Window Fogging

skipperdude · Oct 11, 2012

So let's get this all in order. If you use Mc Donalds French fries with lemon joy and a strong fan with a window cracked open and heat from the salon properly directed. You won't have foggy windows.

Oh I forgot to make sure the dew point is changed to reflect the ambient temperature of the interior of the boat in question.

Also forget Rain-x. It doesn't work.

Do you think we have about got this covered?

SD

markpierce · Oct 11, 2012

Now I'm really confused.

FlyWright · Oct 11, 2012

skipperdude said:
So let's get this all in order. If you use Mc Donalds French fries with lemon joy and a strong fan with a window cracked open and heat from the salon properly directed. You won't have foggy windows.

Oh I forgot to make sure the dew point is changed to reflect the ambient temperature of the interior of the boat in question.

Also forget Rain-x. It doesn't work.

Do you think we have about got this covered?

SD

Sounds like you got it, SD!!

(Of course, you could also remove the glass!!)

skipperdude · Oct 11, 2012

FlyWright said:
Sounds like you got it, SD!!

(Of course, you could also remove the glass!!)

Yeah if you got one of those air curtains like you see in the big freezer rooms and took out the glass you should be good to go.

That has got to be the answer to foggy windows
SD

RT Firefly · Oct 11, 2012

Greetings,
OR....you could move back to the "rock" (Argentia, Nfld) and experience, on average, fog 206/365 days a year. Windows would be moot.

rwidman · Oct 11, 2012

Divers spit onto their masks to prevent fogging but I don't think I can spit that far without getting it everywhere.

RickB · Oct 11, 2012

Dissolve a bromine tablet in gin and use that to wash the interior side of the glass, you will see clearly.

Moonstruck · Oct 11, 2012

skipperdude said:
Do you think we have about got this covered?

SD

You forgot that having a potato on board has many uses. It can be tucked into your Speedo. Since Mark is still confused, I had better add the front and not the back. :facepalm:

Rambler · Oct 11, 2012

You forget all the great uses of a foggy window, like a game console and an instant messenger.

dwhatty · Oct 11, 2012

Just put one or more of these in. They are available with defrosting/defogging. Stick one of those 'taters on the outside and crank it up.

skipperdude · Oct 11, 2012

Great for a port hole but you have that big black knob right in the line of vision.

Cool none the less.

RickB · Oct 11, 2012

skipperdude said:
...but you have that big black knob right in the line of vision.

Not after you move your head a quarter inch one side or the other.

FF · Oct 12, 2012

For the real cruisers the unit is powerful enough to remove heavy ICE.

The motor in the center is no hassle when the choice is to look past it or stick your head out into sleet , freezing rain , or water that freezes on contact.

Steve · Oct 12, 2012

I shave in the shower, the only thing that will keep the wall mounted mirror from fogging is to rub it well with shaving cream (Barbasol with aloe in my case). Then lightly rinsing it off, it stays clear for days. It never occured to me to try it on the boat windows, so have no idea if it will work, but I will next time they fogg up.
Try it on a spot if you get a chance and let us know
Steve W

Pau Hana · Oct 12, 2012

Moonstruck said:
You forgot that having a potato on board has many uses. It can be tucked into your Speedo. Since Mark is still confused, I had better add the front and not the back.

Potato= ammo for spud gun for repelling boarders....aargh!

Keith · Oct 12, 2012

I have two 12V fans in the PH. In the summer, they keep me cool, and in the winter I direct them towards the windows which helps keep them defogged. You do have to have some ventilation in there as well. We just crack a couple of doors or windows.

I've used Rain-X for years with great results. If you're trying to remove it, ammonia will probably work as it's a common way to get silicones off of surfaces. Clean the glass very well then try again, following the mfg's instructions. Two coats as I remember. Another thing I do is carry Rain-X windshield washer fluid in a spray bottle. Just go spray the windows with the wipers on and it will clean and coat them at the same time!

