The content of the article:
- Why do I need a headlight washer
- Washer types
- How to choose a headlamp washer kit
- Operation of headlight washers
- Common manufacturers
Driving at night is different from driving during the day. Any precipitation will significantly complicate visibility, contaminating the headlights. For a motorist, for safe driving, it is important that the luminous flux does not deteriorate, and the headlights always remain clean.
Why do I need a headlight washer
During the day, it is definitely not needed, but for those who like driving on low-light roads, at night, in any weather, a device is required that can keep the headlights clean, maintaining the brightness of the light flux and preventing the light rays from dazzling oncoming drivers.
The optimal solution is to purchase a headlight washer, which does not guarantee perfect cleanliness, but will definitely increase driving comfort.
According to the law, in the EU and Russia, headlight washers are definitely recommended for xenon headlights, allowing you to easily remove the white salt deposits. This is due to the fact that autolamps are very powerful. The light should illuminate the required area in front of the car, therefore, structurally, the headlamp has diffusers and reflectors.
A contaminated surface refracts the luminous flux so that it begins to interfere with oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, the roads in Russia are covered with a sticky film that is difficult to clean. Auto giants such as Volvo and Volkswagen install washers by default, which, at the very least, cope with the task, allowing the car to better illuminate the road.
It has been experimentally established that headlight washers increase driving safety in bad weather. A quarter of the headlamp gets dirty, halves the visibility!
Washer types
There are two types of headlight washers on the market that use low or high pressure for cleaning.
Inkjet
Such washers are installed on modern cars, or they can be installed additionally by purchasing a suitable kit. Their work is based on the kinetic energy obtained through the work of the jet, which washes away contaminants from the diffuser under high pressure.
The degree of cleaning of the headlights depends on the angle at which the jet washes it, as well as the force obtained when moving from the nozzle to the headlight.
The washer can be equipped with telescopic nozzles. Washers do not spoil the appearance of the car, because the caps are always painted in the body color. Self-installation is difficult, but most new machines are equipped with a default cleaner. Of the minuses, it is worth noting the frequent freezing of nozzles to the bumper during severe frosts.
There are also jet washers with fixed universal nozzles, practical and reliable. The disadvantage of this design is the high fluid consumption during the operation of the mechanism.
Brush
An outdated version of washers, which were used to equip cars of "old" releases. Most often they were installed on Volvo, Saab and VAZ 2105. The quality of these devices left much to be desired, so they were not widely used.
The headlight was cleaned thanks to the movement from top to bottom of a special brush, similar to those that are installed on the windshields. In the event of contamination, a small amount of water is supplied to the headlamp, the electric motor turns on, driving the brush.
This type of washer is suitable for headlights with a glass lens. The brush leaves scratches on the plastic surface, so this system is not suitable for modern cars.
The washer is equipped with a small tank with enough water for 15 cleaning cycles. The main advantage of this type of washer was considered to be a high degree of purification. An unconditional disadvantage was the impossibility of self-installation, if such was not provided by the manufacturer.
How to choose a headlamp washer kit
It is important to determine what type of bumper the car has on which the headlight washers will be installed. Structurally, different headlight washers have a difference in nozzles. They are calculated for flat, spherical or off-road bumpers. Having photographed the full face and profile of the car, you can safely go to the car shop.
It is important to remember that a tank is not provided in the headlight washer kit - it must be purchased additionally.
Operation of headlight washers
There are a number of rules, the observance of which guarantees a long life of the mechanism:
- The liquid poured into the tank must be distilled. As a last resort, you can use boiled water. In the summer, you should add any cleaning agent (shampoo, "Fairy") to the water. In winter, it is necessary to fill in the anti-freeze.
- The volume of the tank is small, so you need to monitor the liquid level.
- Dry weather is not a reason to stop using the washer, its performance must be checked constantly.
The choice of headlight washers is limited. There are three most common companies on the market offering their products.
Common manufacturers
HELLA
This device is manufactured by a German company that is a recognized leader in the field of auto light. There is practically no marriage among Hella washers (the refusal rate is, according to statistics, no more than 2%). They are suitable for most passenger cars, with both stationary and retractable nozzle models available.
Unconditional advantages:
- the same cleaning of the headlights of the low and high beam;
- the ability to mount on any car;
- the service life is designed for 10,000 cycles or 1 year of operation;
- small consumption of cleaning liquid;
- performance over a wide temperature range;
- German quality, design and assembly.
