Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve@HPE
Lets try to take a look at this issue by the numbers. If anyone is interested in the math behind the numbers I use below let me know, but I don't want to confuse the point I'm trying to make here.
The splash trays will contain and expel more water than will enter the HEX Vent ports during even the most severe rain storm. For details on that claim, continue reading.
First a couple key metrics on the splash trays. The volume, for one, is 24 cubic inches and it's drain orifice will expel water at a rate of 0.25 cubic inches per second, or 900 cubic inches per hour.
On an average day during peak rain month (August) in Miami, the rainfall is measured to be 0.29". In terms of water volume captured by a typical rain gauge, that's 0.141 cubic inches. So, in a 24-hour period the rain gauge captures 0.141 cubic inches of water. The HEX Vent opening is 47% larger than the opening on a typical rain gauge. So we can assume 47% more water will enter, which makes the average volume entering them, in a 24 hour period, in Miami, 0.207 cubic inches.
It would take over 10 days for the trays to overflow even if they didn't have drain orifices. Moreover, it would take less than a second to drain the rainwater that would enter the HEX Vents on an average peak rain season day in Miami.
Finally, let's assume all the rain for the peak month in Miami, 8.63", fell in one hour. That's a rain gauge volume of 4.2 cubic-inches, and a HEX Vent volume of 6.2 cubic inches. The splash trays can drain that volume of water in 20.8 seconds.
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First of all so everyone knows,I absolutely LOVE my Hex Vents and was one of the first pre-order consumers.
This is truly a TOP quality product and have posted here on various threads spreading the word.
What people have to realize is that if you CUT holes in your hood you no longer have a waterproof hood over your engine.Water resistant,yes,Water proof,No.
That being said,I chose to deal with the side effects of cutting holes in my hood as my car is a weekend garage queen.The engineering calculations above in theory work but but don't expect your engine compartment to remain dry,It does not.
Don't lets this keep anyone from enjoying the benefits of this great product,just be aware of the permanent changes made.To some people it is not an issue if the engine gets a little wet especially with the stock engine cover.
For some folks it will matter a lot for reasons like water spots,supercharger belt slip,billet valve covers and other under hood pretty things.
The only way to effectively deter water entry would negate the purpose of the Vents in the first place.....Vent the heat through an opening
Now I have tried several different ways to utilize the provided splash trays to keep ALL the water off my engine with no success.The water dumps rite on top of the power steering belt.I added tubes to direct it away.I added 2 tubes.I tilted the trays so they were level when the hood was closed.Nothing got all the water as the water overflowed the sides of the tray because the walls are about a 1/4" tall.
The trays would have to be so large beyond the edge of the opening to catch all the water that effective venting would be lost as well as clearance issues.
Steve did a great job with this compromised sized splash tray..actually all he could do.
Even when washing the car and rinsing very lightly residual water gets past the trays.
I finally made external covers and that solved the problem completely....Water PROOF when I want to be and FULL venting when I
want it.There are pics of them posted around here.
Just wanted to share the results on my real world experiments and would recommend these to anyone.