DIY seat heaters

Ingineer said:

FYI: Hooking this Nissan switches up is different than the relay-based system used with the kit, see THIS post for my schematic.

-Phil

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So you bypassed the relay altogether and fed the 5 amps directly through the Nissan switch? And it can handle that current? The kit switches looked like they could only handle a small current. Also, you mentioned buying a Nissan wiring harness. The rest of us will need to solder the wires directly to the switch, no?

The relay is not used to keep current out of the switch, it's used for series/parallel switching. Nissan figured out how to do it with a specially made switch. If you look at how it's wired, you will see that heater current is indeed passing through the switch. (Another reason to get rid of it!)

I think the female mini-spade connectors will fit this switch without too much trouble.



-Phil

Ingineer said:

FYI: Hooking this Nissan switches up is different than the relay-based system used with the kit, see THIS post for my schematic.

-Phil

Click to expand...

I must say, that schematic is not drawn to you usual standards, Phil! :lol:

mwalsh said:

I must say, that schematic is not drawn to you usual standards, Phil! :lol:

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You should have seen the rev 1 schematic I made on the back of a piece of masking tape. I re-drafted it (at great expense) just for MNL! =)

Sometimes a pencil and paper trump the PC.

-Phil

Ingineer said:

mwalsh said:

I must say, that schematic is not drawn to you usual standards, Phil! :lol:

Click to expand...

You should have seen the rev 1 schematic I made on the back of a piece of masking tape. I re-drafted it (at great expense) just for MNL! =)

Sometimes a pencil and paper trump the PC.

-Phil

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Oh, the sacrifices you make for your fellow LEAFers, Phil!
Thanks for posting on the mini-spade lugs. That will save a lot of hassle. I did take an ohmmeter to the Nissan switches when they arrived and found continuity to be consistent with your schematic. You just saved me from having to do same for the kit switches

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

gascant said:

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

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I'd be happy to help as well, but I'm OOT until after new-years.

-Phil

gascant said:

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

Click to expand...

I received my heaters, the "instructions" say is it is the Roadwire RW-SH1518B Seat Heater. I bought the front/back kit. There are 4 identical units that arrived. So if two people want to do front only they can save a few bucks by splitting an order.

I've also ordered the OEM switches for the front seats.

I think I have a crimping tool should handle the mini spade connectors that Phil suggested for the OEM switches.

arnold

arnolddeleon said:

gascant said:

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

Click to expand...

I received my heaters, the "instructions" say is it is the Roadwire RW-SH1518B Seat Heater. I bought the front/back kit. There are 4 identical units that arrived. So if two people want to do front only they can save a few bucks by splitting an order.

I've also ordered the OEM switches for the front seats.

I think I have a crimping tool should handle the mini spade connectors that Phil suggested for the OEM switches.

arnold

Click to expand...

Sounds like a party to me--at least 4 people want to do it now. Maybe we should have an SF BayLEAFs special event? :lol:

gascant said:

arnolddeleon said:

gascant said:

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

Click to expand...

I received my heaters, the "instructions" say is it is the Roadwire RW-SH1518B Seat Heater. I bought the front/back kit. There are 4 identical units that arrived. So if two people want to do front only they can save a few bucks by splitting an order.

I've also ordered the OEM switches for the front seats.

I think I have a crimping tool should handle the mini spade connectors that Phil suggested for the OEM switches.

arnold

Click to expand...

Sounds like a party to me--at least 4 people want to do it now. Maybe we should have an SF BayLEAFs special event? :lol:

Click to expand...

I'm about to order a 100 of the 0.110 female spade connectors:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220901366613#ht_2214wt_1093" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Each OEM switch requires 6 so each car would require 12

so I can be ready to party

Probably need to come up with a full parts list. I guessing we need some taps to tap into the lighting circuit and the adapter to pull power from the fuse block.

arnold

I'm in. I have the heaters and switches. Just let me know when and where.

