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Automatic Windshield Wipers

They Wipe So You Don't Have To
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Imagine a very thin tape-like material that has many wires running close together, sort of like a printed circuit or a ribbon cable. One side is sticky, and the other side has the wires exposed to the elements.

Choose a small area (about one square inch) on the outside of your windshield, in a place that the wipers will cross, but that will not obstruct your view. There, affix a piece of this stuff. Then connect the tiny wires to a circuit.

When it rains, the drops of water that collect on the wires will short them. When this happens, the circuit will start the wipers. The wipers will dry the wires, the shorting will stop, and the wipers will stop. Voila.

The speed of the wipers would be related to how long the wires stayed "dry".

You use as many exposed wires as practical so you can have "a lot" or "a little" shorting, as opposed to all or none. More reliable.

Clean with a little steel wool. When the tape wears out, peel it off and put on a new one. Cheap.

about 90 minutes, Jan 30 2004

Lexus LS-430 http://www.familyca...exusLS430/Index.htm
The list of features this car 'doesn't' have would fit on a postage stamp. [Klaatu, Oct 04 2004]

[link]






       Baked: Review of the Lexus LS-430 "Because of the weather, I had a good chance to see the rain-sensing windshield wipers in action. The sensor for the system is just above the inside rearview mirror and activated the wipers as soon as a few sprinkles hit the glass. In a light drizzle, the system worked in intermittent mode, only taking a sweep when necessary. As the rain intensified, the wipers kept up with the demand until they were on continuously. I could get used to this."
Klaatu, Jan 30 2004
  

       I was thinking of somwething optical, but, well..... http://www.rainsensors.com
about 90 minutes, Jan 30 2004
  

       If you click on the "link" button below, you can paste your hyperlink there.
Klaatu, Jan 30 2004
  

       [marked-for-deletion] baked.
jonthegeologist, Jan 30 2004
  

       Baked in my 1997 Pugeot 406. I didn't know the car had it and it scared the life out of me when the wipers started working on their own.
oneoffdave, Jan 30 2004
  

       My 1995 Cadillac had this.
whlanteigne, Mar 11 2008
  

       My Jaguars have this.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 11 2008
  

       My Veyron doesn't.
jtp, Mar 11 2008
  

       That's why I sold all mine.
MaxwellBuchanan, Mar 11 2008
  

       My '66 Landrover inadvertantly has auto wiper on drivers side. Water leaks through the screen seal into the wiper motor, which begins to move (slowly).
Twizz, Mar 11 2008
  
      
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