Having issues with power lock.

[DeanMachine]

Hey guys I've searched and can't find the answer to my problem. I've used jescar poylmer plus a few times now, and each time I've been getting only a week or so of protection. I've tried putting it on thin to thick. Let cure properly. Not sure what gives. Any one got a video or photo of exactly! How thin to put it on, by hand that is.
Done it with one and two coats.
Last time did an IPA wipe down before sealing and still, felt dry and didn't bead for a wash a week later.

So I got Opti seal, hopefully I'll have better luck with it, but also got a quick question about Opti seal, can it be layerd, and can I apply it in winter when it's below 50

[cleanmycorolla]

How did you prep the car. Did you wash and clay?

[DeanMachine]

So out of the 4 times I used it, 3 of those were after a wash, clay, and one step polish. One time was putting it on my brand new truck, so wash and seal. Seems all glossy and smooth when done but week or so later dry and no beeding.

[Mike Phillips]

Interesting.


What I teach is the most important factor to any products performance and/or longevity is,

How you wash the car.

Or more specifically, how the paint is "touched".


:)

[DeanMachine]

Wow I didn't think I get a response from Mike Philips, thank you for taking the time to read my post. I personally will pressure wash all the loose dirt off, do the wheels, use the two bucket method, start at the top work my way down, and pressure wash off, then use a shami to dry. I was using meguirs gold wash up until last week when I got foam cannon.

As for built up layers of wax and such claying and polishing, should of removed it. And IPA wipe down before sealing should of got rid of the oils. Only thing I can think of is I putting it on thick, or it was just a tad bit cold, when I put it in 55degress. Also I didn't let get wet for 12 hours.

[Bobby B.]

I've always had great luck with the Jescar Power Lock Polymer Paint Sealant. There should be no bonding issues if you Washed, Clayed, Polished and did an IPA wipe down before applying the Power Lock Paint Sealant. Maybe try applying a 2nd coat?

[osiapstndp]

What sort of one-step polish product did you use? If it leaves behind its own protection it may interfere with Power Lock's ability to bond to the paintwork. Another idea is mayhaps there is something in your environment, or the last product that touches your paint, that is masking the behavior of the sealant. Power Lock is stout stuff and will not "fall off" the paint in a week (or a month, or longer) if it holds on to the surface as designed. You mentioned wiping the surface with an IPA mixture. At which ratio did you mix the IPA? A mild solvent, depending on what is on the paint, may not be the end-all decision maker here.

[DeanMachine]

I've tried two coats before seemed to help a little, but still not how it's supposed to. I need to get a good single coat to work for me first. And yes from what I've read everyone agrees power lock stuff is great and durable, which is why got it.
As for IPA I took a bottle of 70/30 and mixed it 50/50.

Oh and I'm using the 3m perfect-it system

[MattPersman]

Do you have tons of contaminates where you commute and/or park. I'm by a couple rock quarries a it's heck on LSPs. Full of contaminates in short order.


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[DeanMachine]

Yes, under trees at work, under trees at home, and it WA so rain almost every day

[Mike Phillips]

Hey guys I've searched and can't find the answer to my problem. I've used jescar poylmer plus a few times now,

and each time I've been getting only a week or so of protection.

felt dry and didn't bead for a wash a week later.




Just a couple of comments...

Water beading is a sign of surface tension and it can indicate longevity in that if water beads up after each time you wash the car and rinse, but over time you see the water beading diminishing as more time goes by and you pay attention to it after the rinse.

Meguiar's chemist use to tell me that some of the best protecting ingredients for paint don't actually bead water very well.






Wow I didn't think I get a response from Mike Philips, thank you for taking the time to read my post.



I try to get to as many as I can but sorry to say I can't get to every post on this forum. :)

Since my first reply to this thread I've written two more articles and I'm finishing a third after I hit the [Submit Reply] button and it's just now lunchtime.






