heated brushes. Wiper zone heating installation

In winter, every motorist is familiar with the problem associated with sticking wipers to the windshield. Such a nuisance can even cause a serious accident, because during a trip in bad weather you simply cannot see the road. However, there is a way out of this situation. heating is the solution.

Heating installation: option No. 1

Of course, the easiest option in this case is to buy such a device in a store. But it’s much more interesting and economical to make heated wipers with your own hands in a few evenings. There are several ways to make such devices at home.

Consider the first option based on The work will require the following materials:

• wire - 20 meters;
• a board of the same length as the brushes themselves;
• a pair of nails;
• scotch.

We hammer a couple of nails into the prepared board at a distance of 62 centimeters (the length of the brushes), wrap the wire around them in turns so that it does not twist. Take the tape and connect the wires with it like flat noodles. You need to do this every five centimeters. As a result, we get a heater tape.

At the next stage, you will need to stock up:

• copper wire - 40 centimeters;
• soldering iron;
• heat shrink tube;
• foil.

Solder 2 wires of 20 centimeters. We isolate the bonding points We wrap it with homemade foil.

We remove the rubber bands and plastic from the brushes. We insert the heating element inside and assemble the janitor. Solder the terminals to the wires. We put a corrugated tube on the heated wipers for insulation.

Rules for connecting brushes

Do-it-yourself heated wipers should be connected through a relay rated for a current of ten to fifteen amperes. The control wire must be connected to the contact in which electricity is supplied after the ignition is turned on. The switch must be installed on the dashboard. A fuse must be installed on the wire from the battery to the device enable relay.

Option number 2

In this case, wipers with a silicone band will be used, inside of which there is a hole.

The heating element will be a nichrome wire with a diameter of 0.3 mm. To determine how much it will take to work, you should measure the length of both brushes and add another 20 centimeters to this value. You don’t need to immediately insert the wire into the wipers, first you need to pull it with pliers over the fire and let it cool.

We proceed directly to the manufacture of the device. We pass through the hole in the silicone surface of the wipers. In the place where the limiter is located, we will make a puncture with a thick needle at an angle. We insert one end of the wire into it and put on the insulation. In the middle of the profile of the brushes, we make a pair of holes for the output of contacts. We insert the nichrome thread and put the silicone tape in place. We solder two pieces of wire ten centimeters each to the wire. We close the attachment points with a piece of profile using dichloroethane. After that, we solder 1.5 meters of wire to the brushes and insulate with heat shrink. Heated wipers, handmade, ready!

Advantages and disadvantages

Heated wipers have many pros and cons. The advantages of this device include:

• no problem of brushes freezing to the windshield;
• no problem of liquid freezing;
• increase the life of the wipers.

However, this device also has disadvantages:

• high cost compared to conventional models (without heating);
• installation work.

Store wipers

Do-it-yourself heated wipers can be done by any man. If you do not want, as they say, to make such brushes from scratch, you can easily purchase them at any automotive store. The most important task in this case will be to properly install and connect them to the electrical circuit. You can install the brushes through the button and through the cigarette lighter. The last option is perhaps the simpler and faster, but less aesthetic.

To complete the work, you will need a maximum of fifteen minutes, no more. For people who do not understand anything about electricity, it may seem that the process is laborious. Be sure that there are no special difficulties in this work. It is only important to strictly follow the instructions attached to the device. With such a connection, there will be a lot of wires in the car, which, of course, is not entirely good. In addition, such a connection can lead to a quick failure of the device.

Special heaters

The quickest way to install the heater is to stick heaters made of flexible polyester film with a current-carrying track to the windshield of the car. This is done in a matter of minutes. The glass surface is degreased, then the heaters are glued. They are connected in parallel with the rear window heating circuit. This is the easiest way to make heated wipers quickly and cheaply.

Heated wiper blades are one of the most advanced inventions since heated windshields, allowing you to ensure efficient operation of the wipers in the cold season.

