Side Mirror Defrost kits

[cherrington17]

Do they exist... or if they don't... how would i go about making one w/o melting anything behind the mirror?

I can't be the only member who gets incredibly annoyed when the side mirrors are so iced that they are completely useless.

also, we now know some members are taking their side mirrors off to put leds behind them... so the lens on some are removable...

how, where, cost??

and anyone know any frequently wrecked cars that might have defrosters... i can hit a local junkyard and take a mirror apart to see just how they are wired...

[Oldsnut]

If you can find a GM car that has them and transfer the wiring along with the mirror over to your car. My Aurora has mirror defrost on it but cannot measure it at this time, my wife has the car right now. It automatically goes on with the defroster.

[cherrington17]

that would be the ideal solution... so i'm looking for an aurora that i could possibly dismantle, eh?

i don't necessarily need the wiring.. just the kit thats in the mirror housing. i can just wire that stuff into the defroster switch.

i know they have like aftermarket seat heaters and rear window repair kits... but does anyone know of a place that might sell the heater cores for the defroster setups? (incase local junks don't have any cars that i can piliage)

[Cliff8928]

They usually don't sell them separate in most cases. The defroster element is actually attached to the glass.

[cherrington17]

hmm... if thats the case... what could be rigged up, that would allow something to reliably heat, that would de-ice the mirror from behind?

[Oldsnut]

I just measured the Aurora mirror and the Alero, it will not work. The Aurora mirror is 1/2 inch shorter and a slightly different shape.

I would look at other GM models or even other makes.

[[ion] C2]

i usually, er, wipe the mirror frost off before i go anywhere, doesn't come back

[cherrington17]

is there just an thin aluminum film on the back of the lens to make it mirror reflective... or is that actually in the glass itself?

i'm wondering if i had some kind of heat source wrapped in thin copper wire, then just looped the wire that back and forth on the back of the mirror, if it could slowly heat the glass enough to melt ice/snow... ?

but i've never actually seen back there, so i have NO idea how much room i have to work with, or if thats even possible w/o destroying the mirror itself.

C2;307004']i usually, er, wipe the mirror frost off before i go anywhere, doesn't come back Several times a year my car gets totally coated in ice. and if i'm driving a longer distance, i'm stuck with only my rear view (which sucks w/ our B+C pillar blindspots) I'm not talking just your usual frost coating... thats easy to get rid of.

[[ion] C2]

oh right, i remember that picture of the ice coated alero, was that yours?! :O

[cherrington17]

indeed it was. not to mention, i'm parked outside all winter long. so it gets nailed by buffalo's finest weather systems...

makes me wonder if i could rig up some circuit at work and tweak it until the piece of metal connected to it, its a steady 50-60F. i think that'd be plenty hot enough...

just gotta get my nerd friends to figure out how much current that is, and how to wire up something to 12V to be able to uniformly heat a length of thin wire to about that temp...

..then find just where the power wire is that allows the defroster to shut off after x amount of time...

[cavaliers60]

The only problem with doing that is you got a plastic backing on the mirrors so you risk melting that.... Also if it gets too hot in the mirror, you could melt other stuff if you're not careful...

[cavaliers60]

Here's a pic of the inside of the mirror housing... I have power mirrors, not sure if you do or not or what the difference is. All that crazy wiring I have in there is now gone. haha

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/cavaliers60/IMG_0132.jpg

[Cliff8928]

The heating element is between the glass and the plastic backer on cars that have it original.

You can see the element on the mirror on the left in this pic (the stripes in the middle)

http://i13.ebayimg.com/05/i/06/d7/3b/01_1.JPG

[cavaliers60]

Nice pic cliff. :thumb:

[cherrington17]

so if it were to be done... you'd have to have some wicked thin wire, and possibly do a couple small coils, somehow stuck to the inside of that inner circle.... hmmm..

thanks for the pics guys.

unless the pic on the right (cliff's pic) is a "non heated" mirror... cuz that would just blow. w/ that plastic back there i don't see a way it could/would be done... (unless carefully heating and scraping the plastic could result in an access to the mirror)

[cavaliers60]

I'd see if there's a way to take the back plastic piece off, then cut it...

[cherrington17]

^ well duh. :banghead: of course thats gonna be tried first....

[steve-o]

My heated mirrors are a window scraper.

[SIUlero]

they make aftermarket stick-on rear window defroster grids. I put one in my cutlass years ago...didn't do the best install, but it works for the most part....would be better if I was more careful installing it. I think i ordered it through jc whitney, and it sounds like exactly the thing for this if you can get access to the backside of that glass.

and cavaliers60, he said he was only going for 50-60 degrees....no worries about the plastic melting when it has to withstand at least twice that on the hottest summer days :p

[pawzbear]

I can't be the only member who gets incredibly annoyed when the side mirrors are so iced that they are completely useless.


mmm...yah.. have this problem ALL the time. damn brutal NC winters!! lol

[Ortz]

just a thuoght but look at the external grip heater kit.http://www.royaldistributing.com/07/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=65

[Ortz]

sorry didnt work right,its on page 243 if ya want to check it out.just type it in at the top.

