Adding heat to Recaros - connector question

Nuje · Feb 12, 2013

I bought these to put into my Recaro GLI seats (2004) - which are in my '02 Golf which came stock with heated seats (so wiring is already there).

After learning a lot about how these seats are put together (translation: good times pulling it all apart and then put back together), I got them back into the car and hooked up that big green connector (no problem), but I don't see anything to plug the two-pin white connector into.
And thus (I'm assuming), I'm getting no heat.

I looked at this wiring diagram, but not being "electrical-schematic-literate", it doesn't tell me anything.

Any ideas? Is that connector meant to connect to upper seat back heater? If that's the case, can I do something to get heat without the upper seat back heater element?

Nuje · Feb 13, 2013

Well, to answer my own question…
It would appear that one can just short those two wires on the white connector and get some heat. These are the types of solutions that I like.

NHgranite · Feb 13, 2013

Did you order those heating elements from ECS?

Do you have a VW part number?

Tell us more about getting the cloth back onto the seat...

Inquiring minds want to know!!

Thanks.

Fixmy59bug · Feb 13, 2013

You may want to reconsider just shorting those connections...

That white connector goes to the heat pad that is supposed to be in the back cover.

(Just using numbers as an example, I don't know the actual measurements)

If the switch pushes out 5 amps at full power, ideally that power output is supposed to be split between two heating elements (butt and back). But if you have all 5 amps going to just one heating element (in this case, butt), things can get VERY hot very quick...

kbrenny · May 27, 2013

The upper and lower elements must be connected to each other. If you run just one element the resistance is not correct and the single element will get extremely hot or possibly blow a fuse.

If you were running just an upper element there would be no heat. This is because the lower element has the thermistor (temp sensor) which sends an ohms signal to the switch regulating the heat output. Without the thermistor the switch will not send enough power to the element to produce heat.

From the research I have done here and on vortex the heat is not regulated with amperage or voltage but DC+ pulses which are controlled by the switch depending on the signal from the temp sensor ( thermistor).

Nuje · Aug 23, 2013

Sorry for not checking back on my thread here earlier, but to answer a few questions:
I did not buy at ECS (exorbitant shipping costs), but got them instead from Jim Ellis VW in Auburn, WA - total for two of them, plus shipping and tax was $45.

Shorting the wires in the white connector (my initial question) does indeed get heat to the seat (yay), but as kbrenny posits above, it is difficult to regulate (boo), and putting the heat setting at any more than "2" will blow the fuse (double-boo).

Leaving it at "1", though, does produce enough heat to make a difference on cold winter mornings (yes, I realize i'm posting this in the dog-days of August, but I'm Canadian, so we do remember what cold feels like, even those of us living on the West Coast), and the circuitry/fuse seem to handle that setting fine as well.

kbrenny · Aug 25, 2013

I don't remember the colors of the wires but I will try to explain.

There are 4 wires going to the VW factory elements:

power to elements
ground to element
signal wire from thermistor to switch
ground for thermistor

The two grounds both ground to the same point.

I used the 4 factory wires and ran the + and - that went to the factory elements and ran them to the aftermarket elements.

I then ran the signal wire and ground that went to the factory temp sensor and wired them to the thermistor I installed. I installed the thermistor in the same location the factory one was installed, rear center of lower cushion.

The aftermarket elements I used were a 2 wire element setup, and while they also had some type of sensor / thermistor, it was wired into the element itself. I left these in place and my elements still work fine with them in place.

If the sensors / thermistors that came with the elements ever fail I will probably just remove them and connect the wires that were going to them.

Nuje · Aug 25, 2013

What was the part number (and where did you get) the sensor/thermistor thing?

mklabunde · Aug 25, 2013

Nuje said:
Sorry for not checking back on my thread here earlier, but to answer a few questions:
I did not buy at ECS (exorbitant shipping costs), but got them instead from Jim Ellis VW in Auburn, WA - total for two of them, plus shipping and tax was $45.

Shorting the wires in the white connector (my initial question) does indeed get heat to the seat (yay), but as kbrenny posits above, it is difficult to regulate (boo), and putting the heat setting at any more than "2" will blow the fuse (double-boo).

Leaving it at "1", though, does produce enough heat to make a difference on cold winter mornings (yes, I realize i'm posting this in the dog-days of August, but I'm Canadian, so we do remember what cold feels like, even those of us living on the West Coast), and the circuitry/fuse seem to handle that setting fine as well.

its all about resistance of the elements. the two elements one in the butt and one in the back are in series hence doubling the resistance by shorting the plug out you are basically removing the resistance that the other heating element provides and that's why the fuse blows you are drawing twice the current also the element won't last as long and could catch fire. lower resistance the more amp flow, bad idea. is there a reason that you didn't buy the back elements also seems like they would be cheap enough and then you would have the full control and no fire problems. just my two cents.

kbrenny · Aug 26, 2013

Nuje said:
What was the part number (and where did you get) the sensor/thermistor thing?

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...GAEpiMZZMv1TUPJeFpwbpz60WYT4SDaUOPWIsT%2bff4=

Nuje · Aug 30, 2013

mklabunde said:
is there a reason that you didn't buy the back elements also seems like they would be cheap enough and then you would have the full control and no fire problems. just my two cents.

#1 - couldn't find a good price on the seat back, and #2 (probably more importantly), after fighting with the cover on the seat bottom, the prospect of wrestling with something twice the size felt like it'd be 10x the frustration.

kbrenny - thanks for the part number; heading there now.

kbrenny · Aug 30, 2013

Nuje;4284477kbrenny - thanks for the part number; heading there now.[/QUOTE said:
While I know the part number worked for my setup you will still be having problems if you plan on running just the lower element without the back element.

They are not designed to operate without each other on the factory switches / wiring.

Selle · Sep 2, 2014

Sorry to bump such an old thread, but I´m trying too fix my heated Recaro seats. As far as I know, the part number off the center element is 1J0963555G and the sides are 1J0963556B. The sides are available on ebay, but I can't find the center part anywhere

The element in the picture in the first post in this thread has part number 1J0963555B and cowers bother sides and the center. Does anyone know if these fit RECARO seats?

Bad picture, but I´m talking about these seats

Adding heat to Recaros - connector question

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