Compressed air for wipers?
- Tweety
- General Member
- Posts: 1253
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:45 am
- Location: ea81 powered trike Victoria
Compressed air for wipers?
Owning a strange vehicle poses strange remedies to issues.
I've got a single wiper on the trike. Its from a boat. Works well. There are a few problems though. The wiper scratches the ackrylic surface. Repalcing the ackrylic with polycarbonate (scratch resistant) costs $550 a sheet compared to $120. A custom screen needs to be heated with a heat gun and bent on the sides a little . stuff up the poly one and its expensive. Glas weighs too much for the mounts. It is feasible. Buy a rea window of a modern VW beetle and get it cut. Looks like the right curvature shape and depth.
The alternative is to keep the ackrylic screen and use compressed air nozzles to blow the rain off the screen. I will be purchasing an air tank for $48 on ebay about the size of a shoebox.with a dual needle gauge and switch unit available this will allow me to keep my airbag suspension at a constant 45 psi. the tank is capable of 250psi so say I kept it at 200psi and ran a line to the screen with a few small nozzles will it blow the rain away.??? A botton on the hndle bars to press every few seconds would give you control and allow the tank to maintain a psi amount.
Anyone got an answer?
I've got a single wiper on the trike. Its from a boat. Works well. There are a few problems though. The wiper scratches the ackrylic surface. Repalcing the ackrylic with polycarbonate (scratch resistant) costs $550 a sheet compared to $120. A custom screen needs to be heated with a heat gun and bent on the sides a little . stuff up the poly one and its expensive. Glas weighs too much for the mounts. It is feasible. Buy a rea window of a modern VW beetle and get it cut. Looks like the right curvature shape and depth.
The alternative is to keep the ackrylic screen and use compressed air nozzles to blow the rain off the screen. I will be purchasing an air tank for $48 on ebay about the size of a shoebox.with a dual needle gauge and switch unit available this will allow me to keep my airbag suspension at a constant 45 psi. the tank is capable of 250psi so say I kept it at 200psi and ran a line to the screen with a few small nozzles will it blow the rain away.??? A botton on the hndle bars to press every few seconds would give you control and allow the tank to maintain a psi amount.
Anyone got an answer?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Tweety trike- EA81 (full reco 2014) 32/36 weber, SPFI manifold, 9.5:1 CR, VW auto.
- d_generate
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Yeah rain-x, I hope you have a good compressor as most domestic and commercial compressors will only pump to 130psi, I tried to make an air reserve out of a fire extinguisher which was much larger than the tank you are talking about and with 130psi in it it would only raise the pressure in 1 tyre from 13psi to about 25 before it ran out of puff.
The fire ext is good for 217psi from memory but unless I went to the trouble of going to CIG there was no way of filling it to capacity, it was a brand new 7kg ext with maybe 75% air and 25% powder and it took about 2-3min to empty, you really need a small oxygen bottle like you see old people using that'll hold a couple of thousand psi but good luck with it and hope it works, it's just surprising how quickly they empty.
The fire ext is good for 217psi from memory but unless I went to the trouble of going to CIG there was no way of filling it to capacity, it was a brand new 7kg ext with maybe 75% air and 25% powder and it took about 2-3min to empty, you really need a small oxygen bottle like you see old people using that'll hold a couple of thousand psi but good luck with it and hope it works, it's just surprising how quickly they empty.
98 Libbo with V3 STI running gear. 13.0 @ 105mph with CAI & 3" Zorst:mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M


- Tweety
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- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:45 am
- Location: ea81 powered trike Victoria
Tried rainex many times. Not fully happy with that. doesnt last long after say 30 mintes in the rain have to reapply. Your assessment of how quick air runs out- I'd believe that. Hence my question. An oxy bottle is one thing (weight) but to pummp it up and maintain the pressure.
it looks unlikely. the glass screen is looking a better option.
it looks unlikely. the glass screen is looking a better option.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Tweety trike- EA81 (full reco 2014) 32/36 weber, SPFI manifold, 9.5:1 CR, VW auto.
You must be applying it incorrectly. Rainx is brilliant stuffTweety wrote:Tried rainex many times. Not fully happy with that. doesnt last long after say 30 mintes in the rain have to reapply. Your assessment of how quick air runs out- I'd believe that. Hence my question. An oxy bottle is one thing (weight) but to pummp it up and maintain the pressure.
it looks unlikely. the glass screen is looking a better option.
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my07 Outback
my13 Hyundai i45(shhhh)
my02 Gen3 Liberty limited ed.
previously
L-series wagon, LSD, EJ20turbo, 29in tyres, 'wanky wagon'
2000 gen3 outback, lifted, otherwise stock.
my13 Hyundai i45(shhhh)
my02 Gen3 Liberty limited ed.
previously
L-series wagon, LSD, EJ20turbo, 29in tyres, 'wanky wagon'
2000 gen3 outback, lifted, otherwise stock.
- TOONGA
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While the compressed air seems like a good idea. keeping the cylinder full will mean a compressor on the engine, which along side the supercharger will mean more HP lost from the engine.
The VW rear windscreen sounds good but is it tempered glass or shatter proof?
While the polycarbonate sounds expensive and a stuff up could be bad news, the longevity of polycarbonate out weighs the cost.
TOONGA
The VW rear windscreen sounds good but is it tempered glass or shatter proof?
While the polycarbonate sounds expensive and a stuff up could be bad news, the longevity of polycarbonate out weighs the cost.
TOONGA
Interesting idea but as toonga said its another drain on the engine (assuming you have a belt driven compressor). and if it was electric theres probably no way you could power it as a good compressor can draw very large amperage!
Go the custom glass and save yourself the trouble later down the track.
Go the custom glass and save yourself the trouble later down the track.
Brumby 1992: EA81, 15" peugot steelies, 2" ********* body lift, tonneau cover, bullbar, GME UHF, ARB compressor, ********* rear diff protector, SOLD
-97 Landcruiser
-97 Landcruiser

