Anyone want a free ACTEW ice scraper?

I use my windscreen’s sunlight-reflecting cover – the silver one I use in the summer to keep the car cool when it’s sitting in direct sunlight. Just put it across the windscreen at night – on the outside, of course – and take it off in the morning. no watering or scraping or running the engine to warm up the aircon/demister.

On clear nights, I park my car in a spot where the dawn sun hits first, so the frost has melted (or at least softened) by the time I get in. Then it has a slow 1st gear trundle down 500m of rocks, which lets it warm up gently (takes it about 3km to warm up noticably though). The car seems happy with that.

Letting it warm up properly, removing the ice and making sure you have a clear screen BEFORE you drive off are all important actions many of Canberra’s drivers ignore.

At least once per winter I am nearly run over while standing at my bus stop by idiot drivers that can’t see when the sun hits their iced/foggy windscreens. They then don’t stop – they keep driving hoping it will instantly disappear.

I think there was a fatal a couple of years ago where this was the cause…..

Danman said :

Trevar – that’s why you use water and windscreen wipers at the same time 😛

I’ve often found that approach still causes refrost once you start moving… although it is not so bad on a polished windscreen.

Actually, I think the main reason I like using a scraper is because of the novelty of having one! When I don’t have one with me for whatever reason, I have been known to use water or a credit card instead! Or I just let it run and go back inside and wait; saves getting into a cold car too…

Danman said :

Actually JB – you will find that modern car engines will get fouled spark plugs if you let them warm up like an old points ignition engine…

Of course if your car is not EFI then you are fine 🙂

Modern car engines use Electronic Ignition systems which deliver a zap powerful enough to be fatal, unlike the weak old points ignition. And computerised EFI enables much more precise and leaner metering of fuel than any primitive carburettor could, including during the warm-up phase, again reducing the risk of misfire. As a consequence of EI and EFI, fouled plugs are basically a thing of the past to any modern well-maintained engine, in any motoring circumstance.

Others may disagree but bitter experience has taught me, especially on really cold mornings for cars parked outdoors, to allow engines to ‘idle up’ gently until the radiator thermostat opens, to reduce the thermal shock that can occur when the thermostat pops open and introduces cold coolant into a warm engine which might at the time be bearing higher revs or load.

Putting a tiny bit of salt in a jug of water to help defrost works, and dont use ice cold water.. dunno bout if it has any potential long term damage risks to the car or not.

Thanks for the heads up VG, generally only need to use them once or twice a year having a carport and haven’t had a problem in 6 years.
Will rotate them if I need though.

The yank scrapers are good. Where I lived, they always came with a brush, too. For the snow. Wouldn’t work here! Our snow doesn’t brush that well.

imarty said :

I’ve got a whole wallet load of these. Some of which I can even buy things with…

Keep using them all winter and see how well they ‘buy things’ in the spring!

Danman said :

Actually JB – you will find that modern car engines will get fouled spark plugs if you let them warm up like an old points ignition engine…

Of course if your car is not EFI then you are fine 🙂

A decent rev will sort that out!

I’ve got a whole wallet load of these. Some of which I can even buy things with…

Actually JB – you will find that modern car engines will get fouled spark plugs if you let them warm up like an old points ignition engine…

Of course if your car is not EFI then you are fine 🙂

On a REALLY cold morning cold water will give you a thicker coat of ice.

Generally I find if it takes a few minutes for the engine to warm up to the point it can melt the ice it does no harm to let the engine do that warming up at idle.

A watering can with cold water from the outside tap works fine. Put the heater output on highest heat on the windscreen setting for a couple of minutes as well.

Easy.

hetzjagd1 said :

Which email address to we use? webmaster@actewagl.com.au ?

No, use the waterconservation@actew.com.au address.

I got a reply saying that I would get it in the next two weeks.

Trevar – that’s why you use water and windscreen wipers at the same time 😛

The problem with using water is that it often refreezes. If you just push the ice off, there’s nothing there to refreeze.

I was given an ice scraper about five years before I moved to Canberra, when I went to Canada for Christmas. It was a novelty, but I had no idea what I was going to do with it when I brought it home to Sydney. After my first Canberra frost, I drove back to my parents’ place to get it, and have kept it in my glovebox ever since.

I’d try the water conservation one myself.

Which email address to we use? webmaster@actewagl.com.au ?

Thats why you use tepid water…..BTW tempered safety glass is pretty resilient…But I wouldn’t use HOT water – just tepid – which is still about 37 degrees hotter than the windscreen – killing the ice as quick as hot water.

Wouldn’t warm water on cold glass crack it?

Yay. Freebie.

Glad you’re not my Secret Santa this year. 😀

I’ve asked for one and I don’t have a car. I figure it’ll make a nice xmas pressie 🙂

Darn. I just paid $2 for one at the servo last week.