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Cold weather preparedness.

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15 Dec 2022 05:53 #246374 by Lambert
Replied by Lambert on topic Cold weather preparedness.

I made a washer fluid heater that is spliced into the heater hose. Works well.

Roger

You have spliced into a heater hose to warm your washer fluid? I really hope you haven't. Allowing coolant and washer fluid to mix is going to be detrimental to both systems never mind the opportunity for leakage and catastrophic failure of the cooling system.

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15 Dec 2022 06:10 #246377 by Lambert
Replied by Lambert on topic Cold weather preparedness.
Also thermal shock is not good for a windscreen. Unless you like keeping Autoglass in business.

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15 Dec 2022 09:45 #246378 by Roger Fairclough
The system is as follows.
A short length of 15mm domestic copper pipe surrounded by a piece of larger bore copper pipe. The ends of the larger bore sealed to the 15mm to produce a container. Water from the washer hose enters the tank via small bore copper brake pipe and exits via another brake pipe. Both ends of the 15mm pipe have copper/brass olives to prevent heater hose from sliding off. One brake pipe needs to be full length to enable washer fluid to get hot.
Points to note.
The coolant and washer fluid do not mix. This is purely heat transfer from one fluid to another via a copper pipe.
Adding the olives to the ends of the 15mm pipe prevents the hose being pulled of the pipe. They are in effect acting in the same manner as the ridges formed in normal heater pipe.
The system was installed approx. 30 months ago. It doesn't leak and hasn't failed.
I tested the temperature of the water at the washer jets and found that the drop between the device and the jets was enough to quell any thoughts of cracking the glass.
If anyone would like detailed measurements of the device, just ask.

Roger
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15 Dec 2022 11:06 #246386 by Lambert
Replied by Lambert on topic Cold weather preparedness.

The system is as follows.
A short length of 15mm domestic copper pipe surrounded by a piece of larger bore copper pipe. The ends of the larger bore sealed to the 15mm to produce a container. Water from the washer hose enters the tank via small bore copper brake pipe and exits via another brake pipe. Both ends of the 15mm pipe have copper/brass olives to prevent heater hose from sliding off. One brake pipe needs to be full length to enable washer fluid to get hot.
Points to note.
The coolant and washer fluid do not mix. This is purely heat transfer from one fluid to another via a copper pipe.
Adding the olives to the ends of the 15mm pipe prevents the hose being pulled of the pipe. They are in effect acting in the same manner as the ridges formed in normal heater pipe.
The system was installed approx. 30 months ago. It doesn't leak and hasn't failed.
I tested the temperature of the water at the washer jets and found that the drop between the device and the jets was enough to quell any thoughts of cracking the glass.
If anyone would like detailed measurements of the device, just ask.

Roger

That sounds fresh out of practical classics 1950s edition, certainly not something I would be doing to a car new enough to still be under warranty. Very hard pass from me I'm sure.

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15 Dec 2022 11:35 #246388 by Motacilla
Roger, very ingenious rig, thanks for posting!  Very clever.  

I've considered installing a short length of foil hose under the hood to duct some of the engine's waste heat up to the region of the windscreen washer bottle, but your solution is definitely much more sophisticated. 

A photo would be great, if you can get a good angle for a pic.

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15 Dec 2022 12:49 #246389 by Lambert
Replied by Lambert on topic Cold weather preparedness.
Why not just fit a 12v 50w fish tank heater into the washer reservoir with a thermostat to keep it at a gentle 10 degrees. Save the modification of the cooling system, then if it does fail the somewhat critical engine cooling system is unaffected?

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15 Dec 2022 12:50 #246390 by Roger Fairclough
Thanks for the interest Motacilla. I will try to get a photo when the wife comes home (she's got the camera) but in the meantime, go to your search engine and type in "Saab heater for windscreen washer fluid". Saab fitted heaters as a standard accessary and there is one for sale on Ebay. Current price is £15.

Roger

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15 Dec 2022 13:23 #246391 by Roger Fairclough
Wow, that was quick. SWMBO already had pictures in the library.

Roger


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15 Dec 2022 17:02 #246395 by Busta
Replied by Busta on topic Cold weather preparedness.
You could achieve a similar outcome by simply wrapping the washer hose around the heater pipe several times. While it would be less efficient at transferring heat it would be cheap, quick and easy and would avoid adding extra failure points to the vehicle's cooling system.
Better yet, use a strong screenwash mix so it is not needed.

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15 Dec 2022 21:50 #246401 by crash486
Question for those of you with Gen 4 or other vehicles with LED headlights.
I'm in Australia and had just 4 days of snow ❄️ but the LEDs don't generate heat to the glass and so they quickly developed layers of snow which completely blocked the light.
Headlight washers were of no real use.

What do you guys do to address this?

crash486 JB74W

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16 Dec 2022 06:24 #246402 by yakuza
I allready noted this above here. Get heated LED lights (available at high prices in nordic countries) or stay with Halogen/Xenon.

Norway 2005 Jimny M16A VVT, 235 BFG MT, 2" Trailmaster, ARB rear lck, 17%/87% high/low gears.

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16 Dec 2022 06:34 - 16 Dec 2022 06:43 #246403 by yakuza
Replied by yakuza on topic Cold weather preparedness.
Heated washer fluid from the coolant is not so common around here.
More common where it gets really cold inland, and on trucks and work vehicles.
By heating with the coolant it gets warm when the hot airflow to defrost in the car gets hot and the hoses from the tank to the nozzle and the spray through air make it cold fast so no it is not so hot when it reaches the screen so there is no real risk of damage.
I think it is much milder/better for your car than strong alcohol and chemicals for your wipers and gaskets.

And for the thermal shock, I know people with way lesser knowledge in physics than myself that get a bucket of hot water from the kitchen and pour it over the windscreen when it is frozen to avoid scraping off the ice with their too lazy or lacking muscles. I have know idea why it does not crack, must be because they do not apply to science, or no one has told the windscreen about this.
I would most certainly put out a large warning on this, Do Not EVER Try This At Home.

Norway 2005 Jimny M16A VVT, 235 BFG MT, 2" Trailmaster, ARB rear lck, 17%/87% high/low gears.
Last edit: 16 Dec 2022 06:43 by yakuza.

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