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View Full Version : My infrared Veil testing and video



jwardell
04-24-2007, 09:38 PM
My Veil just arrived today and I have a handful of tests to put it through planned. I got working on the first one right away and already made a video of it tonight. There is more to come in a week or so after I apply it to the car.

First, the packaging. As others mentioned, the outer can had a broken security seal, but a second unbroken. The inner can's seal was unbroken. No product had spilled out, but I could smell it. The can was sealed with electrical tape and when I removed this, I noticed the inside of the tape (and my fingers) was covered with veil. So was true of the inner seal--veil had escaped it somehow, though it appeared sealed and was a bit of a pain and very messy to remove the seal. Perhaps something in the veil actually eats through the seal...maybe it should instead in a glass container? I will be sure to store it upright and in a ziplock bag in the future.

Now for my first test: License plate. Front plates are required here, and no covering is allowed, so I would really like to find a way to apply veil to the plate unnoticeably. I know it hasn't been done in the past. I thought perhaps spraying several layers of clearcoat over the plate might change the surface to something more favorable. I did so on the center half of an old unused license plate. Then I applied veil to half (so we could see how the clearcoat changed things, if any). Sadly the clearcoat did not seem to help. I added lasershield over the bottom just to record its additional protection.

Since I have an older Sony DV cam, it has the nightshot mode that removes the infrared filter and turns on an infrared led for illumination. This is perfect for testing how well these products block infrared light. Ideally, we want them to pass all visible light (and therefore look invisible) while blocking as much infrared as possible.

Here is the video of this first license plate test:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5567086855735969355

For now, I might just have to chance it with the lasershield or nothing.
Next I will be applying veil to one side of my car (headlights, rally lights, chrome trim) and making a similar video so we can see how veil works there.

I've also thought of spraying on veil with a pump spray bottle, I may also do videos of that if it proves to go on thinner and more evenly than using the foam brushes.

hookem202
04-24-2007, 10:51 PM
Great Video. You sure did use quite a bit of veil!

Veil Guy
04-25-2007, 06:16 AM
jwardell,

Interesting video, although I believe I would disagree with your final conclusion.

It appears that the lower right quadrant of the plate with both the Veil and LS together appeared noticeably darker in your IR mode than either one of them alone.

We generally recommend that Veil not be applied directly to the plate particularly light/white ones. For the same amount of material [of Veil] I believe you'll find better performance when Veil is on a clear plate cover or on the LS as one coat like we have recommended in the past.

Clear coating a layer on top of Veil, is not recommended because you may be adding back a glossy (reflective) outer surface that neither Veil nor the LS provides.

BTW, The LS does not block IR, it merely defuses (scatters) the light which passes through it.

Would you be willing to try to coat the back side of the LS in half or 1/4 and reshoot with no Veil on the plate. You may find performance is even better.

But even with your night shot mode, the difference between the upper left quadrant and the lower right one, was very significant, obviously, which is a good thing.

Veil Guy 8)

jwardell
04-25-2007, 06:35 AM
Yes, the lower right is the darkest. If anyone ran that they would probably be pulled over in an instant!
And of course I know that you don't recommend applying it directly to a plate, but to the back of lasershield or other clear plate cover...but as I stated those are not legal here, so the goal was to experiment to find a way to apply it directly to the plate.
The clearcoat was applied first, the veil on top of it. Clearly it made no difference.
I'm sure coating the lasershield will provide performace similar to that last quarter with both combined, but again my goal is NOT to use the lasershield. And it appears the laser shield alone does a pretty decent job, similar to veil alone. More tests will be forthcoming.

Veil Guy
04-25-2007, 07:01 AM
jwardell,

Do you have any alternatives in IL with plate selection? If there are other colors available to you, Veil may not be as noticeable on them.

Something else you may want to try. Try putting Veil directly on the plate in a quadrant with a very thing coating (light grey) in appearance. Let it dry, and they try another coating.

For some reason with retro reflective plates, it appears that one may be able to obtain better performance with a lighter overall appearance to the eye with multiple very thin coats of Veil than with a heavier one.

Veil Guy 8)

TSi+WRX
04-25-2007, 07:36 AM
Very nice! Thanks for taking the time-out to do this test! :)

jwardell
04-25-2007, 12:18 PM
I am not in IL, it is an old plate.
Here in mass the plates are even lighter! Pure white background.
You just gave me another reason to be jealous of delaware's VERY cool solid black plates.

Veil Guy
04-25-2007, 01:11 PM
PA, also has a black plate as an option, and of course, its on my vehicles!

http://www.mass.gov/rmv/express/plates.htm

I'd pick one of the darkest plates they offer, with the least amount of retroreflection or a replica plate of your actual one that doesn't contain any reto material in them. Some members have done so, quite successfully.

Veil Guy

8)

jwardell
04-26-2007, 07:30 AM
The plates are all much lighter than pictures on that site.
Plus the only one I like is the american flag (which I have), and that's better than some others.

Well I am impressed by Veil's durability today: It's still all around my fingernail after several days! :)

Looks like we have a rainy weekend ahead so I might not be able to put veil on this week. :(