Topic: Heated seat kit - group buy

[2kwk4u]

[Carbon Sky]

I'm pretty sure these are not the same kit anymore.  I definitely did not have that automotive style relay in my kit. The instructions for my kit had "Heizgarat Setzt" on the first page.  And my kit was packaged in a box branded Innovative heat.  How were your kits packaged?

[LiquidPT]

I'm pretty sure these are not the same kit anymore.  I definitely did not have that automotive style relay in my kit. The instructions for my kit had "Heizgarat Setzt" on the first page.  And my kit was packaged in a box branded Innovative heat.  How were your kits packaged?

In a clear plastic Ziploc bag. No instructions came with them either. I needed to print them off the website.

[1LILNDN]

I mounted the relays to the undersides of the seats and had to extend the wires to mount the switches where they are.  Probably a good 4' extension on each 4-wire loom.  I tied the ground to the ground post that's under the e-brake trim panel and ran my wiring alongside the existing harness that's under there.  I spliced both power wires together and soldered them to a 14-gauge wire that I ran to the BCM.  I found a terminal on connector C1 that's tied to a fuse marked "empty" or "spare" in the fuse panel.  That circuit is actually ignition-switched and on retained accessory power (that goes off after you turn off the ignition and open either door... or after 10 minutes without opening a door).

Great looking Job on mounting the switches and the relay,the cut out job on the A/C panel looks pro
                2               Up to You

[TomatoSoup]

I was able to mount my switches higher than TomatoSoup did, but I had to file the housing for the HVAC controls to do it...  I'll post pics soon.

OMG! GBH to the AC!

Well done!  Looks very good. 

For others doing this, it turns out that the power lead actually goes directly to the switch (it's part of the relay harness but just actually loops back into the red wire in the switch harness).  So if you mount the switches up front and need to extend the wires, you only need to extend 3 of them (per switch) and then run the red wire(s) from the switch directly to your fused source of 12V.

NOTE: this is true for the external relay version of the heaters.  Probably not true (I don't know) for the inline box version like Joe had.  Sorry, I didn't mention this before because I assumed they were all going to be like Joe's now.

[1LILNDN]

I just got around to opening the Heater kits .They look just like scotts w/inline Relay, Foil side tape 2x12 x4pc." Didn't come with instructions ", 5 black mini wire ties , also ordered the 7" fuse pigtails . Where do I go to download instructions?

[DeepBlueGXP]

Does anyone know where to get the automotive connectors that match the connectors in the kit.  I have a different location planned for my switches since I have the carbon fiber dash kit.

[jonymac]

Instructions are attached.  The best I can figure on the foil backed adhesive sheet is it is used to be cut into strips to hold the edges of the pad in place and is a heat resistant tape of sorts...

[Gentleman Jack]

Finally got around to ordering these.  Decided to get 4.  I'm gonna do the back seats in the GXP too.

Keep the photo instructions coming!  I will do the install for back seats as soon as I find them.

GJ

[TomatoSoup]

Decided to get 4.  I'm gonna do the back seats in the GXP too.

[...] I will do the install for back seats as soon as I find them.

You are DA MAN!  I would never attempt the rear seat heater install, personally, but my hat's off to you if you manage it.  Please take photos of this.  (Really, please take photos.  )

[1LILNDN]

Joe   I have a place in Towson Area ,-- Baynesville Electronics I'm gonna check over there. But most of the stores that carry wire and switches should have them. this store has automotive and house type stuff.

[1LILNDN]

GJ / That "4" Seater Solstice GXP is One rare Car . If I were you but i'm not I would leave it as is will be Worth More Later.   Remember that song by the Phil and Don Everly  DREAM . You just keep doing that.                                         MAO

[DCLocal]

I was able to mount my switches higher than TomatoSoup did, but I had to file the housing for the HVAC controls to do it...  I'll post pics soon.

Wow that looks great! How much do you charge for installation?

I'm still curious if there is enough room, or if it reasonable, to mount the seat heater switches on the door below the power door lock button.  Another location I was noodling is the side of the console on either side of the stick, a few inches back from where your knee would rest against the console.  But 2kwk4u's mounting really looks great.

[1LILNDN]

DC - I don't do much with installs ,But that would mean running the wires under door sill or in tunnel to Dash then into door Lot more work . with them in the door kind of like reaching for the window buttons .

[spicy3480]

I am actually thinking about installing the switches on the sides of the actual seat.  I might just be crazy.

[Critterman]

Scott, (2k) did my seats yesterday, let's just say I moved into his garage for the day.  My pads were different that his pads but other than that everything else was the same.  I like joe have had my dash done, mine is leather so we had to find another spot for the switches.  And trust me there aren't very many places you can put them.  There just isn't any open area behind most of our panels.

We ended up putting my switches in the L shaped panel next to the steering collumn.  We also had to get spray adhesive to tack the pads to the seat cushions.  Other than that it was a straight forward but long installation.  We cut the wires so we could use the existing connections in most cases, and added the extensions in between.  There was one set of wires we had to get connections from Radio shack to make the extensions.  We went overboard on connectors because I wanted to be able to break the connection at the seats, or at the dash, depending what was getting pulled out of the car.

