Project "Melt Snow" - Snow / Ice Buildup on Headlights & Bumper Solution (DIY Writeup)

[Gundo]

40% + of the US population lives in States with 12" or more of snow / year, according to ChatGPT

This is a real issue, especially in sticky snow. Other vehicles have this issue too.

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[Deleted member 17810]

Domestic manufactures have successfully fought against this type of regulation for years. One of their reasons is that it unnecessarily adds to the cost of a new vehicle and is largely unnecessary for most motorists. Cost/benefit ratio is not good.

Yes.

That's the problem.

 

[BannedByTMC]

Of course not.

You better let Tesla know that:

" Set up nitrogen tank kit (1083876-00-A) to fill the air reservoir. "

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-0B171314-E5DA-4F57-B766-8746248F4AA7.html

AI overview:
"The Cybertruck's air suspension system utilizes nitrogen to pressurize the air reservoir, meaning when you need to adjust the suspension height, the system is filled with nitrogen gas instead of standard air, providing more consistent pressure and improved performance across various conditions. "

 

[Stupid_metal_triangle]

The ski area I worked at for 9 years got 1,140 inches (95 feet) in 1998-1999. The average seasonal snowfall there is ~55 feet. Google "World Record Snowfall". It's measured at an elevation of about 4,200 feet. The snowfall is considerably higher above the measuring station.

Because we always drove at night, I know a thing or two about driving at night in winter storms. None of our personal or company vehicles had any kind of snow removal features on the headlights. If the headlight glow got too dim, we knew how to fix that. No big deal. I still drive the highway in the dark, because the days are short.

Here's a summertime photo from 5,100 foot elevation (900 feet higher than the measuring station) after most of the snow has melted in early August:

That’s some intense snow! I know 13 feet a year is nothing compared to some other locations. In laws from upstate new York talk a big game but their annual snow fall is nothing compared to even where I live, places like your stomping ground would be overwhelming for them.

I live just above 10k feet of elevation and it can snow as late as 30 June and as early as the 1st of July. We have a few 14’ers around us and they seem to absorb a lot of the weather.

It still amazes me when we get some snow and the high is 20 F and somehow it melts. I get that the ground can get warmer than the air, it was just surprising what a strong sun can do despite the air temps.

What’s also surprising is how much less violent storms are up here vs the Colorado front range. We’ll get like this tiny pea sized hail for 10 mins and then the front range will have hail that punches holes through the roof.

 

[CyberGus]

You better let Tesla know that:

" Set up nitrogen tank kit (1083876-00-A) to fill the air reservoir. "

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-0B171314-E5DA-4F57-B766-8746248F4AA7.html

AI overview:
"The Cybertruck's air suspension system utilizes nitrogen to pressurize the air reservoir, meaning when you need to adjust the suspension height, the system is filled with nitrogen gas instead of standard air, providing more consistent pressure and improved performance across various conditions. "

I'm pretty sure the compressor uses 78% nitrogen ?‍

 

[BannedByTMC]

I'm pretty sure the compressor uses 78% nitrogen ?‍

If so I doubt they'd specify using 100% nitrogen.

 

[CyberGus]

If so I doubt they'd specify using 100% nitrogen.

Some will fill their tires with 100% nitrogen, since eliminating moisture and oxygen prevents internal corrosion, and any smaller molecules will leak out faster. This homogeneous environment will also behave more predictably with changes in temperature and pressure. However, actual performance benefits are difficult to measure.

For a diagnostic/repair procedure, it makes sense to use a known quantity of a single gas to eliminate variance. Also, the compressor just takes too damn long to fill the empty reservoir.

But for ordinary use, the compressor is doing what every other compressor does, which is pulling from the atmosphere (and is 78% nitrogen). Separating the gases not a trivial task, and has little benefit.

 

[Deleted member 17810]

Literally what?

And no, NHTSA has no published plans I can find on this subject.

You want to drive in the snow, you prepare for it. Snow tires, deicer in the right fluids, maybe even chains and in this case, defrosters on the headlights.

Solution. Not whine.

-Crissa

No.

OEMs need to make a change in how led headlights are built. and NHTSA needs to add new regulations to make them do it.

That's the solution.

 

[Crissa]

No.

OEMs need to make a change in how led headlights are built. and NHTSA needs to add new regulations to make them do it.

That's the solution.

No what?

No, NHTSA is looking into this?

No, you should just tantrum and demand cars be made for extreme snow even though most will never drive in it?

Or, you should start a letter-writing campaign to NHTSA to make sure headlights (and tail lights, honestly) are clear in inclement weather, while working on kits to fix current vehicles?

-Crissa

 

[Deleted member 17810]

No what?

No, NHTSA is looking into this?

No, you should just tantrum and demand cars be made for extreme snow even though most will never drive in it?

Or, you should start a letter-writing campaign to NHTSA to make sure headlights (and tail lights, honestly) are clear in inclement weather, while working on kits to fix current vehicles?

-Crissa

Lol. get a grip.

You and a bunch of people are saying that it wouldn't make financial sense for mfgs to include measures to make sure headlights can actually produce lighting output.

It's not safe.

It's new tech, that needs to be fixed.

Tantrum. lol, Get over yourself.

 

[Crissa]

Lol. get a grip.

You and a bunch of people are saying that it wouldn't make financial sense for mfgs to include measures to make sure headlights can actually produce lighting output.

It's not safe.

It's new tech, that needs to be fixed.

Tantrum. lol, Get over yourself.

If it's not safe to drive, don't drive.

It's pretty simple. If you don't have proper tires, don't drive. If you don't have the right washer fluid, don't drive. If there's black ice, don't drive. If you're in blizzard conditions with sticking snow covering your marker and headlights, don't drive. Heck, if there's excessive dust, tule fog, rain reducing visibility so you can't see 4-5 seconds ahead, don't drive.

As you said, it's not safe.

-Crissa

And yeah, I may live in Santa Cruz, but as a driver - and I love to drive - I have driven in all of these conditions. Including dust so thick you couldn't walk in it. What did I do? Pulled over and stopped.

 

[Deleted member 17810]

And also have safe headlights out fitted on vehicles.

 

[bosshog]

If it's not safe to drive, don't drive.

It's pretty simple. If you don't have proper tires, don't drive. If you don't have the right washer fluid, don't drive. If there's black ice, don't drive. If you're in blizzard conditions with sticking snow covering your marker and headlights, don't drive. Heck, if there's excessive dust, tule fog, rain reducing visibility so you can't see 4-5 seconds ahead, don't drive.

As you said, it's not safe.

-Crissa

And yeah, I may live in Santa Cruz, but as a driver - and I love to drive - I have driven in all of these conditions. Including dust so thick you couldn't walk in it. What did I do? Pulled over and stopped.

 

[bosshog]

You really have no idea .The whole of Canada snows for 4-5 months a year and many parts of the US. Do you want us all to pull over when its snowing like you suggested before or dont drive .

Perhaps you should focus your thoughts on how to keep a car cold when its hot in Sant Cruz .

 

[BannedByTMC]

But for ordinary use, the compressor is doing what every other compressor does, which is pulling from the atmosphere (and is 78% nitrogen).

It appears that it does not.

From Tesla Toolbox for the S:

" The Electronic Air Suspension (EAS) system is filled with nitrogen and if a leak is present, the system will compensate by drawing in normal air from outside. Ambient air expands more than nitrogen and may cause the system to go over the expected maximum system pressure. "

https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/posts/7518222/

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