Heated windscreens - any experiences?

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M

McBad

Guest

Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!

Uroglas ( www.uroglas.co.uk ) seem to do them for a reasonable price (
~£145) but I'm sure I've seen a magazine article some time back that
suggested that they were quite hard to fit, needed a lot of complex (by my
standards!) wiring and cost more like £350.. It takes ages for the mist and
condensation to clear these autumn mornings and it is only going to get
worse over the next few months :eek:( so wondered if this could be the
solution.

Any comments appreciated...

Thanks,

M.


 
"McBad" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
>
> Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
> Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
>
> Uroglas ( www.uroglas.co.uk ) seem to do them for a reasonable price (
> ~£145) but I'm sure I've seen a magazine article some time back that
> suggested that they were quite hard to fit, needed a lot of complex (by my
> standards!) wiring and cost more like £350.. It takes ages for the mist
> and
> condensation to clear these autumn mornings and it is only going to get
> worse over the next few months :eek:( so wondered if this could be the
> solution.
>
> Any comments appreciated...
>
> Thanks,
>
> M.

Had a heated windscreen fitted in the RRC, the wiring was already present
however if I'd have had to pay for it I'd be well peed off now as half the
tracks no longer work... infact it's easier to count those that do. Add to
this the fact it plays havock with the auto focus on the camera (I've lots
of piccys of the wire in the screen but few of the lake district hills
behind!) and also hampers GPS reception a Tad it's not worth the bother.
Next brick that dinks the windscreen and a plain one is going back in.
Probably why the previous keeper couldn't be bothered hence the last screen
being plain prior to the one I had fitted.

I run a IIa (every now and then when he's feeling compliant) and use a cloth
saturated with washing up liquid such as Fairy. This helps prevent the
windows misting for quite a while and keeps them as clean as a whistle at
the same time. Oh the joy of spraying deicer on the inside!

I don't know what level of luxury your heater has but if it's got one of
those recirculate buttons make sure its not on recirculate or It'll be as
damp as a damp thing... then again if its a landrover...


Lee D


 

"McBad" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
>
> Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
> Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
>
> Uroglas ( www.uroglas.co.uk ) seem to do them for a reasonable price (
> ~£145) but I'm sure I've seen a magazine article some time back that
> suggested that they were quite hard to fit, needed a lot of complex (by my
> standards!) wiring and cost more like £350.. It takes ages for the mist
and
> condensation to clear these autumn mornings and it is only going to get
> worse over the next few months :eek:( so wondered if this could be the
> solution.
>
> Any comments appreciated...
>
> Thanks,
>
> M.
>

Not on a D90 but on the wife's RRC. Worked well. Made scrapping the
windshield hell of allot easier.


 
The heated screen on my RRC was god send last winter, really effective
de-misting and de-icing.

AlunP

 
On or around Wed, 10 Nov 2004 09:33:23 GMT, "Alun P"
<alun.priddle@NOSPAMblueyonderDOTcoDOTuk> enlightened us thusly:

>The heated screen on my RRC was god send last winter, really effective
>de-misting and de-icing.

yeah, the heated screen really comes into its own if it's iced up. Misty on
the inside clears tolerably easily or can be wiped off. Ice is a pain.
 
On or around Tue, 9 Nov 2004 20:30:46 -0000, "McBad"
<[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>
>Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
>Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
>


bah. don't list one for the disco. I've sent 'em a message.


 

"McBad" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
>
> Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
> Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
>
> Uroglas ( www.uroglas.co.uk ) seem to do them for a reasonable price (
> ~£145) but I'm sure I've seen a magazine article some time back that
> suggested that they were quite hard to fit, needed a lot of complex (by my
> standards!) wiring and cost more like £350.. It takes ages for the mist
and
> condensation to clear these autumn mornings and it is only going to get
> worse over the next few months :eek:( so wondered if this could be the
> solution.
>
> Any comments appreciated...
>
> Thanks,
>
> M.
>
I fitted one to my 110 last year when I fitted the new bulkhead etc, it's
brilliant! Actually, Autoglass fitted it and it cost me the £60 excess,
complete with new seal etc. Money very well spent IMO.
As for the wiring, simplicity itself. Fused 20A supply to a relay, switch
controls relay. 3 wires coming from screen, one at each end and one in the
centre. Choice now, use centre as earth and switch the 12v to the 2 outers
(you could even have 2 switches and control each side separately if you
wanted - I'm wary of this as I think the differing thermal expansion may
crack the screen) or earth the 2 outers and supply 12v to the centre. Your
choice either way, mine is centre earthed and common switched to the outers.
I had to fit a GPS re-radiating antenna to get my GPS unit working properly
again (no external antenna connection on it or I'd just have fitted that!),
works great now.
Cold, frosty mornings - no worries. Climb in, start up and switch on screen.
By the time you've gone and scraped the snow/ice etc off the side and rear
glass (you do, I hope. Fuzz up here in Elgin will nick you if you don't
clean glass to give decent visibility, and rightly so.) the windscreen is
clear and that lovely V8 is starting to warm up the interior. Unlike a
diesel landy, the V8 does actually produce waste heat for the heater unit to
work!!!

