Radar Detector Wiring

[stephen newberg]

I am considering wiring in a new radar detector I picked up at very low cost the other day. I would like to find an easy under dash hook up since my cigarette lighter vanished long ago for my extra instruments package. I would want a wire that is powered only when the ignition is on, so the detector powers up when you turn on and powers down when you turn off. Any suggestions?

pax, smn

 

[SHOZ123]

I tap into a hot in run wire coming off the ignition switch. Several to choose from and fairly easy to get to.

Take the lower part of the steering column off and look for thicker wires among the colors...

Gray and Yellow
Red and Light Green
Black and Light Green
or
Red and Light Blue

Today I rigged up a hot in run but only when the engine is running.

 

[stephen newberg]

Thanks Paul. Is there any one that is better for this, or should I just use the one most easy to get at for a splice?

pax, smn

 

[SHOZ123]

These are pretty big wires. 10 or 12 ga IIRC. There are two 40 A fuses that protects them. Better off tapping into one of them with like sized wires, then use smaller fused wires to come off of that.

Or if this is all you will ever want then just tap into the bigger wire with your new fused RD feed wire.

 

[bigred56k]

I hooked mine up thru the fuse box. Find a nice ground and then used the radio memory fuse for the 12v ignition wire. Just pull the fuse and rap the wire around the fuse and plug the fuse back in and your good to go..

 

[stephen newberg]

Also an interesting suggestion, and it avoids the 10 gauge wire splice. What do you think, Paul?

pax, smn

 

[SHOZ123]

I always go for the bigger wire. And I also bring in a ground wire from the block just to keep everything good and connected.

The splice can easily be done with one of those big yellow tap things. Use a couple of 14 ga fuse holders to splice into the 10ga with then you have two circuits ready to go.

 

[stephen newberg]

Thank you both. I plan to take it apart tomorrow and look at things and then decide which way to go. Maybe buy some parts on Wednesday and then try to do it on Thursday. Well, that is the plan, anyway.

pax, smn

 

[Mycarornocar]

I would go with the fuse idea. I have done several this way without proplems. Radar detectors do not draw a lot of amps to power them.
Wrapping the wire around one of the prongs does work, but they also make connectors that let you tap into that fuse. http://order.waytekwire.com/CGI-BIN/LANSAWEB?WEBEVENT+L0B06196176A20600571C082+M37+ENG
You want to make sure you put an inline fuse on the power wire going to the detector.
Pick any fuse that only works when the ignition is on- wipers, heater, radio, turn signals............
Good luck

 

[stephen newberg]

Thanks guys. I am likely going to go with just the tap to the fuse. I only want this one connection, so making a setup for multiples is not really needed.

This site:

http://order.waytekwire.com/CGI-BIN/...71C082+M37+ENG

produces an Internal Server Error. Was it supposed to be the through fuse connector? I would like to find such.

Find a nice ground and then used the radio memory fuse for the 12v ignition wire.

Which one is the radio memory fuse? And, which side of it is after the fuse, rather than before it?

pax, smn

 

[stangeater]

Definantly do the fuse! I've had 2 different radar detectors done that way, and it was easy as 1...2...3..

 

[Mycarornocar]

The site is watekwire.com. Do a search for fuse taps, or can can just wrap the wire around one terminal of the fuse and stick it back in. The wire that you stick into the fuse box should have a fuse on it. Check your owners manual for what fuse corresponds to what accessory.

This stuff may sound pretty intimidating to you, but you will see once you get it finished, how easy it really is.
Hope this helps, ask if you need more help.

 

[stephen newberg]

Thanks a lot, people, all good suggestions. I wanted to look at the fuse tap just because it sounded so interesting.

I did not see which fuse was radio memory in the manual, but it is listed on the top of the fuse box, so following advice, I used that one. The detector came with a line fuse, so I just soldered extension wires to its case, that normally would go into the lighter. Red to the 5 amp blade fuse, black to a ground. This is all pretty easy stuff once you decide how to do it. Anyway, it is in, mounted, and works fine. I think I will get a couple of grey or black sticky backed wire guides to straighen up the power line going to the top of the dash, since it looks sort of messy. Otherwise, finished.

pax, smn

 

[Funmart6]

I mounted my ****** above the mirror, ran the wires along the headliner and down behind the trim on the drivers side and then through the side access panel to the fuse box, very easy to do and clean, no wires showing.

 

[stephen newberg]

I did not want to do a window mount, so went for on top of the dash. Having driven with it there for a couple of days now, I like it, but do not see an easy way to bury the power lead. I suppose I might be able to run it forward and into the instrument panel somehow. Or I could drill a hole and run it straight down into the dash. More likely I will just get some wire guides, though. Once it is down on the surface and straight, it will pretty much vanish from my line of sight when sitting down driving, and out of sight is out of mind.

pax, smn

 

[SHOZ123]

Mine came with a visor clip. I have it mounted to the passenger side sun visor. The Val 1 is available with a remote display that I have mounted to the steering column.

 

[Porkchop]

I have my cobra tucked high up on the windshield over the rearview mirror. Tucks away nicely from the outside, you have to get real low and know where to look in order to see it.

Ran the cables along the headliner, down the A pillar, INTO the A pillar and down to the fuse panel. Works like a charm

I know you said you didn't want a windshield mount, but just giving other ideas

 

[randy'sho]

Definantly do the fuse! I've had 2 different radar detectors done that way, and it was easy as 1...2...3..

cough...cough..bs.....cough!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/phillipsjeff/SHOinside2.gif

 

[Porkchop]

that has a bus fuse in it! PWNED!

 

[stephen newberg]

That is an interesting thought. My previous one, that this new Cobra replaces, I had mounted via a clip to the sun visor and I rand the wiring like that, down through the pillar moulding. Worked great, I have repeated that for all of the wire once it gets to the door side, the only real question is that 10 inch chunk from the center of the cluster dash over to the door. Does your Cobra seem to work well up there? I would think it would be hard to see, both high and to the right. One of the problems with my previous, very old tech Uniden is that with its visor clip mounting it was well above my line of vision, and if the music was in a loud passage, you would sometimes not hear the audio alarm portion.

pax, smn