Heated Washer Fluid!

[supreme_style21]

I could probably figure this out, but my lack of electrical + liquid knowledge begs me to ask first. If I plug an electrical cord into something connected with some sort of liquid, meh, things don't usually go well.

 

 

Just saw an ad for a new Buick. It has heated washer fluid. That would be ungodly beneficial in this area. I think thats a really cool idea. And a seemingly simple idea that I'm suprised hasn't popped up yet. They have heated wiper blades, but thats pretty much a flop.

What would be the easiest way to go about doing this? I could take some standard heating element and throw it in the tank, but I don't think its possible to connect a 110v unit into a 12v system too easily. Whats the general population think?

[1990lumina]

Click here to see an aftermarket style inline heater

 

That's something I saw the other day...dunno how it works....but there are aftermarket things out there.

 

Personally I wouldn't use a traditional heater element...

[1990lumina]

Oh I just noticed this thing heats the fluid as it goes THROUGH the unit....hmm, you want something to heat the tank probably right??

 

I guess at night when you plug in you can always use a battery blanket wrapped around the washer fluid tank...however while driving you'll need a pretty good sized inverter or some 12volt thing....

[Regal_GS_1989]

http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396669671&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1134181351132&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443285107&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

 

That's something I saw the other day...dunno how it works....but there are aftermarket things out there.

 

Personally I wouldn't use a traditional heater element...

 

60*C :shock: Umm, that seems like its a lil on warm side there

[supreme_style21]

Oh I just noticed this thing heats the fluid as it goes THROUGH the unit....hmm, you want something to heat the tank probably right??

 

I guess at night when you plug in you can always use a battery blanket wrapped around the washer fluid tank...however while driving you'll need a pretty good sized inverter or some 12volt thing....

 

Actually no, from what I understand, the Buick unit isn't IN the tank... it is an inline unit somehow. ALthough I don't see how heating the tank could be bad either... until it gets low and it burns itself out.

 

 

And IIRC, the new things heat it to like 160ish F.

 

AND I didn't realize they already made aftermarket things that do the same thing :shock:

[Bossman429]

I saw that Buick commercial too, and I also wondered if it was possible.

I'll just have to wait it out until they start coming into the shop, then snoop around.

 

on a side note, I used my washers this morning after letting the engine run, and the fluid smoked as it hit the windshield. It was about -7 F out today :!: The fluid must have been warmer than the windshield.

[Pabz]

Anyone using the de-icer wash fluid (yellow) put it in the vert for the drive and it didnt pick up dirt as much, gonna try it in the 89 and see how good it is, this issue has definitley come up before, and its really not worth the headache.

[slick]

I was just talking about that with one of my professors earlier this week. The best way to do this would be a custom upper radiator hose and a different washer tank.

[supreme_style21]

I was just talking about that with one of my professors earlier this week. The best way to do this would be a custom upper radiator hose and a different washer tank.

 

a guy at work mentioned a very similar idea.

[Kevinsluminaeuro]

the only thing i wonder about this idea is what if its extremely cold out and you go to use the washer fluid, they said the washer fluid is heated to i beileve 160F? Now wouldnt that crack your windshield if it was in the negatives outside? just curious thought it might crack the windshield being that hot

[supreme_style21]

the only thing i wonder about this idea is what if its extremely cold out and you go to use the washer fluid, they said the washer fluid is heated to i beileve 160F? Now wouldnt that crack your windshield if it was in the negatives outside? just curious thought it might crack the windshield being that hot

 

I highly doubt it. The amount of fluid that is sprayed onto the glass is minimal. Plus you have to add in the factor of it traveling thru frozen lines, so the temp must drop quite a bit.

 

And it takes quite a bit to even CRACK that glass. It won't shatter as easily as most think. The temperature extremes have to be GREAT to shatter this glass.

[1990lumina]

And it takes quite a bit to even CRACK that glass

 

My windshield got smoked by a fuckin huge rock on the freeway the other day (I know because the rock then fell down and got trapped between the hood and cowl)....glass had a very smal chip in it...I thought for sure it would have cracked it...

[Dirty Rockstar]

Im going to look under the hood of the Cutty on sunday and see if I can devise something.. Another thought could be a Fishtank heater.. They sell some pretty small ones that wouldnt need too large of an inverter.. I would invest in a separate switch for the element, a "Low Wash" sensor and a nice and bright light that will come on when the sensor detects low wash so you don;t burn the heater and cause a fire.. IIRC, the small tank heater I had was about 5" long, gray in color and heated to about 75 degrees F..