Phil Fill · Oct 13, 2012

Not to cause trouble, BUT the size and lay out of the boat has a lot a co.tribute to fog/conxensation. Especially if the helm and main living space are tbe same and heated. The human body puts out a lot of moisture, so the air has to circulated, moisture reduced, or an air space between

We have very liitle fog/moisture problems being a live aboeep closed off rd. The pilot house we can/keep the pilot housed closed off from the salon and keep it cooler. We have plexa glass over the salon window so there is 1/2" air space. we have dri ease pots to absorb moisture, curculate and air out the boat, and we watch how much misture we produce.

Ps I am using a note pad and have not gotten use to tbe key board, and no spell checker, so a little hard to read.

FlyWright · Oct 13, 2012

We also use the Dri-Z-Air desiccant pots on board during the winter months to keep the moisture down.

refugio · Oct 14, 2012

I've had good results with AquaPel rather than RainX on my autos in the PNW. Over a year on the Boxster which sees very little rain. Maybe 6 months on the daily drivers.

I haven't bothered on the boat since I go most of the year without having to use the wiper. I do have to dust the inside of the PH windows every month - they collect more dust than vertical windows.

For fogging, we have a diesel hydronic furnace that I'll run in wet weather. I only have to crack a window or door if I have more than 5 or so people with me in the PH (in winter typically during a Xmas ship parade).

ksanders · Oct 14, 2012

You guys already know this but ventilation is the key to keeping the windows from fogging up. You need to get fresh air into the boat. Thats why things feel damp in a boat, and why mold grows, all the trapped stagnant air.

One method I found that works well is to provide active ventilation. That can either be the little solar powered vents, or I prefer 12 volt vents made by Vetus.

Another method which is probably better would be Dorade or other passive ventilation. The problem is the look of those kind of units doesn't suit many recreational boats.

As far as the windshield goes, fresh air blowing on it is the only real way to keep it from fogging. I have a 7K BTU furnace thats only job is to heat and defrost the windshield. Not cheap but very effective.

rwidman · Oct 15, 2012

Well, I have no genset so I can't run the reverse cycle AC for heat. I have no diesel heater so I can't use that. I can't reconfigure the boat, the "pilothouse" is also the cabin. I haven't typically been at a dock on shore power so I can't use the AC (but if I have been at a dock, it will have been running).

The forward windows don't open and the round thing with a knob in the center doesn't look like an option. Two of the side windows do open and I suppose that might bring in enough fresh air to reduce the fogging but of course, it will reduce the temperature inside the boat.

The PO installed a solar powered vent above the V berth. I turned it off because there's no air intake to allow for makeup air and what it seemed to be doing was bringing air through the engine area and bilge and causing a smell. Perhaps I should turn it back on when we are on the boat and especially when sleeping away from shore power and AC/heat.

I thought of a squeegee while on my trip and I think I'll get one with an extendable handle. I might try the anti-fog wipes as well. I may give the Rain-X another try after a good cleaning of the windows and use two coats as they show on their website.

I also was thinking about a cabin heater that uses the engine coolant as a heat source but this might be overkill for the rare times we would need it.

We don't leave home if it's cold or raining, but of course, we have to come back regardless of the weather. It's only been an issue a couple of times.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Moonstruck · Oct 15, 2012

rwidman said:
Well, I have no genset so I can't run the reverse cycle AC for heat. I have no diesel heater so I can't use that. I can't reconfigure the boat, the "pilothouse" is also the cabin. I haven't typically been at a dock on shore power so I can't use the AC (but if I have been at a dock, it will have been running).
center doesn't look like an option. Two of the side windows do open and I suppose that might bring in enough fresh air to reduce the fogging but of course, it will reduce the temperature inside the boat.

. . . . . .

I also was thinking about a cabin heater that uses the engine coolant as a heat source but this might be overkill for the rare times we would need it.

