RRSPORT.CO.UK |
||
Forum Gallery Shop Sponsors |
Home · FAQ · New Posts · My Posts · PMs · Search · Members · Members Map · Calendar · Profile · Donate · Register · Log In |
Home > Maintenance & Modifications > Hardwiring a radar detector |
|
|
reidnul Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: austria Posts: 36 |
Has anyone installed a Valentine 1 in to a RRS? I want to put the unit close to the interior Rear View Mirror but need power there and dont want cables hanging down to the cigarette lighter. Thanks. A. |
||
Mon Jul 21 2008 11:22am |
|
TB Member Since: 19 Feb 2006 Location: Depends who wants to know . . . Posts: 5927 |
Excuse my ignorance, but what is a Valentine 1? Arctic Frost TDV6 SE. Aspen Leather, Cherry Wood, Privacy Glass, PTI, Tow Pack, Mudflaps, Tasmods, a new Fuelflap, a RRSport.co.uk umbrella in the boot & a RRSport.co.uk sticker on the rear glass.
|
||
Mon Jul 21 2008 12:59pm |
|
reidnul Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: austria Posts: 36 |
A valentine 1 is a radar detector. see
|
||
Mon Jul 21 2008 1:05pm |
|
John @ DW Member Since: 07 May 2008 Location: Wirral Posts: 105 |
I've always been confused by radar and laser detectors, by the time the detector has picked up the signal won't you have been stung and the Police will have a reading. If I am wrong please someone explain how they work. Wouldn't a laser jammer be more useful (and a lot more illegal!)? www.designerwheels.co.uk
|
||
Mon Jul 21 2008 3:41pm |
|
reidnul Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: austria Posts: 36 |
I am not an expert but this is how it works.
|
||
Mon Jul 21 2008 6:15pm |
|
umbertob Member Since: 22 Sep 2005 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 944 |
Right, radar detectors will catch radar signal bouncing off cars, buildings and other surfaces ahead of (or behind) you and usually give you plenty of advance notice of a speed trap, unless you happen to be the only soul on that road for miles. The best ones, such as the V1, can even alert you of where the bogey is coming from, whether ahead or behind you, and how many bogeys are out there. My trusty V1 has saved my butt many times, when CHP sets up a trap down the street from my house the detector usually goes off as I am leaving my garage! The Valentine is great for radar, but like most detectors claiming "Laser Alert" it is pretty useless for much more lethal laser guns since, unlike radar, laser beams don't "bounce" off other targets and are usually aimed right at your license plate. So, by the time they clock you the V1 will probably go off, but you'll have virtually no time to react. Fortunately, 99% of Law Enforcement agencies around here still use some sort of advanced (K or Ka bands, which the V1 can sniff from miles away) radar guns. Radar detectors are legal in most US states, but radar jamming or other countermeasure is unlawful everywhere - you can actually go to prison - and laser jammers are also illegal in many states, including here in Kalafornia.
The arrows in the image below show the connections of the hardwiring kit included with the V1 (other radar detectors will likely be wired in similar fashion.) On the right, the red wire draws 12v power from a switched green/white lead in the harness for the overhead lights. The black ground wire is connected to a bolt above the overhead panel. The third arrow indicates the body of the hardwiring harness that powers the detector via RJ11 (modular phone) jack.
Detail of the hot connection to the overhead lights harness. Make sure you pick the striped green/white wire only, the others are either not 12v or they are unswitched and your radar either won't turn on at all or will stay on all the time... The Valentine includes a handy self-tapping connector in the kit - the blue piece around the green/white wire - which eliminates the need for splicing or cutting and leaves no traces of tampering if you ever need to remove the radar (such as on a leased car): you simply slide the connector around the wire, squeeze it with a pair of pliers to score the insulation and tap into the 12v lead, and finally slide the male faston at the end of the red wire into the female faston on the blue connector.
