Defrosting Your Car In The Morning ?
08 December 2003, 04:57 PM
#1
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When it is really cold, such as this morning, and your car is completely iced over, how do you go about de icing it ?
I suppose the ideal way would be to start the engine,turn the heaters up, and leave the engine running for 10 to 15 mins.
This isn't ideal for me though as I have neighbours, and I don't suppose they'd appreciate a diesel engine waking them up at half 6 in the morning.
So what do you do ? Use a load of de icer, or luke walm water ? Trouble with water is that you risk cracking the windscreen, and if its cold enough it just freezes back on
Is it morally wrong to leave your engine running at that time of the morning ?
Thanks
Matt
I suppose the ideal way would be to start the engine,turn the heaters up, and leave the engine running for 10 to 15 mins.
This isn't ideal for me though as I have neighbours, and I don't suppose they'd appreciate a diesel engine waking them up at half 6 in the morning.
So what do you do ? Use a load of de icer, or luke walm water ? Trouble with water is that you risk cracking the windscreen, and if its cold enough it just freezes back on
Is it morally wrong to leave your engine running at that time of the morning ?
Thanks
Matt
08 December 2003, 04:59 PM
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Bollox - if your neighbours dont have sufficient soundproofing tough ****.
Dont use hot water like my gf did the other morning - she 'kindly' poured it all over my window so that when I left I had an extra layer of ice to remove before going to work!
Dont use hot water like my gf did the other morning - she 'kindly' poured it all over my window so that when I left I had an extra layer of ice to remove before going to work!
08 December 2003, 05:07 PM
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Unfortunately if you think bo**ox to your neighbours then they're within their rights to complain to the council about the noise.Even worse if you have a non standard exhaust as they/police can make you remove it.
Why not put some plastic/cardboard over the front annd rears as they ice up the worst.The side windows only take a few secs to clear with a scraper.
Parking closer to a wall or building will also help keep the ice off in the first place.
Why not put some plastic/cardboard over the front annd rears as they ice up the worst.The side windows only take a few secs to clear with a scraper.
Parking closer to a wall or building will also help keep the ice off in the first place.
08 December 2003, 05:07 PM
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Provided the water isn't boiling you shouldn't crack the windscreen.
Very hot from the tap should do. It is warm enough to get the windows to a temp where it won't simply re-freeze, unless you live somewhere *really* cold
Very hot from the tap should do. It is warm enough to get the windows to a temp where it won't simply re-freeze, unless you live somewhere *really* cold
08 December 2003, 05:13 PM
#7
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Don't forget the security aspects of leaving key in car running on driveway while your in the house. Several "nice" cars went missing last year because their owners did just that!
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08 December 2003, 05:13 PM
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I've been defrosting my windies for years using water & have never cracked a winda yet. Ensure that the water temperature is just cold to touch & well mixed, then wipe straight away with a spare wiper blade.
D
D
08 December 2003, 05:13 PM
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15+ years of using luke-warm water from the tap in an old 3-litre milk container -- never cracked the glass yet on any of our cars.
The trick is to pour the water on slowly, then when it's melted the frost / ice, use a window-cleaner's rubber squeegee blade to remove the excess water and leave the screen dry.
Then it doesn't re-freeze. Also defrosts inside the screen too
Edited to add: job takes 1 minute from start to getting in & driving. Damn sight quicker than sprays etc etc.
[Edited by brickboy - 12/8/2003 5:15:46 PM]
The trick is to pour the water on slowly, then when it's melted the frost / ice, use a window-cleaner's rubber squeegee blade to remove the excess water and leave the screen dry.
Then it doesn't re-freeze. Also defrosts inside the screen too
Edited to add: job takes 1 minute from start to getting in & driving. Damn sight quicker than sprays etc etc.
[Edited by brickboy - 12/8/2003 5:15:46 PM]
08 December 2003, 05:17 PM
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Warm tap water (not a freshly boiled kettle) followed by a quick squirt of AutoGlym De-Icer on the side windows and a flick of the washers (AutoGlym Screenwash, contains antifreezing agent) on the windscreens.
Cars don't like sitting idle in the morning, they don't get up to temperature when standing still so you could be doing some damage just letting it idle.
Cars don't like sitting idle in the morning, they don't get up to temperature when standing still so you could be doing some damage just letting it idle.
08 December 2003, 05:29 PM
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My mate was a baker and had to do bread deliveries at stupid o'clock, his van was always iced over in the winter.
