Discussion Premature Wrap discoloration where vehicle is touched by the tech's hands. Thoughts?

[Tek Wrap]

So we do a LOT of HVAC fleet vehicles. This issue seems to be more prevalent with this industry...But after a year or two, everywhere the driver of the vehicle touches the wrap (around door handles and along the top of the bedsides on pick ups) the wrap starts turning brown. I have assumed it must be something on their hands that is causing it. And the techs DO NOT take care of the vehicles. They are rarely washed and not cared for all that great. An owner at one of the HVAC companies is really tired of this answer I give them. They think it's my material. I use 1105 EZ RS with 1360z or Max, printed on an HP 560. But I told them I wrap almost every vehicle with the exact same material...so it would only make sense that all of the wraps I do would have this same issue. But they don't! I ended up caving and wrapping one of their trucks for free out of fear of losing the client. Avery doesn't seem to want to do anything about it to cover my butt...so I just did what I had to do. Anyone else out there have a similar problem? Thoughts?

 

[signheremd]

I concur that it sounds like something on their hands discoloring the lamiante - like freon. We use a different laminate - Oraguard 290 Gloss. It was a 10year laminate, but Oraguard now calls it an 8 year and uses 10 year for their new pvc free line. The 4 year of 1360 isn't very long for a cast product. But i think the key here is to find a laminate that resists more than mild acids.

 

[White Haus]

So we do a LOT of HVAC fleet vehicles. This issue seems to be more prevalent with this industry...But after a year or two, everywhere the driver of the vehicle touches the wrap (around door handles and along the top of the bedsides on pick ups) the wrap starts turning brown. I have assumed it must be something on their hands that is causing it. And the techs DO NOT take care of the vehicles. They are rarely washed and not cared for all that great. An owner at one of the HVAC companies is really tired of this answer I give them. They think it's my material. I use 1105 EZ RS with 1360z or Max, printed on an HP 560. But I told them I wrap almost every vehicle with the exact same material...so it would only make sense that all of the wraps I do would have this same issue. But they don't! I ended up caving and wrapping one of their trucks for free out of fear of losing the client. Avery doesn't seem to want to do anything about it to cover my butt...so I just did what I had to do. Anyone else out there have a similar problem? Thoughts?

Not the answer that you (or your client) want to hear, but if they don't take care of them, and techs can't be bothered to keep their dirty hands off the vinyl, I'd say that's on them.
Especially if you're using that material combo all the time and they're the only ones with issues.

Got any pics of the issues?

 

[MikePro]

pics?

 

[unclebun]

If it's something unique to HVAC industry, I'd guess it's the refrigerant oil. If you're only seeing it on one company's vehicles, it's probably because the techs that work there aren't wearing the gloves they are supposed to be wearing when opening compressors or refilling systems, etc. The oil is known to be difficult to remove, and it stains siding, concrete, wood, etc. on houses as well as the technicians' hands.

Things I saw on a forum for HVAC techs and also a subreddit for them involved using strong detergent things. For removing it from their hands the most common solution was orange GoJo, which uses citrus oil. Have you tried using Rapid Remover or Orange Peel to see if it will dissolve the stain?

 

[DL Signs]

Possible cheap solution. Apply some PPF around the door handles on all the trucks you do for them. If the PPF discolors, just peel the old one and apply a new one.