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Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 12:46 pm
by manifold
One of the problems associated with all products made from GRP including Midas, other cars and boats too is the condensation build up. This can produce several problems, such as osmosis (pimples and star cracks forming in weird places where the water is trying to migrate out through the laminates) and steamy windows.

Heres something that I found which is a cheap and cheerful product to stick in the car to help alleviate the problem.....

http://www.makingdiyeasier.co.uk/unibond/stophumidity.html

You can get them from B&Q for about 8 or 9 quid. Replacement tablets in pairs are about 5 quid. Each tablet lasts a couple of months in a room 20m.

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:05 pm
by lankyjames
I did a similar thing for my mini and a friends corsa, using some well ventilated boxes (cricket/locust storage) filled with loads of silica gel packets helps keep humidity down.

Anything similar from b&q or homebase would work just the same, stops ice forming on the wrong side!

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:55 pm
by manifold
;) Absolutely!

......and in the cold like we have all had recently....it stops it snowing on the inside too, when the interior warms up lol.

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:27 pm
by Rich
You ain't kidding about the internal snow, my headlining has sagged under the weight. I've got a couple of these http://www.frost.co.uk/item_Detail.asp?productID=9456&frostProductName=Air%20Dry on the way from FROST.

Rich
;)

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:30 pm
by Rich
Just another thought, would a more active air extraction system be beneficial? Some days I only have to sit in the car for it to start misting up.

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:25 pm
by manifold
I'm not sure it would to be honest Rich.

Its a problem with anything GRP. My dads boat is wet through on the inside....and thats when its been sat on the hard standing all winter with an eberspacher (webasto style) heater. Wooden boats are not as wet.

The demister works fine on my Coupe. I can feel plenty of air coming through with the mods I have done but it still causes issues on the back and rear quarterlights.

One thing I can say is that the Midas is not the only car affected, there are many stories of other big production cars also suffering from it too.

Looks like your skinning the cat with a similar method ;)

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:43 pm
by gooseman
Must be an environmental problem maybe due to Britain being an island with the Atlantic all round?? Ive never had a misting problem even in a rainstorm as long as the eyeball vents are open to the windscreen...dont drive it much in the winter or cold weather though. I removed the ductwork to the heater inside & under the fender, just too bulky, it interfered with my feet getting on the pedals (size 12), it just recirculates the cabin air & seems fine in moderately cold weather....jim

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:05 pm
by johnnyfixit
I've been using these over winter Image only about £6 delivered off that site andthin enough to fit behind the seat

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:32 am
by Hans Efde
Yes I have used these boxes with hydroscopic salt as well. It will be a big mess when they tumble over though! Concerning moist in the car, it is important that in the Gold coupe holes are cut in the inner walls behind the storage plate (where the spare wheel sits). If these holes aren't there, the extraction vents besides the tail lights don't connect with the inner air and don't work (obviously the storage plates needs venting holes, but usually these were factory fitted). For the convertible there are no venting holes, so it's necessary on the move to open the window a bit when driving with the hard top. The soft top has more than enough ventilation of itself!
Another problem can be water entering via the back of the doorcards onto the doorseals. Check the insulation below the carpets. It should be dry. If it's wet, check my website for the explanation and how to cure it. I used to drive around with towels underneath the carpets and replace them frequently until I solved it.
Another problem is water in the dashboard, caused by leakage via the wiper spindles. Easily cured with a piece of rubber underneath the nut.
If you work methodically you can get a dry and warm coupe or convertible.

Re: Steamy windows? Humidity?

PostPosted: Mon Feb 01, 2010 10:22 am
by Rich
How are you getting on with this David? I got the Frost one I linked to and if I leave it on the dash it keeps the area immediately above it clear so I bought one of the B&Q jobbies which appears to have made no difference at all and doesn't appear to be collecting water.

Perhaps they are just overwhelmed by the volume of water these cars can hold, the Frost dryer in my better halves MX5 has made a massive difference.

Rich
;)