Heated windscreen washer nozzles

[millerman]

John, one of our guys on the Saab site has had a go at some fancy plumbing as also mentioned above and has had relatively good results. Still in the early stages though and may need further experimenting, this is where you come in fella.

http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=70013

 

[Burnerman]

I see - heating up the entire nozzle area with coolant water wasn't an outcome I've thought about!
Have to put me thinking cap on
John

 

[gblades]

You could contact a company which supplies caravan and motorhome owners. You can buy heat tape. Most is mains powered but you can chop it down or use the 12V variety and wrap some round the water bottle and pipework. In most cases its pwered via a theromostat so will only warm when it gets very cold outside and if you put the thermostat in the engine compartment the engine will warm it up so it wont be constantly on when you are driving.

 

[ub7rm]

Get some of the VAG screenwash from a VW/Audi/Skoda/Seat dealer - used neat its good to -70 Deg C. Not that expensive either.

 

[boyneburn]

As it is coming to that time of year again I thought I would mention that Renault do two strengths of winter screen wash.The strongest is -20 & it is reasonably priced.used to use it all the time when I was a taxi driver.

 

[nickso]

I have a few bottles of vodka lying around. Think i'm going to try that this year.

 

[kirkgas]

ive thought about trying to loop the washer tubing around a coolant hose or even modding a coolant hose to make use of the hot water to keep the jets working.

i used to work with a large maintenance company and we had our own fleet repair depot, the guys there modified the washer hose on their transits by extending it and wraping it round the radiator or radiator pipes to keep it defroted, they said it worked fine

 

[Gary Gordon]

I have just, today purchased one of these. Hope it works, I'll keep you all updated. It gets good reviews online and is faster a defrosting than the heated Ford windscreen i'm lead to believe. You still need good screen wash to stop the bottle freezing and seemingly screw fix do a good one.

Gary.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEATSHOT-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

https://www.screwfix.com/p/no-nonse...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CIvl9qeqqNgCFceE7Qod37UGDg

 

[DaveHerns]

Donkeys years ago , there was a device which cut into your heater and washer hoses and used the hot water in a heat exchanger (of sorts) to heat the washer fluid.
I wrote on this forum a few weeks ago about modern washer additive not providing much antifreeze protection

 

[Doggit]

The problem with wrapping the washer bottle hoses around the heater hoses etc, is that they won't get hot until the engines warmed up enough for the thermostat to open; then the hoses get warmed up as the heat goes to the radiator. As diesels warm up slower than petrol cars, this could take quite some time before you can get the washer hoses defrosted, so a heater circuit in the washer bottle, and then getting the washer hoses insulated in mini bore pipe wrap, in conjunction with a 25% additive mix would be the only option for an immediate solution.

As ford is now part of BMW, you get heated screens on rovers, jags, BMWs, and even VWs (possibly under licence). The heated screen on my ford connect van has gone, and I can either find a friendly pheasant, and pay an £80 insurance excess, or the local windscreen company have quoted me £170 (inc vat) to change it without the insurance being involved, and giving me a clear conscience. It makes you wonder what sort of markup the windscreen companies are making on private sales.

 

[DaveHerns]

I have heated jets on a 16 plate Volvo. Ford had sold off Volvo by that time but there are a surprising number of Ford "FoMoCo" parts in it.

 

[rsgaz]

ford is now part of BMW

Really?!

 

[Doggit]

Sorry rsgaz, I know there's a link up somewhere, but yes, now you put it that way, I can see I've got things the wrong way round. My apologies, and thanks for correcting me.

 

[norseman]

IMO the biggest problem is the insistence of manufacturers of putting the bottle in wheel arches. older cars had the bottle in the engine bay

I didn't realise that was the case, our 06 Mondeo has the washer tank in the engine bay & year-round use of Halfords (pink) screen-wash has not yet caused a problem in the seven years we've owned the car.