hardwire radar detector help included

[serviator]

During researching how to hardwire my radar detector I came across several different approaches, however I was never able to find a picture of where to put the + and - wires in the fuse box if I wanted to detector to go on/off automatically when the car is turned on/off.

Here's what I did (all wires mentioned are the hardwiring kit wires):

1) Got a hardwiring kit
2) Cut off the "washer" looking end piece of the + wire and exposed about 1/8" of the wire
3) Screwed the - wire onto the ground connector (see pic)
4) Unplugged fuse #32 (radio), placed the + wire in the fuse slot (on the DEAD leg w/ no power) and plugged fuse #32 back in (see pic)

After that your radar detector should come on/off with the ignition.

Here's a few other approaches I came across:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=524361
http://www.fnsweet.com/garage/radar/index.shtml
http://www.corral.net/forums/showthread.php?t=639050

I take no responsibility for any damage/injury caused by following these instructions. I am not a certified mechanic, actually I just do this on a trial/error basis. Do it at your own risk - good luck!

A little closer and sharper

The wiring (there's extra wire in case I want to relocate the detector later)

This is how it sits in the car. The wire is hidden in the pillar

 

[BlackenedSVT]

What is Fuse #32? Whats that going to? Got a closer-up picture of how you connected it to the fuse. And do you have a picture of the actual radar detector in your car someqhere now? Is it in your dash, whats it look like? post some pics...

 

[serviator]

Thanks for the feedback. I just updated the post based on your questions and request.

Fuse #32 is used for the radio. Unfortunately I don't have a close up of how I connected the wire to the fuse, but basically it's just putting the wire into one the "dead" leg of the fuse slot and then reinserting the fuse - does that make sense?

I added a picture of the location of my detector. I prefer it sitting on the dashboard on the left for - in my opinion - a cleaner look. I have tested both forward and rear detection with that location and it works great. In forward driving it's often going off approx. a minute before I get to the radar source and it has beeped while passing sources on the other side of the road for approx. a minute as well - sometimes more, sometimes less.

 

[BlackenedSVT]

So you stripped the end of the wire, revealing about a 1/4" inch of wire, and then stuck it into the fuse hole, and then inserted the fuse on TOP of the wire, essentially crushing it in place? That safe to do?

I mean doens't seem wrong i guess, just doesn't seem like the "right way" to do something like that lol. But cool idea. So its plugged into the radio, which goes on and off with the car. Interesting idea, i may try it. Did you just splice the radar detector wires? where'd ya get the wiring to hook up from the fuse box to the radar detector.

I have an ESCORT radar detector, and the power cord has a phone jack end that connects it to the radar detector....so i'm wondering how i'd go about doing this mod. Maybe just stripping the end that is supposed to plug into the cigarette lighter, and one wire will be a power and another a ground?

 

[DropTopPony]

thats rigged!!!! you need to take the wire out of the fuse and find a wire with switched power and connect to the wire. Don't you have a test light or volt meter?

 

[serviator]

Yes, I stuck it into the fuse hole and inserted the fuse on top of the wire - I didn't have to use more force than usual to push it in - it was pretty easy.

I didn't splice the radar detector wires, even though that was a possibility too. I just wanted to keep it in case I ever want to sell my detector and get a new one. You could just cut the wires and use one for + and one for - ; just make sure you know which goes where (it may say on the wire).

If you go to this site: http://www.buyradardetectors.com/Products/Accessories/Power-Cords.aspx and scroll down to "Beltronics / Escort Coiled Power Cord" you can check if the cord works with your model.

I don't see why it's rigged.

 

[04DarkShadowGT]

I don't see why it's rigged.

He was saying it was rigged because you took the wire and plugged it in behind a fuse, he was suggesting you tap into a real wire in the dash somewhere instead of running it into the fuse box.

It all does the same thing anyway.

 

[serviator]

That's what I am thinking, it does the same thing, so there's no need to go through the trouble to locate a wire, having to unscrew plastic pieces etc. However, if there's anyone who knows what wire to tap into, I'd be happy to add it to the instructions.

 

[2002GreyGT]

Nice write up, but I got some comments.

First off, that is one of the worst spots to put a radar detector. If has limited view of the rear which means no detection from the rear.

Second, Why didn't you just use an inline tap splice into something instead of rigging a fuse. If that wire is not in there perfect you could be jumping the fuse together and bypassing all the fuse's functionality.

Just my 2 cents.

~K

 

[Thundermouse]

If that wire is not in there perfect you could be jumping the fuse together and bypassing all the fuse's functionality.
~K

The fuse won't be bypassed unless some threads of his wire made it into both holes of the fuse slot. I've done the same thing with a couple of other interior electronic pieces. I like this method because it's easy to do and if the fuse dies, you are more easily able to isolate where the short or overcurrent problem is coming from. As long as the radar detector isn't drawing a lot of current there should be no problem with this method. If you start burning fuses, then that may be the time to start looking for a new line to tap. Just my $0.02

 

[serviator]

The location has showed to work great for me. I have tested both front and rear and it's detecting the radar with plenty of warning time. It may not be a good position for other radar detectors, but the Bel 980 has no problem.

I chose not to use my into an inline tap splice because - as mentioned above - I didn't want to go to the trouble to locate a wire, having to unscrew plastic dash board pieces etc. This was the easiest and it works just as well.

The wire is not touching both fuse slots - it was pretty easy twisting the wire end and making sure it only sits in one slot (the "dead" leg slot).

 

[AmBo]

I did the same thing. I also "rigged" it. Maybe this is why my battery light is on?

 

[stang_fanatic]

awsome! good I searched before I asked !

 

[serviator]

... And I wrote it before anyone asked so there would be an answer upon searching . Good luck with the install

 

[CRZYHRSGT]

I had my old one hard wired in ("correctly") and I still believe that's what caused it's early demise. A lot of detector manufacturers don't recommend that you wire one in like this for fear of shorting it out. So, one fried detector later I got a Solo S2...super reception for being cordless and the batteries last about 40 hours. Oh, did I mention it's cordless?

 

[serviator]

As long as it is installed on the "dead" side of the fuse it is the same as tapping into a wire. The fuse will protect it if it's installed on the "dead" side - however if it's installed on the "live" side of the fuse, it will not offer any protection.

If anyone is installing using this method, I recommend either using a volt meter to find the right fuse leg, or alternatively you can look at the pictures above.

 

[04gtdrop]

just to chime in here, I did not read all of this thread. But i have a escort passport also. And i bought the hard wire kit with it. The website recomends that you mount it as high as possible. Mine sits to the left and a little below the rear view mirror. I would have it higher, but i have a drop top and my rear window is really small. But in the area of the rear view mirror it helps hide it IMO. Vs having it in the middle of the window where it can be seen from further away. And if its low it might now work very well becuase the "eyes" of it can be blocked. I can take some pics real quick if someone is willing to post them up.

IMO my setup is really clean. The wire is ran through the panel above my sun visors, so all you see is the detector, and a little wire that disappers.

 

[fluffyrunnells]

will take this project on this weekend, thanks :SNSign: :SNSign:

 

[DEEPSEAGT]

doing this now thank for the write up

 

[serviator]

Sure, glad I could help!