Seat heater repair success?

[David Head]

I think the real issue is good contact between the two wires - you could use a
silver non insulated butt connector on the twisted connection too.

Frank Stadmeyer wrote:

> Doyt,
> It worked for me.
> I repaired my seat heater at the beginning of the winter and it's been
> working ever since. Granted I only use the car on weekends, but it's every
> weekend. I was leery of the fix but I took the seat apart, found the break,
> twisted the wires together and soldered them together.  I was surprised at
> how well the solder flowed after reading some of the reports of difficulty.
> The repair never got hotter than the rest of the seat and seems to be
> fine.  Maybe it was the solder I used but I don't remember it being
> anything special, just electronic type.  I made sure the iron tip was well
> tinned and clean and that was about it.
>
> HTH
>
> At 11:18 AM 3/13/02 -0500, you wrote:
> >Two years ago, after reading everything in the archives, I took apart 4
> >front seats and found  at least two breaks in each seat element. I then
> >twisted and soldered each break. None of the repairs is functional today.
> >Right away, each seat developed hot spots at the repair points, and the
> >heating elements failed soon after.
> >
> >The hot spots were so hot that you would want to remove your hand after a
> >short period of testing.
> >
> >My conclusion/hypothesis was that the Nichrome(?)resistance wire didn't
> >take well to soldering, and some form of twisting/crimping/clamping alone
> >would have been a better way to try doing the repairs.
> >
> >I'd like to hear from people who have repaired (not replaced) seat heaters
> >and have had them work without hot spots for long periods after the repair.
> >There is adequate information about taking out the seats and getting off
> >the seat covers, and getting them back on again. But I don't remember much
> >about reports of long-term survival after the repair attempts.
> >
> >
> >
> > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> >At 07:26 AM 3/13/2002 -0700, you wrote:
> >>I am trying to replace a seat heater and have been offered this part #
> >>4A0963555B.  I cannot get my family Bible to recognize this #.
> >>
> >>I want to use it on seat and back rest of a SQ in case my soldering
> >>abilities cannot match the element breakage I expect to find.
> >>
> >>Anyone?
> >>
> >>Colin
>
> Frank