Print

[Manxcat]

In the darkest depth of the garage I  have a pre-war (WW2 not Boer)
electrical rear screen demister that is similar to the Desmo ClearView Panel in Witz's advert.
It is a bare wire heating element that sits between a glass panel that suction cups onto the rear screen.

Some military aircraft used a similar system and it was quite effective.

[samuria]

manxcat i remember seeing one of those on the back of a old riley rm my dad's mate drove.
looked like a old electric fire porcelain element.....

[Manxcat]

^ Sort of but no porcelain, if it comes to hand soon I'll do some photos. 

[samuria]

^ Sort of but no porcelain, if it comes to hand soon I'll do some photos. 

     that would be nice to see one.

[lightweightles]

Lucas full width rear screen heater .. with built in patina... not many of them left I bet .. cheers Les

[samuria]

here you go....
 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lucas-vintage-heated-rear-screen-heater-defroster/114507102706?hash=item1aa927b9f2:g:AVsAAOSwH~RfqCPh

[Manxcat]

Or

(They are available in 6 or 12 volt so if buying at an Autojumble ...)

I used one of the ones like this to help with the rear screen in the Discovery while sorting out the HRW element.
They are surprisingly good once they have a chance to heat up.

I think RomahomePete uses on on his series.

[Herald1360]

I found (back in the '70s) that the easiest way to find breaks was to wait till the screen misted up, turn on the heater and look carefully along the open circuit tracks for a tiny clear patch where a very low current passed by the damp on the screen had cleared it. Mark it (them) on the outside with a chinagraph circle then turn off, clean and dry the inside of the screen and apply the conductive paint.

[Manxcat]

Or
 https://www.vintagecarparts.co.uk/products/ca1384-container-windscreen-demister

(They are available in 6 or 12 volt so if buying at an Autojumble ...)

I used one of the ones like this to help with the rear screen in the Discovery while sorting out the HRW element.
They are surprisingly good once they have a chance to heat up.

I think RomahomePete uses on on his series.

  Woops, fixed now

[22900013A]

I've seen photographs of vehicles from the 1940s with heated windscreens. Very thick wires in a sort of wire frame, but they certainly existed!

[Dentman]

In a James Heriot story, set in the 30s/40s, he describes feeling "triumphant" at fitting a Bakelite screen heating unit by rubber suckers on a Winter night call