Paint protectants "holding" H20 on horizontal surfaces after fresh rain

[MichaelSpoots]

I noticed this on the 24/7-outside vehicles at my place. My personal vehicle is the only one that is protected. The other 3 "family" cars are left unprotected.



Well, after a fresh rain, I noticed that my car`s trunk lid, roof, and hood all contain large water beads. The unprotected vehicles, however, are completely dry.



What bothers me is that my paint "protection" LSP "holds" these large water beads on my horizontal paint surfaces for 2-3 days at a time, if I don`t drive my car. That`s basically rainwater sitting on top of my paint...having all the time it needs to etch in, or wear out my LSP, etc...whereas the unprotected cars` trunk lids, roofs, and hoods are completely dry. Funny how that works. :sadpace:

If you need pictures to illustrate this concept, just ask.



The obvious solution the, is to shelter the vehicle or wash/dry it after a rain. But I don`t want to. I would just like to know if other people experience this, and what they do, if anything. I found it very ironic that after a fresh rain, my car has about a quart of water sitting on the flat surfaces, but the unprotected cars are nice and dry :doh.

[Setec Astronomy]

We`ve had these discussions years ago, about whether "waxing" actually contributed to acid rain etching in the areas of the country susceptible to that. I think I even started a thread on it here or on MOL.



The unprotected cars, the water sheets off and what remains has a large surface area so it dries quickly.

[wannafbody]

The contaminants dry on the surface either way. They are more concentrated with beads but a good sealant will keep them on the surface of the sealant and not on the actual paint.

[RaskyR1]

Which is why I`ve never understood why the manufactures of waxes and sealants develop them to bead water rather than sheet it. :nervous:

[MichaelSpoots]

Thanks for the replies. I just wanted to make sure I wasn`t the only one encountering this funny situation :think2. I have a good layer of BFWD + UQD or OID on the car, so I`m sure those will do a fair job in protecting the clearcoat from the large water beads that sit atop the paint in the days following a rain.



+1 on the sheeting vs beading idea! (I`ve seen that discussed in past threads, and I agree).

[Boston Man]

Rasky, you can have both on a waxed surface. If you mist water on the surface, it will bead. If you use the "sheeting method" as you use before drying the car, it will sheet. Maybe i`m not understanding because you have ALOT more experience than me.

[Dan]

UPGP is really bad for doing this. FMJ on the other hand is supposed to sheet.

[wannafbody]

Even products that sheet with a hose retain a certain amount of beading in the rain.

[RaskyR1]

Rasky, you can have both on a waxed surface. If you mist water on the surface, it will bead. If you use the "sheeting method" as you use before drying the car, it will sheet. Maybe i`m not understanding because you have ALOT more experience than me.



The OP is only referring to raindrops. ;)



Yes, there is the sheeting method that you can do with those hose when washing, but I would like to see a wax that sheets rain water away rather than beading it.

[Barry Theal]

Yea Rasky when you find one let me know! I would love to find something that sheets rain water away as well. I had this debate a while back with someone about beading and sheating.

[SoCalB6]

Wouldn`t the new Meg`s hydrophobic stuff do this? That stuff is supposed to be anti-water, so I would think any water that comes in contact with it would be repelled. There`s a video, I think on MOL, of a hydrophobic product sheeting water uphill. Then again, it was sheeting with a hose and not sheeting rain drops. BTW, I have M21 2.0 and use it quite often, but have never seen it in the rain.

[Rob Tomlin]

I have a hard time believing that any paint will sheet off all the water from a parked car. But yes, a wax will retain more of the water on the surface than an unprotected one.

[FDNY1075]

Has anyone come up with a product that sheets *best* or much better than others?

[nonsensez9]

you`d first have to determine why water sheets off the unprotected surface. I suspect it`s because of the irregular surface. To replicate this with a sealant you`d probably have to sacrifice slickness and gloss.

[steelwind101]

Sometimes the shampoo you use effects how water behaves on the surface.



As an example i picked up some 3M Carwash soap, you know the one from Walmart for a couple of bucks. Its a thin liquid with a sweet cherry flavour.



Use it on a sealant and it tends to "flood off" easy after a wash and it leaves a nice shine. However, use it on a quality `nuba wax and it will not rinse away. There is a layer of "something" that leaves a thin layer of water over the whole car like you have no LSP!



Even worse, even if you go and QD your car you cant get rid of that glossing agent in 3M shampoo! Its nearly a whole week before beading returns to normal!