Heated rear screen?

[streetboy]

I have power going to the lefthand terminal as you look at the open tailgate, and if I put the tester on each wire it will light up to about 10" across. It does not light up however further than this. If I try to complete the circuit by putting the tester on the righthand terminal (earth?) it does not light up.
Now am I doing something wrong? if not, what could be a probable cause?

 

[gninnam]

Either the current isn't enough or the filements are damaged (my tuppence worth)

 

[streetboy]

Hmmm, need a sparks online me thinks. The filements look ok. Strange they all work so far across.
Thanks for you two peneth worth gninman

 

[AxlFoley]

can you do a continuity test on the wires, using a multy meter?

 

[streetboy]

Hi Axle, yeah thats my next port of call. I hate things that don't work :x so will sort it one way or another.

 

[Bookwus]

Hiya street,

I can almost guarantee you that the grid is not conductive.

In all of the VW salvaging I have done (better than 20 years worth) I have yet to find a Bus rear window with the grid intact and functional. This is NOT to say that they don't exist, but, if they do, they are pretty damn rare.

Now, when one looks at a grid one naturally looks for breaks in the grid lines. Unfortunately however this will not get you what you want. That's because the electicity is actually conveyed by the metal content in the paint. If enough of that metal content has worn away (and mind you, the paint can still be there looking pretty darn good at a fast glance) the grid line will just not conduct the juice. So look VERY carefully at the grid lines. Can you spot areas in which the grid lines look not as thick as in others? If so those spots are likely non-conductive.

 

[matt-me]

You can buy said paint to repair these elements if you can find where the breaks are, i did it once long ago on my old MG. Probably halfords but long time ago..

 

[BJ1]

Hiya street,

I can almost guarantee you that the grid is not conductive.

In all of the VW salvaging I have done (better than 20 years worth) I have yet to find a Bus rear window with the grid intact and functional. This is NOT to say that they don't exist, but, if they do, they are pretty damn rare.

Now, when one looks at a grid one naturally looks for breaks in the grid lines. Unfortunately however this will not get you what you want. That's because the electicity is actually conveyed by the metal content in the paint. If enough of that metal content has worn away (and mind you, the paint can still be there looking pretty darn good at a fast glance) the grid line will just not conduct the juice. So look VERY carefully at the grid lines. Can you spot areas in which the grid lines look not as thick as in others? If so those spots are likely non-conductive.

I'm with Mike on this one - in 30 years I have never found a working heated rear window in any van before 1979. I think the conductive paint oxidises within about 10 years and metal oxides don't conduct 12V electricity. If you look at the lines with a magnifying glass you will see the problem.
I did once try to revive one by masking off the lines and repainting with conductive paint - I took a whole day and failed Sad or what? Let us know if you get one to work and how you did it....................

 

[woodslat]

A friend of mine repainted his lines in the 80's sometime on a 67 beetle. Worked like a charm, he put on some FAT lines. I just sold 24 heated bay rear screens to one customer, crazy.

 

[streetboy]

Thanks for the replys guys, looks like I'm flogging a dead horse then?
If only it did work it would make life a whole lot easier on cold days. I guess the only option would be a NOS screen but chances of one of those would be very slim I would think.
The other option would be one of those accessory kits you could buy, not ideal but better than nowt,
I will have a good look at this one though to see if something can be done.

 

[K@rlos]

Mine has a heated rear screen, but by the time it starts to work i've arrived at where i was going :lol: but the green light on the switch looks cool in the dark so it's not all bad

 

[streetboy]

Agreed :lol:

 

[Loxy]

Doesn't Danbury sell heated front & rear glass?

 

[Loxy]

Someone certainly makes them as they are an option on this page:
http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=19" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Bookwus]

Hiya Loxy,

Someone certainly makes them as they are an option on this page:
http://www.danburymotorcaravans.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=19" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now THAT is interesting.

When I was in "rear screen mode" as street is now, I looked all over (the world. Really!) and could not find an NOS or repopped rear screen. I also notice that the cost of the "heated front and rear screens" option is about 500 quid. Spendy. But guessing that the rear screen would be the cheaper of the two in the option package, it makes me wonder what Danbury might want to part with heated rear screen. Anybody over there in Jolly Old England want to find out?

 

[streetboy]

Doesn't Danbury sell heated front & rear glass?

Good work Loxy I have emailed them but will also give them a call. As you say someone makes them.

 

[Loxy]

Doesn't Danbury sell heated front & rear glass?

Good work Loxy I have emailed them but will also give them a call. As you say someone makes them.

I'm sure I have seen them sold at Vanfest & on ebay a while back - pretty sure it was beetlesuk/danbury that did them & they were less than £500 for the pair

 

[Trikky2]

Whilst being driven the back of my camper never gets warm enough to cause condensation.

:lol:

 

[AxlFoley]

Are the rear screens teh same size on all bays?

 

[wilgartw]

i am sure if you got 15 people together omiwan could make them for you.


http://www.ssvc.org.uk/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=46303&hilit=heated+rear