Is it ok to detail at night? dew on car?

[99GrandTouring]

Guys I have no shaded place to detail my car, however since the nights have gotten warm I do have enough lighting..

Is it ok to detail a car at night? The surface will be cool, but dew does accumulate on it?

I have done it before during the day but don't want to, with my cars color and direct sunlight, the pre-wet watter usually dries before I can even get my hand in the bucket to get the mit...

Will the dew be bad for the meguiars products?
Thanks!

[99GrandTouring]

Any comments? If its ok I'm going to start here in about an hour or so....

[2000]

in my area, I would think you would be working the panels to much for dew to really settle on the vehicle, but I'm sure our dew isn't near as heavy as what you expereince. good luck, if nothing else post back on how it went.

[gb387]

I just washed my truck about 5 min ago... its dark and VERY humid! there was lots of dew starting to develope on the surface on the rinse, but I dried it and it looks fine. If you have enough lighting why not! you might have to check it out in the morning to make sure everything has been removed.

[99GrandTouring]

well its not just washing, I was going to clay, and scratch x it tonight as well, that was my main concerns, if the surface being a little damp would hurt the products...

I've got some 500watt work light that can iluminate my entire car easily... (the neighbors love me )

[scrub]

When I needed shade I ran down to the car wash bays with the brush and pressure washer. It wasn't a real busy location so I vacuumed the car and put a quick coat of #26 on the GT. Got some funny looks, but I wasn't taking up a stall someone wanted.

[jfelbab]

You can reduce the dewing by setting up a couple of large fans to blow on the panels. A couple of halogen's on a tripod might help a bit as well.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by jfelbab
You can reduce the dewing by setting up a couple of large fans to blow on the panels. A couple of halogen's on a tripod might help a bit as well.

That sounds like a pretty good idea.

Working in the dark can be hard, but it can be done. I finished one side of the 1999 Corvette in Extreme Makeovers using the rotary buffer in the dark. I went by experience, not visual progress.

I knew that X amount of time spent pushing the foam pad over the panels for X amount of passes with X amount of pressure would result in Y results.

As far as working the ScratchX and the potential for mixing it in with dew goes, if your working the ScratchX over a panel, you will generate a little bit of heat, this might prevent the problem to start with. If you wipe each panel down before you go, just the act of actively working the panel will prevent due from forming.

Worse case scenario... a little dew probably won't hurt anything.

I also like the idea of using a car wash bay if it's not busy and you're not preventing the owner from making a buck.

Mike

[DETLMAN]

I have done it before but I wouldnt say its your best bet. I would think it would affect the products ability to properly bond/cure.

Polishing might be ok but I wouldnt really do any waxing if dew is formong on the surface.

Go down to your local home depot and get a 10x10 canopy for some shade and then you can wax whenever or wherever you want.