Heated window repairs with aluminium epoxy putty

[mickeyw]

Thought I'd post here in International, as most of our trucks have a HRW (apart from T/cabs)

Last year I replaced my RRC's top tailgate frame with one of the fancy ally ones. A lovely job it made too

However, as I was fitting the whole thing to the car I managed to break one of the heater element tags off the window 'Oh bother' says I, 'how shall I repair that?'

I tried soldering it back to the remaining element on the glass, not easy, as the glass dissipated the heat rather well. Also I was rather wary about the whole thing getting the hump with me for applying so much local heat, and cracking.

Surprisingly it did stick, sort of, well not for very long in fact

My thoughts have now turned to using some metal epoxy putty I found in the pound shop I imagine if it does actually contain any metal it must be conductive, not actually tried using it as a conductor yet, just in the vapour stages at the mo.

So, has anyone tried repairing heated screen terminals like this before? The stuff I bought is an aluminium version, there was a copper based type as well.

Would be great to have the HRW working again, especially as it also works as the radio aerial too.

[FridgeFreezer]

Maplins/RS/CPC/etc. sell silver conductive paint specifically for this sort of thing if the epoxy doesn't work.

[disco_al]

the best stuff to use is available from pc shops of all places. they sell a permanent epoxy silver adhesive which is perfect for the job. i think the last one i got was from www.overclockers.co.uk

do not use superglue though.......

[mickeyw]

the best stuff to use is available from pc shops of all places. they sell a permanent epoxy silver adhesive which is perfect for the job. i think the last one i got was from www.overclockers.co.uk

do not use superglue though.......

Top answer.

That would be this stuff then? Not the first place I would have thought to look!

Silver certainly should be a better conductor than aluminium.

That said, I think I'll do a few experiments with my £1 putty before I spend £12 on this, just in case it works OK, you never know. Ever the optimist I am

Isn't the stuff Fridge refers to just for repairing heater element tracks rather than use as an adhesive?

[disco_al]

yep that's the stuff. did a cracking job on it.

personally i would just bite the bullet and get some, rather than have a load of epoxy putty bonded to the screen that would be a nightmare to shift.

[landroversforever]

I use overclockers for 99% of my PC parts... service is excellent! always prompt, well packaged etc

[Paul Humphreys]

Never mind.

[mickeyw]

Had a mess about with the cheapo putty, stuck two bits of old vero board together, also just left a lump of it stuck to a piece of steel plate.

I can see why it only cost a quid

Took all day to go vaguely hard, but surface adhesion wasn't bad. When I broke the vero board apart the next day it was the putty itself that let go, leaving equal amounts on both test parts.

Big crunch though, it isn't even remotely conductive

Just waiting for my order from Overclockers to arrive.

[mickeyw]

Today the Arctic Silver turned up.

Bit of a disappointment really as it turns out that although being a good thermal conductor, it is not at all electrically conductive.

Manufacturer's instructions say as much. Should have done a bit more research before I bought, oh well, never mind.

I am now thinking along the lines of the silver repair paint combined with an epoxy adhesive for glass. Watch this space...

[sotal]

I had to make a similar repair years ago on a car rear heated screen, I first tried soldering it on with my biggest soldering iron (something like 100w), and it fell off a week or so later. I then borrowed a huge big soldering iron, the tip was about the size of my little finger, it soldered together much easier and never came off again. I was worried about the glass cracking but it didn't.

I guess you''re looking for something like this though:?

http://www.mgchemicals.com/products/8331.html