To ground the detector (the black wire), slightly loosen one of the bolts above the panel with a 13mm socket, slide the spade clamp at the end of the black wire between washer and overhead metal plate, and tighten the bolt:
Here is an image of the hardwiring harness body where the radar detector plugs into. I attached it above the overhead console using the provided Velcro tape, there are plenty of nooks and crannies up there. The radar detector is wired to the Main Unit plug via modular phone jack. Note the unused "Accessory" plug, which in the V1 can be used for an optional, remote display mounted elsewhere in the car. As you can barely see in the picture, I bundled up the excess black and red wiring and inline fuse holder from the hardwiring harness with a zip tie, and placed the bundle above the headliner on the side of the overhead panel opening:
I chose installation of the radar detector just to the left of the rear view mirror (we are in a LH driving country here... ) The phone jack and cord easily slide between headliner and windshield, and the "tinted" part behind the rear view mirror makes the wire almost invisible:
And here is the finished installation from the driver's perspective. After wiring everything up, test to make sure you get power to the detector. Don't forget you need to turn on the ignition AND radar detector first! If you get juice flowing, you are done. Carefully align the two plastic studs in the rear of the overhead console with the cutouts in the headliner, and push the front of the overhead panel up against the roof until it snaps back in place. With this type of installation, the detector will automatically turn on when you open the doors with the remote or start the car, and will turn off about 3-4 minutes after you remove the key from the ignition, or right away if you arm the alarm.
Super easy job for anyone. Have fun! Last edited by umbertob on Tue Jul 22 2008 3:17pm. Edited 5 times in total |
||||||||||||||||
Tue Jul 22 2008 6:15am |
|
reidnul Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: austria Posts: 36 |
Dude,
|
||
Tue Jul 22 2008 6:21am |
|
shmoogle Member Since: 07 Sep 2005 Location: ... and for every sprinkle I find, I shall kill you! Posts: 24350 |
Excellent post, Umberto - thanks for that
|
||
Tue Jul 22 2008 9:17am |
|
reidnul Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: austria Posts: 36 |
I hate to waste such a good post but since my last post requesting the information I decided to move to the hard wired system as being based in Europe where the use of these units is illegal I need stealth. The Valentine 1 RC which is the hard wired equivalent needs the radar detection unit mounting behind the front grill and is wired through to the cabin where the display can be placed more discreetly.
|
||
Tue Jul 22 2008 9:26am |
|
shmoogle Member Since: 07 Sep 2005 Location: ... and for every sprinkle I find, I shall kill you! Posts: 24350 |
LR are willing to do it, even if it would be illegal?
|
||
Tue Jul 22 2008 9:30am |
|
reidnul Member Since: 21 Jul 2008 Location: austria Posts: 36 |
there may be some loophole in the local laws. The BMW dealer here did my last one in a 5 series. No problems. But nowhere near as expensive. But yes they said they would do it. |
||
Tue Jul 22 2008 9:39am |
|
umbertob Member Since: 22 Sep 2005 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 944 |
For a truly concealed installation, the Valentine 1 would probably not be my first choice as radar detector, since its integrated design would limit your installation options. A system like the Calibre K40 - a lot more money - would offer more flexibility and better detection while being completely concealed: http://k40.com/unde_main.html You could also add laser jamming capabilities to this system, might as well if you are going to break the law anyway. |
||
Tue Jul 22 2008 2:59pm |
|
bananenschale Member Since: 03 Jan 2009 Location: Moenchengladbach Posts: 178 |
Heyho!
|
||
Sat Jan 03 2009 2:37pm |
|
TikoV Member Since: 10 Mar 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 114 |
Folks if you want to make sure you don't get caught......don't speed!!
|
||
Thu Mar 12 2009 1:03pm |
|
Jonny Fresh Member Since: 04 Feb 2008 Location: Manchester Posts: 3586 |
It is also highly illegal and you can go to jail for having one fitted on your car. |
||
Thu Mar 12 2009 1:06pm |
|
|
All times are GMT |
< Previous Topic | Next Topic > |
Posting Rules
|
Site Copyright © 2005-2025 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis