Installed seat heaters.

[Big White]

Pic of bad heater. I measured across the thermostat, and that puppy is wide open, as in stuck open. The thermostat is a little ceramic thing about 1/4" square and 5/8 inch long, near the back. The wire goes straight into that and from there is bonded to the "rail" of the heater.

Remains to be seen if they will make good on it. First attempt did not go well.

 

[oblivion]

How close is that cut to the edge of the pad?

 

[Big White]

Don't know, I am at work right now. I will say, it really does not matter how close it is as far as functionality for the pad from the cut to the back. You could cut the entire thing off at that point, and it will still heat.
You can hold up the pad to light and see the conductors. The "rails" that go up either side are about 1" wide and supply the voltage to the carbon fiber matrix that runs from side to side. As long as you don't cut into the rails on the side, you are good to go. But instead of cutting the slot, I could have just trimmed the pad to the length from the back to the slot, and the pad will work fine. Now, if you cut the slot too wide, the front portion of the pad from the slot towards the front may not work or work well.

 

[oblivion]

All that said, I have seen pads go completely dead when the holes are cut too close to the sides. The should be cut 2" or more from the sides.

 

[Big White]

All that said, I have seen pads go completely dead when the holes are cut too close to the sides. The should be cut 2" or more from the sides.

But if you cut it of completely it works fine?

The pad can only fail for two reasons: The thermostat fails, and will not conduct electrically, or two, a mechanical failure of the conductors themselves, i.e., the feed wire comes de-bonded from the side rails, or the side rails break in two. It's not rocket science, it is the most basic of electrical circuits.

If I was not trying to return this thing, I could make this one work fine by bypassing the thermostat, and install it. My butt would make a perfectly fine thermostat, it gets hot, I turn it off or on low.

 

[oblivion]

Yes they do work if cut all the way through. Frankly I dont know why they can fail if cut too close to the sides. Frankly I dont care. I was told to stay at least 2 " from the side so I do and I have never had one fail on me.


Your more than welcome to bypass the thermostat given that's pretty easy but that's also not a risk I would take with my own seats or my customers.

 

[kmh1596]

Were these Rostra seat heaters? Supposedly, they are VERY good with warranties. Thats why i went with them for my install.

 

[Big White]

No, the link is in the first post. Pacific Restyling is the importer, the set up came with a warranty card, but NO WAY to contact them. I found them on the web of course, but trying to get some love from the people I bought them from. I am not expecting much, they did sell them pretty cheap. I ordered a third setup to fix the one I have, and now have a spare pad, switch, and relay/wire harness. My gut feeling is these are (the many I have seen on the web/ ebay that look identical) all coming from the same factory in China. If they come through, I will have a complete set to put in my wife's car.

If I bought them local, or got the Rostra ones (same?) they are about 150% more expensive. You pays your money and takes your choices.....

 

[kmh1596]

I paid $55 per kit, and mine are Rostra...

 

[Big White]

I paid $55 per kit, and mine are Rostra...

Post a link then for someone else who needs them. They sound like the better way to go.