What is the best setting on the climate control to quickly defrost my octavia in the morning?

Heating on full, back and front window on defrost, ac on that what I did this morning by the time I scrapped about half the windscreen the ice had started to soften up and the inside of the windscreen was near enough clear by the time I got back into the car.

Climate set to auto and hit the max defrost button and rear demist.

Well, according to the manual, that is.?

I know I am going to be shot down for this but here is my simple recipe which takes ten seconds and works every time:

1.) Don't use the A/C in winter* - the condenser traps humidity which will later collect on the screen when it comes to a cold-start. Worth repeating: don't use the AC in winter.

2.) Take a container of hand-hot water as you go out each morning - I use a two-litre milk container. Make sure the wipers are off, start the car and pour slowly over screen to defrost. Jump in, wipe the screen and drive away. By the time the screen has cooled down again the ventilation system will keep it clear so long as you have not used the AC - see point 1: don't use the AC in winter !

 

*I do though turn the AC on once a week for ten to twenty minutes on a longer journey to keep it lubricated, primed and sealed.

I did notice this mornin that the inside of my windscreen was soaking wet, that much it was dripping onto the dash. If it was below zero this would be frozen too. Didn't get this on my fabia? My other halfs fiesta used to do that and she had to scrape the inside as well!

From memory the air con doesn't work below 4c anyway??

Strange - my 2010 Honda Jazz automatically switches the ac on whenever the fan is switched on and the air selector is set as directed to the windscreen.

Seems Honda thinks ac should be used. Skoda thinks so too - check your manual. For my part I simply love the speed mist clears with ac - would not be without it.

Climate set to auto and hit the max defrost button and rear demist.

 

No need to hit Auto, hitting the max defrost button turns the system on.

I did notice this mornin that the inside of my windscreen was soaking wet, that much it was dripping onto the dash.

 

Welcome to Octavia ownership...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/292098-how-long-until-the-excess-condensation-threads/

 

EDIT: I see you already have

*I do though turn the AC on once a week for ten to twenty minutes on a longer journey to keep it lubricated, primed and sealed.

 

No need to do this on the MkII Octavia as the system is permanently running even when the A/C is off.

I know I am going to be shot down for this but here is my simple recipe which takes ten seconds and works every time:

1.) Don't use the A/C in winter* - the condenser traps humidity which will later collect on the screen when it comes to a cold-start. Worth repeating: don't use the AC in winter.

2.) Take a container of hand-hot water as you go out each morning - I use a two-litre milk container. Make sure the wipers are off, start the car and pour slowly over screen to defrost. Jump in, wipe the screen and drive away. By the time the screen has cooled down again the ventilation system will keep it clear so long as you have not used the AC - see point 1: don't use the AC in winter !

*I do though turn the AC on once a week for ten to twenty minutes on a longer journey to keep it lubricated, primed and sealed.

The ac will remove condensation quicker.

As for pouring water and going, not a fan myself as on very cold mornings it simply freezes again. Warm liquid freezes quicker than cold which is the principal fridges and freezers use

I just open my garage door and drive out :P 

 

SWMBO also opens her garage door and drives out :P

 

(Awaits double garage envy )

The ac will remove condensation quicker.

As for pouring water and going, not a fan myself as on very cold mornings it simply freezes again. Warm liquid freezes quicker than cold which is the principal fridges and freezers use

Silver1011 - Thanks for that.

Gadgetman - I never have any condensation (because I don't use the AC) - the warm water is to get the ice off.

That warm liquid theory is unfamiliar to me  but I can tell you all that in practice my method works, every time, without fail. What can I say?

I have used warm water in the past. As long as the wipers are used immediately after it is applied then the warm water melts the ice and the wipers remove the water before it has a chance to freeze again.

 

If the wipers are past their best though then a thin layer of water is left on the screen which freezes very quickly!

 

I bought a windscreen cover off eBay instead.

I just open my garage door and drive out :p

 

SWMBO also opens her garage door and drives out :p

 

(Awaits double garage envy )

 

Double garage envy here!

 

In fact there is single garage envy too. I have a single garage but its full of stuff.

 

Not that the Superb has any chance of fitting into any modern garage!!

Double garage envy here!

In fact there is single garage envy too. I have a single garage but its full of stuff.

Not that the Superb has any chance of fitting into any modern garage!!

Haha. Mine is modern (2002) and I can get an xj8 in there so a superb should fit!