Badger
B.H.Engineering
Rover V8 engine specialists
www.roverv8engines.com
www.bhengineering.co.uk



 
So Jeff was, like

<heated windcsrens>


> They certainly screw up GPS receivers on the dash.
>
> Jeff

Not necessarily. Garmin GPS12. Compared with the 90 and other vehicles
(including an open boat), in the Rangie it takes about twice as long to
acquire the satellites, but after that it works as normal.

--

Rich

Nullum Gratuitum Prandium


 
> Not necessarily. Garmin GPS12. Compared with the 90 and other vehicles
> (including an open boat), in the Rangie it takes about twice as long to
> acquire the satellites, but after that it works as normal.

If it is taking that much longer to lock up then performance is
certainly being affected. It will mean that fewer satellites are being seen
and tracking will be lost earlier than it otherwise would in situations
were there are few satellites visible.

Regards
Jeff


 
"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>>Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
>>Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
>>
>
>
> bah. don't list one for the disco. I've sent 'em a message.

Same part as the Range rover if my memory serves me right. For the RRC
Landrover wanted around £500 notes...and I had more hair then too.

Lee D


 
Will a Range Rover (Classic) heated screen fit a 95 Discovery?
Richard


"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Tue, 9 Nov 2004 20:30:46 -0000, "McBad"
> <[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>
>>Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an older
>>Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
>>
>
>
> bah. don't list one for the disco. I've sent 'em a message.
>
>


 
"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> Not necessarily. Garmin GPS12. Compared with the 90 and other vehicles
>> (including an open boat), in the Rangie it takes about twice as long to
>> acquire the satellites, but after that it works as normal.
>
> If it is taking that much longer to lock up then performance is
> certainly being affected. It will mean that fewer satellites are being
> seen
> and tracking will be lost earlier than it otherwise would in situations
> were there are few satellites visible.
>
> Regards
> Jeff

We have a gps mouse and locate it either beside the tax disk where there are
no elements, or wedged up in the sunroof if in the Disco. Both Disco and
Rangie have heated windscreens.

When driving in France the Disco was next to useless reception wise whist in
the windscreen. Unless clear open roads. occasionally it picked up
reflections showing us driving beside motorways.

Placing the mouse in the sunroof meant these errors were eliminated and
tension levels reverted to the standard "Are we nearly there yet?" question
of life.

Lee D


 

"Badger" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> "McBad" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:p[email protected]...
> >
> > Does anyone have any experience of fitting a heated windscreen to an
older
> > Defender? Most importantly, do they work?!
> >
> > Uroglas ( www.uroglas.co.uk ) seem to do them for a reasonable price (
> > ~£145) but I'm sure I've seen a magazine article some time back that
> > suggested that they were quite hard to fit, needed a lot of complex (by
my
> > standards!) wiring and cost more like £350.. It takes ages for the mist
> and
> > condensation to clear these autumn mornings and it is only going to get
> > worse over the next few months :eek:( so wondered if this could be the
> > solution.
> >
> > Any comments appreciated...
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > M.
> >
> I fitted one to my 110 last year when I fitted the new bulkhead etc, it's
> brilliant! Actually, Autoglass fitted it and it cost me the £60 excess,
> complete with new seal etc. Money very well spent IMO.
> As for the wiring, simplicity itself. Fused 20A supply to a relay, switch
> controls relay. 3 wires coming from screen, one at each end and one in the
> centre. Choice now, use centre as earth and switch the 12v to the 2 outers
> (you could even have 2 switches and control each side separately if you
> wanted - I'm wary of this as I think the differing thermal expansion may
> crack the screen) or earth the 2 outers and supply 12v to the centre. Your
> choice either way, mine is centre earthed and common switched to the
outers.
> I had to fit a GPS re-radiating antenna to get my GPS unit working
properly
> again (no external antenna connection on it or I'd just have fitted
that!),
> works great now.
> Cold, frosty mornings - no worries. Climb in, start up and switch on
screen.
> By the time you've gone and scraped the snow/ice etc off the side and rear
> glass (you do, I hope. Fuzz up here in Elgin will nick you if you don't
> clean glass to give decent visibility, and rightly so.) the windscreen is
> clear and that lovely V8 is starting to warm up the interior. Unlike a
> diesel landy, the V8 does actually produce waste heat for the heater unit
to
> work!!!
>
> Badger
> B.H.Engineering
> Rover V8 engine specialists
> www.roverv8engines.com
> www.bhengineering.co.uk
>
>
>

