sschaefer3

Ok, I'll never use it but I want to know if it is working. I took the window tint off the rear window of the FJ-62 and I want to check the defroster wires before it gets re-tinted.

On the inside there is aluminum or copper looking wires, on the outside of the window are orange looking lines. If the orange lines are not broken am I ok? It looks like a few spots the inside aluminum ones got a bit thin but the outside ones are not broken. Is that orange paint or the acutal wire?

Same type of defroster on the 1999 4Runner. That window is tinted so I can't really tell.

So how do I test these. It was 109 today so with actual frost is out of the question. I was going to see if the indiviual line completed a circut but all 10 lines or so are connected together to a complete circut would mean at least 1 is working but not necessarly the others.

I'm fixing all the stuff on the Land Crusier.

WATRD

When I wanted to test the same thing on a car, I used and electric hot pot to "steam" the window.

Fire up the defroster and give it a few minutes to warm up. Then fog the window with the steam from the hot pot. It will clear faster from near the active wires and will linger if the wire is inactive.

They make a conductive paint that is designed to repair small gaps in the conductors if you need it.

Cebby

I think that orange isn't paint, but copper. I think the elements are a copper "plated" aluminum. I'd do Rob's test. There isn't a non-invasive way to test continuity on those.

I had a few breaks in the elements on my 87 Celica GTS I had. It was my own damn fault though. Ahhh, the lengths I'll go to to integrate my sound system. FWIW, welding and then using a grinder inside a car without masking the glass is a bad idea...I know from experience...