Washer Fluid Heater?

Anyone installed or used a windshield washer fluid heater? They're about $80 and pre-heat your washer fluid to make frosty mornings easy.

Here's the one I'm looking at...

AlphaTherm AT-38OD Windshield Washer Fluid Heater

http://www.amazon.com/AlphaTherm-AT...W1WW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319213651&sr=8-1

Here's a 2nd that is out there,

Hot Wash Wiper Fluid Heater

http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Wash-Wipe...S4XY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1319213651&sr=8-3

The 1st one has gotten great reviews, the 2nd, not so much. The 1st has a video on how to install it, seems like it would be pretty easy, and a nice winter addition to my truck...

Any Opinions?

 

I like the first one since it comes with the wire and fuse already. Takes a little guess work out of installing it.

 

I like the idea of these, but I'd also be somewhat afraid. If you have a rock chip, would the sudden temp change poss cause a crack?

 

Yeah, cracking the windshield is one concern, according to the info i've read its pretty safe though.

 

i dont think id trust it, hot water and cold windows dont get along to good

 

Yeah... Even if my window doesn't have chips or cracks. I wouldn't do it. Wouldn't trust it either

 

if your fluid is old and the alcohol has evaporated and its freezing just go to walgreens and for 99cents get a bottle of isopropyl to add to the tank.

 

i purchased the one you listed first. i absolutely loved it. i used it all year round. in the summer it helped temporarily clean bugs and such. in the winter it helped clear frost, salt, dirt, and mud a lot easier than regular ol' washer fluid. i even used it in below zero weather, multiple times, with absolutely no problems. i used it for 2 years before i sold the truck. my father took it out and installed it on his silverado. he has used it for the last 2 years with no problems either. he was skeptical of it when i bought it (a 40+ year mechanic), but stole it from me because he loved how it performed. i have install pics. give me a few minutes and i'll see if i can find them.

 

Didn't the Buick Lucerne have this and it didn't turn out too well?

 

i remember reading somewhere years ago that several gm models had units similar, but the wiring was more in-depth.... and would catch on fire.

the model i posted is only a positive and a ground. if i remember correctly, yes it's hooked to the battery at all times, but only activated (turned on) when the vehicle was running and the voltage was higher than 13.4 volts or something like that. i ran it for 2 years and now my father has for an additional 2. no problems at all

 

Had one installed. Didnt work all that great. Helped a little bit but nothing spectacular. I took it out, especially when you consider that GM did a recall of almost all the units they had installed in cars due to cars catching fire...I'm gonna try the heated wiper blades instead this winter: http://www.everblades.com/

Just think...No more reaching out the window into the snow to slap the wiper blade on the windshield to clear ice off

 

what unit did you have? the one i had gave about 4-6 secs of hot fluid, then you had to not use the washer fluid for about 10-12 secs. this allowed the fluid in the unit to heat up, then you could activate the fluid again for another 4-6 secs of hot fluid. repeat as necessary. i though it worked great for everything i wanted it to do. mine also kept the wipers free and clear.

 

Wow! Huge Help. Thanks.

 

Those are cool, but I wonder how much heat transfer to the frost/windshield that there is. That and a $120 expense every time they wear out is steep.

 

the one pictured just above this post is the one I had. Maybe mine was just a bad unit, it happens...It's a cool idea, but I wasnt impressed with the performance... I was thinking of the blades more to prevent the icing on the wipers than to keep the frost off the windshield, since the defroster does a damn good job in these trucks...

 

engines already hot, they should be using hot antifreeze to heat this stuff, stupid engine-ears

 

what ever happened to the old days when you scraped the windows and put it on defrost?hell we had an old ford that we had a candle on the dash to defrost the windshield lmao

 

They work great and heat up fast, my wife has them on her 2010 Highlander.

 

For $80 I'll just get a homeless dude to pee on my windows.

 

I don't understand why you wouldn't just put alcohol in your washer fluid? Like a 4% mixture?