So many projects, so little time

Topic: So many projects, so little time (Read 1853 times) previous topic - next topic

So many projects, so little time

Reply #15 – November 14, 2009, 08:19:16 PM

I'm going to buy the Ebay seat heater kit.Trying to do all of that electrical stuff would give me a stroke.

So many projects, so little time

Reply #16 – November 14, 2009, 08:50:01 PM

Cmon which one's gonna get it done first!!! Im sittin here with my factory heated seats waitin for one of ya's!!! :D:shakeass:

In fact I forgot that unlike my mom's '02 Explorer's heated seats, 1987 heated seats are not *quite* as advanced and do not automatically shut off. So I got to school in the morning Monday and suddenly wondered why my ass was sweating. Freakin BAD and I look down and see the light still on!!!!!

So many projects, so little time

Reply #17 – November 14, 2009, 09:03:53 PM

Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. Mine are designed to stay on, but since the control circuit is my own, there's no reason why I can't have them turn off after a few minutes. A 556 timer chip would do the trick, and I have one of those lying around somewhere.

So many projects, so little time

Reply #18 – November 15, 2009, 12:23:59 AM

I did some playing around, and I know exactly what I'm going to do. I've been having issues with the control circuit not being "off" by default...sometimes it would kick on when I start the car, sometimes not. I was planning on using a 555 timer to send a long pulse to set the flip-flop to a known state when it receives power. I've prototyped that on a breadboard. Instead of a 555, though, I'll use a 556 so that there is a separate reset circuit for each side. I'll also add diodes and pull-down resistors to allow the resets to come from an external source, which I'll route to a pin on the connector. That way, I can make an external box at my leisure that can turn off either seat after a delay based on when it was turned on. All that will need is a 556 of its own.

Edit: I did some more playing around...I can use just one timer for the initial reset, but I'll need to use diodes to isolate the two flip-flops. When everything is built and tested I'll upload a schematic.

So many projects, so little time

Reply #19 – November 15, 2009, 05:20:39 PM

Almost there! :D

I have the switches mounted, and I opted for putting them in the console tray. It's a tight fit, but they weren't that all that hard to mount. The holes are 23mm wide x 24mm high, and 16mm apart, if anyone cares.

I had a much harder time getting the timer circuit to work so it would reset the settings when I start the car, but that's working too, now. The trick was not using the timer output to directly drive the SET pins on the flip-flop, but using it to drive transistors instead that would do the work.

I tested the pads, and those are working, too. Tomorrow it will be time to stop at the auto upholstery shop and ask about getting them installed.

So many projects, so little time

Reply #20 – November 21, 2009, 02:58:59 PM

The T-Bird finally has a HEATED SEAT!!!! :D

(the driver's side, at least).

The first pic is as soon as I had the pads installed. The little boxes with tape around them contain the resistor pack I used to recalibrate the Explorer pads to the Town Car heat module.

The second pic shows the Town Car harness installed with the heat module. I did that before today.

The third pic shows the view from the rear with the seat back in. A fourth one from the front will follow.

I found that I was too cautious when recalibrating the sensors, and they were a little too cool. I bumped up the resistance from 3470 ohms to 3680 ohms, and they're MUCH better. That's what's in the little boxes -- three 1k and a 680 ohm resistor in series with the temperature sensor to increase the resistance to what the Town Car module expects.

I even had a few hours of sunlight left. It's too bad I don't have another Town Car harness for the passenger side, as I would have put it in today.

Still, I now have heat! :D:D:D

So many projects, so little time

Reply #21 – November 21, 2009, 02:59:27 PM

As promised, here's the view from the front...

(I must have accidentally burned the purple wire with a soldering iron at some point. It's the replacement wire to the sensor. Not to worry, I've taped it up).