- d_generate
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Oxy bottle will last for ages and they are quite small (but very expensive) dive shops can fill them but you may need a license.
If you carry a spare tyre over fill it to 90psi and use it for air with a transfer hose, I did it on both my Landcruiser and the Impreza and it's surprising how much they hold.
If you carry a spare tyre over fill it to 90psi and use it for air with a transfer hose, I did it on both my Landcruiser and the Impreza and it's surprising how much they hold.
98 Libbo with V3 STI running gear. 13.0 @ 105mph with CAI & 3" Zorst:mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M


- Tweety
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- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:45 am
- Location: ea81 powered trike Victoria
de generate. no spare tyre even on the van...pressure pack for flat tyres x2
compressed air no go. too much weight.
Glass - will find out cost. there would be plenty of truck front windscreens with the right depth I can get the sizes cut off- just got to obtain one with the right curvature. Retain the wiper. Design some better mounts for the extra weight. Thanks all.
love this forum
compressed air no go. too much weight.
Glass - will find out cost. there would be plenty of truck front windscreens with the right depth I can get the sizes cut off- just got to obtain one with the right curvature. Retain the wiper. Design some better mounts for the extra weight. Thanks all.
love this forum
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Tweety trike- EA81 (full reco 2014) 32/36 weber, SPFI manifold, 9.5:1 CR, VW auto.
- d_generate
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- Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:51 am
- Location: Back in Perth and SORing it atm.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Polycarbonat ... 53ee41a97d
They offer custom cutting so they may be able to help you.
They offer custom cutting so they may be able to help you.
98 Libbo with V3 STI running gear. 13.0 @ 105mph with CAI & 3" Zorst:mrgreen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKrsF-2JS3M


- scriptchip
- Junior Member
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- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:58 pm
- Location: Adelaide, SA
What about make a custom windscreen wiper that is mounted near the rear view mirror and hangs down, replace the wiper blade with something a little less firm so no scratching ?
~Subaru brumby 1990 - 14's , alloy bullbar , tow bar , 1/2inch rear diff bash plate. .... so far.
~ 2000 Outback - street project
Mothers vehicles.
2012 foz
1985 L series

~ 2000 Outback - street project
Mothers vehicles.
2012 foz
1985 L series

- Tweety
- General Member
- Posts: 1253
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:45 am
- Location: ea81 powered trike Victoria
Scriptchip...thanks but it doesnt take much at all to scratch ackrylic.
I've had one interesting answer.
I've got a reversing camera but it isnt without restriction. We also just bought a mini foxy pup.
Someone suggested to make a seat on the fornt mudgaurd, allow Debbie to sit on it facing backwards. She could clean the screen and look at the rear of the trike for traffic.
And the foxy takes the trike seat.
The other idea is to put a harness on the pup and fit her with sponge socks and hang her form the top of the windscreen. Save wiper blades and saves me taking her for a walk in the evenings....
I've had one interesting answer.
I've got a reversing camera but it isnt without restriction. We also just bought a mini foxy pup.
Someone suggested to make a seat on the fornt mudgaurd, allow Debbie to sit on it facing backwards. She could clean the screen and look at the rear of the trike for traffic.
And the foxy takes the trike seat.
The other idea is to put a harness on the pup and fit her with sponge socks and hang her form the top of the windscreen. Save wiper blades and saves me taking her for a walk in the evenings....
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]Tweety trike- EA81 (full reco 2014) 32/36 weber, SPFI manifold, 9.5:1 CR, VW auto.