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balmybaldwin

Member Since: 17 Apr 2021
Location: Surrey
Posts: 192

2002 Defender 90 Td5 CSW Buckingham Blue

Retro fitting a heated windscreen

As the seal has gone around my screen and it has a few chips, I'm contemplating a heated screen.

In terms of the glass this seems relatively cheap upgrade, however looking at OEM wiring looms gave me a bit of a shock.

SO I'm probably going to get the screen fitted anyway, and then worry about the electrics.

I'm good with a soldering iron and so I basically going to make my own harness as (as far as I can see so far) all I need to do is provide a switched relay circuit (probably with a timer cut-off)

Has anyone else gone down this route? Any thing learned would be appreciated cheers

28th Feb 2022 3:39pm

Mo Murphy

Member Since: 01 Jun 2008
Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts
Posts: 2208

1984 Defender 90 BMW M57 3.0 Diesel HT Auto Pennine Grey

I considered it but by the time I'd priced up a genuine switch, relay, timer relay, fuse holder, wiring and connectors and then the effort to make it, it made the aftermarket harness price look more reasonable.
Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen.

50 Shades of Pennine Grey

28th Feb 2022 4:21pm

L110CDL

Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10722

I just went and got my heated windscreen and wiring all fitted by VGS they did the whole job while i waited, no problems so far and i'm very happy with it

1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.

Keeper.

Clayton.

28th Feb 2022 9:56pm

Screbble

Member Since: 26 Apr 2015
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 2072

2004 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Zambezi Silver

Re: Retro fitting a heated windscreen

balmybaldwin wrote:
As the seal has gone around my screen and it has a few chips, I'm contemplating a heated screen.

In terms of the glass this seems relatively cheap upgrade, however looking at OEM wiring looms gave me a bit of a shock.

SO I'm probably going to get the screen fitted anyway, and then worry about the electrics.

I'm good with a soldering iron and so I basically going to make my own harness as (as far as I can see so far) all I need to do is provide a switched relay circuit (probably with a timer cut-off)

Has anyone else gone down this route? Any thing learned would be appreciated cheers

Have you tried MobileCentre?

I recall they are on this forum and they certainly have a presence on eBay. Great service and very helpful

28th Feb 2022 10:09pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17292

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

I made my own harness for my Puma. I emulated the factory wiring and in all honesty it was quite involved and time consuming. On the Puma the relays go under the seat, you need an "engine running" signal from the IPAC (special connector of course) and there are several wires to route from seatbox to dash, which is a hassle in its own right. It took the better part of a day to do.

28th Feb 2022 10:19pm

Penfold_6290

Member Since: 22 Sep 2021
Location: Dorset
Posts: 312

I made my own harness for my Td5. It doesn’t have the ‘engine running’ failsafe that the factory solution has but as long as you’re careful that isn’t 100% necessary. Fairly simple, using the genuine switch with a small internal modification as it is originally intended to switch the earth, not the power side of the circuit. The switch triggers a timer really which in turn powers the coil on a 70 amp relay which allows the high current to power the screen.

1st Mar 2022 10:02am

Cubflyer

Member Since: 25 Sep 2021
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 278

Mo Murphy wrote:
I considered it but by the time I'd priced up a genuine switch, relay, timer relay, fuse holder, wiring and connectors and then the effort to make it, it made the aftermarket harness price look more reasonable. Mo

Have to say I agree with MO ... IMO, by the time you've got all the bits and completed the job you might as well have paid VGS (£132.00) or BML (£178.30) on eBay for the complete loom.

... and "Do it yourself" you get the satisfaction of doing it with no manufactures guarantee

OR ... buy a "pre-assembled" one, paying a bit more and having a guarantee

Then you're straight in to fitting it

John 2010 Defender 90 300Tdi CW (White/1994)
2021 Defender 90 300Tdi SW (Blue/1994)

Last edited by Cubflyer on 1st Mar 2022 11:45am. Edited 2 times in total

1st Mar 2022 10:53am

ibexman

Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2942

What was the price of a vgs supplied and fitted

1st Mar 2022 11:24am

Race.it

Member Since: 27 Aug 2019
Location: Algeciras
Posts: 809

2010 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 SW Alaska White

also consider dan at pace automotive. Have brought one of his looms for the full overlay, very nice. Searching for my first Defender...and started just as Covid hit, so talk about timing.

5 months after starting the search I found it, and here is the details

1st Mar 2022 1:34pm

balmybaldwin

Member Since: 17 Apr 2021
Location: Surrey
Posts: 192

Thanks all, had a better look around now, and can get what I need pre-made for a reasonable price. Think I must have scared myself with a OEM supply it was £350! Seen a couple on ebay from £70 depending on switch so all good

3rd Mar 2022 10:41pm

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