okay for those that have the rv10, how are some of you guys bundling all the wires and that big relay and routing the wires to the tunnel to allow enough wire slack to move the seat forward and back wards without scraping up the wire. Just looking to see what you guys have done. Thanks
Van's Air Force
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heated seats
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NovaBandit
Well Known Member
I'm curious about this too. Wire routing for the heated seats in general... I have the heater pads in my seats, but they aren't wired. I was (unpleasantly) surprised by how heavy the relays and wiring for each seat was.
Carl Froehlich
Well Known Member
As others have pointed out, there is a boat load of heat available in an RV-10. I guess if you are routinely flying with extremely low OATs you might want a heated seat. For most however these might just be extra weight to haul around.
All you RV-10 guys flying in Minnesota and such - you are excluded!
Carl
All you RV-10 guys flying in Minnesota and such - you are excluded!
Carl
BillL
Well Known Member
I don't have a 10, but the wiring is tricky, here is my post on that for the 7 just in case lots of wire is a concern.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=836546&postcount=6
Bill
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=836546&postcount=6
Bill
1001001
Well Known Member
Heated seats are excellent for back discomfort too. I sometimes use the seat heaters in my car during warm weather just for the soothing effect. I think I want to do the same in the airplance.
cderk
Well Known Member
"Healing Back Pain", by Dr. David Sarno. Gist of the book is basically that back pain is caused by repressed anger. I'm going to have to read it again by the time I'm done building my -10
In all seriousness... good book to read. Had a stint of lower back pain for about 2 years. Read the book, pain free ever since. Maybe its just a coincidence...
az_gila
Well Known Member
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
I had originally planned on heated sests for my wife who has a bad back but when I went to install the pads on the seats I realized that lumbar support on my seat covers (flightline interiors) would most likely interfere with the heat transfer from the back pad which for us was the more important of the pads. Long story short I opted to not install the heaters and we haven't missed them. Both of our vehicles them and I won't buy another without them, but for whatever reason they are a non-issue in the plane.
FWIW I mounted the switches on the bottom center of my instrument panel and had planned to mount each seat's control module under the seats on the landing gear weldment. The powner and ground wiring is still there should I change my mind. That and I'm too lazy to pull it out right now.
FWIW I mounted the switches on the bottom center of my instrument panel and had planned to mount each seat's control module under the seats on the landing gear weldment. The powner and ground wiring is still there should I change my mind. That and I'm too lazy to pull it out right now.
seat heat
I notice something odd in my installation. The actual switch for the seats gets warm. And it is warmer when on high than low. Is the little pilot light in there incandescent? I had just presumed in today's technology, it would be an LED.
As to the original post, I shortened the supplied wiring by quite a bit. It is nice of the manufacturer to supply more rather than less. But it is worth the labor to reduce it to what is needed.
On the high setting they put out quite a lot of heat which is really nice. My wife is a big fan as well. I would explore the idea of putting it behind the lumbar cushion. It won't take long to heat that foam up and will probably feel pretty nice as a combination for sore backs.
I notice something odd in my installation. The actual switch for the seats gets warm. And it is warmer when on high than low. Is the little pilot light in there incandescent? I had just presumed in today's technology, it would be an LED.
As to the original post, I shortened the supplied wiring by quite a bit. It is nice of the manufacturer to supply more rather than less. But it is worth the labor to reduce it to what is needed.
On the high setting they put out quite a lot of heat which is really nice. My wife is a big fan as well. I would explore the idea of putting it behind the lumbar cushion. It won't take long to heat that foam up and will probably feel pretty nice as a combination for sore backs.
Like BillL I installed the same heated seats in my 7 and ended up splicing into the existing wires to make my own harness. Starts on post 42 and kinda jumps around, I put the switches and relays on the panel and just the pigtail connectors at the seats.