Thanks to everyone who has responded; useful info. Think I'll put the rock
sliders on hold for another month and get the windscreen instead.

Cheers,

M.


 
On or around Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:00:26 GMT, "Richard" <richardsemail
[email protected]> enlightened us thusly:

>Will a Range Rover (Classic) heated screen fit a 95 Discovery?
>Richard
>

I don't see why not. There are however more than one kind of windscreen
mounting method. dunno if the glass differs.

 
The 1995 Discovery model range has a bonded windscreen while the RaRo
Classic had a the older type being held with a weathestrip. I think the soft
dash RaRo LSE of late 1994 and 1995 (the last year of production) was also
fitted with a bonded windscreen so it is worth looking for such an item but
then again bonded windscreens are usually broken when removed.

As for being able to fit a RaRo Classic heated windscreen to a Discovery I
have done so on my 1993 Disco.
Only drawback is that the RaRo Classic's windscreen mirror pad is located
lower than on the Disco. But apart from that is worked OK.

Take care
Pantelis

"Austin Shackles" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On or around Wed, 10 Nov 2004 19:00:26 GMT, "Richard" <richardsemail
> [email protected]> enlightened us thusly:
>
> >Will a Range Rover (Classic) heated screen fit a 95 Discovery?
> >Richard
> >
>
> I don't see why not. There are however more than one kind of windscreen
> mounting method. dunno if the glass differs.
>


 
"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> > Not necessarily. Garmin GPS12. Compared with the 90 and other vehicles
> > (including an open boat), in the Rangie it takes about twice as long to
> > acquire the satellites, but after that it works as normal.
>
> If it is taking that much longer to lock up then performance is
> certainly being affected. It will mean that fewer satellites are being seen
> and tracking will be lost earlier than it otherwise would in situations
> were there are few satellites visible.
>
> Regards
> Jeff

If you say so. As I said, it works as normal, sees roughly the same
number of satellites (I don't keep count as I'm usually driving) and
has never lost tracking. My point is that it works OK - maybe less
than optimal performance, but if it doesn't affect function, where's
the problem?

Rich
 
So Pantelis Giamarellos was, like

> The 1995 Discovery model range has a bonded windscreen while the RaRo
> Classic had a the older type being held with a weathestrip. I think
> the soft dash RaRo LSE of late 1994 and 1995 (the last year of
> production) was also fitted with a bonded windscreen so it is worth
> looking for such an item but then again bonded windscreens are
> usually broken when removed.


Off topic, Pantelis, but golly your English is good. :)

--

Rich

Nullum Gratuitum Prandium


 
Rich thanks for the compliment.

My late English teacher will be smiling from up in the sky.....

Take care
Pantelis



"Richard Brookman" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> So Pantelis Giamarellos was, like
>
> > The 1995 Discovery model range has a bonded windscreen while the RaRo
> > Classic had a the older type being held with a weathestrip. I think
> > the soft dash RaRo LSE of late 1994 and 1995 (the last year of
> > production) was also fitted with a bonded windscreen so it is worth
> > looking for such an item but then again bonded windscreens are
> > usually broken when removed.
>
>
> Off topic, Pantelis, but golly your English is good. :)
>
> --
>
> Rich
>
> Nullum Gratuitum Prandium
>
>


 
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