The dash sock (silica gel to prevent frost forming on windows)

[jakobnev]

The sock contains about 100g of silica gel. I keep it on the dash for a couple of days and then on a radiator at home over night, this is sufficient to keep ice from forming on the inside of my windshield, saving me from having to idle the car before driving off.

On really cold days i think i'm saving about 5 minutes of idling twice a day. @6 days a week that's and hour, which translates to over a gallon per month. (maybe 1.5)

[Daox]

Very nice solution. I think others have mentioned using silica gel to do the same thing (Pale?). Where does one get a decent quantity of the stuff?

[redneck]

Very interesting ...

However.

I think it may be time for a new sock...

>

[jakobnev]

Where does one get a decent quantity of the stuff?

I don't know, what's in the sock i got from my last job where every gearbox that came in came with a big bag of it. I wish i had saved more, the bags just got thrown away.

I think it may be time for a new sock...

Maybe, i used to use the microwave to dry it out, sometimes i'd leave it in there a bit too long and the hot silica burned holes in the sock :P

If i find more silica gel i'm going to make another one to use in the rear and try to cut the use of the rear window defroster - that thing is a real power hog.

[Piwoslaw]

That is a neat idea! After a month of very low temperatures I had more ice on the inside of my windows than on the outside. Someone advised me to open the windows slightly while driving, but probably didn't take into account that they were frozen shut...
I'm going straight to our collection of old shoeboxes in our basement...

Originally Posted by jakobnev

The sock contains about 100g of silica gel. I keep it on the dash for a couple of days and then on a radiator at home over night, this is sufficient to keep ice from forming on the inside of my windshield, saving me from having to idle the car before driving off.

Is radiator temperature (40°-60°C) enough? Wikipedia states

Silica gel's high surface area (around 800 m²/g) allows it to absorb water readily, making it useful as a desiccant (drying agent). Once saturated with water, the gel can be regenerated by heating it to 120 °C (250 °F) for two hours. Some types of silica gel will "pop" when exposed to enough water.

[jakobnev]

is radiator temperature (40°-60°C) enough?

The 120⁰C stated on wikipedia gets all the water out, the radiator just gets much of the water out, which is sufficient for my purposes. (It's an equilibrium reaction)

Edit: saturated the sock weighs ~117g, dried over the radiator it gets to ~107g and dried in the microwave i can get it down to ~104g. (I don't think the extra 3g are worth the hassle)

[TomO]

Originally Posted by Daox

Very nice solution. I think others have mentioned using silica gel to do the same thing (Pale?). Where does one get a decent quantity of the stuff?

Silica-Gel-Source and SilicaGelPackets.com
Were some of the first places that popped up when I searched Google. Someone else may have a good source too. Price isn't too bad I guess, it's about $8 for ~100 grams.

[MetroMPG]

Good "modification".

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

The sock contains about 100g of silica gel. I keep it on the dash for a couple of days and then on a radiator at home over night, this is sufficient to keep ice from forming on the inside of my windshield, saving me from having to idle the car before driving off.

Do you know if it also helps to keep the windows from fogging up in warmer weather ?

Without AC - and without robbing the still-cold engine of its heat - my windows tend to fog up in the rain.

I won't use an old sock as a container though

[brucey]

I hate having to run the defroster in winter, knowing it's turning on the A/C. As well, my windows fog up easily once more than one person is in the car. I spend a lot of time trying to keep them clear. I like this idea as well!