Best/cleanest Accessory Power Point

[landar]

I have my Valentine One clipped to the visor with the power cord plugged into the cigarette lighter

directly below the radio. It works ok but looks cluttered and (slightly) obstructs my view.

I would like to run the power from the visor down the side pillar but not

sure where the closest accessory power connection might be that I could tapped into with the minimum of

damage.

[1990LS400]

I have my Valentine One clipped to the visor with the power cord plugged into the cigarette lighter

directly below the radio. It works ok but looks cluttered and (slightly) obstructs my view.

I would like to run the power from the visor down the side pillar but not

sure where the closest accessory power connection might be that I could tapped into with the minimum of

damage.

IMO, the easiest way to power your detector is to use a piggyback fuse connector and a cigarette lighter extension cable.

Cut off the end of the cigarette lighter extension cable (the end you would plug into the cigarette lighter) and wire it to the piggyback fuse connector. Remove the accessories fuse from the fuse box under the dash and replace it with the piggyback fuse connector. Plug your radar detector into the extension cable receptacle. Tie the tangle of wires up under the dash with a cable tie.

The nice aspect of this method is that you do not have to remove or damage the connector on the end of your radar detector's power cable . This method works for just about anything else too - navigation devices, MP3 players, etc. - without having to tie up your cigarette lighter or accessory port or splice in to any wires in the car's electrical harness.

The piggyback fuse connector and the extension cable are available at many auto parts stores. The extension cables are commonly available at discount stores like WalMart and Target.

[pishta]

I have my Valentine One clipped to the visor with the power cord plugged into the cigarette lighter

directly below the radio. It works ok but looks cluttered and (slightly) obstructs my view.

I would like to run the power from the visor down the side pillar but not

sure where the closest accessory power connection might be that I could tapped into with the minimum of

damage.

How about the visor vanity mirror power supply or even the rear view mirror? I dont know if the voltage is correct but worth try.

[landar]

Thanks for the suggestion, I had never heard of a 'piggyback' connector before. Will check into it.

[landar]

How about the visor vanity mirror power supply or even the rear view mirror? I dont know if the voltage is correct but worth try.

Hmmmm, clever idea, pishta! That could be perfect except that the voltage is always there on the mirror, not switched by the accessory

position of the ignition. I would have to manually turn the radar detector on and off. Still, I like it .........(thinking).....perhaps the rearview mirror, that is

switched, just dont want to 'bugger' it up trying to get inside or cut any wires.

[v8rwd]

I have installed a few radar detectors at a shop I worked at. We use to use T-taps and tap into a thick accessory wire at the ignition harness under the driver's side dash so it will turn on/off automatically with the key.

[1990LS400]

Duh! Regarding using the piggyback fuse connector, I forgot to include that you would have to find a place to attach the ground wire from the cigarette lighter extension cord. You can find out which is the hot wire and which is the ground on the extension cable by plugging it in to the cigarette lighter and probing its two wires with a 12V test light. For my phone kit, I attached a ground wire to a bolt on the firewall.

If you don't mind using t-taps or scotch connectors, the wires leading to the accessory port under the front armrest in a 98-00 LS are exposed after you pop up the wood console panel. For my nav, I used scotch lock connectors to connect an extension cord to these wires. There is plenty of room to route the extension cable receptacle forward under the wood console panel and/or behind the carpet on the side of the transmission tunnel. If the extension cord receptacle is hidden behind the carpet to the right of the gas pedal, it is especially easy to peal the carpet away from the transmission tunnel to plug and unplug accessories such as a radar detector or nav.