Headlight Lens clarity - A comparison

[wankel7]

I am in the middle of doing a retrofit on my MKIV Jetta and just assumed that upgrading to the glass lenses would provide good durability and clarity. I was wrong about the clarity.

These are FX-R 3.0 2.5" projectors with Osram Night Breaker 4300K Bulbs.

Sorry for no audio....


:15 - :35 - My 85,000 OEM plastic lenses. While not bad they are not new either.


:40 - 1:10 - NON OEM Upgraded glass lenses from a popular supplier.


1:10 - 1:25 - My 85,000 OEM plastic lenses. While not bad they are not new either

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhJdnBXRofE

[wankel7]

The lens are flat and not curved

http://c1521972.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/...4740_large.jpg

[tofushopguy]

Did you try playing with the lens/shield spacing? Different lenses have slightly different focal lengths.

[wankel7]

Did you try playing with the lens/shield spacing? Different lenses have slightly different focal lengths.

I am comparing the protective lens covering the headlights not the actual projector lens.

[tofushopguy]

Well there goes my theory. Lol.

[Bitter]

The glass lens will be thicker than plastic and any distortions in the glass will be greater, thickness variations and even yes the very slight curve of the lens will cause changes in the light passing through it. Plastic lens is much thinner so it will bend the light much less.

Did you make sure to clean the glass very well before the testing? Often glass will have a film or haze on it that must be removed first, sometimes with a mild abrasive like rubbing compound or car paint polish, then wash the lens with isopropyl alcohol and dry it with a lint free cloth. Then re-test.

[wankel7]

The glass lens will be thicker than plastic and any distortions in the glass will be greater, thickness variations and even yes the very slight curve of the lens will cause changes in the light passing through it. Plastic lens is much thinner so it will bend the light much less.

Did you make sure to clean the glass very well before the testing? Often glass will have a film or haze on it that must be removed first, sometimes with a mild abrasive like rubbing compound or car paint polish, then wash the lens with isopropyl alcohol and dry it with a lint free cloth. Then re-test.

Yeah, I used a microfiber cloth with water to clear the haze. Just looking through the glass I could tell it was not clear at all. Oddly enough the vendors website said although there are imperfections they do not change the output. However, they did accept the return.

I was going to run a 40 mil Lamin-X film on my retrofit but I am not going to bother since it will most likely change the output.

[HK45]

Would there be a difference between acrylic and bicarbonite

[csjoh]

Surely you mean polycarbonate

[Bitter]

Nah, he must be talking about soda glass. (bad science joke)

[csjoh]

I'm just glad you made the joke and not me

[HK45]

No, obviously I'm talking about what they froze Han Solo in.

But ya, this forum changes a lot of what I type into different words when I use my phone. Sometimes I'm just too tired to go back and edit what was changed.