Heating a car windshield: how to install a heating element in a car with your own hands and install a function button

Purchasing a new heated front window

The option is good if your car is equipped with a heated front window. You can simply purchase such glass and install it instead of the old one. This item will be original and of high quality. Find out more about auto glass replacement here.

If such equipment is not available, you can purchase Chinese non-original heated glass. This option is already a lottery, because it is not a fact that this frontal approach will work well.

Do not forget that this glass will have to be installed either independently or at a service center. It’s best to do it yourself, because purchasing new heated glass is an expensive purchase (the cost of such glass starts from 10,000 rubles).

Advantages: when buying the original, the highest quality option.

Disadvantages: high cost, risk of low-quality products when buying non-original ones.

Do-it-yourself heating of windshield wipers and windshield washer nozzles

Heated windshield wipers

If you were unable to buy nozzles specifically for your car, you can always buy and install universal washer nozzles.

In auto parts and accessories stores you can purchase heated windshield washer nozzles (including fan nozzles). If there are no such ones on sale specifically for your car, then so-called universal injectors are produced. There is no difficulty in installing them. The main thing is to carefully route the wiring so that it does not hang down, but also does not break when opening the hood. This also applies to connecting the heated windshield wiper blades - the power wires should not interfere with the operation of the “trapezium wiper” mechanism.
Unfortunately, even heated nozzles cannot prevent the washer from freezing in cold weather - on many cars the tanks are located, as they say, “outside” - outside the engine compartment. Therefore, some craftsmen equip the tank with heating by installing an electric heater at the bottom, which is also powered by the battery.

Car interior heater “Termolux 09R”

The most powerful additional interior heater for a car from the Termolux model series, providing even more heat. Equipped with a ceramic heating element with a fine-mesh structure, providing ultra-fast heating. A ceramic car heater is fireproof, does not dry out the air and does not burn oxygen, providing you with comfortable conditions. In cool weather, an additional interior heater in the car will help you warm up faster and prevent the windows from fogging, and in winter it can easily deal with ice on the windows.

Functional features:

The power of the ceramic car heater is 200 W.
Airflow adjustment: ±45° vertical, 360° horizontal.
Power supply: 12 V on-board power supply via the cigarette lighter.
Dimensions - 130x80 mm.

Manufacturer: Taiwan

Warranty: 12 months.

Heated windshield as a standard feature from the car manufacturer

You can either buy a car that already has a heated windshield. A striking example will be the new Skoda “Octavia” model, which has this option on most trim levels. But it is possible to order glass installation from the manufacturer. For example, in the town of Elektrostal near Moscow, it provides such a service to owners of cars, buses and even boats. The installation cost, on average, is one and a half thousand rubles, and the cost of glass may vary depending on the car model. For example, for a Volkswagen Golf 4, glass can cost from five to seven thousand rubles.

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Car interior heater “Termolux-200W Comfort” with autonomous power supply!

Powerful interior heater with autonomous power supply, provides directional heating of the interior, also can work as a fan in hot weather. Thanks to built-in battery (Unique!) is suitable for use not only in the car, but also at home, in the garage, etc. Equipped on timer for automatic heating of the car in your absence and LCD display (Unique!) for ease of device setup. The ceramic heating element does not heat up to high temperatures, therefore it is fireproof, does not dry out the air and does not burn oxygen.

Functional features:

The power of the electric car heater is 200 W.
Air flow adjustment - yes, vertically.
Power supply: 12 V vehicle power supply through the cigarette lighter or from the built-in battery.
Dimensions: 200x90x45 mm.

Manufacturer: Hong Kong

Warranty: 12 months.

Price issue

The cost of a heated windshield varies around 5,000 rubles for finished glass. It should be taken into account that heating by soldering the filament will cost the most and cause discomfort associated with glare. The most budget option would be to install heating elements in the lower part of the glass.

If it doesn’t matter to you whether the entire glass or only part of it will be heated, then you should choose this option. As for warming up the wipers and injectors, it is worth noting that price does not matter when it comes to traffic safety. Therefore, it is best to purchase them in stores rather than skimp on installing them yourself. Moreover, recently some good Russian budget models have appeared.

