Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: pauln on 28 December 2007, 17:58:49

Title: Heated front screen
Post by: pauln on 28 December 2007, 17:58:49
I was wondering if any Omega models had a heated front screen and is there any reason why it cannot be fitted to a lesser model (along with the correct relay and switch). My works transit has one and its great.
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: hotel21 on 28 December 2007, 18:00:30
No Omega version had a heated front screen similar to various models in the Ford range, so its the screen demister or nowt, I'm afraid......
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: alexandjen on 28 December 2007, 18:02:04
Have a read of this thread..........

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1198452505

 :y :y
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: pauln on 28 December 2007, 18:02:24
Shame :(
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Markjay on 28 December 2007, 21:28:40
Quote
No Omega version had a heated front screen similar to various models in the Ford range, so its the screen demister or nowt, I'm afraid......

Yep, had it on my Granada Scorpio, a fine mesh that is almost invisible. Worked well, only problem was that a replacement windscreen was an arm and a leg... as said, no such thing on the 'meega.

Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Essex_Andy on 30 December 2007, 17:28:52
Unfortunatley Ford copyrighted/patented the heated front screen.

So only a car built under the Ford Motor Co. group can have one.

An easy way to wide up pompus Jag owners....'Nice re-shelled Mondeo you have there squire!'
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 30 December 2007, 17:32:05
I hate them....distort the vision to much and results in Mondeo knob ends driving around with a clear front and rear screen and totaly unable to see out the side windows which is illegal and dangerous.
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: JezInBrum on 30 December 2007, 17:38:52
Unlike the rest of the population who scrape a 2 inch hole in the ice & drive off lol
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Andy B on 30 December 2007, 19:03:46
Quote
Unfortunatley Ford copyrighted/patented the heated front screen.

So only a car built under the Ford Motor Co. group can have one.

 .......

The bloke that lives next door used to have a Rover 600 that had a heated front screen. :question
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Elite Pete on 30 December 2007, 21:31:18
Quote
Quote
Unfortunatley Ford copyrighted/patented the heated front screen.

So only a car built under the Ford Motor Co. group can have one.

 .......

The bloke that lives next door used to have a Rover 600 that had a heated front screen. :question
I had one in my 1993 Range Rover :y
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Darth Loo-knee on 30 December 2007, 21:33:29
Mrs loo-knee has one on her Rangey too ;)

Not gonna tell her my car hasn't got one though else I will get the "My car is better than yours" ;D
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Kevin Wood on 30 December 2007, 23:05:19
They are available for a Westfield - at a price.

I'm not a fan of them either. How hard is it to scrape a little frost off the screen? The wires in the screen also play havoc with my eyes.

Kevin
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: tunnie on 31 December 2007, 00:02:57
Quote
They are available for a Westfield - at a price.

I'm not a fan of them either. How hard is it to scrape a little frost off the screen? The wires in the screen also play havoc with my eyes.

Kevin

 ;D ;D ;D

WTF, for a Westfield?? That windscreen can be no bigger than a letterbox!
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: TheBoy on 31 December 2007, 00:08:01
I'm not a fan - the wire mesh seems to make oncoming headlights glare slightly.
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Kevin Wood on 31 December 2007, 01:12:49
Quote
Quote
They are available for a Westfield - at a price.

I'm not a fan of them either. How hard is it to scrape a little frost off the screen? The wires in the screen also play havoc with my eyes.

Kevin

 ;D ;D ;D

WTF, for a Westfield?? That windscreen can be no bigger than a letterbox!

True, but if you have one you are required to have a means of demisting it. A heated screen saves a lot of weight over a conventional heater and ducting. Seeing as I drive mine through the winter I'm actually quite glad of some heat in the footwells. I have been wondering if I could fit some electric seat heating too. ;)

After all, I have a 90 amp alternator that's pretty bored most of the time.

Kevin
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: zirk on 31 December 2007, 03:10:32
Got one of those on my Sapphire Cosworth , hate it, especially at night with on-coming headlights, they really shows up at night and do your eyes in, especially at high speed which is something you really don't need when your trying to read the road!

Daytime not too bad until you switch it on, distorts the vision until it’s fully warmed up.

Chris.
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Paul M on 04 January 2008, 19:29:31
Personally I think they're great, it's one of my pet hates in almost all cars that the time your windscreen is most likely to be steamed up is when the car has been parked up overnight and it's cold outside, and that's the one time the heater is completely useless. I don't care so much about frost/ice, I'm quite willing to clear all the windows with a scraper, it's the condensation on the inside I hate. I refuse to wipe it with a cloth as it always leaves smears that are impossible to remove until the window is completely dry again. So I have to sit and wait for 10 minutes with the engine idling until the heater is warm enough to demist it... ah the wonders of modern technology ::)

I'm amazed there hasn't been some other technology developed to solve this issue, I remember back when I was a kid and long before I was old enough to drive (think it was 1991) my dad had a Ford that had a quickclear windscreen. 17 years later (god I'm getting old) and we're still sitting in brand new cars idling our engines to demist the windscreen using the heat from the engine :o

Quote
Got one of those on my Sapphire Cosworth , hate it, especially at night with on-coming headlights, they really shows up at night and do your eyes in, especially at high speed which is something you really don't need when your trying to read the road!

