Regarding Cooled Seats-Anyone pipe cold air to them?

[RIBS]

So my cooled seats suck like everyone elses...I have done the DARKO air intake mod for the seatback, and the TSB. The TSB did not help, the DARKO intake mod looked promising, but my seatback intake tubes are right where the lower seat cushion puts out it's hot exhaust. In the Summer heat, the seatback still pumps out scorching hot air.

My question is-has anyone removed the center console to see if there is room to run a couple of 1 inch tubes down it??(maybe with insulation due to Transmission tunnel heat?)

The Darko Mod design was to pull cooler cabin air into the cooling device in the seatback-I am wondering about taking it one step further and piping AC cooled air from the lower under dash vents directly to the seatback.
Has anyone looked into this?

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[Cobra Jet]

You or others may not know or haven’t tried, but the cooling function of the seats works best when the interior has been cooled before putting the seat coolers on.

The TEDs in the seat don’t produce cooled air similar to your HVAC cooled air; they do produce some cooling off the TED tile, but the function of the TED also produces and exhausts heat. Primary purpose is to cycle/recirculate the cooled TED air within the seats. The heating function of the seats works by way of the element embedded into the seat under the upholstery, while again the TED will circulate that hot TED air too.

I’ve noticed that if I set my vehicle remote start settings to “last” via the main menu, this will allow the HVAC settings to remain exactly as I left them when turning the car off last.

So, on hot days before I exit or shut down the car:
1) Set AC fan mode to full blast
2) Set AC vents to upper and floor only
3) Set AC temp to 70* or lower
4) Set seat coolers to MAX

Before I enter the vehicle, I always remote start it at least 15 mins or more before I actually get to the car. Once entering the car, the inside is cool as well are the seats or seating surface because the “last” settings noted above have cooled the interior.

The above process WORKS for those who want to try.

If you just hop in a hot interior, fire up the AC and fire up the seat coolers, all that is happening at that point is the seat coolers are circulating the hot air and it takes much longer for the seats to actually cool from that point, even on MAX seat setting. By that time, your body heat and interior temp of the leather upholstery has blended, making you feel hotter AND trapping that circulating heat between your back and the seat back.

The early S550 TSB was to use what they called “socks” on the TEDs to better allow air to travel or circulate, it’s not a 100% fix at all, just an improvement.

I’ve posted several times to the DIY seat thread and some other “cooled” seat threads on this site that there are multiple TSBs for other Ford products. In those other TSBs Ford instructs the Service Center to perform XYZ TSB update which is a SOFTWARE update to the TEDs. Apparently, the software revision I believe speeds up or increases the TEDs performance, thus circulating more air within and through the seat. I’ve posted the same in the DIY “Forscan” thread also asking IF anyone familiar with the Ford As Built data can perform the same or similar update to the Mustang TEDs (it HAS to be possible). Search out my user ID, you should find those threads with all of the TSB info I have posted (multiple TSBs regarding the TED software updates on other Ford’s).

I have also noticed that between my prior 2016 Premium and my current 2018, there is a definitive difference in the performance of the TEDs in the 2018, meaning in my vehicle they seem to be much more powerful in both circulation and exhausting the air within the seat. I have no way of knowing or confirming if the TED software provisions in the 2018 are updated or different from the 2015-2017’s, but they do perform so much better than my prior 2016.

I would like someone with Forscan knowledge to really see if they can compare TED values and or modify any of the HVAC TED parameters, it may be a key to helping others get better performance out of the TEDs.

——
According to the F150 Forum, some of the TEDs supposedly restricted filters attached to the TED, so here’s some upgrade Tech (maybe a similar problem with the S550)?
https://www.f150forum.com/f38/heated-cooled-seats-filter-304906/index2/

 

[88lx50]

The peltier device in the seats is actually supposed to cool the air. Of course, starting with a cooler cabin helps.

 

[Cobra Jet]

The peltier device in the seats is actually supposed to cool the air. Of course, starting with a cooler cabin helps.

Correct; here’s more “peltier” tech for others:
https://www.marlow.com/how-do-thermoelectric-coolers-tecs-work


https://www.oemcarandtruckseats.com...r-conditioned-car-truck-seats-work-the-basics

Repair and diagnosis, per another Ford site for similar TEDs:
http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/s420/2012-08-07_200851_03_navigator_seat_tests.pdf?r=aw|85386|0&awc=7742_1533862812_b595925e0aa522fef423c6915ef663b3


Per old article off Fordparts site:

FordParts.com Parts Tip: stay cool: know about climate controlled seats
by FordParts.com on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 3:11pm ·

Climate controlled seats have become an option of choice on high-end vehicles over the past few years. Vehicles equipped with these systems are now coming out from under the umbrella of manufacturer warranties and they represent a potential new profit stream for aftermarket repair facilities.

As with all new types of automotive systems, the first step in accurate diagnosis and service is to understand how these seats work. Let’s look at how Ford and Lincoln-Mercury climate controlled seats operate.

There is a thermo-electric device (TED) located within each front seat cushion and backrest.
The TED uses a ''Peltier'' circuit of P-type and N-type semiconductors connected in series using copper electrical conductors. Sandwiched between the semiconductors are insulating ceramic plates.
When current is applied to the TED, one side releases energy as heat, while the opposite side absorbs energy and gets cold.
By reversing the current flow, the hot and cold sides reverse.
The seat temperature is monitored and adjusted by a dual climate control module (DSCM).

Ford uses three different variations of these systems, so you will have to inspect the vehicle in order to identify its exact nomenclature.