Hella headlight washers are certified, when installing xenon, they are fixed in GOST. A fan-shaped spray of liquid sprinkles the entire surface of the headlamp.
Washers are of two types:
- Stationary. The nozzles are stationary, open and unprotected from external factors. They can be mounted on any type of car.
- Retractable. After pressing the button, they leave, start up a stream of water and put them back in place. The nozzles are well protected and do not spoil the look of the machine. Installation on bumpers not specified by the vehicle manufacturer is difficult or impossible.
The scope of delivery of this washer includes a standard tank, nozzles, a compressor and a long pump, adapters. After three operations, you must wait a few minutes before the compressor “draws in” air to repeat the cleaning procedure.
SCYTHIAN
Headlight washers "SKIF" are produced by the only Russian manufacturer of InterEuropa headlight cleaning systems and have a large number of modifications, allowing them to equip cars of different models.
The jet headlight washer is quite reliable and efficient, it works in tandem with an imported pump, which gives a high pressure flow. In terms of quality, it is slightly inferior to Hella, the warranty period is also a year.
The washer system allows you to knock down dirt due to a powerful jet released by a pump under high pressure, to work at a significant temperature range (+ 60 ... -40 degrees Celsius), blocking the capabilities of Hella.
The headlamp washer complies with Russian and world safety requirements, separately taking into account climatic fluctuations in our country.
The new technical safety regulation of the vehicle obliges drivers whose cars are equipped with xenon lights to have headlight washers with an adjustable angle of inclination on the car. The SKIF system fully complies with the requirements and works even in severe weather conditions in the north-west of Russia with stable subzero temperatures.
There are four modifications of SKIF washers:
- 12P. Installed on cars with a flat bumper, at the middle distance between the bumper and the center of the headlight. The tie-in is flush with the bumper surface. The model is simple, reliable and efficient.
- 12V. The model was created for off-road vehicles, high injectors, capable of "finishing off" with a stream of water to the headlights.
- 12-N. Designed for cars with curved flat or spherical bumpers. A special elastic band evens out the curvature of the bumper. Also suitable for SUVs.
- 12-p. Suitable for cars with a spherical bumper or located at an obtuse angle relative to the headlight.
The SKIF system can be installed not only on xenon light, but also on halogen light, which, when the optics are dirty, simply ceases to illuminate anything at all.
The use of mechanical cleaning methods simultaneously with the washer increases the efficiency of work, but this combination is suitable only for glass headlights.
Polymer materials do not withstand harsh cleaning, becoming scratched and needing to be polished or replaced. A jet cleaner is quite capable of coping with the problem, knocking down dirt with a powerful pressure of water.
Sho-Me
The South Korean manufacturer of auto equipment and accessories has taken root in the domestic market. The headlamp washer is an original development that has been implemented on the Russian market for more than five years.
The developers focused on the operation of the car in various temperature and climatic conditions. They have a high degree of protection against freezing, overheating, dirt ingress. The mechanical strength of the product is quite high.
The products have a number of indisputable advantages:
- A design feature was a powerful pump that allows fluid to be supplied to the nozzles under high pressure. The strong jet blows dirt off the headlights, cleaning them.
- Through a hose, the pump is connected to a standard car reservoir, so there is no need to install a separate container for headlight washer fluid.
- Ease of installation.
- Reliable relay.
- Versatility that allows you to choose the type of nozzles for any bumper shape - flat, rounded, off-road.
- Officially certified for installation when using xenon.
- It does not spoil the appearance of the car, since the nozzles are small and not noticeable, and the cleaner is placed inside the engine compartment with a control button output to the passenger compartment.
There are three types of Sho-Me headlight cleaners:
- OFS-1D. Designed specifically for SUVs.
- OFS-1P. Suitable for vehicles with flat bumpers.
- OFS-1C. Mounted on cars with a spherical (rounded) bumper.
During operation, some flaws in the design of the nozzle sphere may appear, the jet is slightly blurred, reducing the intensity of the water flow. In some cases, a strong pressure of water can tear out the "eye" -sphere, which indicates the use of low-quality materials.
Despite the extensive temperature ranges of operation declared by the manufacturer, deformations of the "body" of the nozzles and the valve may occur at minus ten degrees. Frost can also damage the water supply hose.
The downside is the lack of a control unit that controls the operation of the mechanism, leading to an increase in washer consumption.
Conclusion
In any case, the presence of xenon light forces motorists to purchase headlight washers. Good work of the light group allows you to feel confident on the road at night and at dusk in any weather whims!
