Direct wiring a radar Detector
1992eclipseGS
07-03-2005, 04:59 PM
I searched the forum and come up withing nothing. Does anyone know the best way to hard wire a radar detector?? I got an Escort 8500, and i don't want to use my cigerette lighter anymore. And plus with the wire hidden, it gives the interior a cleaner look. here's the link to the cord i will be using. https://www.escortradar.com/cp/cgi-bin/cp-app.cgi?&pg=store&sub_pg=prod&ref=78 I'm guessing one wire is for postive, and one is for negative. Do I ground the negative, and if so, then what do i do with the postive? And I only want the radar detector to turn on when i turn on the car. I don't want to have to turn it off and on manually. thanks in advance.
bighauns
07-03-2005, 05:58 PM
What I have done in the past is to just mount the radar detector in the top left corner of your windshield and run the wire down the a pillar down to the fuse box. Then, run your positive to the fuse for the cigarette lighter and just ground the negative. However, I have done this twice, in two different dsm's and when I took the radar detector out after hard wiring it, there were weird electrical things. If I removed the detector then when I turned the car off my stereo would remain on for a minute or two and then turn off.
EDIT> Actually, it did this in my second dsm but not it no longer does that. I am guessing because I changed the aftermarket head unit, it is a really weird thing that really doesnt surpise me due to the fact it is a dsm. I would just hardwire it and just leave the radar detector in it, and you will have no worries. If you sell the car, just leave it in the car and buy a new one.
Good luck.
EDIT> Actually, it did this in my second dsm but not it no longer does that. I am guessing because I changed the aftermarket head unit, it is a really weird thing that really doesnt surpise me due to the fact it is a dsm. I would just hardwire it and just leave the radar detector in it, and you will have no worries. If you sell the car, just leave it in the car and buy a new one.
Good luck.
gsxeclipse97
07-03-2005, 06:15 PM
Ive seen people use the lights in the rear view mirror to do it but im not sure how they did it
gthompson97
07-03-2005, 08:23 PM
tap the positive wire directly into the ignition switch and then fuse the positive wire too so you don't fry your detector. run the negative to a good ground and it should turn on when the car is on, and off when the car is off.
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