The POWER for the radio is NOT switched. The ignition lead tells the radio when to power on or off, just as a remote wire does for an amplifier. Last time I checked, diodes were one way valves. Maybe they are different at Best Buy. Most electronics, such as radar detectors, have polarity protection provided by a diode(s).

 

but you dont know if they all do so you always assume that they dont and one way or the other the power has to get switched off at the radio does it or does it not... no matter where it gets switched

 

No..the power does not get switched. The power is always being fed to the radio.

As I said before, the ignition lead is switched and may provide enough safe juice to run the detector. However, I powered an 11 band EQ off the ignition wire one time and it failed.

 

when you take the connectors off the back of the radio you will have a 12volt consant and a 12 volt that is "fed through the ignition" which is switched which means that no matter where it is switched at ... the power is still being switched off to the radio or else the radio would iether never come on or it would never go off iether or....

 

Now we are just arguing semantics. Bottom line - do not connect it to the yellow wire.

 

what about connecting it to the red power wire behind the radio...or will that just make it stay on all the time?