During normal operation:

Cabin air is drawn through the seat fan motor and distributed to each of the TED modules located in the seat cushion and backrest.
The TEDs then heat or cool the air.
The air is then directed into the foam pad surface.
Channels in the surface of the foam pad are used to distribute the air along the surface of the seat.
Once the system is activated, the DCSM controls the heating/cooling modes and the fan motor speed based on the control switch settings.

What steps can we take if a customer comes in with a climate controlled seat that’s not heating or cooling? Look for the following:

Does the seat indicator light on the Climate Controlled Seat Panel light up? If not, look for an issue in the power system.
Does the Message Center in the instrument panel indicate a climate control seat fault? If so, use a scan tool to retrieve codes from the DSCM.
Are the blower motors for each seat working?

In fact, blower motor issues are the most common source of climate controlled seat concerns. And in many cases the culprit is the filter on the motors.

Of course the filter is beneath the seat, so the napkins from the fast food chain that get kicked under the seat may get sucked into it. And if the vehicle owner is a pet lover, animal hair will accumulate there. So a filter inspection should be your first step.

Be aware that a restriction of airflow to the TED, may cause it to overheat. This will likely result in DTCs, and cause the seat to enter a recovery mode that disables the TED but runs the blower motor to cool it down. Once the airflow restriction is removed, the seat will resume normal operation.

Although there are other potential faults that can affect the operation of these seats, air filter concerns are by far the most common. Service publications can help when diagnosing individual component or circuit faults, and be aware that when servicing these systems you will also have to interact with the supplemental restraint system.

Climate controlled seat technology varies between car manufactures, but as with all vehicle systems they will require service. Your understanding of these seats, in combination with your automotive service skills can make these seats a new source of profit!

Ford Lincoln Mercury Climate Controlled Seating

 

[RIBS]

Yeah I get all that, it’s a heat exchanger of sorts....the problem is in the south when your car sits in the summer sun for 8 hours and becomes heat soaked, every part of the car is 130 degrees or so through and through.....the units design can’t overcome that. I have tried the pre start your car, I have done the TSB. I have added the tubes that pull air from the cabin instead of the original in the seat design and the TSB sock...the system still can’t overcome the heat soak. So I am wondering if helping the system by giving it a shot of cool air might help...

Any idea how much open space there is in the center console?

 

[GT Pony]

The TEDs in the seat don’t produce cooled air similar to your HVAC cooled air; they do produce some cooling off the TED tile, but the function of the TED also produces and exhausts heat. Primary purpose is to cycle/recirculate the cooled TED air within the seats.

One of the main problems is the TED puts its exhaust heat back inside the seat, so the TED intake air inside the seat just keeps getting hotter and hotter. Ford's TSB fix (and the DARKO air intake mod) was an attempt to try and draw cooler cabin air from below the seat, but apparently that doesn't give a total fix. If the TED exhaust air was carried outside the seat and into the cabin along then the cooled seats would probably work better.

 

[Jetnoise]

I love my cooled seats. I've been impressed with them so far. I have owned, toyotas, Lexus, infinitiy, other Fords with cooled seats. I can't say my sn550 is any inferior to my other experiences

 

[GT Pony]

I love my cooled seats. I've been impressed with them so far. I have owned, toyotas, Lexus, infinitiy, other Fords with cooled seats. I can't say my sn550 is any inferior to my other experiences

But do the seat backs stay cool? That's were the problem is. The seat bottoms cool great, buy sest backs not so well except for maybe the first 15 minutes of running.

 

[Cobra Jet]

I love my cooled seats. I've been impressed with them so far. I have owned, toyotas, Lexus, infinitiy, other Fords with cooled seats. I can't say my sn550 is any inferior to my other experiences

I too agree that the 2018 TEDs function far better than the previous 2015-2017’s. There’s either a difference in the physical parts OR the As Built data calibration - which to date, no one can seem to confirm.

The Ford TSB’s as mentioned above, for their other product line due to similar cooling complaints states the Tech has to update the software and I believe that by doing so, the actual voltage or calibration is allowing the TED to then function at a better performance level.

The only other part to improve upon would be the actual underlayment foam that is in between the TED and seat upholstery. Maybe that foam is too dense - and again, maybe this was another area improved upon in the 2018, but no way to confirm since no comparisons of 2015-2017 to 2018 exist.

 

[RIBS]

In my quest to get a cooler seat back, I am doing a few mods aimed at getting the heat out....first, there is a semi rigid plastic panel in the seat back that the exhaust is supposed to flow through, and then out a sort of mesh panel on the back of the seat. I noticed 2 things, the Map pocket effectively blocks the mesh opening, and there was an opportunity to add air holes in the semi rigid plastic part. I added all the smaller holes you see in the picture. The second picture is a bird food holder, I am going to buy a clean one of those and drop it in the map pocket to open it up and allow airflow. I will let you know if that helps the TED heat escape any better...

 

[Cobra Jet]

Any other pics of the seat apart that can help us to see how you’re doing the mod process?

 

[RIBS]

Any other pics of the seat apart that can help us to see how you’re doing the mod process?

No..this piece slides in a fabric envelope in the back of the seatback, behind the map pocket extending up to the shoulder area. On the back of the seat, above the map pocket the seat material is perforated leather/vinyl, where these holes align to allow heat out. when I looked at the seat closer, the fabric inside the seatback looked translucent and loosely woven like air could also pass through it too, so I actually took the black plastic piece back out and repeated that pattern of holes across the entire piece.
then I dropped the bird feeder in the map pocket to force it to have an airspace and be open.

The intent is to try to make as much hot air as possible flow out the back of the seat.

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