Radar Detector Hardwire

[Flashover]

Hi I'm trying to hardwire my radar detector to my 1998 Ford Explorer and I'm wondering which is a good wire to hook it up to?

I have a spare fuse accessory cable thing (thing that you put into fuse box connector and put 2 fuses in and basically splits the power) but I don't want to use it because I can't close the fuse box all the way.

Is there another wire I can use that doesn't involve any hardcore disassembling? I don't mind taking apart stuff though.

I have the overhead dome lights with the little direction/temp screen if anyone knows how to hook it up to that...

Btw, I'm trying to put my radar near the top of the windshield...

Also I'm using the Beltronics/Escort/Passport smartcord wire so basically all I need is an idea where to "tap" into the power.

 

[mattadams]

Do you have the overhead console? In my old truck I actually hard-wired into the power and ground for the console, and hten mounted the radar detector just under the rear-view mirror... it looked pretty awesome, and I was able to just tap into the wires up there (had to research what was what, of course).
The possibility also exists for tapping into the wiring to the stereo, but that may also take some research into what wire does what.

 

[Flashover]

I was hoping for some way to wire it to the overhead console. I've been searching around looking for how to pop it off and which wire to use but can't seem to find it (maybe I'm looking wrong).

I wouldn't mind use the radio either but I'm not sure how I would do a clean neat wire install for that. I'd go from the mirror (where my radar is) then up, to the left, down the side, under the dash where the pedals are, then I don't know where to go from there.

 

[Half-cocked]

If you're doing a permanent (or semi-permanent) radar detector install, just be certain that you're never ever going to drive through Virginia, D.C., or on any military bases.

 

[BurnTheLight88]

Hardware it into the mirror is what I did, just be certain you are getting a constant power and ground.

As far as the legality, make sure that you have a way to remove it from the windshield if you will be driving through any states that they are illegal in, and in many states you cannot mount it below the rearview mirror as was mentioned above because it qualifies as an "ASI line" violation. Look on the driver or passenger side of the windshield and very small you will see "ASI" with a thin line below it. In many states it is illegal to have anything blocking the windshield below that line.

My radar detector is mounted above the rearview mirror just right of the center of the vehicle to avoid not being able to move the mirror

 

[Flashover]

I'm not worried about the legality because I never go to Virginia or Washington D.C. and when I do go up to Canada I can easily take it off with no problem. I have my radar mounted just left of the overhead console and above the rear-view mirror. The suction cups are behind the tint so you can't see it from the outside at all and barely see the back of the radar from the outside.

As for the install, I can't hardwire into the mirror because it's just a regular mirror (no electrical what-so-ever). The little kit comes with the wires, mute/alert/mute button, and a little blue thing (forgot what it's called) that you clamp onto a wire and basically can get electricity from that, then you plug the electrical radar cord into that.

Is there any instructions about installing it to the overhead console? I can't seem to find any with the search...

 

[ncranchero]

Wire it into the hot side of the dome light. That way it will turn off about 15 minutes after you exit the vehicle when the auto-save kills power to the domes. (just like it does when you leave the doors open) It will come back alive as soon as you open the door to enter the vehicle next time. I always wire mine that way and mount the detector just above the mirror.

IIRC, that will be a Light Green/Orange stripe wire for 12V, ground the detector close by.

 

[Flashover]

Wire it into the hot side of the dome light. That way it will turn off about 15 minutes after you exit the vehicle when the auto-save kills power to the domes. (just like it does when you leave the doors open) It will come back alive as soon as you open the door to enter the vehicle next time. I always wire mine that way and mount the detector just above the mirror.

Sounds like a great idea but I'm not exactly familiar with the vehicle's wiring.

Would you happen to have any instructions somewhere?

Edit: I found this: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244254
It says the power is Purple/Orange and he said it was for a 1st Gen Explorer. Mine's a 2nd Gen, would the same wires apply?

 

[ncranchero]

Sounds like a great idea but I'm not exactly familiar with the vehicle's wiring.

Would you happen to have any instructions somewhere?

Edit: I found this: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244254
It says the power is Purple/Orange and he said it was for a 1st Gen Explorer. Mine's a 2nd Gen, would the same wires apply?

Read again, go half way down and you'll see "5. Front Dome Light and Vanity Mirror wires: Green/Yellow" but looking at the actual wire in question you'll see it is green w/orange stripe.

On my '01 Sport Trac it runs up the left front windshield post and across the top to the roof console. Yours should be the same.

 

[Flashover]

Oh I get it now.

So how exactly would I get to these wires? Just pull the overhead console down or is there something I need to unscrew? I have the console with the sunroof control.

 

[ncranchero]

Between the link you posted above and the instructions from the service manual I just sent you , you should be able to get to the wiring.

 

[Flashover]

Thanks a bunch, I really appreciate your help as well as everyone else's!

 

[mattadams]

There are several ways to tap a wire, but the best bet is to actually buy decent wire taps, you can probably get them at a stereo shop if you ask for them, or I bought them by the 50/pack back when I was doing a lot of electrical work. They are great because you can tap into a wire without actually exposing any more wire than absolutely needed, and if you decide to change it you can "untap" with minimal damage to the existing wires. If in doubt on which wire to use, a voltmeter could be used to test current when the vehicle is off and when it is on... but the power to the overhead console should only be when the vehicle is on or at least in "acc on" mode.

 

[Flashover]

This is the wiring kit I'm gonna to get:
https://www.escortradar.com/store/direct-wire-smartcord-red.html

The power wire's end is a "male spade" (something like that) and the kit comes with this blue wire tapper that clamps onto a wire then you plug the spade thing in.

I'm not exactly sure how to use a volt meter so I'm gonna try with the green/orange wire in the console and see if it works or not. If not I have an extra tapper that I can try again with.

The kit makes it seem relatively easy, I just had to find out which wire to use and how to get there.

 

[A Wise Guy]

I'm not exactly sure how to use a volt meter so I'm gonna try with the green/orange wire in the console and see if it works or not.

Before you start blowing fuses or $300 radar detectors it is time to figure out how to use a $20 volt meter.

 

[Flashover]

Before you start blowing fuses or $300 radar detectors it is time to figure out how to use a $20 volt meter.

I agree but it seems like you have to splice the wire to connected it to the probe thing to check an individual wire and I don't want to go around splicing wires everywhere.

The wires in the overhead console seem thin enough that they can't carry a huge charge anyways. (I think...)

 

[A Wise Guy]

But you can also unplug connectors that go into things that use power and probe the connector without compromising the wire.

 

[Flashover]

Well in that case, I better start learning... fast!

 

[mattadams]

There are actually some really good tutorials on the web for using voltmeters and honestly I got a voltmeter at harbor freight for something like $7 and it works perfectly every time I've used it. In fact, one of my dads friends who is a radio and electrical engineer has the same voltmeter and loves it as well... it's basic, but unless you are doing something super fancy you typically only need a few settings anyway...

 

[Jason c]

A test light works too. Clip it to metal and when you touch a "hot" wire with it, the light turns on.