Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors *Merged*

[tripod]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

need help trying to get the pillar off the screw is out but it wont come off this is the driver side pillar

 

[tripod]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

OK its off they really but in on just pulled the top part back for now installing V1

 

[musher51]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

You lost me on that last post, dude, but I think you got your cover off. Good luck...

 

[tripod]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

V1 up and beeping

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

I hard-wired an Escort 9500ix tonight and found a slight problem. Unfortunately, I couldn't find my electrical tester so I worked without.

I ran my wire to the driver side fuse panel. There are half a dozen or so empty fuse slots. A few of them are "always hot", and work fine. The weird thing was that the others didn't have any power... even after turning on the ignition. Can someone with a tester confirm this for me?

For now, I have it wired to the always hot but may end up tapping into an existing used circuit if there are in-fact no empty ignition sources. I cant imagine the empty slots are non functional. I must be doing something wrong.

This is on a 4.6L w/ tech... and I did hit the start button twice to test, not just once for the acc switch.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

I will be hard wiring my V1 this weekend and have what might be a silly question. Is it possible to just connect the red wire to one of the existing 10A fuses? In other words, remove the fuse, insert the wire, then push the fuse back in, forcing the wire into that slot? This is what I did on my previous car.

I also have the concealed dispaly and prefer to mount that directly in front of me, either on the steering wheel column or the shelf in front of the gauges. I assume it's best to connect to the driver's side fusebox for shorter runs? Any suggestions on where to run the wire to the concealed display?

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

I will be hard wiring my V1 this weekend and have what might be a silly question. Is it possible to just connect the red wire to one of the existing 10A fuses? In other words, remove the fuse, insert the wire, then push the fuse back in, forcing the wire into that slot? This is what I did on my previous car.

I also have the concealed dispaly and prefer to mount that directly in front of me, either on the steering wheel column or the shelf in front of the gauges. I assume it's best to connect to the driver's side fusebox for shorter runs? Any suggestions on where to run the wire to the concealed display?

Yes, You can just tap into an existing fuse. I may end up doing this if I can't figure out why there appear to be unpowered empty fuse slots.

I would probably copnnect the two in the driver side fuse panel area, since it's so close to your display.

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Yes, You can just tap into an existing fuse. I may end up doing this if I can't figure out why there appear to be unpowered empty fuse slots.

I would probably copnnect the two in the driver side fuse panel area, since it's so close to your display.

Thanks - seems like the logical thing to do. For those who were able to take the A pillar apart, where did you run the wire once it hits the dash? Is it just snug along the edge of the dash, then down into the fuse box? Hope that question makes sense.

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Thanks - seems like the logical thing to do. For those who were able to take the A pillar apart, where did you run the wire once it hits the dash? Is it just snug along the edge of the dash, then down into the fuse box? Hope that question makes sense.

I fed the wire inside the trim along the top of the window towards the drivers side pillar. Unscrewed the bolt to loosen the pillar and fed the wire under the top edge of the pillar. Then I slid the wire under the door trim going downwards just past the fuse box where it ends, then around and under. Wasn't to hard but would have been much easier if I wasn't 6' 5" @ 300#, lol. Getting the ground was a biatch despite there being a location right by the fuses. My hands are just too big.

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

I fed the wire inside the trim along the top of the window towards the drivers side pillar. Unscrewed the bolt to loosen the pillar and fed the wire under the top edge of the pillar. Then I slid the wire under the door trim going downwards just past the fuse box where it ends, then around and under. Wasn't to hard but would have been much easier if I wasn't 6' 5" @ 300#, lol. Getting the ground was a biatch despite there being a location right by the fuses. My hands are just too big.

I went out at lunch to look and I can see exactly what your are talking about. So by your description I assume there is no wire showing along the panel when you open the door? In other words, you snaked the wire into the fusebox area behind the door panel?

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[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

I went out at lunch to look and I can see exactly what your are talking about. So by your description I assume there is no wire showing along the panel when you open the door? In other words, you snaked the wire into the fusebox area behind the door panel?

Correct. There is no wire showing except where it rises from the detector to the frame behind the rearview mirror.

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Correct. There is no wire showing except where it rises from the detector to the frame behind the rearview mirror.

Thanks to you and musher51 for all the detail - this will be easier than I thought. The only difficult part will be trying to hide the wire going to the concealed unit as I will have that sitting on the ledge in front of the guages. On my last car I was able to snake the wire through the small gap between the dash and steering will column. Not sure how else to do it if I want to hide that wire.

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Thanks to you and musher51 for all the detail - this will be easier than I thought. The only difficult part will be trying to hide the wire going to the concealed unit as I will have that sitting on the ledge in front of the guages. On my last car I was able to snake the wire through the small gap between the dash and steering will column. Not sure how else to do it if I want to hide that wire.

GL and take some pics!

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

GL and take some pics!

Will do, thanks again

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

UPDATE: Finally have it installed correctly; wired to an ignition source.

There is an open fuse location that runs off the ignition. For future reference, it is row #2, column #5. I believe all others are always hot.

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

UPDATE: Finally have it installed correctly; wired to an ignition source.

There is an open fuse location that runs off the ignition. For future reference, it is row #2, column #5. I believe all others are always hot.

Where did you get that fancy connector? Mine has just an exposed wire. Looks great!

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Where did you get that fancy connector? Mine has just an exposed wire. Looks great!

Autozone. I think it was called an add-a-line or something like that.

 

[MattP]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Autozone. I think it was called an add-a-line or something like that.

I did exactly the same thing. This add in connector is avaialble at NAPA too. Part number is detailed in my comment at the top of page 3 of this thread (Mini Add-A-Line part # 782-2226 )

 

[mk1]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Autozone. I think it was called an add-a-line or something like that.

Picked it up Autozone today. Question - why do you have a fuse connected to the black housing? Won't this work by just plugging it into the fusebox?

Forgive the novice question

 

[Nabber]

Re: Hard Wired Radar / Laser Detectors

Picked it up Autozone today. Question - why do you have a fuse connected to the black housing? Won't this work by just plugging it into the fusebox?

Forgive the novice question

Well, I wasn't sure of its' design. If it would work without a fuse, I figured adding a fuse wouldn't add any protection. So... my guess is it wont work without a fuse. But I really didn't try it. Also, looks as though there is room for 2 fuses... so who knows!

I am about to buy several more and configure a bypass for the power outlets so they are always hot. I hope it works!