hardwiring stuff (radar dectector)

[espnfreak]

Hey, what types of stuff can i hardwire into my car? I was thinking about a radar detector up to the rearview mirror. How does that work out? Is it a fairly easy install, or does it take great amounts of time? How have your experiences been with radar detectors? I'm curious because i think they are somewhat of a pain and i'm not sure which one is the most accurate and how to hardwire it, thanx buds

 

[beavis195]

By hardwiring you mean not using the cigarette lighter to power it, but rather come on automatically when you start the car? I have no idea. I know someone has done it with a BEL radar detector on here. I also have a BEL. It is a good one but it gives off a lot of false alarms. The best radar detector is the Valentine One. It shows where the signal is coming from (To your left/right or up ahead or in the rear) and how many radar signals it is receiving. So if you drive by a shopping center, and a cop is radaring, The display will say 2 and the direction of the signals. We have this in the Acura 3.2 and we always get warned far in advance. Another one that is supposed to be good is the Passports. The top of the line model rejects a lot of false alarms.
Anyway, sorry can't help on the hardwiring. Do a search on before and after, I think it's there.

 

[JDraper]

I've got my radar detector hardwired into my truck. I put the radar detector at the bottom center of the windshield (some tints on the top of the windshield have minute metallic components that might dampen the detector's efficiency) and ran the wire in the gap between the windshield and the dash. I ran the wire to the left and down into the fusebox. I had to remove the kick panel and loosen the plastic cover over the a pillar to hide the wire. Once it's at the fusebox, you can tap into any switched fuse (use switched so you don't accidentally discharge your battery). I tapped mine into the rear windshield wiper circuit. You can buy piggyback connectors from Radio shack to clip over the fuse to help with wiring.

 

[espnfreak]

jeff, what kind of radar detector do you have, and how accurate is it?

 

[JDraper]

I have a Whistler. I don't remember the model #, but I'll edit the post after I check. It does X, K, Ka, and Laser detection. It will pick false alarms sometimes, but I've gotten used to how it beeps, and can pick the false alarms out pretty well. The Valentine 1 is probably the best, but $$$$$. Mine cost about $80 when I got it. One of the reasons I didn't go with the Valentine is that here in PA, only the State Police can run radar (No laser in PA either). The locals can't, so I don't have to worry about false alarms in town (where most false alarms occur). For radar detection, it's pretty good. In a straight line, I get about 1-1.25 mile warning. Over hills and corners it's considerably less, but I haven't gotten tagged (so far) when I've had it on, and I've been using various models for about 15 years.