Windscreen defrosting?!

[Mr Gearchange]

http://library.thinkquest.org/C008537/cool/freeze/...

Mpemba effect - although it might not actually work in the same way when applied to a windscreen - but I'm pretty sure I have observed it to be the fact.

Plus cold water isn't likley to crack your windscreen.

[carl carlson]

Munter said:

Sixpackpert said:

Turn on
Set controls to windscreen/full fan/aircon on
Go inside
Boil kettle
Make coffee
Drink coffee
Go outside
Go back inside
Report car stolen

EFA

A neighbour of mine did that with his van. He came back out hoping for a nice toasty van only to find some tt had drove off in his newly defrosted, warmed up van. Big pisser no?

[mnkiboy]

CraigyMc said:

Munter said:

Sixpackpert said:

Turn on
Set controls to windscreen/full fan/aircon on
Go inside
Boil kettle
Make coffee
Drink coffee
Go outside
Go back inside
Report car stolen

EFA

Actual lol.

This did actually happen to my boss a couple of weeks ago. Was just walking out the front door to see a chav driving off in his new 3 Series.

I always lock my car with the spare key if doing this, but wonder how my insurance company would react if someone smashed a window and jumped in.

[RizzoTheRat]

mnkiboy said:

I don't see what's wrong with a simple scraper. Takes me all of 2 minutes to get round the car, unless it's been an excessively cold night.

Same here, cheap plastic Halfords scraper does the job quickly.

[lescombes]

shaun442k said:

Extension lead + electric fan heater. 5 mins and it's warm and de-iced.

Works for me too.....

[Munter]

RizzoTheRat said:

mnkiboy said:

I don't see what's wrong with a simple scraper. Takes me all of 2 minutes to get round the car, unless it's been an excessively cold night.

Same here, cheap plastic Halfords scraper does the job quickly.

Problem is it does leave small scratches in the glass. Which now catch the low sun and irritate beyond belief.... (Something for the things that annoy you beyond reason thread I think!)

[Tanguero]

Munter said:

Mr Gearchange said:

Use cold water - hot water re-freezes more quickly than cold water.

...really? Got any science behind that? I'd say it's wrong but Physics is a royal PITA at doing odd things sometimes, so I'll reserve judgement until someone explains the process.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~johanw/PhysFAQ/General/hot_water.html

interesting reading

[mnkiboy]

Munter said:

RizzoTheRat said:

mnkiboy said:

I don't see what's wrong with a simple scraper. Takes me all of 2 minutes to get round the car, unless it's been an excessively cold night.

Same here, cheap plastic Halfords scraper does the job quickly.

Problem is it does leave small scratches in the glass. Which now catch the low sun and irritate beyond belief.... (Something for the things that annoy you beyond reason thread I think!)

It's nothing that a house brick and £50 excess can't solve

[rsv gone!]

Munter said:

RizzoTheRat said:

mnkiboy said:

I don't see what's wrong with a simple scraper. Takes me all of 2 minutes to get round the car, unless it's been an excessively cold night.

Same here, cheap plastic Halfords scraper does the job quickly.

Problem is it does leave small scratches in the glass. Which now catch the low sun and irritate beyond belief.... (Something for the things that annoy you beyond reason thread I think!)

I always use the rubber blade of the cheap scraper. It is usually plenty to move the frost. Start the car first, set the heater going and do the side windows first. By the time you get back to the screen it is usually softened.

[Jasandjules]

Spray on de-icer. Put aircon and windscreen heater on. Scrape (using rubber part of scraper) the now slowly melting ice. Unless it's covered with snow, at which point the same as above but with an added swearing and getting snow all over me session as I try to clear it off to get to the ice underneath..

[Munter]

rsv gone! said:

Munter said:

RizzoTheRat said:

mnkiboy said:

I don't see what's wrong with a simple scraper. Takes me all of 2 minutes to get round the car, unless it's been an excessively cold night.

Same here, cheap plastic Halfords scraper does the job quickly.

Problem is it does leave small scratches in the glass. Which now catch the low sun and irritate beyond belief.... (Something for the things that annoy you beyond reason thread I think!)

I always use the rubber blade of the cheap scraper. It is usually plenty to move the frost. Start the car first, set the heater going and do the side windows first. By the time you get back to the screen it is usually softened.

Yeah I used to do that....didn't work in the depths of the cold last year and I needed to get moving so went for the Banzi! scratchy glass death approach. And now I've started and done the damage I may as well carry on.

[TommyBuoy]

Mr Gearchange said:

http://library.thinkquest.org/C008537/cool/freeze/...

Mpemba effect - although it might not actually work in the same way when applied to a windscreen - but I'm pretty sure I have observed it to be the fact.

Plus cold water isn't likley to crack your windscreen.

In theory, as I understand the Mpemba effect, it should, although there are many theories what cause it and not one single agreed idea.

The hot water would be evaporating 'quicker' than the cold water, taking heat out of the fluid at the same time as cooling via the screen. This is one of the idea's behind the effect when using containers at least.

Anyway, I park in a garage - if there's ice on the windscreen then the roof has leaked.

[buzzer]

lescombes said:

shaun442k said:

Extension lead + electric fan heater. 5 mins and it's warm and de-iced.

Works for me too.....

Works for me too... Especially as its plugged into the socket in the garage which is on a timer...

Toasty warm to get into as well. I am going to put an external socket on the wall soon so i dont have to open the garage door.

[homerjay]

Sixpackpert said:

Turn on
Set controls to windscreen/full fan/aircon on
Go inside
Boil kettle
Make coffee
Drink coffee
Go to car and drive off.

this

[al1991]

Get one's butler to do it.

[sleep envy]

al1991 said:

Get one's butler to do it.

>ahem<

sleep envy said:

Get ones Gentleman's Gentleman to do it.

[soda]

Set a large sheet of cardboard under the wipers, remove cardboard in the morning and drive off

[Daaaveee]

mnkiboy said:

CraigyMc said:

Munter said:

Sixpackpert said:

Turn on
Set controls to windscreen/full fan/aircon on
Go inside
Boil kettle
Make coffee
Drink coffee
Go outside
Go back inside
Report car stolen

EFA

Actual lol.

This did actually happen to my boss a couple of weeks ago. Was just walking out the front door to see a chav driving off in his new 3 Series.

I always lock my car with the spare key if doing this, but wonder how my insurance company would react if someone smashed a window and jumped in.

Exactly. Lock with spare key while its warming up? Thats what I do anyway.

[rhinochopig]

soda said:

Set a large sheet of cardboard under the wipers, remove cardboard in the morning and drive off

That's bloody dangerous though. What happens if you forget to remove the cardboard - you'd probably run over a small child playing in their garden causing untold injuries.

[ewenm]

Daaaveee said:

mnkiboy said:

CraigyMc said:

Munter said:

Sixpackpert said:

Turn on
Set controls to windscreen/full fan/aircon on
Go inside
Boil kettle
Make coffee
Drink coffee
Go outside
Go back inside
Report car stolen

EFA

Actual lol.

This did actually happen to my boss a couple of weeks ago. Was just walking out the front door to see a chav driving off in his new 3 Series.

I always lock my car with the spare key if doing this, but wonder how my insurance company would react if someone smashed a window and jumped in.

Exactly. Lock with spare key while its warming up? Thats what I do anyway.

The C30 we had last winter wouldn't lock on the spare key if the engine was running.