A modern vehicle is hard to imagine without tinted windows. However, the transmittance of tinting must meet regulatory requirements. It is determined using special instruments by the traffic police. With proper application of the protective layer, problems with the law do not arise.
Why tint a car?
Before you talk about the transmittance of tinting, you need to decide whether it is needed in each case. To do this, it is enough to study the main advantages that dimming automobile windows provides. There are a lot of them:
- high decorative possibilities;
- protection of interior elements from burnout;
- protection of the driver from blinding by ultraviolet rays;
- privacy of personal space;
- the exception of overheating.
As an additional advantage, one more advantage can be noted that is achieved when using durable films. This is an increase in safety in road accidents. Some types of materials used can trap broken glass particles.
What factors can hold back?
Despite these advantages, tinting a car has a number of significant disadvantages. They are listed below:
- some decrease in visibility;
- the possibility of applying penalties in case of non-compliance with certain requirements;
- the likelihood of defects on the glass due to improper dimming.
Many consumers are not afraid of these disadvantages. Therefore, the application of protective layers from ultraviolet radiation continues to be popular. The disadvantages can be mitigated through the use of quality materials and a clear study of the basic requirements.
Basic light transmittance
When the ban on tinting was lifted, motorists began to actively darken the windows. However, they often do not take into account light transmission, which leads to the use of penalties. When applying protective coatings from ultraviolet radiation, one should be guided by the points of GOST.
State standards allow vehicles with a light transmittance of tinting for windshield of 70 percent to drive. Shading strips with a width of less than 140 mm are also permitted in front. They are placed strictly at the top. As for the front side windows, they must also transmit at least 70% of the light. This is necessary so that the driver can clearly see from the sides and the front. There are no dimming requirements for other glasses if rear-view mirrors are installed on the sides.
The presented parameters should not be applied directly to the film or sprayed layer being purchased. It is necessary to take into account the light transmission of the glass itself, since this indicator is not one hundred percent.
Thus, although the ban on tinting has been lifted, there are certain restrictions regarding the dimming of windows that are located on the side and front of the driver. Therefore, when applying coatings should be a balanced approach. Otherwise, you can get into an unpleasant situation with law enforcement officials.
Methods for applying a protective coating
Most often, car tinting is performed using specialized films. The simplicity of this method allows motorists to carry out work without contacting the workshops. If necessary, such a coating can be removed from the surface of the glass, which is important when claims are made by traffic police inspectors. There are many types of films that differ not only in aesthetic, but also in practical characteristics.
Another option to darken the glass is to apply a special coating in the factory. It is resistant to mechanical stress. To obtain a high-quality layer, expensive equipment is needed. In everyday conditions, achieving an acceptable result is problematic.
In some cases, tinting of the side windows is done through removable panels that are coated. They can be removed as quickly as possible. Interior dimming with similar elements is relatively cheap.
Innovative types include electronic vehicle tinting. An electrochemical composition is applied to the glass surface. Transparency with this option varies depending on the ambient lighting. There are simply no problems with driving a car in the dark.
Light transmittance testers
An auxiliary device for the percentage determination of the penetration of sunlight is a taumeter. With it, traffic police inspectors measure the degree of light transmission. Widespread instruments that are shown in the table.
Title | Conditions | Description |
"Blik-N" | Measurements are taken at temperatures from -10 to 40 degrees. The glass thickness should be 3-10 mm, and the relative humidity should not exceed 95% | It is most popular among other analogues. Differs in compact sizes. The mass of the device is 900 g |
"Tonic" | It can be used for glasses up to 2 cm thick. It is recommended to use it in the temperature range from -10 to 40 degrees | It is a portable device. It operates from a small power supply of 3.6 volts. Product weight is only 500 g |
"Shine" | The width of the tested samples should vary between 3-6 mm. Measurements can be carried out at any time of the day at a temperature from -40 to 40 degrees | Not very convenient to use, as it weighs 1.4 kg. In this regard, traffic police are relatively rare. It is a stationary continuous device |
The listed devices allow you to successfully determine the allowed percentage of tinting on the front windows. The back dimming level, as mentioned above, is not checked by inspectors. However, the error of these models can still vary between 2-4 percent.
Features of measurements
A taumeter, like any other measuring device, must undergo certification without fail. Such events are usually held annually. After the test is completed, a certificate is issued to the device if it meets all the requirements.
The mechanism of work is as follows.
- First, the test sample is illuminated by the emitter.
- Next, a certain fraction of the light flux goes directly to the receiver.
- Then the captured radiation is transformed into a digital signal and displayed.
In order for the indications of technical equipment to be reliable, special requirements are imposed on its use. They are as follows:
- a prerequisite is the presence of a seal on the device;
- the date of the next inspection should be indicated on the label;
- measurements should be made three times in different places, calculating the average indicator;
- The test sample must be cleaned of contaminants before taking readings.
Road Check Conditions
Use the device for measuring tinting may an inspector or traffic police technical supervision officer. Checks should be carried out at fixed posts or checkpoints. Although when stopping outside the post, traffic police officers may offer to undergo testing with a special device, in fact there is a chance to refuse this.
An inspector can only force a traffic police officer to go to a stationary service station if he draws up an act of detention. However, this requires very serious reasons, which will be detected without revealing a specific violation. And it is impossible to determine the transmittance of tinting by eye.
About choosing a film coating
Since the option of sticking a film is in great demand, it is worth dwelling on it in more detail. First of all, you need to choose the right cover for your car. Painted films are very popular. Glare does not appear on them, in addition, they are able to reflect up to 20 percent of thermal radiation. The main disadvantage is the relatively quick discoloration.
Metallized films are more resistant to ultraviolet radiation . The protective layer in this case is located between the main layers or on the inside. The reflection level of thermal radiation can reach 70 percent. In sunny weather, such coatings gain a metallic luster.
When choosing a color scheme, they are usually guided by aesthetic preferences. There are a large number of shades. However, the acquired coating should not distort the perception of green and red colors.
Self-tinting
Having found out what percentage of tinting according to GOST is permissible in the Russian Federation, as well as having familiarized yourself with recommendations for choosing the main material, you can proceed directly to the work. The film will be applied to the glass using a set of specific tools and auxiliary equipment.
It is advisable to cook:
- paper napkins:
- sprinkler;
- blade or clerical knife;
- rubber spatula;
- detergent.
First of all, the glass to be tinted is thoroughly washed. Even small grains of sand that come under the coating cause serious defects. Foam solution is applied on a clean surface using a spray. The blank is removed from the blank cut from a large piece of film. The size-adjusted part is superimposed on the glass.
Air bubbles are smoothed out with a rubber spatula. After uniform distribution of the coating, drying is carried out. For these purposes an ordinary hair dryer is used. Glass with a glued film is not recommended to lower or raise within 72 hours.
Optimum light transmission for the rear windows
The most popular tint is 35 percent. Such films are glued only to the surface of the rear windows. They allow you to effectively protect the interior from the negative effects of sunlight, while visibility is not so much worse. They are most often used for cars of bright colors.
Another option is tinting 15 percent. In this case, the emphasis is on increasing the degree of dimming. Despite the relatively low light transmission, visibility remains acceptable. This tinting is ideal for vehicles of dark colors.
Final part
The state standard for determining the level of light transmission of applied films and sprayed coatings must be observed in order to ensure road safety. This applies primarily to the front windows, through which the main view opens for the driver of the vehicle. The blackout layer blocks visibility while riding. However, this level depends on the throughput of purchased materials.