As you know, the main "disease" of regular windshield wipers in winter is their icing and freezing, as a result of which they completely lose their working properties. The use of heated brushes allows the motorist to completely avoid such troubles.

How electric wiper blades work

Creating heated wipers is not a new idea. It occupied the minds of motorists as early as the middle of the twentieth century, and many "homemade" in the expanses of the former Soviet Union even put it into practice with their own hands with varying levels of success.

The principle underlying these wipers is very simple: A thin wire is placed in the area of ​​​​the rubber working cloth of the wiper, which heats up when voltage is applied to it. Thanks to this, the ice around the brush melts, and the rubber retains its elasticity even at very low temperatures.

Initially, traditional nichrome was used as a heating element - an alloy of nickel and chromium, which had the most optimal working properties when heated.

Today, modern carbon fiber is used to manufacture heating filaments, thanks to which manufacturers have managed to make the filaments completely invisible, and the design of the brushes itself is extremely compact.

How to connect heated wipers to the car's electrical system

For many who hear about this kind of “wipers” for the first time, the question probably arises of how to connect heated wiper blades to a car electrical network. After all, this procedure is the most important, and the overall reliability of the functioning of the electrical equipment of the car depends on the quality of its implementation.

It is worth saying here that heated wipers have several options for connecting to an electrician:

Using a standard cigarette lighter socket

This method is the simplest, does not affect the terms of the warranty service of the car and is performed by simply turning the plug on and off.

The only downside of the approach is that the output of the wire from the passenger compartment to the brushes requires a corresponding hole in the windshield area.

Using the relay connection kit supplied with the wipers

The convenience is that the electric wiper system is tightly integrated into the onboard electrics. There is no additional wiring in the cabin, and the heating can be turned on either on a separate button on the center console, or combined with another function, for example, turning on the heated rear window of a car.

The disadvantage of the scheme is that the connection requires knowledge of automotive electricians, and therefore it makes sense to trust this procedure to a specialist. In addition, unauthorized connection of an additional device may result in problems with the dealer regarding warranty service. Of course, if the car is not under warranty, such difficulties will not arise.

Through the use of a scheme with a control key fob

Similar kits are also offered together with windshield wipers and involve remote heating using a key fob. Installation of the device does not cause significant difficulties and can be carried out according to the attached diagram and installation instructions.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of heated wipers include the possibility of mounting on almost any car, high efficiency in any frost conditions, and high speed of ice thawing.

However, despite the obvious advantages, such windshield wipers also have their drawbacks. These include the complexity of installation, the possibility of losing a dealer warranty when installed on, as well as a rather high cost.

In addition, the safety and quality of such cleaners directly depends on the manufacturer, and when choosing such products, you should pay attention only to products of recognized brands.

Heated Wiper Blades Burner

Perhaps the largest manufacturer of such products and widely represented in our country is Burner. Heated wiper blades from this manufacturer are the most technologically advanced and modern solution.

There is a wide range of frameless wipers with a length of 400 to 750 millimeters, that is, a motorist can choose an option for almost any car. This is facilitated by the use of a universal mount, which can be replaced with what is used on your car.

Video - review of burner 4 heated wipers:

As standard, the brush is equipped with a sidepin fastener (side pin), however, the kit includes pushbutton fasteners, pinchtab fasteners and a bayonetarm lock.

Video - heated wiper blades Burner 4 models:

The cost of brushes starts at 2500 rubles and varies depending on the size, type of connection (by the way, all three of the above connection types are available in the brushes of this manufacturer), as well as the model.

Video - replacing the gum on the Burner brush:

In fact, Burner is the only brand officially represented in Russia and certified to sell heated wiper blades.

User Reviews

Unfortunately, there is not much information on the Internet from real users of heated wiper blades, and the reviews are not very informative.

Nevertheless, we managed to find several useful resources and forums, which we recommend that the driver who wants to install such an accessory on his car read.

iburner.ru is a fairly informative site about brushes of this type. If we discard advertising information, then here you can find out the technical characteristics of the selected brush model, as well as watch overview videos that demonstrate the operation of heated wipers in action.

