heated front screen

[michaelburrows]

just an easy query.  how long should it take the heated front screen to start clearing the screen.  this morning is a very damp start  so for the first time i tried to clear the screen . after about 3 mins i still hadnt noticed any difference.

[gillyallan]

I don't think it works well on damp screen more frosted or hazy. Probably takes 2 mins to defrost enough to move I think

[michaelburrows]

ok. thanks for that. i was thi king it would work well on a hazy screen. 

[SgtAWilson]

Ive got a question following on from this, are the front screen washers also heated?  Cos they always seem to freeze up in the winter months, so if they are, what is the heat doing?

[Botus]

nozzles should be heated... but the hose and fluid reservoir aren't heated.... if you don't use a down to -15C additive (at the correct dilution) in UK expect them not to work at any temp from +3 and below

[TomsFocus]

1 hour ago, michaelburrows said:

ok. thanks for that. i was thi king it would work well on a hazy screen. 

It should work well on a thin mist inside but you do need to clear the outside with the wipers first, the dew on the outside just sucks up all the heat otherwise.  Takes seconds to clear a thin mist on both the Mk2 and Mk3 that I've had.

If you've got a thick mist layer inside there's probably water leaking in somewhere.

[iantt]

had my first misty screen this morning also, took about 60 secs to clear with heated screen , aircon on and blower on full. 

[Lenny]

4 minutes ago, iantt said:

had my first misty screen this morning also, took about 60 secs to clear with heated screen , aircon on and blower on full. 

I've found; if you hold the engine rev at around 1,500rpm while parked waiting on the windscreen to clear, it works faster, 

Because the large elements in the windscreen take a lot of electricity to perform; the higher than idle rev helps get more power circulating from the alternator 

I say elements because there are two; one on passenger side and one on the drivers, this is clearly visible when one of the two heated windscreen fuses blow 😅

Also I know revving a cold engine is not the thing to be doing at all but I'm just saying to hold the revs consistently at a bit higher than idle for diesels it's around 1,500RPM petrol may be a little higher 

[plasticpat]

I loved my original Ford heated windscreen in my Mk2 Focus until an welcome crack in the screen . Replaced at the time with a NORDGLAS windscreen which when heavily frosted over can take 5mins + to clear enough to see through . Don't let any fitter anywhere near your car with one of those . 

I have yet to experience a frosty screen with Black Beauty as in my photo 😎

[michaelburrows]

well i tirned mine on again this morning on a slightly misted outer screen. it did work .eventually.  but took about 5 mins also.  when i touched the screen it was warm to touch. but slow to react. perhaps i expect too much  perhaps others say oh yeh mines briliant . but perhaps my cars had a screen replacement. 

[gillyallan]

I remember an old Ford ad when heated screen first came out. Person fires up car, presses button and almost immediately flicks wipers and drives off.
Certainly doesn't work like that. I normally press it and then go scrape side windows. By time I've done that it's normally ready or not far off.

[Botus]

On ‎9‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 5:56 PM, Lenny said:

I've found; if you hold the engine rev at around 1,500rpm while parked waiting on the windscreen to clear, it works faster, 

Because the large elements in the windscreen take a lot of electricity to perform; the higher than idle rev helps get more power circulating from the alternator 

I say elements because there are two; one on passenger side and one on the drivers, this is clearly visible when one of the two heated windscreen fuses blow 😅

Also I know revving a cold engine is not the thing to be doing at all but I'm just saying to hold the revs consistently at a bit higher than idle for diesels it's around 1,500RPM petrol may be a little higher 

many engine tuners say that to avoid camshaft lobe damage "never" allow the engine to turn over below 2000 rpm

turning by hand shocking, idling is bad... cold start and less than 1500 terrible, holding between 1500 and 2000 rpm will be much better for the engine and the cat

Kawasaki's 4cyl bikes 1980's onward with carbs used to have a cold start feature that no matter what you thought took the revs straight to 6000 rpm (quite mad buts that's what they did !)