Broken Radar Detector?

[david-b]

Not sure if this is where to post this...

I hardwired my radar detector into my cig lighter awhile back. No problems at all. Worked beautifully. However, the other day when playing with my brakes, i accidently pulled the wire out of the lighter. When I went to reinstall it again, andhooked the wires back up together, the contacts of the wires started smoking. Tried reversing the wire, smoked more. Nothing from the actual detector tho. No power or nothing. Nothing seems to be working out of the detector at all now. Do you think I need a new one? This sucks. I cant drive without protection. I just past my driving school. I cant get another ticket. Thanks

[public]

Rewire completely. You have a short somewhere. Good Luck.

[psychorallyfreak]

Here's an idea:
If you "can't survive" without a radar detector...
STOP DRIVING SO FUCKIN' FAST!
Or...
Pay attention to where the piggies like to hide....
And don't get caught.

[david-b]

Thats what I do, idiot. I like having extra protection when Im driving. Who said I speed? My post said nothing about that!!

[david-b]

I did try rewiring everything before, but it still smokes. Even without anything hooked up to cig lighter.

[veyron 16/4]

1995 Eagle Talon ESi
2.0L DOHC

real speedy

ha just messing with you

[public]

Then you need to rewire the cigarette lighter. Smoke only comes from a short. This should be an easy job. You could also wire it directly to the fuse block. Most cares have a couple of "assessory slots". some direct to the battery, some to the ignition switch. This is how I have all of mine done. This way they come on when I start the car, and they don't take up my lighter plug. Good Luck.

[david-b]

I tried to hook it up to the battery and I get the thing from it. The road shop crew at Circuit City said that the radar prob got shorted out somewhere along the line. Damn! Oh well. The neons under the dash still work fine being connected to the cig lighter tho. They also hard-wired. No problems there. Oh well. Thanks

[public]

Wish I could have been more help.

[david-b]

It's cool, man. You were. Don't worry about it. Needed ideas on how where to start anyway.

The good thing is that i get to replace my $100 cobra with something better, now that I get heavy discounts on that stuff at Circuit City!! I'm evil. Well, sometimes. Thanks a lot guys.

[public]

Remember to "DRIVE SAFELY"

[MagicRat]

Try hooking the radar detector up to another 12 volt source that you know is good, like the battery itself. If there is no action, then likely you have blown a diode or internal fuse in the circuit board of the detector itslef.
A diode allows electricity to flow in only one direction. It blows when you reverse the polarity of the power wires (hook it up backwards).
Sometimes these things have internal fuses, too.
If you are lucky, there may be an easily replaceable fuse in the detector's cig lighter plug, or in the unit itself.
You can take the detector apart, locate the blown part, identify it and order another one, and solder it in. Or send it out for repair. However, it will cost you as much as a new one.

BTW, next time, use a fuse installed in the detector power wire, maybe one amp or so, for best protection.

[david-b]

I did the hook up to battery test. Im just buying a new one. There's no sign of life from the bad boy at all