IPA Dilution and

[ShawnF350]

I bought a bottle of 70% IPA. Whats the preferred dilution ratio. I`ve never done an IPA yet on a vehicle.
I`m reading 50/50 and even found where Mike Phillips says 10% is good.
I plan on polishing out my wife`s Edge with Essence getting ready to coat it with CqUK.
Is IPA still suggested or should I skip that if using Essence?

[The Guz]

IPA is not needed if you are following up Essence with CQuartz.

[RDKC]

I don`t remember the link but you obviously found the thread by Mike Phillips over at AG. I read it and have been, for the most part, following the weaker dilutions he recommends.

I was a little skeptical at first but went ahead and did it since, I mean, it`s Mike Phillips. If he doesn`t know what he`s doing then we`re all screwed.

Painting actually killed the skepticism. I don`t remember when but I was prepping something for some spray paint months back and I`ve always use IPA for the final wipe before spraying. Straight out of the bottle, whatever I bought. But, for whatever reason, I decided to try the diluted bottle of IPA for this project. I had zero problems with adhesion and have had no problems with it since.

I know painting isn`t exactly the same - so take that for what it`s worth - but it definitely eased my mind knowing that it still works.

[Lonnie]

Aren`t there manufacturer product-specific prep cleaners for their coatings??
Optimum has Paint Prep®
Gtechiq was PW Panel Wipe®
CarPro has Eraser Intensive Oil and Polish Cleaner (NOT to be confused with HDs Eraser Water Spot Remover)
Menzerna has Control Cleaner

I have PPG (Pittsburg Paint and Glass) DX-440 and DX-330 Wax and Oil Prep Cleaner (pre-VOC formulas no longer available) used by body shops. They work extremely well, BUT, because they are no longer made, I need to be "discrete" (IE, limited) about their use for "special" cleaning situations.

I do know that Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) is an absolute must in cleaning clear coated/painted surfaces after using Megs M205 polish on them, as it removes the Trade-Secret Oils (TSOs) used as a lubricant that if not removed have caused "compatibility problems" with the carnauba waxes (particularly AutoGlym`s HD wax) I use. I would assume the same can be said of coatings. You learn from your experience and will not make that mistake again, so hence, I share it with you. Now you may not have that problem if you use Meg`s waxes or sealants, but this thread is about IPA and coatings, so take it for what it`s worth.

I use 91% undiluted because it seems to evaporate "better" at lower ambient temperatures (below 55°F). Diluting a 70% IPA with distilled water (not tap) makes sense if the ambient temperatures are about 75°F.

I would think that using IPA as a final prep cleaner after any polish is a much less expensive (IE, cost-effective) alternative to product-specific cleaners, BUT may not be as effective as those specific cleaners. However, if you make the decision to invests in the (higher) cost of a coating, I would think it would make economic sense to use also invest in their prep cleaner to obtain the optimum results (no pun intended to OPT!) for that coating.

[ShawnF350]

I hate being wrong Lonnie, but you may have a good point with what`s in the following vid.
May have to get Eraser

https://youtu.be/GKIl4UWFXm0

[ShakingHorizons]

Lots of good information on the thread I posted a little while back on this same topic -

IPA Dilution

[The Guz]

Pulled right from CarPro`s site

Questions & Answers from the forum:

1 - What is CarPro Essence?

CarPro Essence is a semi-permanent sio2 extreme gloss enhancer, finishing polish, primer, and coat in one.

2 - Do I have to use Eraser between Essence and CQuartz?

If your using Essence by machine and you wait until the vehicle is finished then you can apply Reload or CQuartz after you finish the vehicle starting in the same direction you polished. If you want to be ultra safe you can still Eraser but in our testings to date we have not seen any failure when we skipped Eraser.

If your using Essence by hand then we recommend you use Eraser before coating.

3 - How long does CarPro Essence last?

We expect 1 year on its own BUT we recommend applying reload or CQuartz over top for the much better hydrophobics and dirt resistance. This will provide 115+ Degree contact angle instead of 90 deg contact angle (not so good) with Essence alone.

4 - So, I can use Essence with CQuartz?

Yes, any CQuartz coating and any of our CarPro Nano sealants like Reload it will work great.

5 - How does it work if you use it between the paint and CQuartz?

It bonds to the paint, the CQuartz bonds to it and merges. The Sio2/resin in it are heat activated by the machine polishing process. If using by hand or in very cold temps you should Eraser the vehicle before coating.

6 - So, if this has Sio2 quartz protection inside it why are you guys telling me to top it with Reload or CQuartz?

Great question! The protection is there as we stated BUT the contact angle of the water beads and the dirt repellency is not very good / not on par with Reload or CQuartz.

7 - Is CarPro Essence super easy to use?

Yes, usually extremely easy! It is but there are always other variables. As always there can be a little learning curve on some paints. IF you run into a paint where it seems to stick a bit then you need to change your pad type and or your machine speed, arm speed, or pressure.

On very soft paints especially (because it sticks to soft paint easier) consider the following method:
Use a microfiber pad
Spread super fast on speed 1
Raise speed to about 3-4 depending on machine
Using minimal pressure (about a pound or so + weight of machine) use VERY slow arm movement across the section and go only one single pass.

Finally for some paints, consider faster arm movement with half bites into the section, backing up, and then moving forward to avoid any sticking of product.

8 - What if I leave a spot that seems like the Essence stuck to it?

Simply apply a dot of Essence on the area, run over it with fast arm speed, and immediately wipe off the residue. It may simply wipe off with a suede and a dot of Essence as well.

9 - When should I wipe off the residue?

