El Cheapo Heated Mirrors

Pardon the damaging insinuation!

 

When it's cold enough, and your Taco ends up looking like Craig's, you just have to leave it like that, drive it, and hope it some day melts off the body!

 

if you worried about forgetting the power on, use a relay and hook up one end to the ACC line, so that way ur heated mirrors only have power with the truck is running. a small 12v Bosch relay would work.. $2-3 and just get a lighted switch as a visual reminder.

 

Yeah, I plan on triggering the relay I eventually add with the line that turns on the accessory relay I currently have disabled.

 

I have been using my heated mirrors lately. The area on the mirror directly above the heating elements clears in seconds, then takes minutes for the heat to spread around. Sometimes I leave them on for 10 minutes to get adequate clearing of the entire mirror.

If one had an element that covered the entire mirror, you would just have to have it on for 10 seconds each time you used it.

 

I've got the heat-pads installed and all the wiring run to the cab of the truck, but I'm curious what size relay you guys would use. Also what size fuse? Anyone have any idea what current these things will draw? Did you guys wire them so that they're on the 'hi' or 'lo' setting? Also, would you tap into the ignition wire for power?

TIA

 

Just to chip in.

You are really fusing to protect against a short circuit, and you really want to use a fuse that is small enough to protect the wire. I think 14 guage wire is good for 15 amps, 16 guage is good for 10 amps.

Measure the resistance of either heater. Divide 12 by the resistance to find the current for one pad. (i.e if its 6 ohms 12/6 = 2 amps). Double the current because the heaters are in parallel (so 2 amp becomes 4 amps). A 5 amp fuse could blow with a 4 amp load, so 10 amps should be safe and 16 guage wire would work.

If your indicated load is close to 10 amps, you'd go to 14 guage wire and a 15 amp fuse.

Remember, if you use a 10 amp fuse, the source you collect to have to be the same or more (i.e 15 amps).

Unless you are using a timer you don't need a relay. A switch will do and is easier to install. Most switches will handle 10 to 15 amps. If you insist on a relay, make sure it'll handle the load (10 or 15 amps).

 

i really need to do this now. damn 15 degree weather tonight. luckily i have a heated garage

 

You'll want all the heat you can get, so wiring to the high circuit will be the best.

 

I am thinking about doing this before I head up to Kentucky for Christmas. How much do these heaters cost? Where is the best place to buy them?

 

Hey This is a great post and I plan on upgrading my truck with this as soon as possible; However, that won't be for a little while. So I tried putting a good coat of Rain X on the Mirrors when I put it on my windsheild and other windows. It helps removing the ice in the morning to. So far the mirrors have not been an issue since I did this. I will keep monitoring them and let you know if it stops working before I can upgrade my mirrors.

Thanks again for the great Idea.

Swany

 

Well I did it last night. I left the heated mirrors off with the truck parked overnight. Battery was pretty dead this morning. A few hours on a charger allowed me to start the truck.

I really must get this wired to an accessory circuit soon!

 

You mean ON? Shit, if they drain the battery when OFF there's a problem.

 

Right you are...must have been asleep when I wrote that! That's what happens when you work three weeks without a day off!

I have all the stuff I need to change over to the switched circuit. Just need to find the time!

 

coulda used this yesterday!

 

i know its only been a few months since the mod was put up, but for those of you that have used silicone, have there been any problems? with the heat pads or the cold temperature?? or has anyone used any other bonding agent (which can be found locally ie home depot/crappy tire)

looking at doin this mod soon and just waiting on the switch to arrive at the stealership.

 

Are you using the Toyota Highlander Heated Mirror Switch????

 

I did the mod and used "Mirror Mastic" as the bonding agent. Bought it at the local hardware store. It comes in a caulking tube, and it was located near the aisle of wall mirrors and mirror-hanging hardware. I'm sure if you ask someone, they'll be able to direct you to it (the guy looked at me like I had 3 heads when I asked for it). No issues with it so far.

 

I did this mod a while ago, I used a heated grip set for a motorcycle, $24 bucks I think from a bike shop. I wired mine to the fuse panel under the dash, they only have power when the truck is on. No relays, 7.5 amp inline fuse to the switch. They work great, clear any ice pretty fast, and the biggest reason I wanted them is to keep them dry and fog free. I asked a guy at an auto glass shop about what kind of adhesive to use, he said because it is mirror on both sides any silicone will work fine, I used a good outdoor silicone, no problems to date.

 

My mirrors still look normal after a lot of use using exterior grade silicone as explained in the above posts. Happy so far!

These heating elements were $30 and they should be available at most motorcycle or snowmobile dealers.