Wiring for rear window defroster

[Newbie69]

I have a 08/69 beetle sedan. I'm trying to connect electrical wiring for thr rear window defroster , I can not locate the regulater? The previous owner may not have reinstalled it during their complete rewire. Hoping for help where the regulater should have been placed?

[Cusser]

The switch for the defogger was under the dash near the driver. The relay was under the rear seat, driver side. For USA VWs with driver on the left....
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[vamram]

You need a 30A general purpose relay; it gets its power from fuse #10,at least on a '73 Super. Check the Samba technical section for the wiring diagram for your year.

Come to think of it...did '69 even have a defroster??
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[Cusser]

I think 1969 was first year of rear window defroster.

I got my 1970 sedan in 1972, and I must say that this didn't seem to work very well on mine, maybe because most trips in winter were under 30 minutes.
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1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Newbie69]

From the wiring diagram which I viewed for 08/69 .there is a regulater C1 that appears to be between the generator and (relay that is under back seat). Most likely not the right way, wondering if I could just run a hot straight from the B+ generator to the relay with an inline fuse? Or tap into the starter wire that is next to the relay.

All other wires that are needed for relay and defroster switch are there.

[Jimbug57]

I would tap into the starter wire with #10 AWG and a 30 amp inline fuse. I never connect anything direct to the gen/alt.
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[sb001]

[sb001]

Actually you should just be able to splice in to this wire since it comes over from the battery, and run a FUSED lead over to terminal 30 on the rear defrost relay. This would basically be the same thing VW did.
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[cletus_zuber]

Read this before getting too far into it, your grid is most likely long dead.

http://www.vw-resource.com/defogger.html
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[vwracerdave]

Show of hands.

Lets see how many people have a working rear window defroster.


I have never talked to anybody that does.
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[vamram]

[Cusser]

[Multi69s]

[KTPhil]

Mine worked when new (1971), but not well since about the late 1980s.

What you see are the primer paint lines, not the actual conductive/resistive material, which likely has long since evaporated.

They were always treated gently, it was just a poor electrical/mechanical design that can't last. You'd be far better off with a small forced air heater aimed for best effect, using the same wiring and relay.

[vamram]

[madmike]

Good luck with that,Most all of them suck up to many Amps
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[KTPhil]

I don't have a particular suggestion, and they are not super hot/super flow, or they take too much current. But a well-aimed air pusher, plus a little heat, might go a long way.

Maybe check the Bus forums for heater/blower suggestions, since they have well-known heater issues!

[sb001]

[KTPhil]

The resistive material degraded over time, even if on the shelf, I have read.

In aerospace, we do "high temperature accelerated aging tests" to predict life expectancy. Maybe VW (or their suppliers, Sekurit, Siglia?) didn't do this back then?