Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: Lateral thinking - non-wiper screen clearing
Humbug

posted on 9/12/07 at 03:44 PM Reply With Quote
Lateral thinking - non-wiper screen clearing

I know that if you've got a "full" screen you have to have wipers, etc. but purely from a feasibility point of view, would this work:

1. Air intake towards the front, preferably out of direct rainflow! Should ideally have a large cross section facing the air

2. Flexy hose of smaller cross section taking airflow to...

3. slit vents in front of the screen, angled to hit the screen towards the bottom.

I thought this might blow rain off the screen - the faster you go, the faster it would blow. With some multiplying effect of a large intake. Obviously, if you are going slower, it wouldn't clear much, but perhaps it could be supplemented by a heater blower?

Thoughts?

[Edited on 9/12/07 by Humbug]

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
I love speed :-P

posted on 9/12/07 at 03:52 PM Reply With Quote
Or what about rainX as long as the screen and blades are clean I find it works very well when your moving





Don't Steal
The Government doesn’t like the competition

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
Confused but excited.

posted on 9/12/07 at 03:54 PM Reply With Quote
That silicone based stuff that you put in the washer bottle, works better than wipers in heavy rain. Except when you are stationary. I would think a combination of silicone stuff and a blower may work quite well. IMHO.





Tell them about the bent treacle edges!

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
stevebubs

posted on 9/12/07 at 03:59 PM Reply With Quote
Always use RainX on my Fury windscreen.

Does a superb job.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
stevebubs

posted on 9/12/07 at 04:00 PM Reply With Quote
Only real trouble is when you get stuck in traffic...

Can drive for miles without getting wet while it's raining with the roof down so long as I'm doing 20mph+. Windscreen remains similarly clear.

As soon as you stop, lack of airflow over the car means I get drenched and the windscreen becomes obscured.

View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
Macbeast

posted on 9/12/07 at 05:30 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds like the same problem as with vacuum-operated wipers - they are less effective just when you need them to work.

Imagine going along in heavy slow-moving traffic in a downpour.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
richard thomas

posted on 9/12/07 at 06:38 PM Reply With Quote
Same principle as some jet aircraft....only they use compressed air from the engine instead.

I would imagine that you will struggle to get the flow required to clear a screen with just a convergent duct.






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
rusty nuts

posted on 9/12/07 at 07:36 PM Reply With Quote
Why re-invent the wheel?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
joneh

posted on 9/12/07 at 07:41 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by rusty nuts
Why re-invent the wheel?


Same reason the wheel has been re-invented about a thousand times. To make it better!






View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
RazMan

posted on 10/12/07 at 08:48 AM Reply With Quote
Another vote for RainX - I drove 70 miles in the rain last week and didn't need to switch the wipers on until I got stuck in traffic.





Cheers,
Raz

When thinking outside the box doesn't work any more, it's time to build a new box

View User's Profile E-Mail User Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
DarrenW

posted on 10/12/07 at 11:01 AM Reply With Quote
Another for rainX. Great stuff.






View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
02GF74

posted on 11/12/07 at 10:44 AM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by richard thomas

I would imagine that you will struggle to get the flow required to clear a screen with just a convergent duct.


yep - that would be why it wouldn't work but another way would be to have a spinning section of glass that throws off any water via centrifugal force - but there are problems with that.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
DarrenW

posted on 11/12/07 at 11:44 AM Reply With Quote
Im all for finding better ways of doing things but doesnt the law state that where a screen is used a working wiper / squirting system must be used. Any final solution might work but convincing the powers that be when they are constrained by their guidelines might be tricky.






View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.