When are headlight heating elements coming out?

[TJ_HOOKER]

Digging up an old thread, I know. But, as I stop to clean the snow off my lights on the side of the highway this morning I have to wonder, would a heating element around the light housing do anything? Anyone toyed with this at all? I’m looking at self regulating heat trace, I’m an electrician and use variations of this in many applications not only for keeping pipes from freezing but in outdoor control panels as well. I know at speed it may not keep up depending on the outdoor temps but usually, the kind of snow and slush that builds up isn’t during really cold temps anyway.

so I’m looking at this:
Amazon 12vdc heat trace

It does looks like it can be trimmed (can’t confirm). I wonder if I wrapped the outer ring of the housing around the lens, would this help? As far as the control, I’d try driving a relay off of the electric defrost circuit to the door mirrors to switch a fused circuit sized accordingly. This way it’s not left on too long, for obvious reasons. Says it heats to 50c and the draw is 150w but that would be for the 1m length which I’m pretty sure I can trim down if it’s anything like the stuff I’ve used in the past. I’d like to think that even at speed 50c could keep up, melt enough so that the air moving will lift the ice off the lens. I dunno.

Anyone else toying around with anything like this as a solution?

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[Dale's Jeep]

Shit just go buy a Bronco problem solved for you

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Digging up an old thread, I know. But, as I stop to clean the snow off my lights on the side of the highway this morning I have to wonder, would a heating element around the light housing do anything? Anyone toyed with this at all? I’m looking at self regulating heat trace, I’m an electrician and use variations of this in many applications not only for keeping pipes from freezing but in outdoor control panels as well. I know at speed it may not keep up depending on the outdoor temps but usually, the kind of snow and slush that builds up isn’t during really cold temps anyway.

so I’m looking at this:
Amazon 12vdc heat trace

It does looks like it can be trimmed (can’t confirm). I wonder if I wrapped the outer ring of the housing around the lens, would this help? As far as the control, I’d try driving a relay off of the electric defrost circuit to the door mirrors to switch a fused circuit sized accordingly. This way it’s not left on too long, for obvious reasons. Says it heats to 50c and the draw is 150w but that would be for the 1m length which I’m pretty sure I can trim down if it’s anything like the stuff I’ve used in the past. I’d like to think that even at speed 50c could keep up, melt enough so that the air moving will lift the ice off the lens. I dunno.

Anyone else toying around with anything like this as a solution?

Lol. About to drive from Niagara Falls to Ottawa. Guess I know what's in store.

Honestly though, I have never noticed the buildup on lights. In saying that, I really don't drive much at night.

Post up if you figure out a switch. For $19CDN that's a cheap exploratory mission.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Shit just go buy a Bronco problem solved for you

Does the Bronco have heated headlights?

 

[SLORubi]

This is interesting, never thought about it but I’ve had the issue. The O/P seems upset at Jeep specifically for not fixing the problem but it’s not a Jeep issue, it’s all automotive manufacturers. Does anyone offer heated headlights from the factory? I’ve never seen them but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

 

[TJ_HOOKER]

This is interesting, never thought about it but I’ve had the issue. The O/P seems upset at Jeep specifically for not fixing the problem but it’s not a Jeep issue, it’s all automotive manufacturers. Does anyone offer heated headlights from the factory? I’ve never seen them but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

Not sure if anyone does, but they really should. I mean, it could be controlled through a bcm, so for areas of the world not needing it they can just not code it in (like some euro cars with rear fog that aren’t activated)

 

[TJ_HOOKER]

Lol. About to drive from Niagara Falls to Ottawa. Guess I know what's in store.

Honestly though, I have never noticed the buildup on lights. In saying that, I really don't drive much at night.

Post up if you figure out a switch. For $19CDN that's a cheap exploratory mission.

I will for sure. Just ordered the heating elements. The biggest PITA will be unbolting my winch again just to get the grill off, again lol. I figure I’ll power them temporarily from one of the aux switches and run some tests highway and city lights on but in the daytime for safety sake. I’ll have to simulate an ice-over so I’ll likely have to pack some snow and spray them with water letting them freeze before setting off.

Or, there’s probably 5 reasons why this won’t work like every other time I “invent” something and I’ll wind up using them to make a heated seat for my Harley. Either way………lol

 

[Dale's Jeep]

Does the Bronco have heated headlights?

Lol who cares if the dude can't take a couple minutes at the gas station while filling up the wipe the headlights then they should be walking.

 

[TJ_HOOKER]

Does the Bronco have heated headlights?