[meadus101]

My heated mirrors are a window scraper.

See, He knows what it's like to be a Canadian on the east.


SCRAPE THE DAMN CAR!.


Lol.

[Cliff8928]

If enough people were interested, it may be possible to get aftermarket glass made by Muth, who also does the signal mirrors.

[Spilner521]

If enough people were interested, it may be possible to get aftermarket glass made by Muth, who also does the signal mirrors.
I'd be in if it was possible.
See, He knows what it's like to be a Canadian on the east.


SCRAPE THE DAMN CAR!.


Lol.
Sometimes no matter how much you scrape, that thick coat of ice on the mirriors just refuses to come off. There's been times when I'd try to chip it away with the scraper, literally hit the glass, and the ice still didn't break or chip.

[cherrington17]

If enough people were interested, it may be possible to get aftermarket glass made by Muth, who also does the signal mirrors.

I have no idea who that is... :lol: see if you could get a price quote, and i think we'd see some frozen weather members jump on the wagon.

and yeah... scraping works.... but not all the time. i'd rather have to just not worry about it.

[Cliff8928]

Only thing is that I'm not sure if they make them without the signals. Would you want LED (amber or red) signals in your glass too? I guess you could just not hook them up.

[Vinalero]

Just a thought, maybe only a heat source behind the mirror, attach the the plastic piece could heat the plastic enough to heat the glass through it?

Also, isn't the plastic piece glued to the glass part of the mirror? Therefore, maybe you could separate them with some heat in the same way we do for our headlights? (even if its not silicone this time)

[IRONDOG442]

Intrigues have heated mirrors too try one of those, you have to get a body colored one though and a 1999 and up because only GL GLS's have the heater mirrors the GXs do not.

[cherrington17]

^intrigue mirrors won't fit. oldsnut found that out back on page one.

and if you remove the plastic, there won't be anyway to connect it back into the mirror. so we'd need to heat parts while not distorting the mounting equip...

and i think heating the plastic, while possible, would result in terrible condution of heat and take FOREVER.

and cliff... i'm sure if people were going to group buy (like it'd every actually happen.. :glare: ) i don't think anyone would mind having turning signal lights in their mirror as well...

[Oldsnut]

^intrigue mirrors won't fit. oldsnut found that out back on page one.
and cliff... i'm sure if people were going to group buy (like it'd every actually happen.. :glare: ) i don't think anyone would mind having turning signal lights in their mirror as well...
On the first page I said that My Aurora mirrors wouldn't fit, but as luck has it I also own an Intrigue. The mirrors from an Intrigue will not fit either, same basic shape but 1/2' longer.

Cherry, don't be totally negative about the group buy thing, we just got a group together on the swaybar group buy. Could always check with the guys on GAGT forum to see if there is any interest.

I would go to a dealer and see if the can check for mirrors that are interchangeable with the Alero's.

[billytheman1188]

HERES A GOOD THING TO MELT THE ICE, A DAMN BLOWDRYER! get a hookup for your car where you can plug the blowdryer into and put the dryer up to the mirror. what the hell do you wanna do all this for, just for mirrors??? wtf, i scrape the ice off my mirrors....its not that hard. It would take longer for the ice to melt with defrosters than it would if you just took 15 seconds to scrape the mirror. LMAO.

[cherrington17]

^why have a blowdryer, when i can build one into the back of the mirror? :huh:

and oldsnut, i thought the swaybar group buy fell through for some reason... my bad. Although this thread is getting alot more attention then i thought it would. So it certainly is possible. If someone registered on gagt wants to throw the idea up over there, feel free. I'm open to as much electrical/group help on this as it needs to get it done.

I'll have some time next semester to play around (once it gets warmer) if i could get a set of donor mirrors...

[Spilner521]

wtf, i scrape the ice off my mirrors....its not that hard.
Around you, maybe it's not that hard. Around here, when there's a thick coat of ice on there, it's that hard. Sometimes you can scrape for 5-10 minutes straight and the thick ice will still be there, so you end up saying F it and driving away. Like I said in my other post, there's been times when I've taken the sharp corner of the scraper and hit the ice to get it to break and it doesn't budge.The only way to get the ice off the mirrors would be to heat them. Buffalo winters are not friendly to cars at all.

This is a very good idea, and I would have no problem having turn signals in the mirror glass.

[Cliff8928]

and cliff... i'm sure if people were going to group buy (like it'd every actually happen.. :glare: ) i don't think anyone would mind having turning signal lights in their mirror as well...

And another thing.... The '99-'01 mirrors are different from the '02-'04. Just slightly, but nonetheless different.

[billytheman1188]

Around you, maybe it's not that hard. Around here, when there's a thick coat of ice on there, it's that hard. Sometimes you can scrape for 5-10 minutes straight and the thick ice will still be there, so you end up saying F it and driving away. Like I said in my other post, there's been times when I've taken the sharp corner of the scraper and hit the ice to get it to break and it doesn't budge.The only way to get the ice off the mirrors would be to heat them. Buffalo winters are not friendly to cars at all.

