defrost doesn't unfreeze wiper blades frozen to windshield

[DogRunner2]

Lately, pretty much. Hasn't been driven since I washed it 3 weeks ago.

Not everyone has that option.

 

[J_C]

Hope you have a battery float charger hooked up, sitting for weeks is hard on the battery otherwise.

 

[Toddman41]

Hope you have a battery float charger hooked up, sitting for weeks is hard on the battery otherwise.

I sure do. works well when she sits for weeks during ****ty weather....

 

[100pctFord]

Bend up some heavy duty cardboard to use as a redirect for your defroster vent

Very clever! Thanks.

 

[100pctFord]

SIMPLE SOLUTION: Dont waste money on special spray and you don't need a jug of windshield cleaner. Just fill a spray bottle with cleaner and keep it in the car. It does not need to be room temperature as it's the chemical that melts the ice - not the temperature. I haven't scraped a windshield in 20 years and I seldom even lift my wipers. Nor do I run the engine wasting gas and destroying the only planet that has beer! I just soak the windshield with the spray and give it a minute. Sometimes a second application is necessary.

the only planet that has beer

^ You sure about this?
PS. Good idea by the way.

 

[J_C]

^ Yeah it seems like Christopherac isn't talking about much ice (maybe not even more than a frost coating), and doesn't realize that even the alcohol (the "chemical" in the cleaner that does the melting) works on a % versus temperature gradient factor so the greater the temperature differential between it and the ice you're trying to melt, the less you need to get the job done. Being a chemical doesn't change that, remember that even the washer fluid itself, has a freeze point based on the % alcohol of the entire solution and when thawing ice on your windshield, that ice turned to water is a % of the solution factoring into quantity vs temperature. The same would also be true if you used salt water instead... but don't do that, corrosion and all.

Idling the engine for a few minutes uses a negligible amount of fuel. If saving the planet is that important, don't drive an SUV because that difference uses far, far more fuel than a few minutes idling. Besides, if the engine is closer to operating temp when you drive off, it goes into closed loop mode sooner and uses less fuel when you're giving it throttle driving. It's not the evil thing that some misguided people try to imply, makes very little difference compared to hundreds of other life choices.

At the same time, it makes perfect sense to do the minimum that works for the situation. No need to kill a mosquito with a cannon.

 

[100pctFord]

^ Yeah it seems like Christopherac isn't talking about much ice (maybe not even more than a frost coating), and doesn't realize that even the alcohol (the "chemical" in the cleaner that does the melting) works on a % versus temperature gradient factor so the greater the temperature differential between it and the ice you're trying to melt, the less you need to get the job done. Being a chemical doesn't change that, remember that even the washer fluid itself, has a freeze point based on the % alcohol of the entire solution and when thawing ice on your windshield, that ice turned to water is a % of the solution factoring into quantity vs temperature. The same would also be true if you used salt water instead... but don't do that, corrosion and all.

Idling the engine for a few minutes uses a negligible amount of fuel. If saving the planet is that important, don't drive an SUV because that difference uses far, far more fuel than a few minutes idling. Besides, if the engine is closer to operating temp when you drive off, it goes into closed loop mode sooner and uses less fuel when you're giving it throttle driving. It's not the evil thing that some misguided people try to imply, makes very little difference compared to hundreds of other life choices.

At the same time, it makes perfect sense to do the minimum that works for the situation. No need to kill a mosquito with a cannon.

Nice explanation. Thank you.