Windshield with heating: installation, advantages and disadvantages

The problem of windshield icing is familiar to every motorist living in a cold region. And manufacturers of automotive accessories, and folk craftsmen have long developed a number of methods that can cope with this scourge. However, most of the traditional ways to deal with icing require time and effort on the part of the driver. Usually in the course are windshield wipers, liquid solvents and other devices of varying degrees of efficiency. At the same time, more and more often you can meet a windshield with heating, which naturally removes the surface from the crust of ice and snow. The latest models of cars from large manufacturers in extended trim levels are offered with integrated in the glass heating system. The rest of the drivers can refer to additional devices of this type, which can be mounted as an aid to the windshield equipment.

General information about heated glasses

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

Types of heating systems on the windshield

The whole segment of windshield heaters can be divided into three categories. The first includes integrated systems. These are the glasses, in the very structure of which the contours of current propagation are provided. The owner of the car can only connect the system to the source of power supply. The second option is the most common. This is the same electromechanical strips with a controller that are superimposed on the surface and also connected to a power source. And the third kind of systems is responsible for heating the area of the windscreen wiper blades, working on the same principle. However, 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 glass and wipers.

Windshield heating installation

The difficulty of installing a heating system is to organize reliable wiring. Regardless of which type of heating circuit is installed, the user needs to combine a battery pack, relay, current wiring lines into electromechanical strips and a device start button into one network. Separately, sensors for temperature and rain can be connected. The working process is carried out in the engine compartment. It is necessary to open the fuse and prepare for connection the connectors for the windshield heating relay, through which the power supply will be made. As experts recommend, wires for servicing the target heating zones should preferably be selected with a cross section of at least 2.5 mm. For convenience, the battery and fuse can be removed for installation. When connecting, it is not necessary to search for wide contacts on the relay - it is enough to drain existing "legs" for typical connectors. At the final stage, the control wire is taken out to the interior for the device activation button.

Advantages of systems

Plus such systems is determined by the efficiency of performing their basic function. Even heating strips with a minimum level of current supply surely rid the surface of the glass from the frozen ice cake, not to mention the snow cover. It is another matter that weak and high power potentials require for different purification different time intervals, usually from 5 to 15 minutes. If compared with folk remedies for eliminating ice, the windshield with heating is completely safe for the surface to be serviced. Even brushes with a soft working area allow the risk of small scratches, while electromechanical bands completely exclude mechanical damage.

Disadvantages of heating the windshield

The weaknesses of this solution are not critical for many motorists, but they should also be taken into account. First, the system belongs to electrical appliances, so it will become another consumer with the load for the battery pack. And in the winter time - this is not the most useful factor of battery operation. Secondly, the windshield with heating in any versions provides the presence of contour strands of the wiring in a conspicuous place. The veins of the functional strips somewhat distort the view for both the driver and the oncoming traffic participants. In some versions, the wiring in the glass can give distracting glare, but it depends on the weather.

Price issue

The simplest strips in the singular can be purchased for 500-600 rubles. Typically, this model is 5 cm wide and 3.5-4 cm long. But experienced motorists still advise the integrated heating of the windshield, 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 wipers.

Conclusion

Winter mode of car operation requires intensive preparation of structural parts, assemblies and units for harsh working conditions. The solution of frost protection problems is increasingly achieved thanks to electrical devices in different types. In this respect, the windshield with heating is a natural continuation of the concept of the transition from inefficient and often artisanal methods to combat the freezing of the car to more efficient and convenient. In this case, an automatic heating system is implemented, which allows to eliminate the negative consequences of glaciation. How much this choice will be justified in a particular case depends on the local climatic conditions and the general nature of the operation of the machine.