Lets talk...windshield washers!

[IOPort51]

With some thought and a nack for making things more complicated than they need to be I see it this way.
I think this will be a matter of volume rather than pressure, as in the pressure will be easy but having enough water to get the job done for an entire day will be a problem. Remembering that the existing system is designed to spray for 5 seconds every now and then untill you can get to a station with a squeegy. I like the pump up sprayer for a start to see how much water will do what. The pressure can be what ever you want it to be and although it will require some manual operation to begin with it will help establish what the peramiters of the problem are. It is easy to cut the spray head off and hook the tube to the supply hose and run it out the passenger window. I am thinking along the lines of a spray manifold across the top of the windshield frame. more than likely something held by the synthetic magnets like what you find in hard drives. If for no other reason than that I don't want to start drilling and cutting the windshield frame untill I know what is going to work and needing a system like this, for some of us, doesn't happen every day. this will allow for 4-6 or 8 spray heads putting the water where it will do the most good. I think if this is to work idealy that the wipers will not be used at all. From here a suitable sized resivoir from PVC tube can be fabbed that will deal with pressure or a pump system and a pump or compressor won't be too much of a problem. I do think it will be easier to control a pump that a pressure solinoid and compressor. One other observation is that unless you have a great parts source an electric fuel pump seems like a lot of coin to pump water.
with the increase in water it may be advisable to deflect it away from the air vent at the cowl, filling that with muddy water may be a problem.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

ok say you aren't starting out with oba, and you don't really have any plans for it. an el cheapo in line fuel pump would be a cheaper bet than, trying to put together an oba setup just for the need of a better windshield washing system. to solve the problem of a high volume of water the pvc pipe tank idea would work out well.

also on the other hand a small co2 tank (think paintball cylinder) with regulator would be a cheaper setup than oba, for a pressure source.

honestly unless you do alot of mud running i don't see the need for any of this, over the factory setup.

 

[mylittlecj5]

Thats the reason behind this post...I do a lot of mud running and would like to see where I am going

I have on hand:
a small electric air compressor
An old electric fuel pump
A hand held garden sprayer
IF this weather front lets up by the weekend (IF) I may try to rig a few setups together and see what we are looking at

 

[IOPort51]

So Saturday morning, fill the pump up sprayer up and you and the Kid throw mud at the windshield for a minute and see how much water it takes to clean it off and what angle works best to do it.
sounds like fun to me.

 

[mylittlecj5]

LOL if it wasn't stuck inside the garage with barely any wiring, I'd do just that IO! :laugh: I'm thinking using another window for the test subject, so my garage doesn't fill with mud...

 

[73CJ]

Volume is the key.

Portable Transfer Pump — 12 Volt, 3/8in., Model# 12VDCW | 12 Volt Pumps | Northern Tool + Equipment

This baby will do 5 GPM! Even has a hose fitting to run back into a 5 gal gas can filled with water.

Multiple spray nozzles. Take your pick at the junk yard.

I'm going to put another stock washer bottle and pump in mine with 3 nozzles total. The stock one on 1 and 2 Nissan nozzles on the other. A double pole switch with center off to control 1 or 2 pumps running through the stock dash push to wash switch.

 

[mylittlecj5]

OK, here is another thought. How much water is too much? If you spray so much water on the window that you can't see thru the spray, what good will it do? It would help at the end of the mud, but what about during?
I wonder if something like a set of Riptech wipers would help to get the mud/water off the glass that much faster? A third wiper, maybe? Not sure there is room for that.

 

[BrockGrimes]

Most pro mud runner do a top down setup. Spray the windshield from the top down let gravity help you.
Me I'd take a garden sprayer and use a fuel pump to send the water to the windshield sprayers, or use a couple pumps from a stock windshield washer and just rig then to the garden sprayer tank.

I like this type from lowes it comes disassembled and you can mix a match parts and pieces:

 

[73CJ]

How much water is too much? If you spray so much water on the window that you can't see thru the spray, what good will it do?

Short bursts.

 

[Cheepjeep85]

just to throw another thought at you, several coats of wax and rain x works wonders.

 

[mylittlecj5]

LOL I used Rainex and Armour-All a few times at the races. With the thick mud we had there they had no chance of keeping the window/tires clean. But that is a great idea for a light mud or street use!