byronlandry Report post Posted January 6, 2012 04 Newmar Mtn. Aire 4016 Are there any cons on tinting my dual pane windows? They let in quite a bit of heat and cold during the extreme times of the year. None of them are fogged and appear to be in excellent condition. I was thinking of getting GOLD home tinting film that has maximum reflectivity and UV protection. This worked well on my single pane windows on my home before we went full time. My concerns are that heat could possibly build up within the dual pane windows and blow the seal out. Any thoughts on this? I would welcome any opinions or suggestions on this as long as it's not of a flaming content. Drive safely. Byron Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OkieDave Report post Posted January 6, 2012 I 'googled' for 'tinting dual pane windows' and can't find any case of the glass breaking for blowing out. Lots of opinions from people who have NOT done it and say it can't be done. Others who have done it say there is no problem. Check with the manufacturer of the film. Apparently some films are better than others for dual pane. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted January 6, 2012 Bryon, Welcome to the Forum. The only thing that I have heard about tinting dual windows, to NOT use gold or silver refective tint. I was told that standard gray or brown shaded tint is OK but the reflective tints will cause the Intert gas between the glas to heat, expand and cause problems to the glass. I have tinted the small windows just above the drivers side and the passenger side with Lemo Shade Tint, the darkest you can get and have had no problem in 5 years. Bryon I hope this helps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Koliver Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Inert gas heating and expanding? Isn't that what is supposed to be inert about it? Mine are all air filled, nor do I know of any glass shops doing replacement sealed units that have inert gas equipment. In fact, the spacers contain a dessicant, to get the moisture, should your conditions at installation be too humid. Look at Country Coach, many have a gold tint. The window sites say the tint is applied to the inside surface of one of the panes, so it is protected from scratches (factory installation). Unless you are prepared to take the windows apart, you will be putting your tint on a vulnerable surface. You will pick one, inside or outside, and take your chances. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Inert gas heating and expanding? Isn't that what is supposed to be inert about it? No, inert gas means a gas that it is "non-reactive: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inert_gas The molecules of any gas, including inert gasses all follow the ideal gas law-- PSI is related to temperature. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Koliver Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Brett, right, brain fade. Boyle's law and all. Inert is no different than non-inert. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Yup, Boyle penned that in 1662-- we still follow the same laws of physics. WAIT. I have heard it said that the laws of physics don't apply to rich people. Hopefully someone rich enough to know will post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted January 8, 2012 Koliver, I started this once and it got lost. To the best of my knowledge dual pane windows are vacuumed and filled with Nitrogen. Nitrogen is an inert gas. Compressed Nitrogen comes just after Oxygen in the process. Oxygen, Nitrogen then Argon. (talk about cold tempatures) Ambient air when heated will expand and contract with cold. If you check with all of the Tint Mfgr.s I bevel you will see that they state to not use the reflective tints on dual pane windows. And you are correct that you would not want to put any tint on the outside of your windows. As I said before that I have non reflective Lemo Tint on several high up dual pane windows with no problems. Most dual pane windows have problems because the seal has been jarred and broken. After that the problems multiply. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
byronlandry Report post Posted January 8, 2012 I want to thank all who responded. I think I will try to find some websites of tint manufacurers, like Herman suggested and see if I can learn what they recommend about tinting dual pane windows. If I find out any substantial information one way or the other, I will post again on what I've found. Koliver - I did tint the inside surface of single pane windows with a silver film in a 5th wheel I had owned before the motorhome. We were aware of the vulnerability of the plastic film, but it was as good as I first put it on 5 years later when I sold the 5th wheeler. It might not be prudent with young children or animals inside, but "old folks" who don't do any damage, it worked out. Again thanks to all and drive carefully Byron PS I hope someone responds to the original post that has done the dual window tinting, so we can all get some definite answers :-) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillO Report post Posted January 9, 2012 I had my single pane windows tinted this spring on my older coach. When I went in without the coach for a quote the first thing the tinter asked was if they were dual pane. They flat out said they wouldn't tint dual pane with any material. Since it wasn't my concern, I didn't think to ask why. I can see the argument for reflective tint, but also wonder if the nonreflective isn't just as bad. Since they work by absorption, the nonreflective tints are likely to heat up one pane (the inner one most likely) and also transfer heat to the inert gas, as well as possibly cause some differential expansion of inner versus outer glass panes that could cause seal issues. Personally, I would want to have a serious chat with a tech rep of the window maker before I added tint on double panes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
campcop Report post Posted March 3, 2012 On our previous 5th wheel, I considered darkening the tinted dual pane windows. I called the manufacturer and was told NOT to tint them.....was told it would cause heat build-up.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
five Report post Posted March 16, 2012 I did considerable research on this subject last spring. Initially, I went to the company that has tinted all my vehicle's windows...he said,"sure, no problem." I asked that he please check with the makers of the tint...they emphatically said NO and that the windows would break with the standard auto tint on it. It has to do with the film either reflecting or absorbing the heat. So I went another company, noted for tinting home windows. He said that some tint is okay for dual pane, other is not, and that he has one guy that does nothing but dual pane home windows. Long story short, that last guy has added a MH to his list of home tinting and dual pane windows. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dmccanna Report post Posted April 3, 2012 The last thing you want to do is increase the temperature of the gas between the panes. If they were mean't to be tinted they would have tint on them (which mine have but not very dark.) Most manufacturers of dual pane/insulated widows have guidelines whether you can or can't. RV insulated windows take a beating when it comes to the sun. There are no roof overhangs like on a sticks & bricks house and if sitting in direct sunlight will in a few years bake the seal within the 2 panes and let air in. Once that happens you get what is called solar pumping (air moving in and out from between the panes bringing moisture with it. In short time the desiccant inside the seal will absorb all the moisture it can and you will start to have fogging. A friend that was in the glass business for 40 years told me that the fogging issue is common even in homes after 15 years. But he said between vibrations and direct sun (no shade) he could see that the duo pane windows could go bad in 5 to 8 years depending on where the coach was and how it was used. Just kinda depends and no 2 coaches will be the same. I have MCD duo shades (has a sun shade inside) in my coach and if I draw them down in direct sun the glass and metal can reach 150 to 160 degrees trapping the heat between the shade and the window. The windows just cook like that. I made exterior window covers that attach with velcro to the rubber seals that go around the windows. By doing so the cover DOES NOT TOUCH the glass and it reduces the temperature of the glass and window frame by 60 to 70 degrees F in direct sun. I only place them on the windows where I get direct sun and have no shade ( I really can't stand them.) But it works! Ever wonder why usually the first windows to fog in a coach are the driver or passenger side windows? They never see any shade as most coaches do not have any awnings over them that cover the windows well. If you take notice to vehicles that have placed reflective material behind the glass you will find some with fogged windows there also. They cooked the glass. As far as cold weather is concerned I find the metal extrusions conduct the heat out of the coach much quicker than the glass does. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
