So water beads....

[Adamized]

Why are they good? What do they help with? Do they just look cool or what? No question is a dumb question. But I have to know.

[Vincenzo]

It's really easy to avoid beads of water drying in the sun. Slam the gas pedal for about 5 seconds, then slam the brake pedal until you stop. Boom, 95% of the water is gone. Done, no big deal.

[Chris@Adams]

Why are they good? What do they help with? Do they just look cool or what? No question is a dumb question. But I have to know.

They may look cool but they are not good in my opinion, when the sun comes out they bake and cause (water spots) etching in the paint.

[randyfox]

They may look cool but they are not good in my opinion, when the sun comes out they bake and cause (water spots) etching in the paint.

 

 

This.

 

I unfortunately may be dealing with a little bit of this on my 350Z. I noticed it right before I left for training. I am going to have to investigate further when I get home.

[the1inblue]

They may look cool but they are not good in my opinion, when the sun comes out they bake and cause (water spots) etching in the paint.

 

I battle with this on a daily bases lol

 

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[musclejunkie]

They may look cool but they are not good in my opinion, when the sun comes out they bake and cause (water spots) etching in the paint.

 

Wax causes paint damage, through water beading and paint etching from the sun? This is a new radical twist. So, is the machine sealant the only way to go? Should we throw out our Americana? I'm curious what the Adam's folks will say about this.

[DaveVY]

Wax causes paint damage, through water beading and paint etching from the sun? This is a new radical twist. So, is the machine sealant the only way to go?

 

IMO, the goal isn't to bead water but to protect the paint, to make it difficult for dirt to bond with the paint. With the great protection we have with the Machine Super Sealant, follow-up wax and our two bucket wash techniques - even when we do have some dirt on the car that mixes with rain and we end up with a "spotted" car, we are able to more effectively remove the dirt and spots without causing damage. Of course there are those times when I forget and leave the car parked on the street next to the neighbor's yard and their sprinkers end up finely misting the car with the lime ridden hard water and it takes a couple good washes and sometimes a clay bar to remove the resulting spots, especially when they watered during the hot sun!...

[musclejunkie]

Dig that! I got pepper sprayed last week with a sprinkler system that spotted and ruined my newly detailed car. Actually some WW followed by a good washing with Adam's shampoo and another coat of Americana brought it back.

[Bill-V8V]

Wax causes paint damage, through water beading and paint etching from the sun? This is a new radical twist. So, is the machine sealant the only way to go? Should we throw out our Americana? I'm curious what the Adam's folks will say about this.

 

 

I don't think that is what Chris was trying to say

[mbreyer]

It's really easy to avoid beads of water drying in the sun. Slam the gas pedal for about 5 seconds, then slam the brake pedal until you stop. Boom, 95% of the water is gone. Done, no big deal.

 

Thought I was the only one.:lol:

[Redvenm]

I find that when my car or truck is on even the slightest angle when parked, the beading water runs off much better allowing it to be dried much easier. Seems to me that this would prevent more water spots than it creates.

[musclejunkie]

Well, not to create world war III over this, but Chris has a good point. I've noticed over the years that cars I neglected (yes Virginia there were some, like my '96 Civic) had -0- water spotting issues. What we need is a wax or sealant product that protects, while creating "sheeting" not beading. I'm not aware of a product like this, yet, anyway.

[Vincenzo]

Thought I was the only one.:lol:

Lol, you should have seen the look on my supervisor's face when I asked for an early break (when it stopped raining) just to do that (avoid water spots!)

 

[Odds and Ends]

IMO, the goal isn't to bead water but to protect the paint, to make it difficult for dirt to bond with the paint. With the great protection we have with the Machine Super Sealant, follow-up wax and our two bucket wash techniques - even when we do have some dirt on the car that mixes with rain and we end up with a "spotted" car, we are able to more effectively remove the dirt and spots without causing damage.

 

Well said and I will add this about water spots in general. The best way to avoid them and any possible etching is to make it a habit of always drying your car. I will do one of two things depending on the circumstances. If I'm getting ready to do a polish or wax touch up, I'll use Waterless Wash as my drying agent. If I'm just doing a simple wash and nothing additional, I'll use Detail Spray as my drying agent. Either way, this ensures whatever water that's left doesn't sit for an extended period of time. I also will dry the car if I get caught in a light rain.

 

Remember, good technique and proper use of products is for protection and making things easier to clean. The only way to prevent actual damage is to not put yourself in the situation to begin with.

 

- Darryl

[Grubrunner]

I recently viewed a [near] identical question posted on a car care forum and another member pasted a great reply from a URL.

 

Below is the reply --

 

Water is a polar molecule, composed of two hydrogen atoms bonded to a single oxygen atom. Water molecules like to stick to one another, like small magnets. This is called cohesion.

 

Water molecules also can be attracted to other substances, such as metal or dirt, especially if they have some static charge on them. This is called adhesion.

 

Lastly, some substances are not at all attracted to water, and even repel it. These include oils, fats and waxes; all of which are called non-polar substances.

 

When water falls on an unwaxed car, the forces of adhesion are almost as strong as the forces of cohesion, and the water spreads out. Furthermore, if the painted surface is not perfectly smooth, water can be channeled for some distance along tiny ridges and valleys. This is particularly true if there is dirt on the car. The dirt itself may be charged, and attract water even more. These tiny flaws may not be readily visible without a magnifying glass, but you can sense a rough surface when you run your hand over it. On such a rough surface, drops of water appear flat and wide and often uneven.

 

Car waxes, when applied properly to a clean car, fills in the larger scratches and layers the whole car. The chemical structure of the wax prevents water from penetrating to the surface of the car. Because the wax itself is hydrophobic (literally "fears water"), the forces of adhesion are much less than the forces of cohesion. So, water is more likely to stick to itself, and water beads up higher and rounder than on an unwaxed car.

[Bill-V8V]

Good info Ed :thumbsup:

[InDepthAutoDetailing]

And now we know.