On some paints you could actually leave it there an hour and it is still super easy to wipe off. On soft or porous paints we recommend wiping off immediately after each section.

10 - What about my pads… Do I need to clean them after use to avoid them becoming “crispy” with Sio2?

Yes, clean your pads very well with APC/water after use. During use it doesn’t harden due to the repeated saturation of more Essence on the pad.

11 - What about my microfiber wiping towels?

Yes, wash your towels well or soak them after use if you can’t place them in the washer soon after.

12 - So what are the biggest benefits to using CarPro Essence?

There are a LOT of applications and benefits where Essence excels beyond anything previously available.
Gloss on another level
Hours saved per vehicle
Ease of finishing even the most difficult paints
Thickening of the coating (Essence builds a glossy and reflective quartz coat) which bonds with the paint and merges with CQuartz or Reload if we apply it after Essence.
PPF… We all know its not the best looking means of protection… so this was a really cool find… ppf and clear bras LOVE CarPro Essence! The clarity and gloss of ppf is VERY visibly enhanced when Essence is used on top.

13 - How much cut is in Essence? How large are the abrasives?

Essence uses the same abrasives from Reflect but less of them. However, due to the viscosity and balance of a number of other ingredients we do see an unexpected amount of cut on some paints (especially when paired with a Megs microfiber cutting pad)

14 - How does this work? Is this some kind of marketing nonsense?

No, thanks for your patience as we launched this! Answers to any questions will be answered in this thread. Feel free to post any others you have!


15 - Can I use CarPro Essence without compounding first?

That depends… Certainly you can and certainly it will produce excellent gloss. As for durability this would be theoretically ill-advised. On many paints it will also cut FAR more than you can imagine in concert with a Meguiars microfiber cutting pad. As far as how durable it will be and what your goal is you should compound first to remove oxidation and scratches.

In other words if the paint is not in good condition or is oxidized and you want to have long term protection then you SHOULD compound first.
As for the finish and deeper swirls… that is what test sections are for – when choosing if Essence provides the cut you desire.

16 - What about Essence topped with CarPro Hydro2? Or Hydrofoam?!

Yes, in this case I would advise that you wait until the vehicles next visit or anytime after 5 days to apply Hydro2 or wash with Hydrofoam. In my experience using Essence and then maintaining with CarPro Hydrofoam = Magic

17 - How long until it can get wet?

1 hour before you should allow release into water. BUT remember we are applying Reload or CQuartz over the top so if CQuartz is the choice for topping then CQuartz will still need its cure time to avoid water spots.

18 - If my car already is in good condition... recent decon, polishing, and now has wax on it can I simply use Essence? Or do I need to strip the existing protection first?

This I`m not sure... A little too many variables - with some wax, sealants, and the right pad and pad cleaning etc it would be fine BUT I wouldn`t risk it. I would kill the wax off well with strong iron X Snow soap cleaning, then proceed. We may update this after we have enough field testing to prove otherwise.

19 - What is the shelf life expectancy?

1 Year

20 - Should I strip existing protection if paint is in great shape to apply Essence?

Yes, I would strip the wax or sealant as a minimum prep step.

21 - How much should I apply? like a polish... or sparingly like a coating?

More like a polish. For using the CarPro Gloss pad we apply sparingly for most paints. With Microfiber Pad we use more.


22 - How far will the 5oz bottle go?

2-5 cars depending on the goal, the paint, the pad, and more

23 - Can Essence be used as sort of a paint prep product on a well corrected vehicle that already has CQuartz and/or Reload on it, then follow with CQuartz and/or Reload again?

Yes, you can use to "heal" a damaged existing CQuartz coating. Keep in mind that its possible to damage some the existing CQuartz hydrophobic surface when you "heal" any micro marring with Essence but if you are coating again over the top then it should be a moot point. If you are not coating again over the top then you are trading - fixing the light marring for a less hydrophobic and dirt repellant surface.

24 - Does this have to be used with CQuartz or Reload or can I use something else as a LSP or do I even need to worry about using a LSP?

We believe you can use a lot of different lsp that work well with this. We haven`t tested others products with it so not positive the results but that is our estimate. I would wait a bare minimum of an hour if applying a sealant or wax with high solvent content in it. You might test that further before doing an entire car to see if an hour is enough. I know one of our friends is planning on moving to Essence as their prep for their high grade Carnauba Wax service. After they have tested thoroughly i will try to remember to update here.
Also see Q&A # 3

25 - What color foam pad is recommended for this? I despise MF Pads

Short answer - Scholl Concepts Spider pad (Blue or Honey)

Long answer - This is a tough one to answer (so many variables again)... It will work with any foam pad really BUT depending on the paint you may have more or less luck with different pads. The issue is this "sticking" the product seems to do on some paints (more in certain environments) On a microfiber pad that seems to be a much shorter learning curve to avoid. I personally tested on Meguiars Microfiber pad (both cutting and finishing, CarPro Gloss pads, Orange Buff & Shine, and Scholl Concepts Spider pads (worked well)and a yet to be mentioned pad...

26 - How do I use CarPro Essence?

Please read the instructions on the bottom of the description page of Essence, see our application video on the video tab, and visit our forum CarPro Forum - The Official CarPro-US Discussion Forum

[Accumulator]

...I do know that Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) is an absolute must in cleaning clear coated/painted surfaces after using Megs M205 polish on them, as it removes the Trade-Secret Oils (TSOs) used as a lubricant that if not removed have caused "compatibility problems"...

Actually, I find IPA to be relatively INeffective for removing the TSO in M205, whereas my paint-prep products (I use HiTemp`s PrepWash or whatever they call it these days) work quite well by comparison.