This is a very good idea, and I would have no problem having turn signals in the mirror glass.

like i said, A BLOWDRYER..... cost about 10 bucks. Its not rocket science.

WInters are pretty bad over here too, its too much of a hassle to pull the mirrors apart and shit, just for little defrosters?! lmao, just use a damn blowdryer. wowwwwww

[xbxradxsx]

cherrington, i think that you should put up that pic from before or at least a link so some of these people understand.

[SIUlero]

ok, i pulled my driver mirror off and pulled the plastic off the back of it...it seems very do-able to put a grid on there. it was glued on with five adhesive "discs" that broke free with very gentle bending and prying. I used some trim adhesive to glue it back together, shouldn't be any reason for it not to hold, since that's fundamentally what it's for...but i suppose i'll find out if i'm wrong sooner or later. I should have taken some pictures. Also, maybe i should find out if the adhesive is dielectric...hmm

[cherrington17]

depending on how the grid connects to the heating portion...

you might be able to take the plastic off, put the grid on it, drill a hole in the plastic for the connections, mount the plastic back on, and just connect the wires. ??

it'd certainly make it hidden, and functional. only part i worry about is the adhesive breaking from cold+heat+cold+heat....etc.

[cherrington17]

also just had someone recommend using "resistor wire" its the stuff they wind the wire in, inside resistors. That will definitely heat. I found some on Ebay. 46gauge. I think its possible... but prefab or the grid method still seem to be front runners for this. I'd like to find out if these could be bought instead of made. (make everyone's life easier. :lol: )

[lonnie]

Can't be hard to transplant one from another vehicle.

[cherrington17]

it can be for proper fitment, and not looking stupid. :lol:

[cherrington17]

forgive the paint diagram... :lol:

after doing some research, it should be possible to just get some rear defroster repair kit solution, use some masking tape to put some lines on the side mirrors (i'm thinking VERY thin lines, and a bunch of them to make it look like there aren't really any there) similar to the picture


the only downside is HOW would you connect wires to this, to patch it over to the same lines that run to the back? the power line shouldn't be all that hard to find, and i'm sure you can just patch into the ground for the power mirror motor....

but again... how?

if i can get some good ideas collaborated on this, i'll definitely give it a try and let you guys know how it turns out. (pics, and possible how to)

[adam337]

pay 2$ and get an ice scraper :D

[cherrington17]

ice scraper doesn't work for glazed on ice, coating the mirror. Its happened about a dozen times this year.. we already covered that issue that heated mirrors SHOULD be an option on our car....

[cherrington17]

i was thinking two small tabs on the side of the mirror would be easy to epoxy some small wires too... but that'd be a way to "ghetto rig" it... i'd rather do it a little classier...

[CBLOHM3400]

i would think the same connection for the rear defroster could work but would probably have to modify
also as far as grids i have seen rear defroster repair kit with tape and special paint ,glue whatever you want to call it before

[cherrington17]

by the looks of it, the "repair kit" solution is similar to a conductive epoxy. which would work.. but how would you connect your wires to it, if its on the front side of the mirror??

[CBLOHM3400]

same conductive epoxy spade termainls

[cherrington17]

yes, but how are you gonna mount those?

have them sticking off the sides of the mirror? why not just put big pink flags on them!?? (i'd look purely idiotic) i'd like this to look as stock as possible.


i also pm'd yalero, and checked to see if the black plastic came off the mirror, when he did his leds, and it doesn't. so that ruins that idea too. :glare:

[SIUlero]

like i said back in post #38, the black plastic DOES separate from the mirror, and so far i've had no problems with the trim adhesive i reattached it with.

[cherrington17]

bad news yall.

i attempted to pry my mirror out of the housing. (just the mirror from the base mirror housing that mounts to the car) and i'm almost certain i broke the motor mounts... it wasn't coming out easily, and still is in there. maybe because i have an 03, the glue is still very much intact, or they just used really good stuff when putting mine together.

i'm going to continue to mutilate this one, since it no longer even "clicks" downward... and won't ever be put back on my car. so if/when i get it off, i'll still make a how to, but i HIGHLY doubt i'll ever actually complete this mod.

if anyone else wants to take their hand at it, i won't complain at all.

[Netuddki]

I am sorry if I revive an old topic, but I was looking for the same and I think, it can be done now with heating films.

For example like this:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/V3-side-mirror-rear-view-mirror-electric-heated-tablets-electric-heated-film-rear-view-mirror-wire/1434694866.html

I didn't find the best solution yet, because the available items are mostly for newer cars, but I think, it's possible.

There is a company, which seems to make customized films too, but I didn't contact them yet:
http://www.heaterfilm.com/html_l.aspx?id=1389

---

And for the guy, who screamed BLOWDRYER the whole time: I had heated mirrors on my old Rover 620si and you can not compare a heated mirror with a blowdrier. If you want to use a blowdryer, well, your choice, but there are people, who actually like to have it the easier way and if they can afford it, why not? Not everybody is so unsophisticated, like you :p