Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: Blackie_No1 on 15 October 2011, 21:54:45

Title: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Blackie_No1 on 15 October 2011, 21:54:45
. . . . . on my f/l omega elite, the memory and the adjusters work, just the heating element doesn't seem to come on.  What's the most likely causes?
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Lazydocker on 15 October 2011, 22:07:20
Most likely is the element is toast :(
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Blackie_No1 on 16 October 2011, 07:14:53
Fudge!  :(
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 16 October 2011, 09:02:37
when leather elements go, there is normally some evidence that can be seen.

the element does seem to be the weakest point thougb
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Blackie_No1 on 16 October 2011, 15:45:42
when leather elements go, there is normally some evidence that can be seen.

the element does seem to be the weakest point thougb

What sort of evidence should I be looking for?  Leather seats in my car btw.....
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 16 October 2011, 17:35:56
when leather elements go, there is normally some evidence that can be seen.

the element does seem to be the weakest point thougb

What sort of evidence should I be looking for?  Leather seats in my car btw.....
Usually shows as a 'melted plastic' area, about size of 5p, or a singed line, normally around 1" long.

They can be repaired, but the repair process is best described as "challenging".
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: albitz on 16 October 2011, 18:12:16
when leather elements go, there is normally some evidence that can be seen.

the element does seem to be the weakest point thougb

What sort of evidence should I be looking for?  Leather seats in my car btw.....
Usually shows as a 'melted plastic' area, about size of 5p, or a singed line, normally around 1" long.

They can be repaired, but the repair process is best described as "challenging".
Or a blister on your arse. :y :D ;D
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: gareth. on 16 October 2011, 21:42:09
Funny you should say that!

My heated seat has been unbearably hot, now it doesn't work at all :(
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Blackie_No1 on 17 October 2011, 10:56:37
when leather elements go, there is normally some evidence that can be seen.

the element does seem to be the weakest point thougb

What sort of evidence should I be looking for?  Leather seats in my car btw.....
Usually shows as a 'melted plastic' area, about size of 5p, or a singed line, normally around 1" long.

They can be repaired, but the repair process is best described as "challenging".

On the seat "skin" as it were?
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 17 October 2011, 11:13:30
when leather elements go, there is normally some evidence that can be seen.

the element does seem to be the weakest point thougb

What sort of evidence should I be looking for?  Leather seats in my car btw.....
Usually shows as a 'melted plastic' area, about size of 5p, or a singed line, normally around 1" long.

They can be repaired, but the repair process is best described as "challenging".

On the seat "skin" as it were?
Yup
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Dave DND on 17 October 2011, 12:03:22
These have always proved popular amongst the Oofers out there

http://www.dndservices.co.uk/am-haw.html

 :y
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 17 October 2011, 18:40:26
These have always proved popular amongst the Oofers out there

http://www.dndservices.co.uk/am-haw.html

 :y
Have you had many takers from Leather seat Omega owners?  Not sure how well they would work on leather due to the thickness between where the pad would go, and the leather itself (padding is all stitched in)...
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Dave DND on 17 October 2011, 19:16:05
Sold many of these to people with leather seats -  :y

If you have the old ones stitched into the leather, its important to remove them first, as you wouldn`t want a good heat pad underneath the thickness of a dead one.

But they are certainly toastie enough to warm up even the thickest if hides.

And for the record, these are actually the WAECO ones that everybody bangs on about, I have just sourced them through one of their subsidieries and they are boxed and badged accordingly - hence the cheaper price !!   ::)
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: feeutfo on 18 October 2011, 19:24:13
Elite heated LEATHER seat elements are part of the material. Imagine the Leather layed flat inside up, then the copper "wire" element laid directly on top in the desired pattern, then the seat foam and padding layered and glued directly on top of that again. There is no pad to remove, the element is effectively stitched and glued in as one.
 To remove the original wire the padding would have to be cut down to the element and the individual strand of wire chased out by hand. Likely leaving evidence of it from the surface in an electric blanket s shape covering the seat cover.

When repairing mine we(TB and I, you know what i'm like with sparks) noted
1 that the heated element is directly under the leather, so when it fails due to britlness and hence brekage in the individual strands of wire over time, the resistance is higher at that point, often over heating enough to mark the leather externally, and litterally scorch the internal padding black as if burnt by fire... And

2 that if fitting an aftermarket pad under leather, that removal of the old wire simply isnt practical and fitting a pad under Elite leather is very likely to give differant performamce as its simply not possible to fit a new pad at the samed depth/ditance from your arse as the original, as the padding is one with leather on the oe seat cover. So will take longer to heat up the occupiers arse or need higher temp or voltage(?) to give the same heat effect as the original with the ability to turn the heat down again once the desired heat level is reached.

