repairing heated seat elements

[bmw9818]

wondering if i could possibly repair the heated element in my car, is it not just a metal wire that heats up?

if i remove it and solder it back where its burnt or broken would it work potentially?

would i need to use a special type of solder for the job or just standard low melting point solder...

thanks

[bmw9818]

Anyone know? Really want it working again, could I use an inline crimp connector? Deinsulated or insulated don't wanna burn my seat...

[e301988325i]

You could viably buy new wire ad re run the whole lot, try RS components and rewire the whole pad seat back or base, solder will fatigue with your weight in about three seconds.

A quick google search and I was unable to find any suppliers, maplin would be worth a look. What I did find was the wire is likely to be NiChrome, 80% Nickel, 20% Chrome, that is similar to inconel an incredibly tough material, about a million times tougher than solder.

[Brianmoooore]

The wire will almost certainly be Nichrome, and the most likely place for it to fail is where it's joined to copper at the end. A correctly sized crimp is the correct way to join it.
How are you going to find where its failed?

[bmw9818]

nice one, so i guess solderings possibly out, i managed to find a thread on an e36 element repair after about a good few hours of searching for info! dont think it would be possible to open up the pad completely as its glued together in a sort of fire-proof matierial apparantly,

you reckon it would work with a small inline crimp connector? i may buy a new seat pad base, backrests are unfortunately nla,

[bmw9818]

The wire will almost certainly be Nichrome, and the most likely place for it to fail is where it's joined to copper at the end. A correctly sized crimp is the correct way to join it.
How are you going to find where its failed?

going to attempt to dismantle the seat and remove the elements, my dad should have all the tools i need to remove the covers etc,

still not 100% on how the elements sit in the seat but il just work my way through ive got a step by step thread saved, on dismantling the seat and covers but not a heated one,

[bmw9818]

il have a look where you said where it joins to the copper wire, if not il probably just go through the element with a torch shining through an see if i can spot the break visually,

[Brianmoooore]

Connect an ohmmeter across the copper wires to it, and watch as you wriggle and twist the elements. With luck, the broken ends will touch momentarily.

[Cloggy Saint]

still not 100% on how the elements sit in the seat but il just work my way through ive got a step by step thread saved, on dismantling the seat and covers but not a heated one,

You may not have to completely dismantle the seat to get the element out. Assuming it's a sport seat, get to the stage where the foam and cloth are removed from the base. remove the staples from just the front edge of the cloth and you should already see the ends of the elements. You can now ease it out from the rear of the seat. To replace it feed a piece of hooked wire from the front of the seat and then pull each piece of the element through. Hope this makes sense!

[bmw9818]

its a cabriolet seat mate, i should have the square pads in mine,

[bmw9818]

The wire will almost certainly be Nichrome, and the most likely place for it to fail is where it's joined to copper at the end. A correctly sized crimp is the correct way to join it.
How are you going to find where its failed?

just going through the element now, its failed in the exact place you mentioned, one side seems fine, but it looks in bad condition, got some pics below, not sure how i would go about repairing it, the wire has burnt out and corroded and it literally just crumbled, so theres approx 1" gap, dont think i could get a crimp between the two in your opinion would you repair ?

ive bought a new element for the seat base, but the backrest are nla for leather seats, could i just get a cloth one, and modify it wrap in cloth.. and put it in?

thanks

[Brianmoooore]

Follow the heating wire until you get to where it isn't corroded, and crimp a bit of copper wire onto it there. The loss of an inch or two of heater element isn't going to cause problems.
Connect this copper wire to the original BMW lead by another crimp, or by solder and heat shrink insulation.

[bmw9818]

Follow the heating wire until you get to where it isn't corroded, and crimp a bit of copper wire onto it there. The loss of an inch or two of heater element isn't going to cause problems.
Connect this copper wire to the original BMW lead by another crimp, or by solder and heat shrink insulation.

i got some wire and crimps, managed to remove the old live wiring today and replaced it with new wiring around the same gauge, ground wire looks okay though,

theres power at the wires and crimps, but im not sure if my multimeter would pick up any current going through the actual element, i left it on for around 20 minutes unfortunately it didnt heat up, i assume there is current flowing through the element as the centre wire connecting the second element is recieving approx 12v, 14v with engine on, as the rest of the loom is,

is the nichrome wire knackered?







couple of pics above if ive done anything wrong?

thanks