myfirstl322
Well-Known Member
Twin relay's?
Wazzajnr
Well-Known Member
Nah, there's only 2 elements, drivers side and passenger side. The feed is at the bottom left and right sides and the earth returns go to a stud bottom centre of the screen under the scuttle panel. Might be worth checking the earths but pretty sure you'll need a new screen to get it all working.
norseman
Well-Known Member
Heated screens are a great asset in winter & I can't understand why they are not standard (or at least an option) on all vehicles. We have a Ford as a daily driver & in my experience when the elements fail (twice in our case)l sod's law dictates it's always on the driver's side. The windscreen fitter will/should check the continuity of the circuit before fitting the new 'screen.
greenslade
Member
Took mine apart the other day hoping it was just a relay or bad connection that was stopping the driver's side operating. Unfortunately, the element is high resistance :-(
norseman
Well-Known Member
I've heard the Ford story many times but I believe it to be bull****, why? because when I was a Green-Line (originally London Transport & latterly the National group) coach driver in the early '70's I drove AEC coaches fitted with heated front 'screens & my first RRC, built in '93, was equipped with a factory-fitted HFS.
norseman
Well-Known Member
I've heard the Ford story several times & frankly I don't swallow it. During the early '70's I was a Green Line coach driver (you have to be a certain age to remember the famous routes & the coaches displaying yellow & black blinds) & drove AEC's fitted with heated front 'screens. My route, if anyone is interested, was the 724 Romford to Staines via Heathrow airport.
Shropshire classic
Active Member
Think Ford held a patent for "quickclear" screens but would have thought it may have run out by now, this is different from others such as Concorde which had a very thin layer of gold film applied; shop freezers use a metal oxide that has a current passed through them on the doors to stop them misting up
Wazzajnr
Well-Known Member
Yes, Ford had a patent filed in the early 80's for their "quickclear" system which is now expired although they do still have a trademark which doesn't expire.
In other words, yes other heated screens have been available but were a different design. Now you can copy ford's system legally but you cannot call it quickclear.
In other words, yes other heated screens have been available but were a different design. Now you can copy ford's system legally but you cannot call it quickclear.
It's true they are a great addition making cold mornings a doddle. It's also true they aren't common. Honda don't have one. A few others don't either but many petrol cars warm up very quickly anyway. The Ford ones can be a bit feeble on very cold mornings. P38 ones are powerful though. I prefer the remote control webasto heaters ala Rover diesels and others.
