Well I just got a few things for graduation like a radar detector and a minifridge that use the 12v plug or "power point" as ford calls it in the manual. My question is when does the plug supply power - all the time, only when key is in ignition, or shuts off after a delay with the lights? I dont really want to have to plug the detector in everytime I get in yet I also dont want a dead battery (already had one after I ran the radio for 30 minutes while waxing it so obviously it doesnt take much, though I do have an amp and sub). It seems to me like it does continuously supply power and if that the case can I modify it to work only with the key and would it be a bad idea?

 

I am pretty sure that the Powerpoint is 'hot' all the time, whether the key is in or not. I could be wrong though. I am in the same situation. I really don't like having to turn my detector on and off every time I get in and out of the truck.

I would love to hear a solution too.

 

Just get a female cig connector, and wire it to your accesory wire from your radios wiring harness, and it will turn off and on with the truck...

 

That what I was afraid of. Im thinking that if Im going to go through all that trouble anyways then I might as well just hard wire it.

 

That is basicly hard wiring it... what brand is it, does it have a mute button on the cig adapter??

 

Its a Cobra. It has a mute button but Im not sure what you mean by it being on the cig adaptor - its on the unit itself. What I ment by hard wiring was taking the time to just run the wires through the roof panel and all the way around and not have to plug it in rather than taking the time to modify the plug and still having the cable hanging across my windshield. If that makes an sense.

 

I hard wired my Cobra radar detector to come on with the ignition and off with the ignition not the stereo.

This is what I did. I bought a 12v accessory female receptical (cigerette lighter) from Wal-Mart for $1.99 and 2 rolls of 18g wire (1 black, 1 red) another $2.00. Removed the passenger side sunvisor and the passenger side A pillar cover. Gained access to the fuse box and found a wire that was switched hot with my test light and a chasis ground was right there. Spliced into the 12v switched, attached my ground, ran the wire up the A pillar into the headliner, plugged in my radar detector, wrapped everything with electrical tape and tucked it away. Reinstalled the sunvisor. No wires hanging down to get in my way and clutter up the truck. I have my detector up next to my rearview mirror so that it is out of sight and easy to reach for muting the false signals.

Now I never forget to plug in my radar detector when I leave the house or turn it off when I get home for the night.

I can post some pics of this setup in the morning if you wish. Just let me know.

 

Isint it better to have it lower to the ground, than up high by the mirror??? Somebody told me the lower you can mount it, the better it will work???

 

That sounds like what I had it mind but even easier! If it wouldnt be too much trouble Id really like to see some pics. Thanks!

 

Not really sure but here in Houston the local cops and state troopers like to sit just on top of a hill/overpass on the interstate waiting for speeders to crest the hill with little/no time to slow down. So my line of thinking is that the higher the detector, the better it will receive the "splatter" from the previous cars being painted with the radar signal. So far I have had great success with the position of my setup. I can pick up radar signals as far out as 4 miles on straight, flat roads.

Will do. No trouble at all. Right now the sprinklers are running, otherwise I would get those pics now. I will post them in the morning.

Ox

 

that's my same logic ox... before my radar I had 5 tickets, since then I haven't had one....well I did but I didn't have the radar and it wasn't for speeding...

 

Your best bet would be to hardwire it as mentioned before. I placed my RX65 above the dash...haven't had a problem at all. Both location would work, it's just that the lower installation doesn't really take any effort in regards of running wires.

 

I hardwired mine in too, but my Cobra turns itself off when the truck is off. I think it senses battery voltage and turns off when it drops below 13V.

 

Nice clean set up there. I need to use the wire I got like yours and route it rather then the cord exposed.

 

here are those pictures.

Detector up next to rearview mirror. Out of sight of would be smash and grabbers and close enough to me so I can mute false signals.



Wiring setup from the fuse box.
Spliced into the blue/white wire with my 12v+ and connected my Ground wire to the chasis ground (green screw). Ran my wires up thru the dash, behind A pillar cover, across headliner, down the wires for compass and into detector.


Nice and clean.