Now that's what I call comfort spec
Discussion
I used the OEM switches, OEM control unit (it's not a relay) and made up a wiring harness to OEM specs that also picked up on the correct location in the fuse box for the factory seat heating fuse.
As you'd expect the GT3 has none of the redundant wiring in place. Buying the pigtail underseat loom on ebay (about $200 a side) is unnecessarily expensive as it's just wires and standard size female 6.3/2.4mm connectors onto the control unit, and doesn't give you the last mile to the fuse box anyway. I made my looms using the correct crimping tools, heat shrink and a hair dryer all for about £3 a side. You loose the fancy plastic plug which allows you to take all six connectors on and off the control unit at the same time, but how often will you need to do that? Never.
The control unit has the same pin spacing and orientation as a Audi/VW/Skoda seat heating relay (6 pin) but the porsche unit is not a relay. The factory switch is instantaneous so only applies a momentary ground signal - the control unit has some trickery in it whereby the ground signal pin can be sent power back up the other way to power the red and amber LEDs. Thus the control unit must have some IC inside it and I think also senses when to turn off power to the pads after a certain period (overload logic).
For the seat heat pads I did what I have done before on Recaro PPs and used the carbon fibre pads off ebay. The Porsche pads will be for Comfort/Turbo seats and will not be the right shape, the carbon fibre ones can be cut down to size for the length and width wise are perfect for the Recaro removable sections. The pads have their own plugs so can be taken out of the car without disturbing the control unit or other wiring.
The only thing is the Recaros and sliders don't have a mount for the control module under the seat like the comfort chairs, so I had to contruct one from cable ties and strap it to the runners so it moves fore/aft with the seat. Make sure you have enough spare length on your pigtail loom to allow this.
What I love about this mod is it's 100% reversible, all the wiring is under the carpets just like the factory install, and you don't cut into the factory loom at all. Costs were £33ea. for the switch (new - Rose Passion) £50ea for the genuine Porsche control units (used - ebay) and £20 for 4x seat head pads (new - ebay). So less than £200 all in plus a few hours to carefully wire it all up.
As you'd expect the GT3 has none of the redundant wiring in place. Buying the pigtail underseat loom on ebay (about $200 a side) is unnecessarily expensive as it's just wires and standard size female 6.3/2.4mm connectors onto the control unit, and doesn't give you the last mile to the fuse box anyway. I made my looms using the correct crimping tools, heat shrink and a hair dryer all for about £3 a side. You loose the fancy plastic plug which allows you to take all six connectors on and off the control unit at the same time, but how often will you need to do that? Never.
The control unit has the same pin spacing and orientation as a Audi/VW/Skoda seat heating relay (6 pin) but the porsche unit is not a relay. The factory switch is instantaneous so only applies a momentary ground signal - the control unit has some trickery in it whereby the ground signal pin can be sent power back up the other way to power the red and amber LEDs. Thus the control unit must have some IC inside it and I think also senses when to turn off power to the pads after a certain period (overload logic).
For the seat heat pads I did what I have done before on Recaro PPs and used the carbon fibre pads off ebay. The Porsche pads will be for Comfort/Turbo seats and will not be the right shape, the carbon fibre ones can be cut down to size for the length and width wise are perfect for the Recaro removable sections. The pads have their own plugs so can be taken out of the car without disturbing the control unit or other wiring.
The only thing is the Recaros and sliders don't have a mount for the control module under the seat like the comfort chairs, so I had to contruct one from cable ties and strap it to the runners so it moves fore/aft with the seat. Make sure you have enough spare length on your pigtail loom to allow this.
What I love about this mod is it's 100% reversible, all the wiring is under the carpets just like the factory install, and you don't cut into the factory loom at all. Costs were £33ea. for the switch (new - Rose Passion) £50ea for the genuine Porsche control units (used - ebay) and £20 for 4x seat head pads (new - ebay). So less than £200 all in plus a few hours to carefully wire it all up.
Edited by alfapork on Tuesday 3rd March 14:35
alfapork said:
I used the OEM switches, OEM control unit (it's not a relay) and made up a wiring harness to OEM specs that also picked up on the correct location in the fuse box for the factory seat heating fuse.
As you'd expect the GT3 has none of the redundant wiring in place. Buying the pigtail underseat loom on ebay (about $200 a side) is unnecessarily expensive as it's just wires and standard size female 6.3/2.4mm connectors onto the control unit, and doesn't give you the last mile to the fuse box anyway. I made my looms using the correct crimping tools, heat shrink and a hair dryer all for about £3 a side. You loose the fancy plastic plug which allows you to take all six connectors on and off the control unit at the same time, but how often will you need to do that? Never.