Link 2 - This article has some information. Unfortunately, the discussion took place a long time ago, but it is still possible to get some general information here.

patriot4x4.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=18715 - A forum thread dedicated to reviews of heated wipers. Discussion among those who have already actually purchased and installed this or that kit.

Link 4 is another profile thread on the automotive forum. You can also find some useful information here.

conclusions

Heated wiper blades are gradually starting to enter the life of motorists. Today, the choice in this niche of auto accessories is small, however, it seems to us that the emergence of new players on the market is only a matter of time.

Even at the moment, motorists have enough choice, and the onset of cold weather is just an occasion to think about “upgrading” your vehicle.

Many teachers of driving schools note that one of the most important in traffic rules.

On the construction of the M11 toll highway

Additional accessories for the car greatly facilitate driving and car maintenance at different times of the year. Winter accessories include heated brushes, thanks to which you do not have to scrape the wipers from the windshield in the morning and replace them after a quick failure due to frost. Why are warm wipers so in demand and how to connect them? Is it possible to make warm brushes with your own hands?

Importance of using heated brushes

In winter, in severe frosts, classic frame car wipers freeze over. Over time, the hinges of the rocker arms become immobile due to freezing water, therefore, the tightness of the fit to the glass is significantly reduced. Such deformations lead to the presence of uncleaned areas.

Another problem that the car owner faces is that the wrong choice of rubber compound leads to the hardening of the cleaning cloth, after which the car brushes jump on the glass and squeak disgustingly. With the advent of winter, it is better to immediately replace ordinary wipers with warm ones, which will increase the level of comfort and safety, as well as extend the operational life of the wipers.

Advantages and disadvantages

In operation, heated wipers demonstrate the following advantages:

• the ability to use in all weather conditions;
• snow on glass quickly melts under the influence of a heating surface;
• long service life;
• the liquid remaining on the wipers and glass does not freeze, and an ice crust does not form on the windshield;
• ease of installation and operation with basic skills;
• the ability to purchase at any automotive store due to its wide availability.

Along with the advantages, as always, there are also disadvantages:

• the cost is much higher than traditional windshield wipers;
• installation can be problematic if you decide to install the wipers not through the cigarette lighter;
• if the glass is too icy, even warm wipers will not help.

Classification of warm wipers

Modern models of warm wipers should be classified as follows.

1. Frame brushes, where plastic parts are installed instead of metal parts, since frost is not so terrible for this material. Also installed special rubber with water-repellent properties. Consequently, the brush does not freeze to the glass surface and remains softer at low temperatures. Such wipers can not be changed to ordinary ones with the advent of spring.
2. An analogue of a frame brush with a special structure, due to which the metal insides remain protected, like rubber in key links (read more about). Among the shortcomings, it is worth highlighting the loss of efficiency at high speeds, as well as problems with the elimination of moisture, since on metal elements it condenses from the air during sudden temperature changes.
3. Brushes with a heating element. Visually, they are similar to frameless models, but much more efficient than the latter. Elasticity is maintained for a long time, and the design is also reliably protected from freezing.

How heated wipers work

Structurally, heated wiper blades are not equipped with a frame, therefore, they are more flexible. This quality allows you to increase the efficiency of cleaning the windshield. The design also assumes the presence of a special heated cloth, which protects the cleaning surfaces from freezing, prevents unpleasant sounds and preserves their geometry. The entire length of the cleaning surface is equipped with a special flexible heating tape, which is supplied with electricity by the car's power supply.

Notable Manufacturers

Among the most reliable manufacturers of warm brushes, it is worth highlighting the brands Consul Winter And Burner. There are no fundamental differences between them, there is only a difference in shape and fastening. Burner has supplied its products with special adapters, thanks to which the installation process is greatly facilitated. Competitive companies equip each set of brushes with hooks.

