Seat heaters?

lovemachine

lovemachine

TJ Enthusiast
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Has anyone installed seat heaters?

I thought of buying a pair for my TJ. I was looking at these: https://corbeau.com/other/seat-heaters/seat-heater.html

I know that most seat heaters install into the foam. So I’m curious if I’d even feel the heat since I currently have the Bartact seat covers.

I’m also curious if I can still use the heaters because my seat covers have the lumbar support.
 
I have a similar set going into mine when I get the time. I know on my former 2012 JKU, it came from the factory with the heater element on top of the foam and under the leather. Since foam is not a very good conductor of heat I don't see how the element could go into the foam. i don't see the lumbar being much of a problem as it does not push out that far.
 
Why does it have to go on to the foam? Why couldn’t I take my current seat covers off, and attach it to the factory covers?

Maybe I’m not sure HOW the heaters work...
 
Chris said:
See this: How to install heated seats in your Jeep Wrangler TJ

I have a set of these I'm planning on installing very soon.
Click to expand...
Oh man, I did not even know this was a thing. I'm so doing this.

I've been looking for ways to warm up my TJ's interior now that i'm back in the north and TJ's are ice boxes. I just back flushed my heater core yesterday and it completely renewed how much heat i'm able to get in there. Heated seats would be amazing.
 
EJD said:
Oh man, I did not even know this was a thing. I'm so doing this.

I've been looking for ways to warm up my TJ's interior now that i'm back in the north and TJ's are ice boxes. I just back flushed my heater core yesterday and it completely renewed how much heat i'm able to get in there. Heated seats would be amazing.
Click to expand...

For the price, I think it's a "must do" modification. It gets cold around here in the Winter, and having heated seats in our Subaru Outback is one of those modern luxuries I wouldn't want to go with out. I ordered a set of the ones in that write-up, I just have to find the time to install them!
 
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Chris said:
For the price, I think it's a "must do" modification. It gets cold around here in the Winter, and having heated seats in our Subaru Outback is one of those modern luxuries I wouldn't want to go with out. I ordered a set of the ones in that write-up, I just have to find the time to install them!
Click to expand...

Hurry up and do it. I want to find out if they’ll work thru your factory seat covers and aftermarket seat covers.
 
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Chris said:
I hear ya on that one. We will see! They’ll probably work, just won’t be as hot as if you only had one seat cover.
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They will work, might take longer and need to keep on a higher setting...I believe the ones I have waiting for install has 3 heat settings. It has been a while since I have seen the box as I actually bought them for my TR6. I was going to install them I realized that tr6 seats are glued to the foam and I was not willing to ruin them only to have to spend $1500 for new foam and new seat covers.
 
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lovemachine said:
My concern is working thru 2 of them. My Bartacts are rather thick.
Click to expand...
I cheated and put the seat heater inserts on my stock seats, and then covered them with my Bartacts. Sooo much warmth! Folks laugh at me all the time when I mention installing seat heaters in a LJ. Now that I have installed them, not sure I'd run another Jeep without them.
 
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This bit is great for drilling the switch holes, step bit from Harbor Freight.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
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JeepZilla380 said:
I cheated and put the seat heater inserts on my stock seats, and then covered them with my Bartacts. Sooo much warmth! Folks laugh at me all the time when I mention installing seat heaters in a LJ. Now that I have installed them, not sure I'd run another Jeep without them.
Click to expand...

Is that safe?
 
lovemachine said:
Is that safe?
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Im not sure how it wouldn't be. If the element would burn the seat, it would do it above or below the factory seat fabric. The way the elements they sell on Amazon are, there doesn't appear to be a top or bottom, or a this end up. There would need to be a significant failure overall in the heating element before something would seriously damage the seats. Add to the fact that the units I purchased had relays and inline fuses, so if enough power was pushed to them to really cause issues, the fuse would fail first. In my case either the inline fuse, or the fuses I used on the fuse taps to my block.
 
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JeepZilla380 said:
Im not sure how it wouldn't be. If the element would burn the seat, it would do it above or below the factory seat fabric. The way the elements they sell on Amazon are, there doesn't appear to be a top or bottom, or a this end up. There would need to be a significant failure overall in the heating element before something would seriously damage the seats. Add to the fact that the units I purchased had relays and inline fuses, so if enough power was pushed to them to really cause issues, the fuse would fail first. In my case either the inline fuse, or the fuses I used on the fuse taps to my block.
Click to expand...

Old thread but I was wondering if you had any feedback after all this time on your install?
 
theRealCrazy said:
Old thread but I was wondering if you had any feedback after all this time on your install?
Click to expand...

No issues to report on my install. I’ve been running them like this for a few years now and use them pretty much daily in the Jeep while it’s cool out. Trek Armor (1st Gen Bartacts) seat covers still look new as well, but their Molle bags fade terribly in the sun.
 
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