Just waiting to get the two single doors converted to an electric insulated 16ft monster so I can have a proper detailing bay then

The ac will remove condensation quicker.

As for pouring water and going, not a fan myself as on very cold mornings it simply freezes again. Warm liquid freezes quicker than cold which is the principal fridges and freezers use

Warm water does not freeze quicker than cold water, it is an urban myth. Warm water turns into cold water which turns into ice. It does not circumvent the cooling process.

Fridges / freezers etc do not use the warm water principle either, they use a process called the refrigeration cycle. They use a number of stages to exploit the following principles of physics -

Liquids absorb heat when changed from liquid to gas

Gases give off heat when changed from gas to liquid.

By moving a refrigerant through a compressor, condenser,evaporator & expansion valve it can move the temperature gains & losses from one part of the process to another, ultimately removing heat from the fridge.

Nothing to do with warm water freezing more quickly than cold water

No need to do this on the MkII Octavia as the system is permanently running even when the A/C is off.

 

When you say 'even when A/C is off' are you including when the ECON button is pressed? I was under the impression this turned the compressor off, and that running with the car out of ECON mode to make it run the compressor periodically is advisable for the reasons that TsvRS mentioned?

 

Oh, and I use the windscreen clear button, coupled with wiping the inside of the windscreen to help it along if there is a lot of condensation.

Edited 4 November, 201312 yr by Ultrasonic

No need to hit Auto, hitting the max defrost button turns the system on.

That's exactly what I meant.

The heating system is apparently clever enough to not blow ice cold air around the car at full blast, TNT waits till the engine warms up enough to provide the heat needed.

Skoda, simply clever ?

Warm water does not freeze quicker than cold water, it is an urban myth. Warm water turns into cold water which turns into ice. It does not circumvent the cooling process.

Fridges / freezers etc do not use the warm water principle either, they use a process called the refrigeration cycle. They use a number of stages to exploit the following principles of physics -

Liquids absorb heat when changed from liquid to gas

Gases give off heat when changed from gas to liquid.

By moving a refrigerant through a compressor, condenser,evaporator & expansion valve it can move the temperature gains & losses from one part of the process to another, ultimately removing heat from the fridge.

Nothing to do with warm water freezing more quickly than cold water

Not a myth - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/10420496/Have-scientists-worked-out-why-hot-water-freezes-faster-than-cold-water.html

When you say 'even when A/C is off' are you including when the ECON button is pressed? I was under the impression this turned the compressor off, and that running with the car out of ECON mode to make it run the compressor periodically is advisable for the reasons that TsvRS mentioned?

 

Cars with climate control tend to have better reliability as the compressor is 'always on'. Manual air con normally works on a clutch type system which wears over time. You can normally differentiate the two as clutch systems have a noticeable change in sound when air con is engaged and the compressor starts. You should not hear a 'always on' compressor engage at all. 

 

Warm water does not freeze quicker than cold water, it is an urban myth. Warm water turns into cold water which turns into ice. It does not circumvent the cooling process.

Fridges / freezers etc do not use the warm water principle either, they use a process called the refrigeration cycle. They use a number of stages to exploit the following principles of physics -

Liquids absorb heat when changed from liquid to gas

Gases give off heat when changed from gas to liquid.

By moving a refrigerant through a compressor, condenser,evaporator & expansion valve it can move the temperature gains & losses from one part of the process to another, ultimately removing heat from the fridge.

Nothing to do with warm water freezing more quickly than cold water

I like physics. Physics confuses me.

The easiest solution for me is pretend I've forgotten something and nip back inside. By then she has the car clear and windows de misted.

Failing that a windscreen cover and a cup of rice in an old pair of her knee highs placed on the dash help remove moisture from the air. The windscreen cover is an old tent pop an end in each door secure with wipers and when it snows just slide it off the side no need to hack ice off.

When using max windscreen setting have noticed the fan doesnt quite go to full speed, i tend to turn temp and fan to max and point it at the screen only if really bad.

my Blackline steamed up terribly when i first bought it, to the point I was swearing my head off and almost had to pull over; that was with the AC on too. Nothing like as bad now though has a tendancy to steam up a bit if damp and cold outside and the temp in the car is set quite warm without the AC on; turning the AC on tends to sort it out.

Have to say though the last two

VAG cars ive run (MK5 & 6 Golfs) steamed up badly as well; makes sense given the Octavia probably shares the same HVAC equipment.

Same as, pipsyp.