Heat Shot, the after-market heated windscreen washer system

[Neil Stone]

Anyone fitted one of these heated windscreen washer gadgets?

http://www.automotive-innovations.co.uk/store.html

I must admit, I am kind of tempted by it.
You'd never wash your dishes in cold water, it's amazing we still wash our windscreen in cold water!

What do you reckon chaps?

 

[Gary Stockton]

A buddy of mine sells those in Edinburgh and I was laying with one yesterday bits brilliant - ill be getting two at month-end for both our vehicles I think. I'm sure there are other home-brew options but that one is simple and it works.

 

[Chas]

I fitted DIY heated washers to a Mini I had years ago by wrapping copper tube from the washer bottle to the jets round the top hose, cost was peanuts so £180 inc VAT for one is a little over the top.

 

[Gary Stockton]

Not at that price, no....

 

[Chris]

I have plastic pipe wrapped round the rear heater hose on mine. Cost about fourpence. Works very very well, but not in the same league in terms of gadgetry. Also fitted a second pump and triple nozzles for some real whoosh. Water gets pretty warm and certainly wipes the screen better. So the principle is sound.



Chris

 

[Roger Fairclough]

I fitted DIY heated washers to a Mini I had years ago by wrapping copper tube from the washer bottle to the jets round the top hose, cost was peanuts so £180 inc VAT for one is a little over the top.

I agree. I used a length of copper pipe 15 mm in diameter x approx 150mm long. A 100mm length of the next size up pipe was soldered on top with two outlets for the washer hose. Place the unit in the heater hose inlet and you have hot water within about 1 mile of start up.

£180, some ones having a laugh.

Roger

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Nice idea, crazy price!

 

[Gary Stockton]

A lot less here:

http://4x4scotland.com/products/heatshot/

Problem with the diverted vehicle heating is just that - the vehicle needs to be at temp. When it's -7 first thing in the morning, that could be a while ...

 

[clivehorridge]

I fitted DIY heated washers to a Mini I had years ago by wrapping copper tube from the washer bottle to the jets round the top hose, cost was peanuts so £180 inc VAT for one is a little over the top.

Mine was the same idea but a bit more elaborate. 9" of half inch copper tube and 8" of three-quarter. Take two three-quarter to half inch reducers and ream out the half inch stop bezel with a drill. Slide the reducers onto the three-quarter pipe and insert the half inch down the centre.

Last drill and insert two short pieces of copper brake line pipe at each end of the water jacket, and solder the whole lot up.

Run the heater hose through the half inch and the windscreen washer pipes through the brake lines. Worked beautifully, no electrics, no rusting. Takes about half hour and 3 quid max to make.

 

[Graham]

Mine was the same idea but a bit more elaborate. 9" of half inch copper tube and 8" of three-quarter. Take two three-quarter to half inch reducers and ream out the half inch stop bezel with a drill. Slide the reducers onto the three-quarter pipe and insert the half inch down the centre.

Last drill and insert two short pieces of copper brake line pipe at each end of the water jacket, and solder the whole lot up.

Run the heater hose through the half inch and the windscreen washer pipes through the brake lines. Worked beautifully, no electrics, no rusting. Takes about half hour and 3 quid max to make.

.
This gets my vote at the moment.

The issue facing many, is wanting hot water, before the engine has had any time at all, to make some heat.

Gra.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

A lot less here:

http://4x4scotland.com/products/heatshot/

Problem with the diverted vehicle heating is just that - the vehicle needs to be at temp. When it's -7 first thing in the morning, that could be a while ...

Lists a cheaper price but I can't see any way you can actually buy one. Still going to have to scrape the side and rear windows before you can drive off even if the windscreen is cleared in a jiffy ...

 

[Gary Stockton]

The rear runs off the same pipe so that's covered. Side windows remain a problem, yes.

Double glazed windows with a heating element then??

 

[warrenpfo]

If you look on eBay for "heatshot" there is a guy selling them for £99 + £6 shipping new with limited stock.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

Doubt it's much use for clearing snow either I like the idea of hot water for better screen clearing but I'm not convinced about the defrosting benefits.

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Yesterday dawned foggy and cold. The dew had frozen on the LC. I started the motor, disconnected the immobiliser from the key ring, shut the door and activated the alarm system. I went back indoors, got the rest of my walking kit together and left the house. Inside 5 minutes the car was warm enough to defrost the screen and side windows. The hot water from the washer bottle is the icing on the cake.

Roger

 

[Chas]

Could a 12v heater be inserted in the screen washer bottle.

 

[Roger Fairclough]

Could a 12v heater be inserted in the screen washer bottle.

Theoretically yes. You would need something like the heater coil you get at camping shops for boiling water in a cup/mug. You would need to fit it into the bottle and make a water tight seal and rig up the electrics from either the ignition or a separate switch. The system would need to have some form of thermostat control to stop the water boiling.

It would still take time to reach a decent temperature, probably longer than a system using heat from a heater hose. adding up the pros and cons, I would consider a non electric system to win easily.

Roger

 

[Chris]

And that is exactly what I had planned. I was waiting for our good friend Karl to get me a spare washer bottle. My plan was to seal a tea heating element in there to melt / heat the frozen bottle. OK I can buy super no freeze window wash fluid, but it still tends to freeze in very thin pipes and it's more fun to build something clever anyway.

Chris

 

[Chas]

What really annoys me is a few weeks ago I threw away one of those cup water heaters thinking I'll never use this. . . . . . Argh!!!!!
Where are those extra smleys when you need them. . . Argh again!!

 

[Dan W]

Doesn't the screen wash get warmed up from just being in the engine bay? Unless you live in the arctic circle surely this is the most pointless modification ever fitted?