Imo, if repairing heated elite leather seats, cut out and repair/solder/join the heated elememt itself where the scorching is, and do so knowing the whole process may very well need to be repeated if the element brakes again elsewhere. Sorry, but having seen how its made, i cant see hiw fitting a complete pad will work under an extra half inch of unremoveable seat padding given how long the oe current takes to warm up, esp when its so close the leather originally....Etc.
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: Blackie_No1 on 19 October 2011, 16:57:10
good read above there Chrisgixer

there are no signs of the element being burnt out on the seat, leather looks to be all in good nick, no discolouration etc......
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: aaronjb on 19 October 2011, 17:50:05
I used mine for the first time this morning - I noticed my back was just about on fire, but my arse was sadly cold :( ;D
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 19 October 2011, 19:40:24
Elite heated LEATHER seat elements are part of the material. Imagine the Leather layed flat inside up, then the copper "wire" element laid directly on top in the desired pattern, then the seat foam and padding layered and glued directly on top of that again. There is no pad to remove, the element is effectively stitched and glued in as one.
 To remove the original wire the padding would have to be cut down to the element and the individual strand of wire chased out by hand. Likely leaving evidence of it from the surface in an electric blanket s shape covering the seat cover.

When repairing mine we(TB and I, you know what i'm like with sparks) noted
1 that the heated element is directly under the leather, so when it fails due to britlness and hence brekage in the individual strands of wire over time, the resistance is higher at that point, often over heating enough to mark the leather externally, and litterally scorch the internal padding black as if burnt by fire... And

2 that if fitting an aftermarket pad under leather, that removal of the old wire simply isnt practical and fitting a pad under Elite leather is very likely to give differant performamce as its simply not possible to fit a new pad at the samed depth/ditance from your arse as the original, as the padding is one with leather on the oe seat cover. So will take longer to heat up the occupiers arse or need higher temp or voltage(?) to give the same heat effect as the original with the ability to turn the heat down again once the desired heat level is reached.

Imo, if repairing heated elite leather seats, cut out and repair/solder/join the heated elememt itself where the scorching is, and do so knowing the whole process may very well need to be repeated if the element brakes again elsewhere. Sorry, but having seen how its made, i cant see hiw fitting a complete pad will work under an extra half inch of unremoveable seat padding given how long the oe current takes to warm up, esp when its so close the leather originally....Etc.
We should have done a Guide  :-[

1) Is the passenger still not working?
and
2) If not, do you care, seeing as you never sit in it :P ;D
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 19 October 2011, 19:41:19
I used mine for the first time this morning - I noticed my back was just about on fire, but my arse was sadly cold :( ;D
All wireds in series, so if one bit fails, none of it works.
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: aaronjb on 19 October 2011, 19:51:52
I used mine for the first time this morning - I noticed my back was just about on fire, but my arse was sadly cold :( ;D
All wireds in series, so if one bit fails, none of it works.

Maybe it's just all the 'insulation' between the nerve endings and the leather, then..  ;D
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: feeutfo on 20 October 2011, 22:45:34
good read above there Chrisgixer

there are no signs of the element being burnt out on the seat, leather looks to be all in good nick, no discolouration etc......
yeah, my pas side one has none either, well, a very slight distortion that may be a possible in the base. Scorching may well be visible once the cover removed on the white cloth material on the back. Depends how quickly it fails i guess? Or lets hope so, theres little hope of finding the brake if not. As said these are wired in series, so a brake anywhere, from base to back, in the circuit will cause failure, although shorting out the plugs can narrow down to base or back.

And TB, there is a guide already. Just need a couple of updates for Elite leather. Like, try to remove the head rest restraints first, difficult as the internal clip holding them has to be snapped off first, blind, in order to remove. And lumbar support knob is a pig, but rebuilding was easier with lumbar cable slipped off the top of the lumbar support itself. This "may" make removal easier, dont know until i do the pas side... At some point ;D

I had to refit the pas side un repaired for mot.

Also, i wondered if its possible to repair the back with seat in situ...? Base obviously not.
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 21 October 2011, 14:32:38
good read above there Chrisgixer

there are no signs of the element being burnt out on the seat, leather looks to be all in good nick, no discolouration etc......
yeah, my pas side one has none either, well, a very slight distortion that may be a possible in the base. Scorching may well be visible once the cover removed on the white cloth material on the back. Depends how quickly it fails i guess? Or lets hope so, theres little hope of finding the brake if not. As said these are wired in series, so a brake anywhere, from base to back, in the circuit will cause failure, although shorting out the plugs can narrow down to base or back.

And TB, there is a guide already. Just need a couple of updates for Elite leather. Like, try to remove the head rest restraints first, difficult as the internal clip holding them has to be snapped off first, blind, in order to remove. And lumbar support knob is a pig, but rebuilding was easier with lumbar cable slipped off the top of the lumbar support itself. This "may" make removal easier, dont know until i do the pas side... At some point ;D

I had to refit the pas side un repaired for mot.

Also, i wondered if its possible to repair the back with seat in situ...? Base obviously not.
Given its 5mins to remove, and always going to be fiddly in situ, not worth the effort IMHO
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: TheBoy on 21 October 2011, 14:33:37
I have to do MV6 passenger side. Certain I know where, as I can see it ;D

Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: gareth. on 24 October 2011, 21:17:11
My Daughter burned her upper arm on the back of the seat earlier on today, left a nasty red mark >:(

Had no problems with other migs, but this is my first leather. Are the heated seats a problem on leather?
Title: Re: Drivers heated seat not working?
Post by: feeutfo on 25 October 2011, 19:29:12
Not unless there's a problem with the element. Broken strands in the wire usually.