Heated Rear Window Repairs?

[Hendry]

Just a quick question guys, is there any way of repairing a broken element in a heated rear window which actually works?

 

I noticed a bit of my window wasnt clearing with the HRW switched on a few months ago, checked and if appears theres a break in one of the "lines" across the window, at the time I bought a heater rear window repair kit made my "Granville" from hellfrauds which was basically a small pot of "silver" paint with a brush built into the lid, only the brushes had all hardened and when I painted it on and left it as per instructed then tried the HRW to see if it worked, no joy, don't know whether its because that repair kit had been lingering on the shelf of Halfords for years.

 

Also the HRW seems to clear quicker at one side than the other, usually you'd expect both outsides to clear first and the middle last as its further away from the power source at either end, but instead of being left and right first then centre it's left then right then centre, is this just a Frenchie quirk?

[seacow]

I bought similar kit off ebay but not used yet.  I tested the power in and out so its certainly a break in the element.  Until I got round to it I got some rain x anti fog which does help but not ideal!  Will watch this thread with interest

[explosive-cabbage]

Ask KruJoe.

Sure he told me something about repairing theese once. But maybe im dreaming again.

[Guest Tony Hayers]

I used a bottle of Granville element repair on  my parents old R8 400 with good results (Ma Jetronic nicked the element by placing her umbrella on the rear shelf)

 

You need to shake the bottle like a bastard for it to work, mixing the metallic particles with the resin hardener. If the brush has gone hard then its 'gone off' and only fit for the bin. Go back and get a fresh bottle*

 

TOP TIP for HRW repair:- Use masking tape to mark out the thin line. A HRW works on the principle of resistance to 'heat' the glass. If you dollop it on (like painting a house) then its fucked .

 

* I didn't think that you could still buy HRW paint, thought it had been banned for containing Mercury or somesuch?

[Hendry]

It bugs me having a cleared window apart from 1 random line which is still steamed up, right in the middle. Was tempted to make sure the rear window suffers a wee "accident" but I can't afford to chuck £75 away on it.

[brickwall]

I think this stuff has been recommended

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/electrically-conductive-silver-paint-36275

[Black_GT]

I recently bought some conductive paint from the US Ebay (actually to repair the buttons on a remote control rather than a heated windscreen) -  even including postage it's cheaper than anything I could find here - and you get a decent tub of it!  Worked a treat.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carbon-Conductive-ink-Screening-Paste-Wire-Glue-PCB-Membrane-Conductive-paint-/231087192899?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35cddebb43

[KruJoe]

Ask KruJoe.

Sure he told me something about repairing theese once. But maybe im dreaming again.

Aye, I think I did tell you about the repair paint, but I can't really add much new to this discussion. Can't remember if I've even done it myself! But I have seen it done before. Oh, mask carefully, or you'll have ugly blobs of silver on your glass; just as annoying as missing lines. I remember seeing those blobs in the back screens of cars back in the 90's.

I have a line gone on my 216, once the rest of it is sorted* I may* fix it.

 

When I'm driving old shite and I see in my mirror nice even lines clearing of condensation, I'm overcome by a disproportionately smug feeling. Note to self: Get a life.

[mercedade]

Don't do it on a window which can't be replaced (e.g. 800 Coupe) as the cheap stuff has been known to cause 'hotspots' which can ultimately shatter the glass!

[Junkman]

Who needs a heated rear window?

 

[Partridge]

So those funky windows have a purpose after all...

[Junkman]

Yep, especially when they are electrically retractable. That way you can lower it when it's misted up or wet and the weatherstrip will clear it for you. After a year or so you will find that the floor behind the rear seat is rotten like a pear, but your window was always clear.

[Asimo]

What is that with the electric breezaway rear window? Never seen that option on an Ami or an Anglia.

[Junkman]

1963-68 Mercury Breezeway

1958-60 Lincoln Continental

[Partridge]

Yep, especially when they are electrically retractable. That way you can lower it when it's misted up or wet and the weatherstrip will clear it for you. After a year or so you will find that the floor behind the rear seat is rotten like a pear, but your window was always clear.

who needs a floor behind the rear seat anyway?

[rml2345]

^ The MOT man. They're most insistent on trivialities such as that, especially if it's near something critical. I should really do something about the 740 heated rear screen as quite a lot of it doesn't actually work, so you end up with a handful of clear bits and a sort of letter box at the top, giving you about the same rearward vision as an Insignia or something. 

[beko1987]

I only have 4 working lines on the XM's rear screen, luckily at my eye line height. It never worked in the ZX, and got used to not being able to see out of it for days at a time, so it's currently last on my list of priorities.

 

If someone does this, bung a shiteists how to up so I may consider the ballache of it!

[Des]

_{Here's the answer to all your HRW woes.}

 

 

_{Some of us don't even have broken elements to repair, and what's the point of them anyway? Anything that modern with its rear headrests and 4'' band of black paint around the periphery of the porthole of a rear screen is like looking through the corner pocket of a pool table.}