Jim

Nice thread. I had ordered the Dorman heat pads from Amazon with Free Shipping. Just ordered the Nissan Seat Heater Switch.
The Amazon URL has installation video as well.

Better price compared to ebay.

vijayl said:

Nice thread. I had ordered the Dorman heat pads from Amazon with Free Shipping. Just ordered the Nissan Seat Heater Switch.
The Amazon URL has installation video as well.

Better price compared to ebay.

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As best as I can tell the Amazon link you sent out only includes enough pads for only 1 seat! The eBay set that I bought comes with enough for pad for 4 seats for around $140 and 2 seats for around $80

arnold

Ingineer said:

Oh, and get ready to bleed! Even though I was extremely careful, I still got a few cuts and scrapes from that !@#$% sharp sheemetal seat pan!

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TonyWilliams said:

Randy said:

Can the sharp edges be taped up behorehand to avoid this? I haven't taken the seats out yet...

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Wear tight fitting leather gloves.

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Both of these solutions would work. Leather "mechanics" gloves (that are brand new or equally clean) would certainly work. I don't recall if the driver's seat is different than the passenger seat, but I did not cut myself on the passenger side. I may have just figured things out better by then...

gascant said:

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

Click to expand...

My best opportunity would be the day after Christmas as I'm off work that day. If that doesn't work out for enough people I could switch work days. We could also meet after 4:00 pm on a weekday any time this month. Depending on the weather, we could work on 1-4 cars simultaneously at my place. I'm in Union City near the Dumbarton bridge.

Electric4Me said:

gascant said:

It looks like there are a number of us in the Bay Area that want to do this job. I won't get to it until the period between the holidays, I think. But Electric4Me has volunteered to teach us all how to do it. Is anyone game for the week after Christmas?

Click to expand...

My best opportunity would be the day after Christmas as I'm off work that day. If that doesn't work out for enough people I could switch work days. We could also meet after 4:00 pm on a weekday any time this month. Depending on the weather, we could work on 1-4 cars simultaneously at my place. I'm in Union City near the Dumbarton bridge.

Click to expand...

I don't have work between Christmas and New Year so that works for me.

arnold

They are not OEM but I like my switches very well. They look built in; similar to the switch for the headlight angle; and have 10, count them 10 different heat settings. 0-5 in 1/2 increments.





Warning I did have to shave a little bit off the console to get them to fit but am very please with the results.

jcobb said:

They are not OEM but I like my switches very well. They look built in; similar to the switch for the headlight angle; and have 10, count them 10 different heat settings. 0-5 in 1/2 increments.

Warning I did have to shave a little bit off the console to get them to fit but am very please with the results.

Click to expand...

I like those. What is the source, if you don't mind sharing?

mwalsh said:

jcobb said:

They are not OEM but I like my switches very well. They look built in; similar to the switch for the headlight angle; and have 10, count them 10 different heat settings. 0-5 in 1/2 increments.

Warning I did have to shave a little bit off the console to get them to fit but am very please with the results.

Click to expand...

I like those. What is the source, if you don't mind sharing?

Click to expand...

I got them here. http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/sin...illuminated-5-position-thumb-dial-switch.html More expensive than the ebay models mentioned earlier but the switch, fast warm-up and and very warm high end temperature, sold me. I installed these years ago in my old Prius with the Hi/Low switch but found it was a bit too warm on high and not warm enough on low. Used it yesterday on an epic 160 mile round trip in the Cascade mountains with an average outside temperature of 20F and no car heat, except the occasional defog.

jcobb said:

[...] and have 10, count them 10 different heat settings.

Click to expand...

I want one that goes to 11.

Lots of great information in this thread. What is the level of difficulty of installing the seat warmers? I am definitely wanting to install them.

shay said:

Lots of great information in this thread. What is the level of difficulty of installing the seat warmers? I am definitely wanting to install them.

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I would call it low to medium.