I personally will pressure wash all the loose dirt off, do the wheels, use the two bucket method, start at the top work my way down, and pressure wash off, then use a shami to dry. I was using meguirs gold wash up until last week when I got foam cannon.



The above is all good and I do some of the above. It's also very thorough.





As for built up layers of wax and such claying and polishing, should of removed it.



Correct.

Polishing would have obliterated any previously applied products.






And IPA wipe down before sealing should of got rid of the oils.



I would not have wasted time doing this but to each their own. See my article here,

Miscible and Immiscible - Wax and Paint Sealant Bonding (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/31186-miscible-immiscible-wax-paint-sealant-bonding.html)






Only thing I can think of is I putting it on thick, or it was just a tad bit cold, when I put it in 55degress. Also I didn't let get wet for 12 hours.




A thin coat will do everything a thick coat will do while wasting less product and requiring less effort to remove. Plus it will dry faster.


Water beading is tricky thing... years ago at Meguiar's during the NXT vs Zaino Wars Mike Pennington did some experiments with simply how water FALLS or lands on a horizontal surface and this by itself can affect water beading.

One thing for sure that I know...

Everyone loves how water beading looks!


But... water beading can lead to Type II Water Spots if you not around to dry off the water, (like when it rains and your car is outside in the parking lot at work), and in my opinion, Type II Water Spots are the worst type of defect to have to remove.

3 - Types of Water Spots - Type I, Type II and Type III (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/hot-topics-frequently-asked-questions/33499-3-types-water-spots-type-i-type-ii-type-iii.html)



It could be something in your process is diminishing the surface tension and this is causing the water beading to lessen.


I use a paint coating on our Mercedes-Benz and water beads-up like crazy. I use a one-step cleaner/wax on my truck and water beads up for a few weeks and then starts to lay flat.


:dunno:

[DeanMachine]

I meant no disrespect, I know your busy guy, I just joined the forum today and didn't know you personally responded on forums.

As for beeding, I never thought about there being protection left when the product stops to bead, I will have to keep a closer eye on this.

I think after reading everyone response and talking to you, im going to focus on my technique, understand each product can behave differently from the last, and that beading, is not the all be all.

[BryanH]

I had the same issue last time I used PowerLock. Went through the whole clay/polish process on a car and then used CarPro Eraser before applying PowerLock. Two or three weeks later I went back to wash this car and it seemed like I had applied nothing. I followed that wash with an application of Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax which is what I had on hand. Every few weeks I go and wash this car and have to re-apply UQW. I somewhat expect this as I don't imagine a spray detailer should last months on a car that sits outside, I'm just baffled there doesn't seem to be a base layer of PowerLock there at all. Water lays completely flat on the surface and contaminants stick to the paint quite a lot. Far cry from one of my personal cars which sits outside mere blocks away, and does ok (not amazing but ok) with Duragloss 601/105 on it.

So far I've been most happy with Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0.

[DetailZeus]

Just a couple of comments...

Water beading is a sign of surface tension and it can indicate longevity in that if water beads up after each time you wash the car and rinse, but over time you see the water beading diminishing as more time goes by and you pay attention to it after the rinse.

Meguiar's chemist use to tell me that some of the best protecting ingredients for paint don't actually bead water very well.




Love it. I know you've posted stuff like this before Mike but I think it bears repeating. I personally could care less about water beading; the most important thing for me is how easily dirt is released from the car meaning fewer, gentler passes with the mitt = less marring.

I think you mentioned there was a great LSP that tanked in the market because it did not show relentless water beading.

The problem is we use water beading as the standard for LSP longevity. Is this the best benchmark? I don't know.

[MattPersman]

Since you are under trees all the time and tons of rain that's hard on an LSP hate to say try a different one. Perhaps someone local can give you an ounce or 2 of something that works for them and see if it holds up for you. Or else you end up with shelves and bins of Sealants that you really could never go through in a life time. Most of us have that


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