Seat Heater Install Tips

jtf440

jtf440

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 26, 2017
Messages
142
Location
Modesto CA, United States
So I'm putting seat heaters in the Jeep sometime this week. I'm planning on just placing the pads between my bartact seat covers and the existing Jeep seat and wiring into the cigarette lighter wiring. The cigarette lighter has a 20A fuse, and each seat will draw ~5 amps, so I should be okay. Does anyone have any personal insight that would be useful? Thanks

The kit I'm using:
Dorman 628-040 Universal Seat Heater Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002U6IL9O/?tag=wranglerorg-20
 
I put mine under the OEM seat covers. I’ve seen others say that they have done it the way you plan to though.

Do you have the dual power outlets? If so, use the wiring to the outlet on the left for the heaters. It’s switched power so they will go off when you turn the ignition off. You can jump that left hand outlet into the wiring of the right hand outlet. Both of your outlets will be hot all the time then.
 
MountaineerTom said:
I put mine under the OEM seat covers. I’ve seen others say that they have done it the way you plan to though.

Do you have the dual power outlets? If so, use the wiring to the outlet on the left for the heaters. It’s switched power so they will go off when you turn the ignition off. You can jump that left hand outlet into the wiring of the right hand outlet. Both of your outlets will be hot all the time then.
Click to expand...
I have a 98, so I only have 1 power outlet, which is switched with the ignition.
 
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On my 97 I tied mine into the rear wiper, and to the fog light (dont have either one). I placed mine right on top of the seat and put my bestop covers back over them.
 
I pretty much did what what said before and they work great. I mounted the switches on the flat panel where an ash tray would have been, mine is an 05 so you might have an ashtray there.
 
I did mine a little differently- I think my pads are longer/I read somewhere that the heaters can draw 7-8, so maybe different ones have different requirements. Given that I use the outlet for phones and things quite often, I didn't want to push it.

Moral is, I ran an 8 gauge wire from the battery to under the steering wheel area where I put a fuse box. I wired each one separately with blade terminals and used 10 amp fuses in the fuse box.

I also bought, but haven't installed, a separate relay to allow the ignition to make it switched power. I've only left them on twice.... still started up :)

Last thing is I also just put them under seat covers (rough country neoprene). The neoprene takes a little longer to heat up than cloth or vinyl, but it works fine. They also retain heat after you turn them off. Just fyi
 
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