Screen wash jets constantly freezing and it is being a pain now

Car_54

cannugec5 said:

“Did  you know that if your windscreen washers are frozen in this cold weather, even though they are fully topped up then this is still a criminal offence carrying a £50 fine as a minimum. If this affects your view of the road ahead and you are then involved in a collision then this could constitute using the vehicle in a dangerous condition and you could get points on your licence and be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.”

This is a direct quote from a Facebook post from our local Police Force today. 

Even in Scotland, you won’t get points AND be reported for prosecution.

Goudy

Ok, maybe windchill is the wrong term.
There are a couple of factors which influence this.

The nozzles on the outside of the bodywork are exposed and can be much colder than the fluid in the reservoir within the bobywork.
If the fluid hasn't sufficient antifreeze properties, the fluid in the nozzles can freeze first.

There's also surface area to consider, there's a larger amount in the reservoir than in the nozzles and it's in narrower "containers" ie the pipes and nozzles so will freeze faster than fluid in larger containers.

So the small amounts of fluid in the nozzles outside of even a warm engine bay that is sitting waiting to be sprayed can freeze as the surrounding temps are lower, the amount of fluid is much smaller and it's surface area to volume is much larger than that in the reservoir.

facade

Goudy said:

Ok, maybe windchill is the wrong term.
There are a couple of factors which influence this.

The nozzles on the outside of the bodywork are exposed and can be much colder than the fluid in the reservoir within the bobywork.
If the fluid hasn't sufficient antifreeze properties, the fluid in the nozzles can freeze first.

There's also surface area to consider, there's a larger amount in the reservoir than in the nozzles and it's in narrower "containers" ie the pipes and nozzles so will freeze faster than fluid in larger containers.

So the small amounts of fluid in the nozzles outside of even a warm engine bay that is sitting waiting to be sprayed can freeze as the surrounding temps are lower, the amount of fluid is much smaller and it's surface area to volume is much larger than that in the reservoir.

It is evaporative cooling of the volatile alcohol in the screenwash that cools the jets.  They cannot go below ambient if they are dry, no matter how fast you go into the wind.

Normally, ambient temperature is lower than that under the bonnet, but if it is above the freezing point of the fluid, it doesn't matter.

The screenwash will freeze quickly on a cold windscreen when you are moving, by the same process.

Grumpy_chap

Well, this is just great!

I last used my car for work on Monday.  Driving home in the evening there was a lot of spray so I had to use the screen washers.  Did not work initially but functioned a bit later as the nozzles defrosted.  All OK.

Today, I have taken the car for the MOT and failed on the screenwash not working - new pump required apparently.  Well, it was -6 over night and still -2 when I took the car to the garage and even now just reached zero degrees.  Outrageous that a garage is using cold weather in such an opportunistic way - must be so many cars needing MOT in winter that this is a nice little earner.  Doubt they'll even change the pump but just wait until it defrosts...

   

Sorry to hijack the thread with my rant.

Grandad2b

Winter screenwash, even -20C, needs to be undiluted in freezing conditions. We had -5 last night but the jets haven't frozen. If you dilute to spring/autumn concentration you might get away with it down to about -7 depending on the brand of screenwash.

Bigwheels1111

Grumpy_chap said:

Well, this is just great!

I last used my car for work on Monday.  Driving home in the evening there was a lot of spray so I had to use the screen washers.  Did not work initially but functioned a bit later as the nozzles defrosted.  All OK.

Today, I have taken the car for the MOT and failed on the screenwash not working - new pump required apparently.  Well, it was -6 over night and still -2 when I took the car to the garage and even now just reached zero degrees.  Outrageous that a garage is using cold weather in such an opportunistic way - must be so many cars needing MOT in winter that this is a nice little earner.  Doubt they'll even change the pump but just wait until it defrosts...

   

Sorry to hijack the thread with my rant.

Go for next years mot 30 day before it’s due.
Should be warmer weather.
Mine is due 29-09-23.
Will get it on the 30-08-23.

sevenhills

If the washer fluid is frozen, I use a window cleaner spray, it won't freeze as readily as water.

forgotmyname

I still have a good stock of the LIDL stuff. have they stopped selling it completely or rebranded at a higher price?

I will have to stop using it during the summer months. Had a 2.5L bottle of the cheap ASDA screenwash freeze whilst left
in the boot overnight.  That pushed me to get some decent stuff which most said the LIDL stuff. 

That has never frozen.

Grumpy_chap

Bigwheels1111 said:

Go for next years mot 30 day before it’s due.
Should be warmer weather.

Indeed, I did go for the MoT early.
The expiry date was 10th January, so getting the MOT done yesterday was not far off as early as it could be.  I had the car booked in for that date for the past 2 or 3 weeks.
As for warmer weather, I suspect average December is warmer than average January, but there won't be much in it for this time of year.
My main reason for going early was if there is anything that needs doing, I am not right up against the clock.

It just seemed that freezing cold weather and frozen washer pipes is just a convenient opportunity.  Given the "repair" cost was less than the cost of the MOT test, standing by principles to take the care for a test elsewhere and get a pass might feel good but will pinch the wallet.

McKneff

Mine froze this morning so I got my emergency bottle of water out. 

Yes, the bottle of water was frozen solid too.

I just had to wait in a car park till it defrosted but now I take a bottle ourcwith me each day