How did the first windshield wipers work?
The first windshield wipers were brushes. Inventor J. H. Apjohn came up with a method of moving two brushes up and down on a vertical plate glass windshield in 1903. The solution was to use an electric motor to move a single wiper with a long rubber blade back and forth.
How many wiper speeds are there?
There are many different kinds of switches for wipers. Some cars have just one intermittent speed, others have 10 discrete settings and still others have a sliding scale that can be set for almost any time interval.
What did people use before wipers?
In lieu of the yet-to-be-invented windshield wiper, they are said to have used plug tobacco, a piece of potato, carrot or onion, or most anything else they could remember to bring along to keep their small piece of vertical glass wiped down during inclement weather.
When do I need to change my wiper motor?
Learn more from O’Reilly’s Parts Professionals about when to change your windshield wipers. A vehicle’s wiper motor is a small electric motor that controls the wiper linkage to move the arms and blades when you turn them on, and there may be a separate motor for your rear wiper if your vehicle is so equipped.
What kind of motor does a windshield wiper use?
Windshield wipers are powered by a motor that receives 12-volt power through a switched wire. Complete failure of the wipers to work can be a complicated troubleshoot, but working with a motor that still runs on one speed is less challenging. Diagnosis can be time-consuming, but it is not complex and requires only one tool.
How do you reset the wipers on a car?
Push the wiper linkage back onto the motor and replace the nut. Tightly secure it with the socket wrench. Turn the wipers on to test them. They should sweep the windshield as normal, then return to the park position at the bottom of the windshield.
Can a low speed windshield wiper still work?
Use your multimeter to bridge between the low speed terminals on the switch and the wiper motor; with the switch moved to “Low” you should get at least a 10-volt reading. If you do, the wiring is fine; if you do not, the wiring has failed. Repeat the exercise with the intermediate speed.