 

1990Lumina, can you go back and edit your post w/ the link? Make it a text URL so no one needs to go scroll crazy reading this thread

[1990lumina]

1990Lumina, can you go back and edit your post w/ the link? Make it a text URL so no one needs to go scroll crazy reading this thread

 

You mean like this?? Sorry I didn't noticed that had happened...I remember when I used to run a lower resolution (640x480 :oops:) anyway that used to piss me off as well..

 

Sorry!

[DiscoStudd]

Haven't any of you guys ever picked up a JC Whitney catalog in your lives? They've been selling these kits for years. Years, I tells ya!!!

 

Here's the one JC Shitney sells.

[supreme_style21]

Haven't any of you guys ever picked up a JC Whitney catalog in your lives? They've been selling these kits for years. Years, I tells ya!!!

 

Here's the one JC Shitney sells.

 

 

AH for $170, I'm sure most people have disregarded it.

[biff85ta]

Does the idea of cooking alcohol under the hood of you car not disturb anyone. Methanol is what is used to keep most washer fluids from freezing.

[supreme_style21]

Does the idea of cooking alcohol under the hood of you car not disturb anyone. Methanol is what is used to keep most washer fluids from freezing.

Obviously not if new cars are coming standard with it. Nobody is 'cooking' it. Its just being heated to an optimal temperature.

Fuel rails run within centimeters of hot engines and gasoline is just near millimeters from electrical spark, that hasn't proven to be a problem.

[GutlessSupreme]

I was just talking about that with one of my professors earlier this week. The best way to do this would be a custom upper radiator hose and a different washer tank.

 

a guy at work mentioned a very similar idea.

 

As in heating with coolant? What do you do until your engine warms up then?

 

It'd have to be something quicker than that.. electrical.

[Kevinsluminaeuro]

yea see i figured it might crack it cuz some morong that works with my dad, went and poured freezing cold water on his windshield on a like 105 degree day and cracked the whole windshield

[supreme_style21]

I was just talking about that with one of my professors earlier this week. The best way to do this would be a custom upper radiator hose and a different washer tank.

 

a guy at work mentioned a very similar idea.

 

As in heating with coolant? What do you do until your engine warms up then?

 

It'd have to be something quicker than that.. electrical.

 

Well I guess he mentioned using like a very small radiator hose heater, but even the smallest one is still quite big for washer lines! Plus its still 110v.

[manitcor]

found it for $150 here

 

http://trucktoys4less.com/windshield-hotshots.html

 

one on ebay

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Webasto-Hot-Shot-Windshield-Cleaning-System-NIB-FreShip_W0QQitemZ8021251370QQcategoryZ33657QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

looks like $170 is the going rate

 

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=200308745&R=200308745&storeId=6970&langId=%2D1&cm_ven=Performics&cm_cat=Performics&cm_pla=Performics&cm_ite=Performics

 

I think I might get this, once I get my washers working again :oops:

[Technics]

CanadianTire on sale for 49.95C$ windshield washer Heater Tried to link it for you failed

[biff85ta]

Does the idea of cooking alcohol under the hood of you car not disturb anyone. Methanol is what is used to keep most washer fluids from freezing.

Obviously not if new cars are coming standard with it. Nobody is 'cooking' it. Its just being heated to an optimal temperature.

Fuel rails run within centimeters of hot engines and gasoline is just near millimeters from electrical spark, that hasn't proven to be a problem.

I was referring to the idea of heating the bottle of fluid heating it in the lines before spraying would not be bad. I would be afraid of the vapors off of a heated washer fluid tank and your washer fluid would freeze after the alcohol evaporated off.

[supreme_style21]

Does the idea of cooking alcohol under the hood of you car not disturb anyone. Methanol is what is used to keep most washer fluids from freezing.

Obviously not if new cars are coming standard with it. Nobody is 'cooking' it. Its just being heated to an optimal temperature.

Fuel rails run within centimeters of hot engines and gasoline is just near millimeters from electrical spark, that hasn't proven to be a problem.

I was referring to the idea of heating the bottle of fluid heating it in the lines before spraying would not be bad. I would be afraid of the vapors off of a heated washer fluid tank and your washer fluid would freeze after the alcohol evaporated off.

Ah gotcha!