The guy at Tap Plastics told me the (reflective, mirrored, metallic) types of tint are only sold for residential use and not "recommended" for auto applications.

Reason given is the mirrored tint can reflect sunlight into the eyes of other drivers.

The reflective tint is the only tint that has the heat rejection ratings that are worth putting on. The dark limo tint is junk in my opinion.

Any thoughts of California enforcement or what others have had as far as other states on this would be appreciated.

Just trying to keep the solar gain down out here in CA, temps near 100 today.

Thanks,

Doug


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