If we talk about pricing policy, the cost of warm wipers in the minimum configuration does not really exceed the classic brushes. Another thing is when the functionality is expanded due to the extended configuration. The cost will be twice as high.

Connecting warm brushes

You can install heated brushes both in a car repair shop and on your own. If the second option is more preferable for you, be guided by the following sequence of work.

1. Thoroughly clean the surface of the windshield from dust and dirt.
2. Remove the protective film from the purchased brushes.
3. Decide on the location of the wipers on the glass. Mark the area where the brush will stop, and glue the STICK to this place on the inside of the glass. At this stage, it is important to consider that the wiper stop zone should be in the center of the heating material.
4. Connect one cable to the ground of the car, and the second to the wire labeled +12 volts through the switch.
5. At this stage, you can start the wipers.

Mounting the power button

In the process of driving, quick and convenient access to the power button is necessary, therefore, it must be positioned with a focus on this requirement. You should have basic electrical knowledge and follow the guidelines below.

1. Connect the relay to the power button. The best place for the relay is the area under the hood of the car. Watch the length of the wires.
2. To pull wires into hard-to-reach places it was convenient, use a wire.
3. Ensure that all wires are well insulated, otherwise everything will have to be done again due to a short circuit.
4. Start with a minus connection of the relay and complete with a plus.
5. Install a fuse between the positive wire.

As a result, turning on the machine and pressing the button should activate the start of the appliances and the operation of the heating. This function should be disabled when the button is pressed again.

Warm hand wipers

If you belong to the category of car owners with extensive experience, you can take a chance and not only install warm wipers yourself, but also make them based on classic wipers, flux, acid, wires, a soldering iron and nichrome thread. The manufacturing process of such brushes consists of the following steps:

1. The simple design of frameless wipers makes them an ideal base. Place nichrome on both sides of an elastic band that can be pushed inwards to keep it from falling out. Be as careful as possible, otherwise the rubber bands cannot be torn.
2. To prevent the structure from falling apart when putting on the protective cover, use a heat gun to connect the rubber band to the metal plate.
3. Measure the resistance level, indicators of 8 - 9 ohms should be a guideline for you. If the resistance is lower, the glass may overheat and even break.
4. Put protective covers on the wipers to prevent destruction at the moment of connection with the wiring mount.
5. Attach the windshield wipers with a mount, drill small holes for the wires.
6. Drill 2 more holes for the wires in the top cover if the wires will be routed through the slot when the cover is opened.
7. Prepare a few heat shrinks to prevent the threads from shorting together.
8. In the next step, collect all the elements and re-measure the resistance. Proceed to soldering work only if the resistance is normal.
9. Check the presence of ground on the mounts and, if any, connect it to the mount by tipping it under the 12V hood.
10. Set the fuse to 5A and connect two wipers at the same time. It remains the case for the relay and the installation of switches in the cabin.

Heated windshield wiper blades are an effective part for a car in winter, as standard wipers often freeze and do not always cope with their functions. That is why motorists in our country often install heated brushes or special heaters for parking areas of car wipers. In the article, we will consider options for "warm" brushes and the ability to make a parking zone heater with your own hands.

1 Methods for heating the zones of the wiper blades

To date, a special tape with leads for wires is used to heat the wiper zone, with the help of which the glass is heated. The tape tends to heat up at low temperatures and thereby prevents sticking and frostbite of wipers and glass and icing of the gum. This ensures the smooth operation of the wiper blades in the winter period of car operation.

The disadvantage of this method of heating can be considered the risk of damage to the windshield (cracking) in case of improper use, for example, turning on the heating without preheating the interior and cleaning it from heavy snow on the glass. It is worth noting that on some foreign cars, the presented method of heating the brush parking area is used by default, the tape is already built into the wiper use areas from the factory, which is not the case in domestic cars.