No, but it does have a heated tailgate

 

[TJ_HOOKER]

when it happens 3-5 times on an icy unlit highway at night in a lake effect white out snowstorm, I’d have an easier time getting a new job and moving somewhere warm than I would finding somewhere to stop and chisel off the ice and try not to get hit by some jerkoff spinning off into the ditch. That’s my 100km each way commute most of the winter, it’s dark on my way in, and dark on my way home. Yeah, it’s lovely lol

last JK I had I bought the JW Speaker led’s with the heated option. Never had one issue.

 

[roaniecowpony]

This is interesting, never thought about it but I’ve had the issue. The O/P seems upset at Jeep specifically for not fixing the problem but it’s not a Jeep issue, it’s all automotive manufacturers. Does anyone offer heated headlights from the factory? I’ve never seen them but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

I agree. It's been an all-industry issue forever. Decades ago, the Europeans had headlight wipers for exactly this issue. I remember driving in snow storms and having to clear the lights in the 70s, and later. It's nothing new. I don't know why the OP and others think this is a negligent act on FCA's part. Old sealed beams were just warm enough to melt snow and make it turn to ice in some conditions. Same with halogens. Yes, the JL has the recesses for the headlight that contributes to the issue, but that's not a new feature on vehicles by any stretch. But maybe new to some people.

 

[roaniecowpony]

when it happens 3-5 times on an icy unlit highway at night in a lake effect white out snowstorm, I’d have an easier time getting a new job and moving somewhere warm than I would finding somewhere to stop and chisel off the ice and try not to get hit by some jerkoff spinning off into the ditch. That’s my 100km each way commute most of the winter, it’s dark on my way in, and dark on my way home. Yeah, it’s lovely lol

last JK I had I bought the JW Speaker led’s with the heated option. Never had one issue.

when it happens 3-5 times on an icy unlit highway at night in a lake effect white out snowstorm, I’d have an easier time getting a new job and moving somewhere warm than I would finding somewhere to stop and chisel off the ice and try not to get hit by some jerkoff spinning off into the ditch. That’s my 100km each way commute most of the winter, it’s dark on my way in, and dark on my way home. Yeah, it’s lovely lol

last JK I had I bought the JW Speaker led’s with the heated option. Never had one issue.

I agree with your sentiment that it is an issue that I would have imagined would have been addressed by now as many other things of similar inconvenience/hazard level have been over the years. Even though it's a bit of a corner-case, in terms of the overall US automotive market, it is something that continues to nag people in winter conditions. In Scandinavia, it was a requirement to have some type of cleaning/clearing system in the 90s. The wiper type systems we recall on some euro vehicles went away with the intro of polycarb headlights, and the newer aero shapes don't lend themselves to wipers anyway. There are super high pressure spray systems in some euro vehicles today. But we pretty much haven't seen anything on US vehicles.

As for the recessed "bucket" on the JL. If it were a problem for me, I'd be looking at either aftermarket heated headlights, modify the plastic grill recess to create a larger gap to allow snow to blow thru, coat the headlights in rainex, or make up some lenses that fit the at the front edge of the headlight recess, or some combination of these.

 

[cbrenthus]

Shit just go buy a Bronco problem solved for you

Broncos are having the same issue, probably not nearly as bad since the headlight is not recessed.

https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/led-headlights-collecting-snow.32210/#post-1079331

 

[blnewt]

I will for sure. Just ordered the heating elements. The biggest PITA will be unbolting my winch again just to get the grill off, again lol. I figure I’ll power them temporarily from one of the aux switches and run some tests highway and city lights on but in the daytime for safety sake. I’ll have to simulate an ice-over so I’ll likely have to pack some snow and spray them with water letting them freeze before setting off.

Or, there’s probably 5 reasons why this won’t work like every other time I “invent” something and I’ll wind up using them to make a heated seat for my Harley. Either way………lol

You might be able to just remove the top snap clips and pull the grill out enough to get your wiring installed. That's what I did to install new headlights and some grill markers, much easier than removing my winch. There was a pretty good space to work as my grill was angled out. Just put a thin towell at the bottom of the grill so you won't mark it up as you bend it out.

 

[ORACLElights]

@JeepCares

i have no idea how this got missed in testing. As other threads have pointed out, its inexcusable to not have a heating element on the headlights of these jeeps. If memory serves, its a requirement for europe? How on earth did snow covering headlights, causing you to be a- at risk and b- in violation of the law for headlight visibility get missed by you guys during the testing of a vehicle like this? Colorado is one of the testing grounds for fuck’s sake. Laziness is the only possible answer.

hopefully we can get a heating film element modification from someone like quadratec or whatever. We know jeep will never fix it.

We offer a Heated Lens LED Headlight which provides high quality LED light output and increased nighttime visibility with the added feature of a heated lens to prevent frosting and ice build up which is a common problem experienced due to the shape of the Jeep JL headlight lens and grill structure around it.

https://www.oraclelights.com/produc...for-jeep-wrangler-jl-gladiator-jt-heated-lens

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