303 Washer tablets; Adding alcohol to windshield washer fluid for winter time

[tom p.]

OK, this is kinda random, but I bought some of the 303 washer tablets that you mix with a gallon of water and have that in the cars now. They provide ample warning about a complete lack of anti-freeze characteristics and that one would need to compensate. So, any suggestions on how much rubbing alcohol or IPA I should add to a gallon of water to protect against freezing? The cars would rarely see 0F, if that. I really don't know how to gage something like this.



Thanks.

 

[tom p.]

303 sez:....

Winter Conditions: Anti-freeze type windshield solvents are poor cleaners. For triple cleaning power with any anti-freeze windshield solvent, add a 303 Instant Windshield Washer Tablet.

 

[Jngrbrdman]

Pouring alcohol into washer fluid is alcohol abuse where I'm concerned.



.....oh. You don't mean THAT kind of alcohol, do you?



I live in the freezing north. It has been in the teens most of the day today. I can honestly say after fifteen years of living up here that I've never once had my wiper fluid freeze on me. I don't use anything fancy either. Just the normal blue stuff that kind of smells like Fruit Loops. I guess if I was really concerned then I could put some of the RainX for winter fluid in there or some other variation, but I've honestly never had a problem. And I'm the kind of guy who goes through wiper fluid like crazy too, so I would know if it wasn't working properly. Is this really a problem for people? Is it a design flaw of the location of the fluid reservoir or something? I've had several cars up here and none of them have had issues.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Best solution I've found is my truck's heated washer fluid option. Doesn't matter what you've got in there, it comes out of the nozzle at 140*F

 

[Jngrbrdman]

Isn't shooting hot water on a cold windshield sort of a not so good idea? I remember blowing a windshield up when I was younger by throwing a pot of hot water on it in the winter.

 

[tom p.]

Best solution I've found is my truck's heated washer fluid option. Doesn't matter what you've got in there, it comes out of the nozzle at 140*F

Well, what happens when the vehicle sits outside the entire day and the tank freezes/bursts

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Isn't shooting hot water on a cold windshield sort of a not so good idea? I remember blowing a windshield up when I was younger by throwing a pot of hot water on it in the winter.

In general yeah that'd be a bad idea, but the way this works it's never been an issue. Pretty slick setup in that it just sort of "dribbles" out at first to bring the wiper blade and glass up to a safe temp, then starts spraying like normal. This is my truck's third winter and it has never caused an issue. I don't even have to bother scraping ice either, this cuts through it like butter and a set of blades still lasts me a little over a year.

Well, what happens when the vehicle sits outside the entire day and the tank freezes/bursts

Never had that happen....