Headlight snow-buildup prevention. - Page 2

carringb · 11-15-2013, 07:01 PM

I still have not addressed it. I go busy last winter with a new contract which has been extended indefinitely.

Now I'm leaning towards a heated headlight washer system because that will also take care of the road grime too. I need to research which car would make the best donor.

Pschitt · 11-15-2013, 10:12 PM

I used to drive cars with HID light in Switzerland and never had problem with snow on the light surface. Even with a regular 35W HID, they are hot enough to make the snow melt.

carringb · 11-16-2013, 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pschitt

I used to drive cars with HID light in Switzerland and never had problem with snow on the light surface. Even with a regular 35W HID, they are hot enough to make the snow melt.

I think the large housing in the vans makes them stay too cool. Might not help that the fronts are so flat compared to a car. If I don't scrape off the snow by hand, it'll still be there when I get home.

mikracer · 11-18-2013, 04:02 PM

Did you retrofit projectors into the housing, or just replace the bulbs with a plug and play kit?

carringb · 11-18-2013, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikracer

Did you retrofit projectors into the housing, or just replace the bulbs with a plug and play kit?

Plug and play. Pattern is decent and has less scatter than than halogens in the stock housing. I plan on doing a projector system next, even though what I have now is pretty good and way better than stock. My housings are getting pretty pitted (the Euro housings have so far out-lasted the stock housings) so they are about due for replacement. I would like to incorporate some sort of turning light. We have them on our GLK350, and its a nice feature.

mikracer · 11-20-2013, 03:06 PM

I did a projector retrofit on a Tacoma I had and was planning on getting some clear housing headlights for the van and do the same. I don't know if the retrofit will clear on the drivers side though because the battery tray is practically against the back of the housing. I have a 95 E250 and I don know if the factory frame rail battery boxes will bolt in, but I was considering relocating my starter battery to make room for the retrofit.

ANZAC · 11-26-2013, 08:43 PM

There's no easy solution. I compete in winter TSD rallies up in Canada and it is a common problem with LED and HIDs.

This is why I run halogen headlights and HID driving lights. If the driving lights get snow covered, you have the headlights as backup.

larrie · 11-26-2013, 10:12 PM

What is a TSD Rally?

ANZAC · 11-26-2013, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larrie

What is a TSD Rally?

http://rallybc.com/html/tsd_events.html

I do them in my Subaru. Not a great event for a SMB... but I use the same halogen/HID formula on both vehicles.

**daveb** · 11-26-2013, 10:30 PM

I used to do some make shift type TSD motorcycle poker runs. Most of the checkpoints were bars making it real difficult to maintain your TSD. Sometimes you just stay too long at the checkpoint and don't care

But most of the other riders don't either. The guys that win usually pick up their times/points/penalties and move on. We call them cheaters!

Are the auto types over the period of days?