sci.electronics.repair
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Re: Car mirror heater pad

Subject: Re: Car mirror heater pad
From: "James Thompson"
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2006 00:57:15 -0400
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.repair
"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message 
news:4e6d296329dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I've done a fair bit of research in the UK and come up with nothing, so
> cast myself humbly on the mercy of this group. ;-)
>
> I've got an old car which has heated door mirrors. Both the elements are
> burnt out, and spares are no longer available. The mirrors themselves (the
> heating was an option) are no problem. So what I'd like to buy are
> suitable heating mats to replace the originals. RS Components do silicone
> heating mats for 12 volts, but not in a suitable size which is approx 100
> x 50mm. The thickness should be not much more than about 1 mm.
> The originals appeared rather like a PCB made of thin flexible plastic
> with silver coloured tracks as the heating element.
>
> I can make copper PCBs at home using conventional methods, and of course a
> similar method using this plastic material would be great. If I knew what
> it was and where to get it.
>
> I'd also be willing to pay for a small production run of say 100 if the
> price was right as other owners are in the same position and winter's
> coming on...
>
> -- 
> *In some places, C:\ is the root of all directories *
>
>    Dave Plowman        dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx           London SW
>                  To e-mail, change noise into sound.

For a DIY project: take a small plastic sheet that will fit the back of the 
mirror and get some enameled wire (magnet wire). lay out a coil on the 
plastic and glue it down to the sheet. That is your heater, and to control 
the temperature of it - make a constant current source using an LM317T 
regulator. The data sheet will show how to do it.  JTT



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