Car interior heater - auto hair dryer "Termolux 160W"

The ceramic heating element, which is used in this autonomous car interior heater, does not heat up to high temperatures, therefore it is fireproof, does not dry out the air and does not burn oxygen, providing you with comfortable conditions in the car. In cool weather, a ceramic interior heater in your car will help you warm up faster and prevent the windows from fogging; in winter, it can easily deal with ice on the windows. Thanks to the removable mount, it is easy to install an additional electric heater in the car in any part of the cabin in a matter of seconds.

Functional features:

The power of the electric car heater is 160 W.
Airflow adjustment: ±30° vertical.
Power supply: 12 V on-board power supply via the cigarette lighter.
Dimensions - 145x110x70 mm.

Manufacturer: Taiwan

Warranty: 12 months.

Heating of washer fluid

This type of heating not only helps to melt the layer on the glass in winter, but also to wash away dirt in summer, since warm water washes better than cold water. There are two ways to heat the washer fluid:

Heating the washer barrel
Heated washer nozzles

Keg heating

The washer is heated using special plates with a thermostat. You can purchase them at any radio electronics store.

Just like heating the brushes and windshield, these plates are connected via a 12 Volt wire. For example, you can take the wire from the heated mirrors. Since these elements have a built-in thermostat, they are able to turn off when the temperature reaches above 50 degrees.

It is not difficult to fix the plates on the barrel, since they are self-adhesive.

Advice. When using this method, it is better to insulate the washer barrel itself so that it retains heat better. This is done by covering it with three layers of foil.

Heating of injectors

The heating of the nozzles washing the windshield is carried out due to the built-in resistance inside them. Under the influence of current, this resistance heats up and transfers heat to the washer fluid.

You can either buy such nozzles or make them yourself. The second option is preferable, since the first is expensive. You can buy ordinary cheap injectors and install a heating element in them. This element is a 300 ohm resistor, which can be purchased at a radio electronics store for 20 rubles. You will need 4 pieces.

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To place the resistor inside, you need to drill a groove in the plastic body of the nozzle.

By inserting a resistor into the groove, we connect it.

We solder the wires to the ends of the resistor and connect them, for example, through the heated rear window. This windshield heater is characterized by the rapid heating of the liquid.

INTERIOR HEATER / CAR FAN “TERMOLUX-150”

An additional interior heater in a car with increased power will ensure the fastest thawing of ice on the windows, defogging them and heating the interior. A ceramic car heater will also be useful in hot weather when you turn on an additional operating mode as a regular fan without heating. An additional interior heater in a car can also be used to remove ice from outside the car (from windows, mirrors, body) due to the presence of a folding handle, thanks to which the device fits comfortably in the hand and can be directed to icy areas.

Functional features:

The power of the electric ceramic car heater is 150 W.
Adjustable air flow direction - yes, 45 degrees.
Power supply: 12 V on-board power supply via the cigarette lighter.

Manufacturer: Hong Kong

Warranty: 12 months.

Installing a heated windshield

First of all, you need to buy such glass. Original auto glass for many foreign cars is usually expensive, but there are more affordable domestic and Chinese analogues. And this is where you need to be careful when purchasing, because low-quality glass - heated or not - can be made with such defects that you will regret replacing the standard glass.

Signs of a good windshield:

A good windshield should remain transparent under all circumstances.

It should remain transparent when exposed to direct sunlight - cloudy glass indicates poor sizing.
In the active vision zone (in a 28-degree viewing sector when looking in the direction of movement) there should be no distortion of the outlines of objects.
The heating threads should not stand out - in good glass they are barely noticeable.
An indirect sign of a good product is a clear mark and carefully executed packaging that prevents any possible damage during transportation.

Windshield heating tapes

It is better not to skimp on windshield replacement work and trust the specialists.

It is better to replace a windshield in a specialized car service - despite the apparent simplicity of the work, cutting out the old glass, applying primer and sealant, as well as following the drying rules, not everyone can do it efficiently. It often happens that after a few months, or even immediately after replacement, the joint between the glass and the body begins to leak. And body parts, mercilessly stripped by string, become covered with rust - especially the front edge of the roof. A true professional will not even need to clarify whether the glass is heated or not. In addition, it will remove the wires from the heating so that you do not have to disassemble the frill when connecting.