You can make a wiper blade heater in the form of tapes with electric wires with your own hands or purchase ready-made kitsdifferent power and length, for example, OEM 50x540W. Such kits are designed for installation on VAZ models or foreign cars, they are regulated depending on the length of the wipers and the power of the on-board network (usually 12–13 Volts). To install the tape with your own hands, you must first clean the glass from snow, ice and dirt. Then remove the protective element of the adhesive layer and carefully stick the heating tape on the parking space of the wipers on the inside of the glass so that the middle of the “parking” of the wiper blade coincides with the middle of the heater tape.

Next, one of the "ground" wires from the tape should be connected to the "ground" of the standard on-board network. Pass the second wire through the switch and fuse in the relay and connect to the 12 Volt contact. It is also recommended to connect the contacts from the heater to the side mirror heater circuit (if any) or to the heated rear window activation circuit using a parallel connection. In this case, the heater will be activated by the standard button for turning on the heating of the rear window or mirrors.

2 Frameless winter wipers with heating function

We are talking about a set of special wipers, which can be purchased at the auto shop and during the winter operation. Today, the most popular are heated wiper blades from manufacturers such as Burner, Consul Winter, ClearView, etc. The price of such wipers is quite acceptable, so they are considered universal and suitable for installation on various models of domestic and foreign cars. The wires and the heating element on these brushes have a fluoroplastic base, which allows them not to come into contact with the external environment and alcohol-containing solutions, which include anti-freeze liquid.

The principle of operation of wipers with a heater is simple - heating is carried out at the place where the rubber bands fit into the wiper, and not from the inside.

The metal base of the brush is heated and then acts as a radiator, which evenly transfers heat to the wiper frame and rubber base.

If heated brushes have an automatic triggering system with a reaction to temperature changes and glass freezing (it is recommended to purchase just such, especially for foreign cars), then a special control module is included with the wipers, which automatically determines the need to turn on heating at a certain temperature.

Installation should be carried out in several stages:

1. Install the frameless brush on the holder lever (on most models this is done using a special clip);
2. The electrical wire should be fixed to the contact arm of the wipers with wire or other fasteners. Corrugated material can also be put on the wire for additional insulation and to prevent deformation;
3. Fasten the brush control unit in a safe place in the engine compartment and also fix it with wire or plastic holders;
4. Connect the module and wiper heater power wires to the battery terminal. At this stage, you can use a special 10-15 Amp adapter to prevent battery discharge.

If an automatic relay is not provided (more budgetary versions of the brushes), then the wiper power wire must be safely routed into the passenger compartment and the control wire connected to the relay to the 12 V contact, and the control button installed additionally on the instrument panel. Or run a wire to the button for the regular heating or glass blowing (you should be careful and activate the heating only if the car interior is evenly heated, otherwise the glass may not withstand the temperature difference and crack).

3 An effective way to make DIY heated brushes

First of all, you need to purchase a standard wire with a cross section of 0.3 mm (about 10 meters), which is designed for consumption of 2.5 amperes and power up to 35 watts. On a flat surface (such as a table), drive in two parallel nails at a distance equal to the size of the wiper.

Wind the MGTF wire evenly, so that the turns do not intersect with each other until a kind of loop of wires is formed. Connect the wires with tape or electrical tape until you get an electrical loop, leaving two contact wires in the middle.

Solder two VUI type copper wires to these wires and secure the solder points with heat shrink tubing or wrap them carefully with electrical tape. The resulting cable with contacts can be wrapped in foil to ensure more uniform heating of the wires. Gently lay the cable under the rubber and plastic with your own hands (you must first disassemble them).

Install the plastic and rubber elements back, and close the exit points of the wire contacts with special terminals, put the wire itself in a corrugated pipe and fasten it to the wiper mounting levers with the wires leading into the car interior. Contacts can also be connected to the battery, but there is a risk that it will quickly sit down while using the wipers.

There are several more ways to make a heater with your own hands, but they require more time and effort, so it’s easier to purchase and connect automatic or high-quality brushes with a manufacturer’s warranty. If for any reason you doubt the correctness of the installation, it is advisable to contact specialists.