Air Conditioned Seats (Heated and Cooled)

[CDesperado]

Hey Guys, I just wanted to throw this out there and see if anyone has some ideas. I live in Texas and am restoring a 1978 Camaro that I bought when I was a teenager in the mid 80s (Many moons ago). This is mostly a weekend cruiser, but we will be taking it on extended road trips too. My gf asked if I would make the seats heated as she gets cold a lot, then I had the idea... I wanted a cooled seat. It gets hot as blazes here and it just makes sense.

I have found a few after market products (such as SeatComfort), but they basically look like computer fans and require you to cut a 3 inch square hole into the seat cushion to mount the fans. That seems like it would compromise the integrity/structure of the cushion as well.

Today's modern cars use something called a Peltier system, but I haven't found an aftermarket kit for this. I thought about maybe buying a seat with that that in it, then tearing it apart, but then I would be missing the controller switch and possibly other parts.



Has anyone else added a system like this to their seat, or looked into this before? (My car has Classic Air for AC, but I dont think I can tie that system into the seat.)

Thanks!

[sccacuda]

The OEM seats don't really have A/C, but are rather "air conditioned". They use a fan to pull ducted air into the seat. Most of all modern cars with these seats use a module that is proprietary CAN bus. You probably wont get it to work. That being said, I just pulled a set of heated/ventilated seats from an '11 Dodge Ram and installed them in another truck. I was able to get the module to accept an input to turn on the fan, but not to control it's speed. Most use a pwm motor for high and low cooling. Had to use a relay set to control the heat.
Heated seats are much easier. Plenty of aftermarket seat grids available, or use an OEM seat pad. I did a million recalls for the Jeep heated seat elements, and they are just a pad that is sandwiched between the cushion and upholstery for the bottom and back. You can buy these as the recall part for the old Grand Cherokee. These just need a relay and switch (use two relay's and make a 6 0r 12 volt high/low seat; for that matter do the same for the seat fan.) You could simply transplant seats from a newer vehicle, but they weigh a ton.

[CDesperado]

Yes, the heating pad kit is easy to solve. There are loads of them out there. The cooling kit is a tougher nut to crack. But what guy (in a hot climate) hasn't driven to work and arrived with a soaked, sweaty back?

I've seen the after market cooling kits with the fans...Seat Comfort and Champion, for example. I'm just a little concerned that I would compromise the integrity of the seat foam if I cut giant holes in it. This system does require a perforated leather (or cloth). From what I am being told, you cannot feel the components under the leather.

This is a sketch of the Amerigon system. The challenge here is that I think there are small channels cut into the foam, which I obviously do not have.


I'm going to call Amerigon today - they supply the systems used in a lot of cars, including Infiniti. Based on what I am seeing here, all I need to do is run power to the seat. The control module, switch, and everything else is right there. If this idea works, what I could do is pull seats from a wrecked vehicle, tear the seat apart to get the guts, then place it into the new seats before they are re-upholstered.

I guess I am just more surprised no one else has done this. I have visited over 50 forums at this point and have seen numerous posts where people asked about it, but the options for aftermarket installs for seat coolers appears to be pretty limited.

[sccacuda]

I guess I am just more surprised no one else has done this. I have visited over 50 forums at this point and have seen numerous posts where people asked about it, but the options for aftermarket installs for seat coolers appears to be pretty limited.

Most everyone here has a racing seat or something that sits damn near on the floor pan. I have them in my daily drivers, but the crotch strap would probably interfere with the heating/cooling in my PT 'Cuda!

[Tony_SS]

I'm sorry.... but Air conditioned seats?

boy o boy...

[CDesperado]

I'm sorry.... but Air conditioned seats? boy o boy...

Texas = Four months (+) of 100+ degree days. It's in the high 90's for at least another couple of months on both sides of that.

I am simply posting as a friendly fishing expedition since I thought someone here may have crossed this bridge. If it isn't to your liking, then that's ok. No need to be derisive though.

[rossmacd]

I'm sorry.... but Air conditioned seats?

boy o boy...

It wasn't they long ago people said the same thing about efi and overdrive. I'd like it, just because I like having doodads on my car. I live in the temperate bay area and I still have a few days a year I'd like it, plus I imagine cooled seats would come in handy on power tour.

[Tony_SS]

If it isn't to your liking, then that's ok. No need to be derisive though.

You're right..my apologies!

But try St. Louis humidity with 99º days.... that is a killer too!

Good luck with the A/C seats.

[nekkidhillbilly]

my kia has them oem its the fan deal just blows air on you

[ace_xp2]

Looks like a good way to make a removable passenger cooling system. I wonder how comfortable it would be to just use those peltier based seat units with no cabin AC?

[Restomod Air]

Check out our blog at restomod air, we are building a 69 Camaro for the Death Valley Challenge 2012 and we are running two Air conditioning systems and dedicating a one air conditioning unit for air conditioned and heated seats. It should be very nice, so far the bench testing we have done has turned out incredible.

[gak68]

I would check out seats on newer Volvo S80. The one I drove a 2008 had air conditioned seats and they worked great. air blew on both legs and up your whole back. Maybe find a set of those seats and fab them into your car.