Wiring in a Radar Detector...
07-24-2006, 01:50 AM
#11
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Littleton, CO
Posts: 600
RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
Did he wire his direct? If he's just going into a cigarette lighter, that makes sense, my old GTP was the same way. The cigarette lighter only worked when the key was on. Problem is I'm too **** to have a cord sticking out the center of my dash all day, every day. Gotta have it clean, like it's not even there. Ya know?
07-24-2006, 02:23 AM
#12
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Join Date: Apr 2006
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Posts: 788
RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
Yea, It's in the cigarette lighter...But his stays powered whether the car is on or off. That's the part that confuses me. If he plugs his sirius receiver in, it will stay on all the time.
I think, I'm going to try to hard wire mine into the dome lights tomoro morning, as like you I'm sick of looking at wires, It just looks ghetto.
I think, I'm going to try to hard wire mine into the dome lights tomoro morning, as like you I'm sick of looking at wires, It just looks ghetto.
07-24-2006, 02:38 AM
#14
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Florida
Posts: 3,881
RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
ORIGINAL: Ruffnuts
Passport makes a cordless radar detector that runs on batteries.... Thats my easy fix for the wire problem
Passport makes a cordless radar detector that runs on batteries.... Thats my easy fix for the wire problem
07-24-2006, 10:06 AM
#15
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Location: Littleton, CO
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RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
ORIGINAL: Ruffnuts
Passport makes a cordless radar detector that runs on batteries.... Thats my easy fix for the wire problem
Passport makes a cordless radar detector that runs on batteries.... Thats my easy fix for the wire problem
07-24-2006, 08:39 PM
#17
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
ORIGINAL: 6605stang
Okay well, I thought I could make this work... I'll tell you what I did with the power cord I had (taken directly out of my GTP, which worked great) and you tell me what I did wrong.
My power cord only has 2 wires (1 red and 1 white). First I just connected the black wire (AFTER the Y) to the red wire (from the power cord) and the white wire (after the right light) to the white wire (from the power cord). This allowed the detector to work only when the lights were actually on, literally. When I realized that wasn't right, i tried following your directions a LITTLE closer and going off the black wire before the Y and using a ground lug. Soooo, I connected the red wire (from the power cord) to the black wire (BEFORE the Y) and the white wire to a ground lug drilled directly into the support frame. But NOW it's on all the time and I fear I'll run my battery dead! Grrr.... I know there is a way to do it so it simply is on when the key is on and off when the key is off. I just hoped I could do it from above by the lights so I wouldn't have to fish around behind or underneath the dash. Anyway, if you can see what I did wrong, I'll buy ya a beer or 10 next time your in Idaho Falls...
[:@]
ORIGINAL: 05ROUSHER
This is what I did for my detector. I posted this awhile back. Might work for you.
Hey, I just did a little modification that some of you might be interested in. If you have a radar detector mounted to your windsheild and you hate having that cord hangin down over the dash and plugged into the lighter socket (or you have put the start button mod on) then do what I did. First, go to a Radio Shack and pick up a "Size N Coaxial Power Plug" and a "Panel Mount Size N Coaxial Power Jack". Then remove the Dome Light assembly from the car and Drill a 5/16 hole in the forward part of the housing in the center. This needs to close to the edge of the housing so be careful. Next locate the single Black Wire that "Y's" out to each bulb. Using 16 gauge Hook Up Wire, strip a section of insulation from the Black Wire and solder the 16 ga. wire to it and the center post connection on the Power Jack. There is 3 solder lugs on the Power Jack, so I would reccommend using a ohmmeter to verify the power and grounding lugs before soldering. Then solder your ground wire to the ground lug and put a Ring Terminal on the other end so it can be attached to roof support framework. I made my ground wire about 4 inches long so as to have room for attachment. I also used a 1/2 long 1/4 drive zip screw to attach the ground lug to support. You cannot use the ground circuit for the lights because that is what Ford uses for the dimming feature of the lights. (and we don't want our detector shutting off) You can now snap the light housing back in place.
Now all you have to do is attach the Power Plug to your detector cord. Just make sure that you get the polarity right on this as well. You now have a hidden power port and the cord is up out of the way. This mod will also power down after the car is shut off and Ford Timer times out.
Enjoy
This is what I did for my detector. I posted this awhile back. Might work for you.
Hey, I just did a little modification that some of you might be interested in. If you have a radar detector mounted to your windsheild and you hate having that cord hangin down over the dash and plugged into the lighter socket (or you have put the start button mod on) then do what I did. First, go to a Radio Shack and pick up a "Size N Coaxial Power Plug" and a "Panel Mount Size N Coaxial Power Jack". Then remove the Dome Light assembly from the car and Drill a 5/16 hole in the forward part of the housing in the center. This needs to close to the edge of the housing so be careful. Next locate the single Black Wire that "Y's" out to each bulb. Using 16 gauge Hook Up Wire, strip a section of insulation from the Black Wire and solder the 16 ga. wire to it and the center post connection on the Power Jack. There is 3 solder lugs on the Power Jack, so I would reccommend using a ohmmeter to verify the power and grounding lugs before soldering. Then solder your ground wire to the ground lug and put a Ring Terminal on the other end so it can be attached to roof support framework. I made my ground wire about 4 inches long so as to have room for attachment. I also used a 1/2 long 1/4 drive zip screw to attach the ground lug to support. You cannot use the ground circuit for the lights because that is what Ford uses for the dimming feature of the lights. (and we don't want our detector shutting off) You can now snap the light housing back in place.
Now all you have to do is attach the Power Plug to your detector cord. Just make sure that you get the polarity right on this as well. You now have a hidden power port and the cord is up out of the way. This mod will also power down after the car is shut off and Ford Timer times out.
Enjoy
My power cord only has 2 wires (1 red and 1 white). First I just connected the black wire (AFTER the Y) to the red wire (from the power cord) and the white wire (after the right light) to the white wire (from the power cord). This allowed the detector to work only when the lights were actually on, literally. When I realized that wasn't right, i tried following your directions a LITTLE closer and going off the black wire before the Y and using a ground lug. Soooo, I connected the red wire (from the power cord) to the black wire (BEFORE the Y) and the white wire to a ground lug drilled directly into the support frame. But NOW it's on all the time and I fear I'll run my battery dead! Grrr.... I know there is a way to do it so it simply is on when the key is on and off when the key is off. I just hoped I could do it from above by the lights so I wouldn't have to fish around behind or underneath the dash. Anyway, if you can see what I did wrong, I'll buy ya a beer or 10 next time your in Idaho Falls...
[:@]
07-24-2006, 08:43 PM
#18
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Littleton, CO
Posts: 600
RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
Well I hope to hell your right, cuz I just realized that I (just as I predicted) did not turn mine off when I got to work this morning! SON OF A...!! I hope your right and it's okay, cuz by the time I leave here, there won't be anyone around to give me a jump!
<I hope he's right, I hope he's right>
<I hope he's right, I hope he's right>
07-24-2006, 08:55 PM
#19
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Join Date: Jan 2006
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Posts: 192
RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
I have let mine sit all weekend from friday night to monday morning, opened the door, light comes on, radar detector talks to me telling me it's on, start the car, no problem.[sm=americanasmiley.gif]
07-24-2006, 10:14 PM
#20
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 341
RE: Wiring in a Radar Detector...
