diem

Borrowed the use of a friend's garage to combat the cold, and bingo!!! Opened everything back up, and here's what I found: So the crimp's not actually in focus, but you can't miss the fact that it's black and melted instead of blue! Followed heartless' instructions (and even managed to get near a mains socket so that I could solder ) and now I get a voltage across the grid - huzzah!!! So then, the moral of this story is don't use crimps where serious current is gonna pass... Thanks again all, Ian

Brilliant - thanks both! I'll report back once I've replaced the crimps with joins as described by you heartless - thanks so much for taking the time to include the pictures!

Many thanks to you all for the rapid replies. I do get continuity across the grid tabs so they seem well connected. I don't think there are any shorts in the repair (I took out complete sections and the new joins are before and after the boots) however I did use inline crimps not solder (don't have a portable iron y'see) - perhaps the crimp can't pass enough current? Cheers, Ian

Hi all, So like many folks I'm suffering a non-operational rear demister on my '07 Outback wagon, but the symptoms don't fit all the threads I've read on the subject (here and elsewhere). The basics; the dash switch is functional, the light comes on when the button's pressed and goes out after the timer period, the relay clicks, both fuses are sound. Originally I was indeed affected by broken wires in the tailgate boots; replaced sections on the broken three wires (including the hot wire to the demister) and all was well - for a few days! The situation now is that I get 0V measured at the +12 side of the grid, however if I unplug the grid at both sides and measure at the plug I've taken off the hot side, I get 13.5V! Plug it in and it sucks down to 0V again. Now I can't see how the grid could possibly be a dead short, as it were - yes there's an electrical path across it but the whole point is that it's somewhat resistant else it wouldn't heat up right? I mean many folks talk about having broken lines across the glass but no-one talks about having ultra-conductive lines right?! I also noted that (with the engine not running) I seemed to measure 10.5V before the weird condensor unit that's attached inside the tailgate, but 13V or so after it (voodoo, like I say). Can it be that some part of the signal path is adequate to pass a bell-test or measure a good voltage but when it's expected to pass a serious current (to operate the grid on the glass) it 'fades' and can't pass enough current? So any suggestions folks? I'll admit to finding electrics to be voodoo - I'm much happier with digital systems where things are just on or off Thanks, Ian