Topic
Heated Rear Window Glass Element Repair Guide. 12 years 3 months ago #34194
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Topic Author
- bryan young
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Can anyone tell me if it is possible to repair the heated rear window element??? One of the tags has come off 
It is not my car, but it is on a beautiful 2005 TF Spark that Kim (Kimshros) has just bought and as she has just gone skiing, i have been tasked with the question
It is not my car, but it is on a beautiful 2005 TF Spark that Kim (Kimshros) has just bought and as she has just gone skiing, i have been tasked with the question
Re: Heated Rear Window Glass 12 years 3 months ago #34202
Invalid or non-existent item ID.Bryan there are three methods to repair the detached connector on your heated rear window. In order of preference I would recommend;
1) Cheapest and strongest. You can solder the tags back on using a 60% Lead, 40% Tin solder, but you would need to be good at soldering. Clean the tag and window with alcohol or by very lightly sanding. I would then warm up the glass with a hair dryer or heat gun so that it doesn't just act like a large heatsink when you're trying to solder the tag. Use a soldering iron of at least 30W, preferably 200W. Make sure the tag is hot enough to melt the solder before attempting to make the joint.
2) Most expensive but very strong and reliable. Specialist two part electrically conductive Epoxy Resin like this one
click on this link . This will provide a very low electrical resistance bond which is physically strong. Simply clean parts then glue together.
3) Cheap and requires little skill. The final method is to again clean the tag and window by very lightly sanding then use this stuff to stick them together.
or
Granville Electro Connector Repair For Car Heated Rear Windows - Electrocure
1) Cheapest and strongest. You can solder the tags back on using a 60% Lead, 40% Tin solder, but you would need to be good at soldering. Clean the tag and window with alcohol or by very lightly sanding. I would then warm up the glass with a hair dryer or heat gun so that it doesn't just act like a large heatsink when you're trying to solder the tag. Use a soldering iron of at least 30W, preferably 200W. Make sure the tag is hot enough to melt the solder before attempting to make the joint.
2) Most expensive but very strong and reliable. Specialist two part electrically conductive Epoxy Resin like this one
click on this link . This will provide a very low electrical resistance bond which is physically strong. Simply clean parts then glue together.
3) Cheap and requires little skill. The final method is to again clean the tag and window by very lightly sanding then use this stuff to stick them together.
or
As the heated rear window is very low resistance the fix you make must also be a very low resistance one.
These products will make a good electrical bond, however a weak physical bond, so once dry (and having checked the resistance) you will then need to apply a clear epoxy resin over the area to make a good physical bond protecting the joint. This method has been used successfully many times in the past.
Any questions just send a pm to me
Re: Heated Rear Window Glass 12 years 2 months ago #38134
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I fixed mine tonight. The "glue" /paint stuff was useless...I guess its just for fine breaks in the thin elements, not for the full contact point
OK, update. Circuit was reading 2 ohms...when piggybacking connectors, 2 ohms, when connecting top and bottom of element, etc..but when contacting silver "repair" paint..it was going up to 400 ohms or more.
I had an emergency trip to GP today due to a random attack of Olemecron Bursitis.caused by an infected bursa....ended up with 4 weeks of antibiotics .....so I had a few hours spare (wasn't worth going all the way back to work
)....soooo
I removed hardtop into living room*, "broke" contact, cleaned window and go the portable soldering iron out...lets just say I have NEVER been good at soldering....and certainly not soldering onto bloody glass!!!.
I first attached the smallest metal thing I could find (one of those screw clips you put between wheel arch and arch liner...dunno what they are called) to the glass with solder...this took ages as the solder would not stick anywhere!! eventually it did, and then I soldered the contact point to the metal clip ..and once cooled down check resistance/ohms again and no there was a circuit between the metal clip and the top contact....result? Possibly the messiest solder job you will ever see (now hidden from view with silver tape)
Well by this time it was very dark (as it had started to sleet/snow) and of course the council save money by having street lights on timer rather than by light sensor, so no street lights and no daylight....so tested it in the house
first attached some spade connectors to 2 bits of wire and attached to spades on HRW plug
Then attached to 12V battery pack, and placed a bowl of boiling water underneath to generate a steamy window
And then switched on power pack and lo and behold.....it worked....started at opposite end of window (RHS)..probably because boiling water was at LHS, but you can see its clearing around wires, after just a few seconds....
Once I was happy, I then bathed the soldered joint in superglue to seal it to window for ever.......
*obviously if anyone asks, I got a "friend" to remove the hardtop , as I had a sore elbow
OK, update. Circuit was reading 2 ohms...when piggybacking connectors, 2 ohms, when connecting top and bottom of element, etc..but when contacting silver "repair" paint..it was going up to 400 ohms or more.
I had an emergency trip to GP today due to a random attack of Olemecron Bursitis.caused by an infected bursa....ended up with 4 weeks of antibiotics .....so I had a few hours spare (wasn't worth going all the way back to work
)....sooooI removed hardtop into living room*, "broke" contact, cleaned window and go the portable soldering iron out...lets just say I have NEVER been good at soldering....and certainly not soldering onto bloody glass!!!.
I first attached the smallest metal thing I could find (one of those screw clips you put between wheel arch and arch liner...dunno what they are called) to the glass with solder...this took ages as the solder would not stick anywhere!! eventually it did, and then I soldered the contact point to the metal clip ..and once cooled down check resistance/ohms again and no there was a circuit between the metal clip and the top contact....result? Possibly the messiest solder job you will ever see (now hidden from view with silver tape
)Well by this time it was very dark (as it had started to sleet/snow) and of course the council save money by having street lights on timer rather than by light sensor, so no street lights and no daylight....so tested it in the house
first attached some spade connectors to 2 bits of wire and attached to spades on HRW plug
Then attached to 12V battery pack, and placed a bowl of boiling water underneath to generate a steamy window
And then switched on power pack and lo and behold.....it worked....started at opposite end of window (RHS)..probably because boiling water was at LHS, but you can see its clearing around wires, after just a few seconds....
Once I was happy, I then bathed the soldered joint in superglue to seal it to window for ever.......
*obviously if anyone asks, I got a "friend" to remove the hardtop , as I had a sore elbow
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