Heated windshield: installation, advantages and disadvantages

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

The problem of windshield icing is familiar to every motorist living in a cold region. Both manufacturers of car accessories and craftsmen have long developed a number of methods to cope with this scourge. However, most of the traditional ways of dealing with ice require time and effort on the part of the driver. Windshield wipers, liquid solvents and other devices of varying degrees of effectiveness are usually used. At the same time, it is increasingly possible to find a heated windshield in the car market, which naturally rids the surface of a crust of ice and snow. The latest models of cars from major manufacturers in advanced trim levels are offered with a heating system integrated into the glass. The rest of the drivers can turn to additional devices of this type, which can be mounted as an auxiliary tool for equipping the windshield.

Heated glass overview

A standard set of this type of heating system includes a control relay, directly thermal elements and sensors that monitor external conditions. The operation of the entire complex is controlled bymicroprocessor, which receives a signal from the same sensors. It also regulates the heating parameters. The principle of operation of the system consists in the operation of electromechanical strips through which current flows - it also contributes to the heating of the surfaces on which the installation was carried out. Today, even budget glass heating systems support a current of 40 A. This is enough to ensure rapid thawing of the entire glass area. But there are also different modes of operation of such systems. So, the windshield heating sensor can act as an indicator by which the processor will independently determine the desired operating mode of the device. In the simplest models, two levels of heating are provided - for example, "North" and "South". In the first case, the current strength will be about 10-15 A, and in the second - 7-10 A. Of course, there are other mode parameters, and more modern systems allow the user to set individual performance indicators for specific environmental conditions.

Types of heating systems on the windshield

The entire segment of windshield heaters can be divided into three categories. The first includes integrated systems. These are glasses, in the very structure of which current propagation circuits are provided. The owner of the car can only connect the system to a power source. The second option is the most common. These are the same electromechanical strips with a controller that are superimposed on the surface and are also connected to a power source. And the third type of system is responsible for heating the windshield wiper blade area, working on the same principle. True, unlike the first two devices, models for brushes usually require less energy and are connected to the cigarette lighter. There are also combined solutions, the equipment of which completely covers both the glass and the wipers.

Installation of heated windshield

The difficulty of installing a heating system lies in the organization of reliable wiring. Regardless of what type of heating circuits is installed, the user needs to combine the battery pack, the relay, the current wiring lines to the electromechanical strips and the device start button into one network. Temperature and rain sensors can be connected separately. The work process is carried out in the engine compartment. It is necessary to open the fuse and prepare for connection the connectors for the heated windshield relay, through which power will be supplied. As experts recommend, it is advisable to select wires for servicing target heating zones with a cross section of at least 2.5 mm. For convenience, the battery and fuse can be removed during installation. When connecting, it is not necessary to look for wide contacts on the relay - it is enough to grind off the existing “legs” for standard connectors. At the final stage, the control wire is carried out to the passenger compartment for the device activation button.

Advantages of systems

Plus of such systems is determined by efficiencyperforming their main function. Even heating strips with a minimum level of current supply confidently rid the glass surface of a frozen crust of ice, not to mention snow cover. Another thing is that weak and high power potentials require different time intervals for complete cleaning, as a rule, from 5 to 15 minutes. When compared with folk methods of removing ice, the heated windshield is completely safe for the serviced surface. Even brushes with a soft surface allow the risk of minor scratches, while electromechanical strips completely eliminate mechanical damage.

Disadvantages of Heated Windshield

The weak points of such a decision are not critical for many motorists, but they should also be taken into account. Firstly, the system belongs to electrical appliances, so it will become another consumer with a load for the battery pack. And in winter, this is not the most useful factor in battery operation. Secondly, the heated windshield in any version provides for the presence of contour wiring threads in a conspicuous place. The veins of the functional strips somewhat distort the view for both the driver and oncoming road users. In some versions, the wiring in the glass may give distracting reflections, but this also depends on the weather.

Question of price

The simplest stripes in the singular can be purchased for 500-600 rubles. As a rule, these are models 5 cm wide and 3.5-4 cm long. But experienced motorists still adviseintegrated windshield heating, the price of which can be 2-2.5 thousand. In this segment, you can find a high-quality kit with a full set of sensors and separate heating lines for the wipers.

Conclusion

Winter mode of operation of the car requires enhanced preparation of structural parts, assemblies and assemblies for harsh working conditions. The solution to frost protection problems is increasingly achieved through electrical devices in various forms. In this regard, a heated windshield is a logical continuation of the concept of moving from inefficient and often artisanal methods of combating car freezing to more efficient and convenient ones. In this case, an automatic heating system is implemented to eliminate the negative effects of glaciation. How this choice will be justified in a particular case depends on local climatic conditions and the general nature of the operation of the machine.