So what is the difference between ...

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

dlcorbett

Full Access Members
Joined
Mar 26, 2014
Posts
2,557
Reaction score
899
Location
tx
Unless they are very small, i dnt remember the ventilated holes being in the plat seats...ill dbl check
 

gtnator

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2017
Posts
646
Reaction score
181
Location
CO
Eh, "ventilated" and "cooled" just means there's a bunch of little holes through which any fluids or fluid-like substances that contact a seating surface will become a permanent part of the vehicle. Like mud, or, with four small children, juice or any of a number of other substances which tend to emanate from their vicinity on long road trips... I'm ok with cooled/ventilated seats in the front row, but I'll take an impervious surface in the other rows, thank you very much.


You a correct, which is why cooled/ventilated seats are only in the front.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

gtnator

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2017
Posts
646
Reaction score
181
Location
CO
I am pretty sure cooled seats, are integrated into AC system. I had them on a Lincoln MKZ(very nice). Ventilated is just a fan.

Yes, this is correct. And both systems work great and get the job done on those hot summer days.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

deweysmith

Full Access Members
Joined
Nov 8, 2017
Posts
574
Reaction score
205
Location
Montreal, QC
Cooled isn't integrated into the A/C. They use a Peltier junction (also called a thermoelectric device) that moves the heat from one side of the device to the other. One end gets hot, the other side gets cold. There is a heat sink below the seat pocket, and it gets really warm (warm enough to melt my buddy's Milk Duds everywhere) when you enable the cooled seat. The other side of the system is basically a big, thin heat sink through the seat surface, and it gets cold. There's a fan on the heat sink that operates in cooling mode, to cool the warm side of the junction.

Then, to heat the seats, they simply reverse the polarity. The only difference is the fan doesn't operate in heated mode on the (now) cool non-seat side.

These same devices power electric coolers. They aren't as efficient at moving heat as an A/C system or a refrigerator, but they are very good for small systems like this. Fun fact, you can also use these devices to generate a small electric current from a temperature differential. Keep the cold side cold and the hot side hot and it will convert that energy you're inputting to electricity.
 

ExpeditionAndy

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2013
Posts
3,711
Reaction score
1,126
Location
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Cooled isn't integrated into the A/C. They use a Peltier junction (also called a thermoelectric device) that moves the heat from one side of the device to the other. One end gets hot, the other side gets cold. There is a heat sink below the seat pocket, and it gets really warm (warm enough to melt my buddy's Milk Duds everywhere) when you enable the cooled seat. The other side of the system is basically a big, thin heat sink through the seat surface, and it gets cold. There's a fan on the heat sink that operates in cooling mode, to cool the warm side of the junction.

Then, to heat the seats, they simply reverse the polarity. The only difference is the fan doesn't operate in heated mode on the (now) cool non-seat side.

These same devices power electric coolers. They aren't as efficient at moving heat as an A/C system or a refrigerator, but they are very good for small systems like this. Fun fact, you can also use these devices to generate a small electric current from a temperature differential. Keep the cold side cold and the hot side hot and it will convert that energy you're inputting to electricity.
I always wondered how they worked. I thought maybe there was an ac duct that came out of the console and attached to the fan in the seat.
 
Top