I installed a heated mirror switch
 

After researching a plethora of posts on this and other forums, I found plenty that talked about adding a switch for the heated mirrors, but none that actually showed how to do it. So I says to myself "Self, why don't you do this mod and post up some pics for the nice folks on FTE who have helped you out so much with your 03". So I did it and took some pics. I was doing the fog light mod and the idle up mod at the same time (to complete the trifecta) but I wont go into those as they have been well covered in the past.

For starters, my original plan was to simply tap a switch into the heated mirror wire coming from the back of the fuse block. But when I looked at the back of it, the wires DO NOT all correspond to where the fuses, breakers, and relays are. After researching, I could not figure out which wire it was, so I decided to just do it in the front.

The first task was tapping into the fuse slot #9. Here is the location on my 2003 6.0
(Click on the little pics for bigger pics)
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/4200/fuse9.th.jpg


The mini fuse taps that are available are a little too wide to use side by side. So instead, I cut a mini fuse in half, stripped the plastic off, and crimped a butt connecter on each one.
http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/3...necters.th.jpg


I labeled all of the wiring with a P-touch label maker, so that when I (or a mechanic) tears into it in 10 years, it will not be a big guessing game as to what all of the different wires are for.
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/2...dwiring.th.jpg

Here are the fuse taps and the newly labled wires inserted into the slot for fuse #9. Just peeking out his head on the left is the new 20 amp fuse with holder that I spliced in line.
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/253/fusepanel.th.jpg

And the 30 amp switch with a yellow LED while on. All wiring labled.
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/6...rwiring.th.jpg

The finished product, with "Mirror Heat" P-touch label, left side of steering column.
http://img709.imageshack.us/img709/8...dswitch.th.jpg
No more heated mirrors in the summer. http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/292/parrotvv2.gif The heating elements should last twice as long now. http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/2747/wrench.gif

Nice post loubell! Thanks for taking the time to write it up (reps to ya).

Great information! Thanks for sharing!!

I have wondered about the heater mirrors. How do they turn on? Please don't tell me it is something stupid like the first 10 minutes every time you turn on the truck. Mine doesn't have a outside temp gauge, so always kind of puzzled me... LOL

From What I heve read on the web, unless you have a switch (like on some later F250s) they are always on. I verified this with my multimeter.

Great info... I always thought it would be good to turn off in the summer.

The issue I have w/ them is all the "spotting" - it really interferes w/ the view.

That answers why all the spots. I was just wondering that the other day, why these mirrors have spots after a half hour driving in the rain.

On Excursions they're activated with the rear window defroster switch.. :-dancing1
(stupid emoticon huh?)

Nice work loubell!!

Great wright up loubell, reps to you.
I did the same thing buy hooked them to a upfitter switch.
I only turn them on when the mirror is fogged or icy.

Great work! Great Write-up...well done for sure!

Reps Sent!

Great write up Loubell what color wire did you tap into for the mirrors and where did you locate it at.. info is greatly appreciated..

Good work!

Wow, Is that true W ? for all model years ?

We here in North Texas had a WHITE Christmas last nite and
while slip sliding up I-35W in the BLOWING snow, I didn't have my rear defroster on and the mirrors were clear.....

Also didn't know that some worked all the time either :) :) :)

What a conundrum :-X10

Now you guys got me thinking about it !

From my original post
If anyone knows which wire coming out of the back of the fuse block it actually is, post it up with some pics so that the members on this board will have two ways to wire up a heated mirror switch.