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A specific washer fluid needed?
- Thread starter Beej4
- Start date
yea the one thing to bear in mind is that when diluted screen wash says use 70% for winter don't carry on diluting 25% like I always used to with ICE cars, as if it does freeze there's no engine to thaw anything out and it's a complete nightmare 
Country Boy
Member
Having driven electric for past 2 winters.. I have not even thought of that....yea the one thing to bear in mind is that when diluted screen wash says use 70% for winter don't carry on diluting 25% like I always used to with ICE cars, as if it does freeze there's no engine to thaw anything out and it's a complete nightmare
25l drum of screen wash on its way.... (I have emptied the screen was in 2000 miles).
Anyone know the size of the screen wash bottle?
Just try not to mix different screen wash in the wash bottle, as it can create a sludge and then block pipes. Not happened to me, but it is what I've read somewhere. Manual says 3.2litres. https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_3_owners_manual_europe_gb.pdf page 187!
CyberGus
Not Just a Member
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
yea the one thing to bear in mind is that when diluted screen wash says use 70% for winter don't carry on diluting 25% like I always used to with ICE cars, as if it does freeze there's no engine to thaw anything out and it's a complete nightmare
Many years ago, I made up a small concentric heat exchanger, just using some brazed up copper pipe and fittings, that used engine coolant to heat up a slug of screenwash, so the screen got hit with warm screenwash. It worked very well, and this thread has got me thinking about making up an electric immersible heater that could be fitted into the screenwash tank, perhaps by getting a spare lid and running a cable through it. It would then be a matter of finding 12 V power nearby, that's only on when the car is on, and knocking up a sensor to only warm up the screenwash tank in very cold weather. It doesn't need much heat, just having screenwash at 20°C or so above freezing is fine for quickly de-icing a screen, with minimal risk of damage from the temperature differential. Slightly warm screenwash also gets rid of bugs a lot easier, I found.
An even easier solution (no pun intended!) would be to pick up a telescope dew preventer band* and wrap it around the tank. Or make one from some nichrome wire or resistors.
Like this: Lynx Astro 30cm Dew Heater Strap for 3" Telescopes | First Light Optics
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
That's a neater idea, just needs a suitable switched power source. Might be something that a company like Hansshow could look at, as an accessory, complete with control box. If the front screen demist signal can be pulled off the CANbus, then that could be used to turn the heater on and off, perhaps.
There's all sorts of controllers available, including ones that are controllable over USB. Pull a permanently live 12V feed off somewhere to power the dew strap, a controller and a small Rasberry Pi, bung in a temperature sensor and you could automate it so it senses when the air temperature drops below freezing. No more frozen wash bottles!
Heath Robinson is my middle name!
Sorry to spill the creative juices but would it not be cheaper and a better use of time to just buy screenwash that's rated to -30c? Add that neat and if the temperature goes below that then I'd suggest staying inside. Suspect the weatherman will too!
If you really wanted to splash out you could buy some dedicated bug remover as well
Sorry to spill the creative juices but would it not be cheaper and a better use of time to just buy screenwash that's rated to -30c? Add that neat and if the temperature goes below that then I'd suggest staying inside. Suspect the weatherman will too!
If you really wanted to splash out you could buy some dedicated bug remover as well
Dont be coming in here with your simple solutions and logic!
Where's the fun in that?
Glan gluaisne
Active Member
Sorry to spill the creative juices but would it not be cheaper and a better use of time to just buy screenwash that's rated to -30c? Add that neat and if the temperature goes below that then I'd suggest staying inside. Suspect the weatherman will too!
If you really wanted to splash out you could buy some dedicated bug remover as well
It's not about stopping the screenwash from freezing, it's about enabling it to help de-ice the screen in very cold weather. Last time I had the heated screenwash gadget fitted to a car it was great for quickly de-icing the screen, and less hassle than either using a spray or waiting for the demister to impart enough warmth to the screen to melt the ice.
akenham
M3 LR AWD+ 2020
My last car (ice) had a factory fitted loop from the engine coolant going through the washer bottle. Since the washer fluid didn't boil I assume it was thermostated somehow.
I've been idly wondering about how the Telsa would do with lack of heat sources and had preventatively equipped myself with decently winter rated screenwash.
The washer bottle is above the front motor and next to the firewall so I suppose there's a chance it picks up some heat from one or other of those...
I've been idly wondering about how the Telsa would do with lack of heat sources and had preventatively equipped myself with decently winter rated screenwash.
The washer bottle is above the front motor and next to the firewall so I suppose there's a chance it picks up some heat from one or other of those...
MrBadger
Badger out
The Tesla does allow easy pre condition so you can get to the car and its already defrosted - in very damp and cold conditions this is a necessity as the door handles can freeze shut as water gets behind them and that creates a frozen bond that requires an uncomfortable amount of force to break.
Unfortunately pre conditioning takes a lot of energy which can zap your range (even if on shore power as it can draw more power than the electrical hookup can deliver) and is often at a time when the electricity grid is in its less environmentally friendly production.
So we use it very sparingly unless we think the door handles are frozen so will need a considerable duration.
Unfortunately pre conditioning takes a lot of energy which can zap your range (even if on shore power as it can draw more power than the electrical hookup can deliver) and is often at a time when the electricity grid is in its less environmentally friendly production.
So we use it very sparingly unless we think the door handles are frozen so will need a considerable duration.
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