[TomatoSoup]

We ended up putting my switches in the L shaped panel next to the steering collumn. 

You know what I'm gonna say, right?

 

[2kwk4u]

Wow that looks great! How much do you charge for installation?

Who?  Me?

I'm still curious if there is enough room, or if it reasonable, to mount the seat heater switches on the door below the power door lock button.  Another location I was noodling is the side of the console on either side of the stick, a few inches back from where your knee would rest against the console.  But 2kwk4u's mounting really looks great.

It's *possible* to mount the switches where you want them, but it would be a real pain in the a$$ to get the wires into the doors.  There are conduit channels (or gangways, your choice of terms) of sorts that route the wires into the doors.  It's going to be a tight squeeze to get 4 more heavy-gauge wires through those channels. 

You'd need heavier gauge wires than what come in the kits b/c you're extending the runs by quite a bit.  Light gauge wires would potentially add too much resistance to the circuits.  That being the case, your heaters either wouldn't work well, or it might cause the insulation on the wires to melt... then you have REAL problems

The problem with trying to mount the switches on the sides of the console are twofold.  1) if your passenger leaves theirs on, you could be running around with that heater on high, and nobody in the seat to notice that it's getting WAY hot.  You won't notice b/c the switch won't be in your view.  Your first indication would be the smell    2) Doubtful there's enough room behind the panel where you want to put them before you run into something HARD.  Then we'd have to follow goat's lead and make room with a mini sledge 

Again, anything is POSSIBLE, but everything is a compromise.  Oh, and I work meticulous, but SLOW.  Ask Critter 

[2kwk4u]

I am actually thinking about installing the switches on the sides of the actual seat.  I might just be crazy.

Are you talking about on the side of the seat cushion, or seat back?  You'd have to hollow out some seat foam, and back up the mounting location with a small sheet of plastic for a more "solid" mount.  It could be done... carefully.  Just gotta be aware of where you want to mount them so that you don't accidentally turn it on by shifting in the seat...  sorta like "pocket dialing" on your old cell phone.

[Critterman]

Oh, and I work meticulous, but SLOW.  Ask Critter 

That is an understatement, but does excellent work.  9.5 hours I think my seats took.  The wireing looks better than GM's.  Okay only 9 hours, it took a half hour to figure out were we had room to put another power outlet that ran off the ignitions.    No PICTURES, I don't want to share!


I will take some when I get home.

[2kwk4u]

Coulda cut that by an hour or so if we didn't have to run to Lowes... then again run to Radio Shack... and Arby's.

[Carbon Sky]

When I did mine, I did a pre-run, and started removing the panels I would need to later, and plan the places I would run wire.  That took about 15-20 minutes.  I removed the center console/arm rest pad, the shifter boot, the trim panel for the traction control button and the air bag lights (this is a Sky), the panels near the knees of driver/passenger up against the transmission tunnel.  Realised I could run the wiring exactly the way I wanted to, except that I would likely have to trim some material behind the centre stack/radio area so that I could pass the molex plug through.  One other Sky owner reported they they disassembled the plug, ran the wires through, and then reassembled the wires into the plug.  I took a drill made 3 holes to make a rounded triangular widening.  I figured, it's behind the dash, it's not gonna affect structural strength . . . call me lazy.

I put everything back together, and a few days later, it took me about 2-2.5 hours to run all the wiring.  Primarily by taking a metal coat hanger, forming a loop at the end, and wrapping it in electrical tape, shoving it into the dash, between the carpet and the car, etc.  Taping the wiring to the looped end, and then pulling the coat hanger out.  Removing the seats, disassembling, laying the elements, reassebling, took about 1 hour.  Then about 1/2 and hour to complete the wiring at the fuse box area.

I wonder if it is easier/faster on the Sky or the Solstice.

[Critterman]

Don't know, Scott had pulled the dash boomarang, center console, upper center console/lower dash, radio, kick panels right and left side, both seats, retainer ring around the shifter, and I think that was it, before we even started.  I did do one seat (well the bottom) all by myself

took a couple of pictures and added to this email.  Not real happy with the power outlet, but couldn't find anywhere esle to put it.

[LiquidPT]

So, for those that extended the switch wires, did you find connectors to add an extension piece in, or did you just splice in more wire?

[2kwk4u]

I added connectors from Radio Shack (I guess it's just "the shack" now) to mine and Critter's.  I cut off the wires that run to the switch, along with that connector, at the same length as where the connector is for the power/ground wires.  That's where I spliced in the radio shack 4-pin connection.  I then had to extend the wires from the connector I cut off so that it was long enough to make it up to the dash. 

I routed all the wires along the factory harness that goes along the top of the trans/driveshaft tunnel.  I had to extend the wires from about where the factory power outlet is all the way to the seats.  I'd estimate that to be about a 4.5' extension per wire (for a total of 8 wires).