Daytime not too bad until you switch it on, distorts the vision until it’s fully warmed up.

Chris.

I've never owned a car with one, but I have driven a few, and I found I quickly got used to it and after a while my brain just filters out the extra glare so I don't notice it. It would be nice if it were possible to have the same functionality without the wires being visible though.

On the latter point, I notice a similar thing on the rear window of my BMW. It has a very similar setup to the quickclear for the rear window heater, lots of very thin wires laminated between two layers of glass. Only difference is the wires are straight instead of wavy, and a few wires are used for the aerial so don't heat up. Normally you can't see them in the mirror, but after it's been switched on for a while you can see some distortion. It actually serves as a reminder to switch it off, but I've no idea why it does that as it's still visible after the glass has completely cleared

Oh and I've no idea why they decided to use such a system on the rear window... it costs £800 for a replacement should you need one :-/
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Andy B on 04 January 2008, 21:09:30
Quote
....... it costs £800 for a replacement should you need one :-/

 :o  :o  :o  :o

Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: alanfp on 04 January 2008, 22:42:19
Kevin,

If you want a heated seat (and I guess it would only be for the coldest couple of months of the year) get a heated seat cover that plugs into cig. lighter. I got mine from Woolworths for £10-15.  It works a treat. :)

It's not the neatest look, but like I said, it keeps you warm.  I generally switched it on for say 5-10 mins and that was sufficient to keep the cold at bay.  I found that I didn't like sitting on the 'leather-look' (ie plastic) material, so turned it over and sat on the nylon woven side.  
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: zirk on 05 January 2008, 03:40:02
:question
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Dave-C on 05 January 2008, 08:52:03
Love 'em.... really miss mine on my Cossie Scorpio :(...  it meant that I only had to defrost the works van...  the wifey just pressed a button! :)

I find the Omega takes bloody ages....  even with climate on...  how do folks go on with no A/C ???? :-/
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Weds on 05 January 2008, 11:06:40
Quote

I'm amazed there hasn't been some other technology developed to solve this issue, I remember back when I was a kid and long before I was old enough to drive (think it was 1991) my dad had a Ford that had a quickclear windscreen. 17 years later (god I'm getting old) and we're still sitting in brand new cars idling our engines to demist the windscreen using the heat from the engine :o

Going back about 25-30 years Volkwagen used to have a petrol heater in their cars (cant remember the model name) you could warm the car up before setting off..

They still do petrol heaters for the Camper vans


Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Dave-C on 05 January 2008, 18:25:05
Quote
Quote

I'm amazed there hasn't been some other technology developed to solve this issue, I remember back when I was a kid and long before I was old enough to drive (think it was 1991) my dad had a Ford that had a quickclear windscreen. 17 years later (god I'm getting old) and we're still sitting in brand new cars idling our engines to demist the windscreen using the heat from the engine :o

Going back about 25-30 years Volkwagen used to have a petrol heater in their cars (cant remember the model name) you could warm the car up before setting off..

They still do petrol heaters for the Camper vans



That'll be Herbespacher,,,,  don't know if spelt right ;)  We had them on our Transits at BT, they warmed a tank of water too for the tap to wash the handies ::)...  many trucks / busses have them too, to prevent having the engine runnig... :y

DC
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Minispud on 05 January 2008, 21:14:21
Quote
Unfortunatley Ford copyrighted/patented the heated front screen.

So only a car built under the Ford Motor Co. group can have one.

An easy way to wide up pompus Jag owners....'Nice re-shelled Mondeo you have there squire!'

 This is not quite right about the "Copyright Bit" I've had a Fine Wire Heated screens in the front and rear on my old Mini, I'm just trying to contact someone I know who might be able to help us out, with this little matter of heated front screens  :y
Title: Re: Heated front screen
Post by: Dave-C on 06 January 2008, 08:18:00
Quote
Quote
Unfortunatley Ford copyrighted/patented the heated front screen.

So only a car built under the Ford Motor Co. group can have one.

An easy way to wide up pompus Jag owners....'Nice re-shelled Mondeo you have there squire!'

 This is not quite right about the "Copyright Bit" I've had a Fine Wire Heated screens in the front and rear on my old Mini, I'm just trying to contact someone I know who might be able to help us out, with this little matter of heated front screens  :y

If not copyright then pretty sure it's under licence...

DC