Hi guys... A few months ago I purchased a new set of electric/heated/turn signal/clearance light TTT towing mirrors. I did the install, and have been using them since; great mirrors! My concern is in hooking up the clearance lights. The instructions that came with the mirrors say to run the extension wire through the door wiring grommet that connects the door & the body. The problem is that the 2005 F150's don't have a conventional door wiring grommet. It is in fact just a giant plug that plugs into the body-side. You cannot simple fish a wire through it. Know what I mean?

Anyway, does anyone have a solution? I've thought about just drilling a small hole in the door & body, but that would be a little tacky. Any other ideas?

*EDIT* Oh yeah, and I've tried to call Schefenacker several times, and nobody ever picks up the phone

 

I ran my wires in the same rubber tube that holds the speaker wires and door control wires. It was a little bit difficult, but not impossible.
Hope this helps you out.
Trev

 

That's the problem. It looks like they changed it for 2005... It is no long just a rubber tube with wires in it. The rubber tube is now a large (2" X 2 1/2") plug that plugs into the body-side. You can't just fish a wire through it.

 

Here's what I mean...

 

My 04 looks exactly the same as those photos.

 

Anyone???

 

I am currently dealing with the same thing. I have an 04 XLT. What I ended up doing was use 22 Ga wires and routed through the unused holes. Once I got the 22 GA wires through, I used 16GA wires on each end to extend up to my mirrors and to the relay on the cab side. There are enough holes for about 6-8 wires. You could probably get away with 20 GA as well. I am no electrician or electrical engineer so I have no idea if this will cause me any problems or not. I am currently working on the passenger side and acutually just looked at it today. It looks like it will be alot tougher on this side then on the drivers side since you have the fuse box in the way. I need to remove the kick panel to see if I will have enough room. It is sure a pain. You could also drill holes. There are access panels covered by rubber gromet on each of the cab side so you can get your wires through. I am trying not to drill though as I like to keep it clean. I'll keep you updated on the passenger side. In the meantime, if you figure something out, please let me know.

 

Have the same mirrors like them alot, haven't hooked up the clearance lights yet, instructions make it sound easy. well come all information also.

 

This probably should go in the electrical forum, but since you guys brought it up, here's my $.02. Beware guys, 18 awg wire is rated for 10 amps while #20 wire is only 7.5 amps. I realize that you are only talking clearance lights here (I think), but be sure that your add ALL of the load that the wire will be carrying before deciding what size to use. It is always better to "up size" if you are even kinda close to max. Str8ace, remember the saying "Only as strong as the weakest link"; if you are using 22 awg in the middle of your wire run, then the whole circuit is only good for that wire (5 amps), it doesn't help that you put #16 on each end of it. Bamorris2, I know this doesn't help with your thread, just would hate to see someone burn their truck up. Good Luck!

 

cobra909 - thanks for the info. question for you... the wires coming from the mirrors look like 20GA... (I'm putting in power folding mirrors from the king ranch edition into my XLT). With my wiring - 20GA from mirrors to 16GA to opening of the grommet to 22GA through the grommet and then 16GA through the cab... then connected to a fuse with 10 amp... should I put a 5 amp fuse instead of a 10 amp?

"be sure that your add ALL of the load that the wire will be carrying before deciding what size to use"

- How do I add up the load?

For anyone interested... Here's the link to the instructions for the power folding mirrors. The write-up called for 16GA wiring which is why I used that instead of 20 all around. Write-up also called for a 10amp fuse.

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...olding+mirrors

Thanks for any help.

 

you also might want to take a look at this post

https://www.f150online.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=202420

some guy did the same thing but drilled a hole through the connector to make it big enough to run 14GA. Sure is a LOT of work.

 

Sorry Str8ace, I'm just getting back to your thread. What I meant by adding up your load is that you must calculate all of the things (load) that this wire will be providing power to. What is the wattage draw of the lights that you are installing? Will this wire also feed the motor or heater for your mirrors? Whatever will be receiving power via this wire, you need to add that wattage together to get total wattage. Then you take this total wattage and divide by the voltage that is being supplied and the answer is what your amp draw will be and this is how wire sizes are rated.
Example: 1200 watt microwave, single pole house circuit of 120vac =
1200/120=10amps; you could use #14 wire IF this is the only
load on this circuit. 150 watt light bulb; 150/120=1.25 amps
So, What are your clearance lights? LED or incandescent? How many lamps on in each clearance light? If they are LED, you're probably looking at very low wattage, so this may all be a moot point. If they are incandescent though and let's say that you have 3 lamps in each clearance light and each lamp is rated at 15 watts: 15x3=45; 45/12vdc = 3.75 amps. The wire ratings I gave you before are for 60°C = 140°F. Remember that 22 awg wire is rated at 5 amps, so you would be 75% of the rating of #22 wire. Would this be safe; probably, but having been in the electrical field now for longer than I care to remember, I think the smallest wire I would use is #18.
No matter what size you use though, please remember that the fuse is your protection, not the wire size. What I mean by this is, I've heard people having problems with a circuit and say, "Well, just put a bigger fuse in 'er". If you use the #22 wire you propose, but use a 10 amp fuse, now you've reversed your protection. The wire will burn out before the fuse will. Google a "Wire Ampacity Chart". Again, sorry to carry on about this, but I've seen the damage improper wiring and protection can cause; and it ain't pretty.

 

cobra - i really appreciate your insight on this as my knowledge of amps/wiring capacity is very little. I'm wiring some power folding mirrors... The lead wires go to a relay and from the relay to a switch. I have no idea what the wattage requirements are. A diagram is included in that link i posted above. Is is safe to assume that if i use 5amp fuses and they don't blow, then I am good with the 22GA wires?

thanks -

 

Man it is amazing how many things they change, and how quickly. (must be to fix all their mistakes they made on the earlier models like mine )
My truck just has all the wires running inside a rubber hose contraption, and it was relatively easy to do the install for me.
Sorry i was of no help to you.
Later Trev

 

Yeah str8ace, if you use 22 awg wire, use a 5 amp fuse.