We don't leave home if it's cold or raining, but of course, we have to come back regardless of the weather. It's only been an issue a couple of times.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Ron, we had a bus type heater under a dinette seat on our Uniflite in NC> It really extended the season. Just use the blower control. You could turn the circulation off in warmer weather. No problem at all, and took up very little space. I think the brand was Red Dot.

rwidman · Oct 15, 2012

Moonstruck said:
Ron, we had a bus type heater under a dinette seat on our Uniflite in NC> It really extended the season. Just use the blower control. You could turn the circulation off in warmer weather. No problem at all, and took up very little space. I think the brand was Red Dot.

Thanks. I know they make such a heater and the plumbing should be pretty simple. As long as it has a 12 volt blower, I could make it work.

psneeld · Oct 15, 2012

I have no personal experience with this product but I do have experience with regular rain x on the interior of windows...it's a disaster... It is very hard to get all it off and it results in smeary widows that are very annoying. Great on the outside but don't use it on the inside...

Rain-X® Anti-Fog - Rain-X

FlyWright · Oct 15, 2012

When we're underway in the winter, we sometimes use a ceramic cube heater on the low 600W (L/M/H 600/900/1500W) setting powered by the inverter, with the batts being charged by the alternators. It takes about 50A 12V to power the inverter. The alternators are easily able to keep up with this load. It takes off the chill of our moderate winter temps. If that's not enough, we can fire up a Big Buddy propane heater and open the aft door slightly to vent the moisture.

The heaters come with tipover protection and the Big Buddy includes a low O2 sensor which shuts it down if oxygen gets low. The heater lashes easily to the stovetop fiddleing for security and either it runs on its two internal 1 lb tanks or is plumbed to an outdoor 20 lb propane tank secured in the stbd gunwale.

Ceramic Cube Heater

Big Buddy Heater

skipperdude · Oct 15, 2012

I wouldn't use propane inside the boat unless you want it to rain on the inside.

SD

Marin · Oct 15, 2012

skipperdude said:
I wouldn't use propane inside the boat unless you want it to rain on the inside.

SD

Our boat spent it's whole life in SFO Bay until we liberated it and brought it north. Consequently it never had any heating system installed on it. We so far haven't been willing to spend what it would cost to put a proper diesel heating system on it so we use the Mr. Buddy heater FlyWright illustrated in his post. We follow very strict propane canister storage and heater operation rules to eliminate any chance of propane being released inside the boat. But SD is right--- propane puts a lot of moisture into the air and in the winter this condenses on the windows. We've found some ways to minimize this but it's not an ideal heating solution.

skipperdude · Oct 15, 2012

Marin have you looked at the espar? I thought it would be a big deal to install. Not at all. The biggest issue was the fuel tank. I solved that I use two 5 gallon plastic yellow diesel containers. Drilled a hole in the top of the cap slid the fuel pick up in and good to go. One tank is full the other is to swap out and refill. I mounted it inside a cabinet. Only one hole to drill for the exhaust. a little larger one for the heater vent. The kit comes with everything you need except the stainless exhaust vent

The cost was about $2500.00 cheap for dry heat on the boat. It extended my season year round even here in Alaska.

You can buy add on's I have a 7 day programable timer. It is set to come on on friday, about an hour before I get to the boat.

Sd

Moonstruck · Oct 15, 2012

rwidman said:
Thanks. I know they make such a heater and the plumbing should be pretty simple. As long as it has a 12 volt blower, I could

Yep, 12 volt blower with engine coolant circulating through the coils. It would be waste heat going out the exhaust. Almost free.

FlyWright · Oct 15, 2012

Moonstruck said:
rwidman said:

Thanks. I know they make such a heater and the plumbing should be pretty simple. As long as it has a 12 volt blower, I could

Yep, 12 volt blower with engine coolant circulating through the coils. It would be waste heat going out the exhaust. Almost free.

Click to expand...

Interesting product, lots to choose from and not very expensive.

Red Dot Heaters from Harold Electric#

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