His tip:
Get a plastic food bag (without ankle biter anti suffocation holes).
Fill it with hot water.
Wipe the full bag up and down over the screen.
Ice gone
His tip:
Get a plastic food bag (without ankle biter anti suffocation holes).
Fill it with hot water.
Wipe the full bag up and down over the screen.
Ice gone
08 December 2003, 06:57 PM
#17
I think its actually illegal to leave your car idling to warm it up over here. Something to do with too much pollution. Personally, I keep my scoob under a car port so no scraping necessary!!
08 December 2003, 07:13 PM
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unless you live somewhere *really* cold
. So I sat in the car for 5 minutes while it (and I) warmed up !Couple of years ago it got to -18 (and I'm not making this up !!!)
brrrrrrrrrrr
08 December 2003, 07:21 PM
#21
Try this one...lead an extention outside to a thermostaticly controlled heater in your car,(make sure the end of extension is inside car and other end inside house)leave switched on,but extension unplugged!!go to bed, then just plug in extension in house as soon as you wake up!! hot car/gearknob/wheel... perfect windows and engine heats up quicker as you don't need the heating on full blast straight away.Try it once and you'll never want to go back...
[using non-thermo controlled heaters is a bit iffy as the car will heat up very quick...blah blah]
corner
...a good place is inbetween the front seats on the folded back centre console...
[Edited by matty01 - 12/8/2003 7:21:40 PM]
hot car/gearknob/wheel... perfect windows and engine heats up quicker as you don't need the heating on full blast straight away.Try it once and you'll never want to go back...[using non-thermo controlled heaters is a bit iffy as the car will heat up very quick...blah blah]
corner
...a good place is inbetween the front seats on the folded back centre console...
[Edited by matty01 - 12/8/2003 7:21:40 PM]
08 December 2003, 07:58 PM
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Physics Lesson Time!
De-Icer sprays actually leave the windscreen colder than before because it depresses the melting point of water which then takes the required latent heat of fusion from its surroundings i.e. from the deicer fluid, the windscreen and the ambient air.
So... using warmer water to defrost a windscreen is better because you are adding heat to the windscreen!
Obviously leaving it dry is important, because once you are moving and there is air flow over the water it will evaporate quickly taking the required latent heat of evaporation from the windscreen and the remaining water, resulting in a nice coating of ice!
There endeth the lesson
De-Icer sprays actually leave the windscreen colder than before because it depresses the melting point of water which then takes the required latent heat of fusion from its surroundings i.e. from the deicer fluid, the windscreen and the ambient air.
So... using warmer water to defrost a windscreen is better because you are adding heat to the windscreen!
Obviously leaving it dry is important, because once you are moving and there is air flow over the water it will evaporate quickly taking the required latent heat of evaporation from the windscreen and the remaining water, resulting in a nice coating of ice!
There endeth the lesson
08 December 2003, 08:27 PM
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The best gadget I had on a car was the heated front screen on my Orion Ghia 1.6i when I was a student was invaluable in winter.
I really don't understand why they are not standard on all cars when this was standard on a car that was made 15 years ago 
was invaluable in winter.I really don't understand why they are not standard on all cars when this was standard on a car that was made 15 years ago
08 December 2003, 10:47 PM
#27
I have the 'Quick Clear' front windscreen on my Mondeo and its superb when its icy, just hit the button and 30 seconds later the frost can be removed with the wipers, almost worth all the little lines in the screen the rest of the time !
Will miss it when I chop it in for a Scoob.
Will miss it when I chop it in for a Scoob.
09 December 2003, 12:29 AM
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I think its actually illegal to leave your car idling to warm it up over here. Something to do with too much pollution
Would the emissions be any different if you were to sit in the car while it warmed up?
Its illegal to leave the car with either...
a)The engine running, or
b)The handbrake not engaged, unless
there is a "responsible" person in the car who can stop it from moving off of it's own accord.
BTW, forget the legalities, do you fancy telling your insurers that you can't present them with the car's keys for your theft claim, cos they were ummmmm IN IT!!!!!
I think the insurers have a pro-forma reply for this type of theft.....
It starts in F**K and finishes in OFF!
For your insurance to be valid, you must take all reasonable steps to ensure the security of the vehicle. Leaving the engine running outside while you eat your toast isn't "reasonable steps to ensure security"! lol
Just scrape the ****** you lazy buggers!
[Edited by talizman - 12/9/2003 12:30:02 AM]