Community Forums

DeeGee · 05-10-2017, 11:11 AM

Gee, I always thought that my Aspire had one. Yesterday I found out that is not the case, unless you can lay down and somehow drive with your eyes in the bottom foot or so of the windshield.

Yesterday we drove over Monarch Pass on US 50 in Colorado (11,312 feet). On the east the weather was fine. As we climbed, it started raining. Then the rain turned to snow. Then it started getting very heavy and sticking to everything. Then, the windshield started to fog up. I put the defrost on high, and it had basically zero effect. I was driving very slowly, barely able to see anything. Jean ran to the back and brought out a microfiber mop on a long handle, and continuously swiped the inside of the windshield until we finally dropped down below the snow line. The coach never slid or felt bad in any way, even with the build-up on the road. The visibility problem, on the other hand, was very bad.

This shot was before it got bad and Jean started wiping.

Has anyone every actually tried their defrosters? That's a lot of windshield, and they are mounted at the bottom.

Otherwise, Mrs. Lincoln and I had a good trip:

HarleySG · 05-10-2017, 02:12 PM

Sorry to hear about your defroster. I'm sure that must have cause a brief stretch of panic. I'm pretty sure i would have been concerned, and i'm use to it.

Colorado is great for throwing you a curve, in our high elevations. I keep all-weather gear in our bike. This pic was taken at the top of Mt Evans (14,265 ft). It was 93 degrees when we left the Denver area, and was 40 degrees at the top. Just glad we didn't have snow issues.

Thanks for the pics. Love that area of Colorado.

Cheers!

Butte64 · 05-10-2017, 06:52 PM

Did you have recirculate button pressed? I don't know about Aspires but it makes a big difference in cars.

brobox · 05-10-2017, 07:15 PM

Check to see if the defroster hoses are connected to the vents. Of few of the 14's were not fully connected.

DeeGee · 05-10-2017, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Butte64

Did you have recirculate button pressed? I don't know about Aspires but it makes a big difference in cars.

There is no recirc button - the only way to recirculate the air is to pick Max AC. Defogger is a different setting on that same knob. Not the smartest design.

mrt_1111 · 05-10-2017, 08:39 PM

Do tell, what position was the temperature control in? Hot or cold. Try setting it to the coldest position. Warm air from inside hitting cold windshield creates condensation.

gizmo123316 · 05-10-2017, 08:44 PM

The fan on mine doesn't run when turned on. You have to wait 1 to 5 minutes for the fan for the defroster or heater to start. I called customer service and they wanted me to go to a dealer about it, but I haven't been to a dealer for a couple of years, nor have I been near one, so I have to know ahead of time when I am going to need the fan. When it does start, it works very well, defrost isn't a problem.

vsayler · 05-11-2017, 07:41 AM

I recently drove through the rain for 5 hours in our 2017 Anthem 44B. We had defrost issues and with it set to full and on cold it just barely kept the window fogging at bay enough for us to drive, the top part of the windshield was still foggy but right in front of the driver was acceptable.

DrDaveMA · 05-11-2017, 08:44 AM

Years ago I had a similar issue with our Alpine, if you have fans mounted near the top of the windshield point them at the windshield and turn them on high. This helps move warm air against the window. Secondly, when running the dash A/C I always use the "max" position, that automatically places you in "recirc" (closes the outside vent). The fogged windows come from moist warmer air inside the coach hitting the colder window, so any moisture you can keep out of the coach helps, run your dash A/C even if the temperature is set hot, the A/C removes moisture from the air helping to,reduce the fogging.

757driver · 05-11-2017, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeGee

Gee, I always thought that my Aspire had one. Yesterday I found out that is not the case, unless you can lay down and somehow drive with your eyes in the bottom foot or so of the windshield.

Yesterday we drove over Monarch Pass on US 50 in Colorado (11,312 feet). On the east the weather was fine. As we climbed, it started raining. Then the rain turned to snow. Then it started getting very heavy and sticking to everything. Then, the windshield started to fog up. I put the defrost on high, and it had basically zero effect. I was driving very slowly, barely able to see anything. Jean ran to the back and brought out a microfiber mop on a long handle, and continuously swiped the inside of the windshield until we finally dropped down below the snow line. The coach never slid or felt bad in any way, even with the build-up on the road. The visibility problem, on the other hand, was very bad.

This shot was before it got bad and Jean started wiping.

Has anyone every actually tried their defrosters? That's a lot of windshield, and they are mounted at the bottom.

Otherwise, Mrs. Lincoln and I had a good trip:

David,

Sorry to hear of your interesting travels (to say the least) through Colorado. We have not had any extreme weather to deal with where the defroster could not keep up.

On a side note, it must have looked very strange for anyone coming the other direction to see Jean with a mop in the front window.

Good to see you both again at Homecoming, safe travels.

hawgguy · 05-11-2017, 11:34 AM

Believe it or not - this is the first MH I've had where the defroster actually works. I have been pleasantly surprised by its performance. Check your connections & settings.

DSL417 · 05-11-2017, 11:45 AM

Big window, small defroster....don't expect miracles, particularly in freezing mist or rain, and/or snow. I suppose there is a solution out there with some different type of OEM, but I'm not looking too hard.

I have been caught three time, all in West Texas in freezing rain. Solutions:

1) planning around the bad weather instead of plowing ahead
2) mopping the inside as OP suggested they did helps the fogging
3) get off the road and wait for better weather, preferable in a park, rest area or truck stop (this works best for the inadvertent...after all, you have a pretty good platform for laying back and relaxing for a nap

JMHO, no fix is coming here on this one, on coaches with large picture windows up front.

Balladeer · 05-11-2017, 12:27 PM

When sailing on oceangoing tugs years ago, we did not have defrosters in the wheelhouse windows. We would take a wet paper towel and put some lemon joy on it and wipe the windows and leave them wet with the soap in place. The windows would stay clear for about the length of the 4 hour watch and it would smell nice as well. If you are having more frosting than the AC can handle you might try this. (We also had the cleanest windows in the fleet)

Cousin Ed · 05-11-2017, 12:34 PM

I have found over the years if you lower your "night shades" they capture the warm air and that helps keep the window defogged. For many years I had to be out in the snow when everyone else should have stayed home.