Wind chill and screen wash - I forgot to factor it in...

[joebongo]

Apparently 60mph is like another -15 deg C, so when I diluted to cope with -10, it was no good and my washers froze up on the motorway.

I know being a child of the 70's and 80's I haven't experienced the bad winters of my dad and grandad, but you'd think the screen wash manufacturers could remind people of this, and how it's not enough to protect up to the point of the wather forecast!

Having said that I'm on 75% conc fluid and that still froze which should in theory have me covered to about -30.

[Munter]

Neat stuff seems to freeze on the motorway when the temp gauge reads -3. So basically you're buggered.

I found pulling over and buying a coffee, then sitting it over the washer jets for a minute would defrost them today. Man I've drunk a lot of coffee!

[Smike]

Halfords double concentrate Lemon is supposedly good down to -23 @ 100%
Apple is only good to -15 deg C @ 100%

[Graebob]

Heated washer jets!

[NugentS]

I wish - now where can I get an aftermarket fit???

Sean

[jakejake]

Actually Wind Chill will not have an effect in these circumstances.

The windchill effect only accelerates heat loss for objects hotter than their surroundings, it accelerates their cooling down to the ambient temperature. It will never drop below that temperature.

So if it is -5 ouside, the screenwash (when it gets on the windscreen) will cool rapidly to -5 but not go below that temperature.

If it freezes when it hits the screen at speed then it sounds like you need some better screenwash as it is not up to the job for the ambient temperature, regardless of windchill.

So if it is -5 and windy, then the windchill effect may be -20. So it feels really cold to us as we are warm object. But a exposed object to that wind will never cool below -5.

Not explained too well, type windchill it in wikipeida for a better explanation if you are a science nerd.

Pedantic first post, sorry.

[redstu]

^^ exactly!

[torqueofthedevil]

^^^ Glad you explained that

[MondeoMan1981]

Smike said:

Halfords double concentrate Lemon is supposedly good down to -23 @ 100%
Apple is only good to -15 deg C @ 100%

I had the Lemon recently and the label said -15 deg C @ 100% , I then bought "original" double concentrate in the same bottle when that was finished and the label on this one said -23 deg C @ 100%

However, I'm using it at 40% concentrate and my washers have been working constantly, temps were down to -18 deg C overnight and -12 deg C for most of today. It stinks like cheap old aftershave though !

[Pothole]

Are you directing warm air onto the screen at all times too? I use the feet and screen setting on my heater all the time atm and it seems to help a lot.

[John D.]

Neat Tescos pink stuff works. Its rated to -9 IIRC. Think it has rather a lot of alcohol in it judging by the smell when it hits the screen!

I had the same problem as the OP most of last week with Halfords stuff on a strong winter mix.

[JimNotJon]

£3.99 bottle from Waitrose/Wr Garage is guarenteed for temps down to -36. My washers still froze.

[Patrick Bateman]

Is there any recommended cheap stuff?

I bought 5 litres from halfords for a fiver but given the amount you have to use at the moment I'd prefer something a bit cheaper.

[southpaw]

My washers have been frozen for 2 weeks now, and I keep forgetting to buy screenwash! Car was showing -6 on the way to work on Monday.

It made the 20 mile drive on a very slushy A1 last weekend interesting, having to pull off the mway and wash the windscreen with a glove and snow wasn't fun!

Edited by southpaw on Wednesday 8th December 20:37

[Chris Hinds]

The best stuff I've used is from VW/Audi Dealers and neat it's good to -70 apparently. Certainly diluted 50/50 I've used it down to -20 without a problem. Not cheap (about £4 a bottle) but worth it.

Cheers

Chris

[Viper]

buying the pre-diluted stuff is a mistake, empty your bottle and fill it with neat concentrated, thats what we do when going to the alps, no probs at all

[Jonny671]

Either we've not got it as cold as you lot, we've had it down to about -4 but around -2 constantly and mine haven't frozen at all.. Or, the Wurth Screenwash we use at work is good stuff.

[Jonny671]

Jonny671 said:

Either we've not got it as cold as you lot, we've had it down to about -4 but around -2 constantly and mine haven't frozen at all.. Or, the Wurth Screenwash we use at work is good stuff.

Well, according to their technical data..

2 parts screen wash 1 part water good to -30'c
1 part screen wash 1 part water good to -20'c
1 part screen wash 2 part water good to -10'c

So its actually not bad stuff.

[ridds]

Also, washer jets ON the wiper blades are twice as useless as ones on/in the bonnet as they sit right in the airflow and hence get even colder....

[Munter]

Viper said:

buying the pre-diluted stuff is a mistake, empty your bottle and fill it with neat concentrated, thats what we do when going to the alps, no probs at all

3 bloody service stations I had to stop at before I found one with some concentrate. Pallets of the premix available. Gerr.