Has Anyone Cleaned their Lucas PL700 Tripod?

[patrickt]

Over the years, my PL700 Tripod head lamps have become yellowed and hazy on the inside. I can't tell whether the head lamp is made of glass or some sort of hard plastic. I took them out and apart, and you can kind of get in via the rear, but I'm tempted to just fill them up with soapy water, or even put them in the dishwasher. If it's some sort of hard plastic I guess I should use Plexus on it. They used to look pretty nice, but they kind of look crappy all yellowed and hazy.

[ERA Chas]

The lens is glass, the reflector is hard styrene which is plastic plated IIRC. Mine became milky with a chalky white powder on the reflector.

Cleaning through the back, I used cotton batting and isopropyl alcohol to swab the glass and reflector with a long slim screwdriver to move the cotton around. Just keep going until clean and dry.

Forget water and ESPECIALLY the dishwasher.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

The lens is glass, the reflector is hard styrene which is plastic plated IIRC. Mine became milky with a chalky white powder on the reflector.

Cleaning through the back, I used cotton batting and isopropyl alcohol to swab the glass and reflector with a long slim screwdriver to move the cotton around. Just keep going until clean and dry.

Forget water and ESPECIALLY the dishwasher.

OK, that sounds like a plan. Thanks.

[MFE III]

Does anybody have a source for these? I bought some cheapies off fleabay and let's just say, I got what I paid for.
The optics on mine are terrible.
Matt

[1985 CCX]

I had bad luck with solvent......
Best luck I had was automatic dish detergent at about 5% in warm water. Dissolve the detergent and add ~ 1/4 cup to the lense and swish around. Rinse several times with hot water and let stand dry. If you use solvent, includes glass cleaner, use constant air to dry as the lack of air may lead to an oh no.......

[Blas]

Take some regular dish washing liquid and some warm water. Cut up some strips of a nice bath towel, about 1" wide and 3" long. Pour the premixed liquid into the light housings, add 2or 3 pieces of rag inside each lens , swirl and agitate for a few mins. Empty and rinse with tap water. If they are still not clear, repeat as necessary. ( Some people us chopsticks with the rags connected to them and spine the chopsticks like a washer agitator - but tri-bars could give you problems) When you are satisfied with the cleaning, final rinse them again with distilled water. The get a couple bottles of isopropyl alcohol. Add a half cup to each housing, swirl so all areas are cleared of water, Dump alcohol, then refill with some alcohol, dump again, and let air dry opening down (NOT in the sun) If you did it right, they look like new.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Blas

Take some regular dish washing liquid and some warm water. Cut up some strips of a nice bath towel, about 1" wide and 3" long. Pour the premixed liquid into the light housings, add 2or 3 pieces of rag inside each lens , swirl and agitate for a few mins. Empty and rinse with tap water. If they are still not clear, repeat as necessary. ( Some people us chopsticks with the rags connected to them and spine the chopsticks like a washer agitator - but tri-bars could give you problems) When you are satisfied with the cleaning, final rinse them again with distilled water. The get a couple bottles of isopropyl alcohol. Add a half cup to each housing, swirl so all areas are cleared of water, Dump alcohol, then refill with some alcohol, dump again, and let air dry opening down (NOT in the sun) If you did it right, they look like new.

Dang, that has the ring of authority. That's exactly what I'll do tomorrow. I'd do it tonight, but the only alcohol in the house is single malt scotch....

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Dang, that has the ring of authority. That's exactly what I'll do tomorrow. I'd do it tonight, but the only alcohol in the house is single malt scotch....

Really? How's this for authority? Done about 12 years ago without multiple soap cycles-just iso as I described. Crystal clear and no rusting the tri-bars.

[RodKnock]

Chas, just more evidence of East Coast bias. Beautiful car BTW.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Really? How's this for authority? Done about 12 years ago without multiple soap cycles-just iso as I described. Crystal clear and no rusting the tri-bars.

Hmmm, you have a point on the rusting tri-bars. OK, I'm back with you now. Isopro it is, but I am going to cut up the towels and wiggle them around in it. I don't think we have any chopsticks, but I know there's a fresh box of Fudgicles in the fridge. I'll eat one and save the stick.

[ERA Chas]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Chas, just more evidence of East Coast bias. Beautiful car BTW.

Thank you Rod-but I can't get it to shine like yours...

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

Thank you Rod-but I can't get it to shine like yours...

You should treat yourself to a Fudgicle. Not a Fudgesicle, but rather a Fudgicle. There's a difference, you know....

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

You should treat yourself to a Fudgicle. Not a Fudgesicle, but rather a Fudgicle. There's a difference, you know....

You know, when I opened this thread I was expecting to read something about cameras. But now, I really have no idea what Patrick is babbling on about.

I liked it better when he quotes obscure real estate definitions from old English law.

[mkassab]

Originally Posted by MFE III

Does anybody have a source for these? I bought some cheapies off fleabay and let's just say, I got what I paid for.
The optics on mine are terrible.
Matt

Matt.... I got mine here... Classic Garage.. http://classicgarage.com/luplhereexre.html Comes with H4 bulbs, but I bouhgt a very high quality PIAA Xtreme White Plus bulbs, 4000k H4 60/55W part# ECE R37.

Mark

[mkassab]

Ok... to those that cleaned them..... is there anything that can be done to seal out the water, dirt, grime? Maybe some gaskets or silicon to make them more like a sealed beam light?
Thanks... Mark

[patrickt]

I used a combination of the suggested approaches, the chasblas method, to coin a phrase. I mixed 91% isopropryl alcohol with Palmolive (you're soaking in it...) and poured that in to the head lamp. I then crammed cotton balls in and used a plastic fork to swab them all around. A spork might have been better as you could take advantage of the concave and convex nature of the tool while continuing to enjoy the gripping ability of the prongs. The Fudgicle stick was not an appropriate tool as it had chocolate remnants embedded in the stick. The chasblas method worked beautifully -- it looks even better than the picture below.

[Gofastoldguy]

Matt...you might try these lights from http://www.southernrods.com for $50 a pair. Super bright bulbs are $10. They look and work great on my car.
Bill