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=94648&page=5
As far as using the heated seats, when it's cold it's the first thing I turn on after the engine fires. It's amazing how much warmer you are with a warm backside, I have found that I turn them off after about 20-30 minutes because even low is too warm. My wife on the other hand leaves them on below 60 degrees!
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=94648&page=5
As far as using the heated seats, when it's cold it's the first thing I turn on after the engine fires. It's amazing how much warmer you are with a warm backside, I have found that I turn them off after about 20-30 minutes because even low is too warm. My wife on the other hand leaves them on below 60 degrees!
Chain cable carriers
Sounds like an almost perfect application for chain cable carriers https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=chain+cable+carrier
Sounds like an almost perfect application for chain cable carriers https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=chain+cable+carrier
well just to give those an idea, I was flying last week a rv6 at 13300 feet and the OAT was 6F. I was very happy to be using the heated seats that were in this plane. I shut them off and it only took about 10 minutes and I was happy to turn them back on. This guy who owns this plane just had the wires under the cushions in no particular order but the 10 I am building with the seat moving forward and aft I haven't quite figured the wiring routing out but I will post when I do. I am almost thinking a hole in the lid under the seat and then securing it at that hole with plenty of slack so the seat can move but one still needs to be able to unplug the connection to the switch so the seat can be removed easily.
seat heat install
Since my better half is always cold when flying I decided that the seat heat was a must as she can leave it cranked on without cooking me out w/the cabin heat. Since I have the aerosport center console with arm reset I had already decided to run the audio wiring to it. Adding the seat heat switches and wires to the mix was not terribly difficult.
I attached the relays in the space between the wing spar halves and routed the power wires for them down each of the cabin sides. I then carefully routed the switch wires into the tunnel and up through the tunnel cover under the armrest. All the wires are secured with a few adel clamps and protection in places to make sure the rudder cables will not contact them.
The wires for the seats come up through a hole w/grommet in the closeout panels beneath the seats. There is enough slack to move the seats fully forward and aft.
Not yet flying so I cannot comment on how well it works in flight but it tests fine.
See attached pictures.
Since my better half is always cold when flying I decided that the seat heat was a must as she can leave it cranked on without cooking me out w/the cabin heat. Since I have the aerosport center console with arm reset I had already decided to run the audio wiring to it. Adding the seat heat switches and wires to the mix was not terribly difficult.
I attached the relays in the space between the wing spar halves and routed the power wires for them down each of the cabin sides. I then carefully routed the switch wires into the tunnel and up through the tunnel cover under the armrest. All the wires are secured with a few adel clamps and protection in places to make sure the rudder cables will not contact them.
The wires for the seats come up through a hole w/grommet in the closeout panels beneath the seats. There is enough slack to move the seats fully forward and aft.
Not yet flying so I cannot comment on how well it works in flight but it tests fine.
See attached pictures.
>>I am almost thinking a hole in the lid under the seat and then securing it at that hole with plenty of slack so the seat can move but one still needs to be able to unplug the connection to the switch so the seat can be removed easily<<
That's exactly what I did with some snap disconnects. I redid the wiring harness and mounted the relays and c/b holders to the bottom of the pedastal cover. I ran one pad in the seat bottom and one I wrapped around the sliding lumbar cushion. In winter we use both, but in summer just the lumbar. Since there's more fabric (ultraleather) involved with the lumbar its heat is less intense, but man it is wonderful for extending range on a baby boomer back. We use the lumbar heat even when the A/C is on.
I only put seat heat in because my wife asked for it, but I'd never build again without it.
That's exactly what I did with some snap disconnects. I redid the wiring harness and mounted the relays and c/b holders to the bottom of the pedastal cover. I ran one pad in the seat bottom and one I wrapped around the sliding lumbar cushion. In winter we use both, but in summer just the lumbar. Since there's more fabric (ultraleather) involved with the lumbar its heat is less intense, but man it is wonderful for extending range on a baby boomer back. We use the lumbar heat even when the A/C is on.
