Where to hardwire radar detector

tex · 02-23-2007, 12:39 PM

I have my old radar detector that was hard wired to my last truck. I was looking under the steering wheel for the fuse box but did not see it. Where has everyone wired it into?
Also where is everyone mounting the unit?

baseballfanz · 02-23-2007, 12:45 PM

Mine's hardwire into the harness under the driver's dash. The harness that goes to the ign. Make sure you have a fuse. My V1 is mounted above the rearview mirrors. I have the conceal display on the cluster gauge area.

kellyj00 · 02-23-2007, 01:15 PM

Though I haven't done it, I was planning on hard wiring the the ign switched 12 volt outlet to the right of the hazard light switch. It's already fused and the wires are easily accessible... you could just run some 18 awg (or smaller even) to the detector off of that unit behind the dash piece that holds the stereo.

On all 12 volt "cigarette lighter" sockets, the inner pole is + the outer is -.

cpd315 · 05-10-2007, 02:34 PM

I just got my titan recently and haven't had a need to bust out the manual yet..but I'm pretty sure the fusebox is on the passenger side. I remember my wife pulling on something and going 'what is this?' and me going it looks like the fusebox. I need to check when I leave work today.

When I used to use radar detectors I mounted to the dash, hardwired from the dash to the A post and down into the fusebox. On another vehicle I ran it out through the front firewall into the fuseblock. Another, I just spliced it onto a power cord in the dash..that was funny b/c it was the radio power and there was a whine through the speakers I couldn't figure out what the prob was..then my dad looked at it and said 'nice try..but you can't hook stuff up to any red wire you see' LOL

**helomech** · 05-10-2007, 02:56 PM

I got my hot wire from the overhead panel, it is the wire for the compass.

xavier · 05-10-2007, 03:34 PM

i got mine wired to the over head pannel also its easy to install i also connected to the compas power and bolted the negative to the bolt its alot easier threw the top console inless you have an xe no compas

wayne-oooo · 05-10-2007, 05:46 PM

Im a little slow over here....can someone briefly explain what hardwire is??? Thank you in advance

baseballfanz · 05-10-2007, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne-oooo

Im a little slow over here....can someone briefly explain what hardwire is??? Thank you in advance

Instead of plugging it in the power port (cigarettes lighter plug for the old schooler) the power source is actually tapped into another source (ex. tapping for power into the ign. wire or maybe at the fuse box.) People usually do this to hide the cord from dangling off the windshield ect... Most of the wire will be hidden except for the end that goes into the radar detector itself. On mine only about 3 or 4 inches is visible from the headliner.

**Blackbeauty** · 05-10-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayne-oooo

Im a little slow over here....can someone briefly explain what hardwire is??? Thank you in advance

That's where you get power directly from the wiring harness tap rather than plugging into the 12-volt receptacle on the dash.

**Blackbeauty** · 05-10-2007, 05:59 PM

Beat me to it BBF....

kellyj00 · 05-14-2007, 09:22 AM

I wouldn't run a new wire from the fusebox. It's just so easy to pull the factory stereo/climate panel off, access the wires for the already ignition-switched 12 volt 'cigarette lighter' outlet and run the wires up and out the top without any cutting, only a simply splice of the wire.

You're not going to draw enough current through a radar detector to blow a fuse, even if other stuff is plugged into that outlet. Besides, it's probably a shared circuit with the radio at 20 amps or something anyhow.

mjesposi · 01-08-2008, 01:30 PM

Does anyone have any pics of what is a good wire to tap into by the fuse box if I want to hard wire my radar detector and run the wire down the a-pillar? I just don't want to screw it up .

Thanks -

titanswfl · 01-12-2008, 01:55 PM

i have mine hooked up to my radio power and i mounted mine in the middle of my windsheild. i comes on when i turn on the ignition one click.

TallTexan · 01-17-2008, 08:03 AM

My detector has a smart plug which allows you to blank out the display on the detector and the 12v plug has lights to tell you the closeness of a radar as it flashes faster. I get the sound also to tell me the type of radar being used. Escort 8500x50. To keep this feature, I just installed a 12v accessory plug in the overhead blank panel and connected it to the compass power. Now I have a 12v supply in the overhead that I can plug anything into. Also lets me use the smart plug on my detector. The accessory 12v plug with a cap looks like it was factory installed.

mjesposi · 01-23-2008, 02:56 PM

Tall Texan - do you have any photos or details of how you did the install? I don't want to screw anything up.

Thanks for your help....