How to choose defrosters for car windows
Content
Sometimes there is no time to wait until the glass of the car warms up with regular means, a heater or even electric heating. Moreover, the latter is not available in all vehicle configurations, moreover, it often serves only the parking area for wipers. Auto chemistry in the face of automobile defrosters for glazing can help.
How does a defroster fight frost on glass?
The composition of all tools includes several typical components according to the principle of operation:
- an active substance that, in solution with water, lowers the freezing point of the final mixture;
- solvents that regulate the concentration of the composition;
- protective and surfactants that prevent the rapid evaporation of the volatile component, giving it time to work with the solid water phase until a low-temperature solution is formed;
- flavorings, partially reducing the sharpness of the unpleasant odor from the active substances.
When it hits frost and ice accumulated on car windows, the compounds begin to react with water and form a solution with a low freezing point. The resulting mixture flows down and lowers the thickness of the ice layer.
A radical, moreover, quick effect should not be expected from any of the means. Once in the water, they will work instantly, and this solution will no longer freeze at the declared temperatures. But you have to work with a solid phase, it will take a long time for the transition of ice into a liquid. During this period, part of the active substance, and usually isopropyl alcohol, will have time to evaporate or drain.
Ethyl and methyl alcohols, for obvious reasons, are not used, with the exception of counterfeit products. The situation is about the same as with antifreeze washer fluids, which can also be used as defrosters. With less success, yet they are not designed for this.
Popular windshield defrost products
The compositions are packaged in aerosol cans or trigger (trigger) sprays. The latter are much more preferable because the spray pressure does not drop in the cold. There is also a disadvantage - you have to use water as a solvent, which increases the freezing point.
In aerosols, liquid gas acts as a solvent on its own, but when evaporated, it lowers the temperature even more.
Liqui Moly Anti Ice
A good product from one of the most famous auto chemical manufacturers. It is produced in a trigger cylinder, the size of the torch is adjustable, which is very convenient both when working over areas and for targeted point application.
The price is high, but quite acceptable. There are also disadvantages, in particular - a very unpleasant smell.
ton
The composition works confidently, and with such a ratio of price to quality, we can say that it is excellent. Does not adversely affect glass environment, paintwork, plastics, rubber seals.
Maintains performance even at minus thirty degrees, which is especially important in Russia.
Wash The Frost
The company with the Lavr brand in a good way is aggressively penetrating into all segments of the automotive chemicals market, including the glass defroster sector.
It protects the cleaned glass from the remnants of surfactants and the formed films with stains. Acts quickly, designed for very low temperatures.
Hi-Gear Windshield De-Icer
The tool works quickly, confidently cleans glass covered with a thin layer of ice or frost, for which it is intended. Efficiency in thick layers is questionable, as is operation at extremely low temperatures.
In defense, we can say that glasses that are heavily frozen with a thick crust of ice will most likely not be taken by any defroster, especially if the frost is still strong.
Only a scraper can pass through this temperature and ice boundary, all defrosters should be considered limited-use devices. But they are convenient and in the conditions intended for them will help quickly, at the same time cleaning the glass from fatty contaminants.
How to make do-it-yourself anti-ice
As it became clear from a consideration of the mechanism of action of industrial compounds, there is nothing particularly complicated about them. That is, it is quite possible to make an acceptable tool on your own.
To prepare the mixture, you can use all the same substances - alcohol and a detergent or protective agent. For example, ethanol and glycerin.
Here, the use of ethyl alcohol is quite acceptable from the point of view of personal safety and prevention of accidental use. However, isopropyl alcohol, which is part of window glass cleaning fluids, will work just as well.
Glycerin can be replaced with kitchen detergents. One part of glycerin or dishwashing detergent is enough for nine parts of alcohol. It is not necessary to add water.
You can spray a pre-prepared mixture from an already used trigger can. The recipe will work no worse than the purchased composition, but it will cost much cheaper. Thick ice crusts will require several sprays.