I only put seat heat in because my wife asked for it, but I'd never build again without it.
ppilotmike
Well Known Member
Great Posts
Thanks guys. I may end up doing this too.
Thanks guys. I may end up doing this too.
Bill Boyd
Well Known Member
Just curious
Why are you guys using seat heat mats that require relays (with attendant weight and complexity concern)? There are trim-able carbon heat elements in the auto aftermarket world that have Hi-Lo switches but no relays required. I had a set for the RV-6A before the house fire that I never had a chance to install and enjoy. The wiring harness was not particularly heavy. Switches look exactly like those pictured in this thread.
They were procured a long time ago and I don't have a source or part # anymore.
For future reference I'd like to know the perceived advantages of the heaters you are discussing here, vs. what I had.
-Bill B
Why are you guys using seat heat mats that require relays (with attendant weight and complexity concern)? There are trim-able carbon heat elements in the auto aftermarket world that have Hi-Lo switches but no relays required. I had a set for the RV-6A before the house fire
that I never had a chance to install and enjoy. The wiring harness was not particularly heavy. Switches look exactly like those pictured in this thread.They were procured a long time ago and I don't have a source or part # anymore.
For future reference I'd like to know the perceived advantages of the heaters you are discussing here, vs. what I had.
-Bill B
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
I fed the wiring up through a grommet located in the thin sheet metal used as a cover for the seat base. It has enough slack to allow full travel of the seats.
I fed a power lead from the master contactor to a fuse block under the flap rod cover, then through the center tunnel up to the switches mounted a few inches back from the fuel selector valve, and out to the seat base via the spar carrythrough.
Here is a shot of the fuse block and misc wiring. Black item shrink wrapped in center is power supply for the ANR headsets in the rear seats.
I fed a power lead from the master contactor to a fuse block under the flap rod cover, then through the center tunnel up to the switches mounted a few inches back from the fuel selector valve, and out to the seat base via the spar carrythrough.
Here is a shot of the fuse block and misc wiring. Black item shrink wrapped in center is power supply for the ANR headsets in the rear seats.
Why are you guys using seat heat mats that require relays (with attendant weight and complexity concern)? There are trim-able carbon heat elements in the auto aftermarket world that have Hi-Lo switches but no relays required. I had a set for the RV-6A before the house fire
They were procured a long time ago and I don't have a source or part # anymore.
For future reference I'd like to know the perceived advantages of the heaters you are discussing here, vs. what I had.
-Bill B
I did not give it any thought other than I ordered the WarmSeats seat heater kit from this VAF advertiser http://www.flyboyaccessories.com/Heated-Seats-s/9.htm. I do not know if the rocker switches would handle switching the 6A load over time?
Bill Boyd
Well Known Member
One of many offerings that seem to use no relays
http://www.amazon.com/Water-Carbon-...F8&qid=1457975417&sr=1-5&keywords=seat+heater
3A, 5A Lo/Hi current per seat. These look like what I was in the process of installing. One could probably wire them for low-only operation (elements in series, I believe) and use a dedicated toggle robust enough to switch 3A DC, as it sounds like Hi power operation is not usually needed (some are saying seat heat itself isn't needed in their estimation.)
http://www.amazon.com/Water-Carbon-...F8&qid=1457975417&sr=1-5&keywords=seat+heater
3A, 5A Lo/Hi current per seat. These look like what I was in the process of installing. One could probably wire them for low-only operation (elements in series, I believe) and use a dedicated toggle robust enough to switch 3A DC, as it sounds like Hi power operation is not usually needed (some are saying seat heat itself isn't needed in their estimation.)
The relays weigh nothing and are easy to install. They allow the use of the automotive type two way switches that I have on the accessory panel. It's an attractive switch that has indicator lights for the respective hi/lo positions. The entire get up for both seats weighs very little. I have the flyboy system as well and the pads are trimable to size.
Best wifey O' meter bang for the buck on the entire airplane.
Best wifey O' meter bang for the buck on the entire airplane.
