PBL Diamond Coating V2 not beading

[Phaze Automotive]

I mentioned this in another thread but I finally had a chance to take pics. Note this was a second application after my previous thread. The first time around I noticed this I thought maybe the problem was the DP coating prep that I used. This time around I redid the bottom panels with PBL coating prep polish and reapplied the coating. Gave it about a week to cure.

As you can see from the pics, the top panels bead quite well but the bottom has almost no beading and in fact looks like there is no protection at all. I've emailed Pinnacle about this twice now and still no response from them. Any ideas what the problem might be?

For reference, the car was compounded and polished prior to coating application about 3 weeks ago.

Thanks in advance for any feedback, not sure why Pinnacle hasn't responded to my emails.

[Nick McKees37]

I mentioned this in another thread but I finally had a chance to take pics. Note this was a second application after my previous thread. The first time around I noticed this I thought maybe the problem was the DP coating prep that I used. This time around I redid the bottom panels with PBL coating prep polish and reapplied the coating. Gave it about a week to cure.

As you can see from the pics, the top panels bead quite well but the bottom has almost no beading and in fact looks like there is no protection at all. I've emailed Pinnacle about this twice now and still no response from them. Any ideas what the problem might be?

For reference, the car was compounded and polished prior to coating application about 3 weeks ago.

Thanks in advance for any feedback, not sure why Pinnacle hasn't responded to my emails.

First and foremost, thanks for joining our forum. :dblthumb2:

I checked with the guys over at Pinnacle Wax and they have not received an email from you.

Looking at the photos you posted, the vehicle appears to be dirty. You cannot judge a product's beading on dirty paint, and here's why: road film, oil, dust, dirt, etc are going to hinder the beading of ANY wax, sealant or coating, especially on the lower body panels where the vehicle tends to be the dirtiest. The best time to observe the beading of any wax, sealant or coating is on clean paint, after you've washed the vehicle. Does that make sense?

Let's see how the beading looks on the lower panels when the vehicle is clean and we'll go from there, because the top panels look great. :)

[KneeDragr]

So I agree you should wash it to judge. But I also wanted to say, even though the instructions say you can apply the coating right after the polish, I did an IPA wipedown afterwards and got a year of tight beading out of PBL V1. I inspected with my uber bright light setup, making sure there wasnt a trace of anything on the paint. Sometimes multiple IPA wipedowns were needed on some panels to ensure it was 100% clear of all residue. I changed towels frequently to ensure i wasnt wiping old residue back onto the paint.

[Phaze Automotive]

Hi Nick, yes that's true, the car was dirty at the time of picture as I was in the process of washing it when I noticed this. I'll test it again now that the car is clean. Also, If you could ask Pinnacle to check for an email from PhazeAutomotive@Gmail.com, subject Coating Product Inquiry that would be great. I sent emails on Jan 21st and Feb 1st.

However I should note that I've since applied sealant to the entire car so it'll be difficult to tell if the beading is from the coating or from the sealant.

KneeDragr, thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to include that into my regiment in the future.

[WRAPT C5Z06]

The problem with these coatings, if you're paint has not been thoroughly stripped and the coating properly applied, you will get varied results for sure. I really think coatings should be left to the seasoned detailers to apply. Not saying your prep or application was incorrect, but it's definitely a possibility. Waxes and Sealants are much more forgiving.

[Rsurfer]

Hi Nick, yes that's true, the car was dirty at the time of picture as I was in the process of washing it when I noticed this. I'll test it again now that the car is clean. Also, If you could ask Pinnacle to check for an email from PhazeAutomotive@Gmail.com, subject Coating Product Inquiry that would be great. I sent emails on Jan 21st and Feb 1st.

However I should note that I've since applied sealant to the entire car so it'll be difficult to tell if the beading is from the coating or from the sealant.

KneeDragr, thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to include that into my regiment in the future.

Couldn't you tell after you washed. Was the beading tight?

[KneeDragr]

Couldn't you tell after you washed. Was the beading tight?

Yes, not quite as tight as if I just waxed or sealed, but probably 80-90% that tight and it stayed like that.

[Rsurfer]

Yes, not quite as tight as if I just waxed or sealed, but probably 80-90% that tight and it stayed like that.

Sorry I was talking to Phaze.

[Phaze Automotive]

Couldn't you tell after you washed. Was the beading tight?

After washing I was still having the same problem but didn't take a picture of it. Frustrated I went ahead to add sealant over the panels for now.

WRAPT C5Z06- I understand what you're saying. However this isn't my first coating and if you'll look at the top of the panels, they bead quite nicely.