Actually, I have since gotten a new one.

 

I rarely take my radar detector along, but every time I do, I end up banging my elbow on the cig adapter, which causes it to power-cycle and go through the annoying start-up beeps. I think if it were hardwired, I'd take it more often.

I really dislike the power interruption (and annoying start-up beeps) when I hit the car's start button though. Is there a place to tie in that won't be interrupted by the start, or has anyone considered designed a circuit that'll keep power through the interruption (I recall a widget that left the cabin lights on longer than normal with soft on/off)?

 

I just connected my Passport 8500 directly to the map lights. It's always on, but I just always turn it off when I get out...

Evan

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by xviper
[B]
Yep.

 

HOT wires will usually have a stripe on it running the length of the wire. If there is no stripe, then it probably doesn't matter. Also look at the plug that goes into the detector. Sometimes you can actually see the wires withing the plug. The HOT one will be red.

 

I haven't gotten it all wired up yet... but I went to a local electronics shop and bought a few 'quick-blow' in-line fuses to connect to it as well. I'm ALSO thinking of adding a little switch to manually turn on-off the radar detector. That way, if I still get pulled over or something happens, I can just reach down under the steering wheel and switch off the radar detector, rather than reaching up to the windscreen and turning it off.

Do you know what fuse the car has by default on the the connector that is powered up when the ignition is on?

 

An easier way to tell which is which is to plug in the cigarette lighter adaptor, then use a voltmeter on each pin to see where power is, then use the ohm setting to find near-zero resistance between the car body and another pin.

 

Sorry, no. I suspect it might be powered directly from the under-hood fuse panel and those are high amperage fuses.

 

High amps... we talking about 10A... or something a lot higher?

I'm just interested in protecting the car's electronics, in case crap happens like rain water gets on the radar detector and it shorts out... I'd think the in-line fuse should protect the car from shorting out as well?

 

There are 30-40 amp fuses in the underhood fuse box. Something like a detector should have no more than about a 1 amp fuse to protect it.