Pros and cons of heating systems

A heated windshield is only important in harsh climates. Connecting a heated windshield is almost a prerequisite for comfortable driving in northern Russia.

Advantages of using a heated front windshield:

less ice sticks to the wiper blades;
glass fogging is reduced;
ice does not have time to form;
The ride comfort is increased and the time required to prepare the vehicle for departure is reduced.

Electrically heated car windows are optional. Instead, car owners often use heating in the cabin or air blowing. Some car owners scrape off ice the old-fashioned way - with a scraper and a brush. But when scraping off frost and ice from car windows, drivers scratch them. Microdamages are not visible at first, but over time they begin to impair visibility - the glass becomes cloudy.

Disadvantages of heating:

Often, managers at car dealerships do not tell customers that an additional option can cost them 100 thousand rubles if we are talking about a car made in Germany.
When replacing a heated windshield, you have to pay 40% more than when installing regular auto glass.
Glass may crack due to temperature changes. This situation occurs, for example, in severe frosts, when the interior is warm, but outside it is 30-40 degrees below zero.
Heater filaments are not immune to damage or burnout. As soon as one element is damaged, the entire system shuts down.
If even minor damage occurs, visibility is significantly impaired.
When driving in the dark, glare may appear, which disorients the driver and creates emergency situations.

Heating systems installed in the car by the manufacturer select the heating mode automatically taking into account the ambient temperature. The colder it is outside, the lower the heating intensity to avoid temperature differences that can lead to cracking of auto glass.

Installing a heated windshield

Installation at a service center

Installing a heated windshield in a car service center, as mentioned above, consists of dismantling the old glass and electrical installation for the purpose of routing power wires and heating control. You can receive this service by contacting the dealership where you purchased the car, or a dealership that services cars of your brand.

The service is provided not only by car dealerships, but also by various auto repair shops, but it is still recommended to use the help of a car dealership to avoid mismatch between the glass model and the car. Dismantling and installation take some time, during which you can drink tea or coffee, or watch the installation process.

Self-installation

This method is the most risky, since it is unlikely that each of us is a professional auto mechanic. To make heating yourself, you need basic knowledge about the electrical equipment of a car. Soldering iron skills are also required.

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You can equip the glass with heating by installing the tape in the plane of the windshield wipers and gluing it around the perimeter of the window. To do this, purchase self-adhesive tape (without filaments) from the store and carefully wipe the inside of the glass with a rag or corduroy cloth to remove stains and dust. Then carefully apply the strips of tape.

After installation, it is necessary to power the heating into the vehicle's power supply system. To do this, one terminal must be connected to the positive wire, and the other to the control unit. In the case of installing heated wipers and windshield wipers, the same thing is repeated, except for dismantling the old glass.

Take special care when using a soldering iron with contacts! The slightest mistake can lead to problems with the entire electrical network of the car.

Low-power kits connected to the cigarette lighter

There is such a thing as a portable glass or interior heater, powered by a cigarette lighter. Such devices are made of metal and plastic and weigh on average half a kilogram. Their average power is 150 W. The device is something like a portable hair dryer that connects to the cigarette lighter, and, blowing warm air, like a regular hair dryer, heats the glass, and at the same time the interior.

The device, in principle, is convenient for preparing a car for a trip, but such devices are not yet particularly popular due to their dubious build quality. Another disadvantage of this device is its low power.

The time spent heating the glass before a trip may differ, for the worse, from the time spent heating it using the same filament. Another disadvantage of the device is that the glass is best heated at the place where it is installed. The far edges of the glass heat up more slowly, and therefore you have to move the device so that the entire glass is heated.

Also, if you overdo it with air injection, the temperature in the cabin may be higher than comfortable. But, thanks to the influence of advertising, the devices are still purchased by car enthusiasts. A very interesting of these devices is the heated scraper. It may be suitable for removing frost from glass by simultaneously heating and scraping off pieces of ice.