The control unit has the same pin spacing and orientation as a Audi/VW/Skoda seat heating relay (6 pin) but the porsche unit is not a relay. The factory switch is instantaneous so only applies a momentary ground signal - the control unit has some trickery in it whereby the ground signal pin can be sent power back up the other way to power the red and amber LEDs. Thus the control unit must have some IC inside it and I think also senses when to turn off power to the pads after a certain period (overload logic).
For the seat heat pads I did what I have done before on Recaro PPs and used the carbon fibre pads off ebay. The Porsche pads will be for Comfort/Turbo seats and will not be the right shape, the carbon fibre ones can be cut down to size for the length and width wise are perfect for the Recaro removable sections. The pads have their own plugs so can be taken out of the car without disturbing the control unit or other wiring.
The only thing is the Recaros and sliders don't have a mount for the control module under the seat like the comfort chairs, so I had to contruct one from cable ties and strap it to the runners so it moves fore/aft with the seat. Make sure you have enough spare length on your pigtail loom to allow this.
What I love about this mod is it's 100% reversible, all the wiring is under the carpets just like the factory install, and you don't cut into the factory loom at all. Costs were £33ea. for the switch (new - Rose Passion) £50ea for the genuine Porsche control units (used - ebay) and £20 for 4x seat head pads (new - ebay). So less than £200 all in plus a few hours to carefully wire it all up.
These came up for sale on Rennlist last year (I was tempted to buy them, but the shells looked like they'd had a hard life)As you'd expect the GT3 has none of the redundant wiring in place. Buying the pigtail underseat loom on ebay (about $200 a side) is unnecessarily expensive as it's just wires and standard size female 6.3/2.4mm connectors onto the control unit, and doesn't give you the last mile to the fuse box anyway. I made my looms using the correct crimping tools, heat shrink and a hair dryer all for about £3 a side. You loose the fancy plastic plug which allows you to take all six connectors on and off the control unit at the same time, but how often will you need to do that? Never.
The control unit has the same pin spacing and orientation as a Audi/VW/Skoda seat heating relay (6 pin) but the porsche unit is not a relay. The factory switch is instantaneous so only applies a momentary ground signal - the control unit has some trickery in it whereby the ground signal pin can be sent power back up the other way to power the red and amber LEDs. Thus the control unit must have some IC inside it and I think also senses when to turn off power to the pads after a certain period (overload logic).
For the seat heat pads I did what I have done before on Recaro PPs and used the carbon fibre pads off ebay. The Porsche pads will be for Comfort/Turbo seats and will not be the right shape, the carbon fibre ones can be cut down to size for the length and width wise are perfect for the Recaro removable sections. The pads have their own plugs so can be taken out of the car without disturbing the control unit or other wiring.
The only thing is the Recaros and sliders don't have a mount for the control module under the seat like the comfort chairs, so I had to contruct one from cable ties and strap it to the runners so it moves fore/aft with the seat. Make sure you have enough spare length on your pigtail loom to allow this.
What I love about this mod is it's 100% reversible, all the wiring is under the carpets just like the factory install, and you don't cut into the factory loom at all. Costs were £33ea. for the switch (new - Rose Passion) £50ea for the genuine Porsche control units (used - ebay) and £20 for 4x seat head pads (new - ebay). So less than £200 all in plus a few hours to carefully wire it all up.
https://rennlist.com/forums/996-gt2-gt3-forum/1131...
The heated pads look to be GT3 bucket seat specific.
I bought a second hand comfort/hardback seat from eBay for ~£150 which is being used for parts- total purchase price being lower than the seat wiring loom when I enquired at OPC for a new one.
Said parts are being transferred to an SPG, which is being trimmed in leather to match the cabin.
My car already had heated seats, so I’m plugging into the existing wiring, and as I have four window switches but no lower centre console I moved the heated seat switches to the upper centre console.
Hopefully it all works and I can enjoy early spring days howling along with the roof down and the heated seat fighting the chill.
Said parts are being transferred to an SPG, which is being trimmed in leather to match the cabin.
My car already had heated seats, so I’m plugging into the existing wiring, and as I have four window switches but no lower centre console I moved the heated seat switches to the upper centre console.
Hopefully it all works and I can enjoy early spring days howling along with the roof down and the heated seat fighting the chill.
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