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Finally Found a Fix for Condensation in Depo Headlights

ducatiti

ducatiti

Ready to race!
Just wanted to share this with the peeps who are encountering water and moisture when it rains inside your Depo Projector Headlights.

I've tried everything from Gel packs, additional silicone sealant, felt sheets, etc.. The closest fix was placing chamois on top of the headlight, and locking it in place.

But the final thing I tried and no longer have moisture in my headlights no matter how strong the rain/wind is.........

I PLASTIDIPPED THE HEADLIGHT AND HIGHBEAM LEVEL ADJUSTERS!!!! In the five years I have owned my car and depo headlights, I have only adjusted the level once. It worked! Try it!
 
sterkrazzy

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
I put a bead of silicone around the entire lens on mine last weekend. Haven't been able to see if it helped any at all yet. I'll keep this in mind if it comes back.
 
ducatiti

ducatiti

Ready to race!
sterkrazzy said:
I put a bead of silicone around the entire lens on mine last weekend. Haven't been able to see if it helped any at all yet. I'll keep this in mind if it comes back.
Click to expand...

Tried that both clear and black silicone, did not work :) It was really bad with water beads inside the headlights. I'm just glad that it didn't leave water marks. Besides, plastidip can always be removed.

I was actually really fed up and about to install my stock headlights which came out the day after I purchased the new GTI.

I got so tired of removing the caps and placing a fan in the engine bay to dry the moisture out overnight. For the first time over the years, I no longer have condensation!!!!
 
riceburner

riceburner

Autocross Champion
Great idea, thanks for sharing! I can see how the adjusters are not sealed tight and therefore are a prone part for moisture!
 
ducatiti

ducatiti

Ready to race!
riceburner said:
Great idea, thanks for sharing! I can see how the adjusters are not sealed tight and therefore are a prone part for moisture!
Click to expand...

Just a note, if you recently had moisture prior to doing this, there may still be a bit residual moisture left and may appear again depending on the temperature... just a little on the corners. It will eventually go away for good after a few sunny days.
 
riceburner

riceburner

Autocross Champion
awesome. I retrofitting my depos recently and KNOW i sealed the lenses perfectly haha, so was wondering where i was getting condensation still here and there. def trying this asap
 
ducatiti

ducatiti

Ready to race!
riceburner said:
awesome. I retrofitting my depos recently and KNOW i sealed the lenses perfectly haha, so was wondering where i was getting condensation still here and there. def trying this asap
Click to expand...

Just curious, what kind of mod did you do to your headlights? Mind posting some pics?
 
ducatiti

ducatiti

Ready to race!
Update: after two weeks of rain here in Cali and GTI parked outside, still no sign of condensation at all.

Prior to the Plastidip quick fix, headlights would accumulate water after one drive in the rain or parked outside overnight while raining.

I think it is safe to say that I finally found the fix to the depo headlight dillema!
 
sterkrazzy

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
I guess I'll have to do this to mine now. I gave it a wash today and sure enough my headlight still fogged up. I popped the hood and there was standing water right on the adjuster.
 
J

Jiffyjetta

Ready to race!
I've had this problem on customer cars over the years and recently had it on my GLI. I keep a box of Drierite in my tool box and throw 1 of them in every headlight that has this issue. We have had some major rain in the last few weeks and I no longer have fogged up headlights.
Silica gel packets work for a little while but they don't absorb much, and it doesnt work well in hot areas.
The Drierite is better for higher heat and also will dry out so it can continue to work over a long period of time.
 
riceburner

riceburner

Autocross Champion
A

AvreyMK6

New member
ducatiti said:
Just wanted to share this with the peeps who are encountering water and moisture when it rains inside your Depo Projector Headlights.

I've tried everything from Gel packs, additional silicone sealant, felt sheets, etc.. The closest fix was placing chamois on top of the headlight, and locking it in place.

But the final thing I tried and no longer have moisture in my headlights no matter how strong the rain/wind is.........

I PLASTIDIPPED THE HEADLIGHT AND HIGHBEAM LEVEL ADJUSTERS!!!! In the five years I have owned my car and depo headlights, I have only adjusted the level once. It worked! Try it!
Click to expand...


New to this form, but I have condensation in my stock MKVI GTI headlight. Only the passenger side. I took the bulbs out last night and let them dry with some compressed air. My question is what exactly did you plastidip? The entire headlight assembly or just seals? I'm assuming just a clearcoat as well?
 
P

pseudo

New member
AvreyMK6 said:
New to this form, but I have condensation in my stock MKVI GTI headlight. Only the passenger side. I took the bulbs out last night and let them dry with some compressed air. My question is what exactly did you plastidip? The entire headlight assembly or just seals? I'm assuming just a clearcoat as well?
Click to expand...

Hello,
An old discussion, so i hope there's someone reading this. But i would like to know as well..
 
supraeazy

supraeazy

Passed Driver's Ed
pseudo said:
Hello,
An old discussion, so i hope there's someone reading this. But i would like to know as well..
Click to expand...
What I believe he is talking about is there is the adjuster holes where you insert an allen wrench to adjust your headlight beam, these have small seals and im guessing by plasidipping them you create a better seal that water will not get past.
 
I

imgoingplaces

New member
AvreyMK6 said:
New to this form, but I have condensation in my stock MKVI GTI headlight. Only the passenger side. I took the bulbs out last night and let them dry with some compressed air. My question is what exactly did you plastidip? The entire headlight assembly or just seals? I'm assuming just a clearcoat as well?
Click to expand...

im in the same exact situation
 
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