What Wires Do I Cut Into For A Hardwired Radar Detector?

[ED.]

I bought a Valentine One for my BMW so I gave my father my Escort and told him I'd hardwire it in.

What wire should I use for power? Ground is one I'll find. It's the 12V source that I was unsure of.

Thanks.

[GDixon]

I bought a Valentine One for my BMW so I gave my father my Escort and told him I'd hardwire it in.

What wire should I use for power? Ground is one I'll find. It's the 12V source that I was unsure of.

Thanks.

It depends if you want an ignition-controlled power feed or a constant power feed that requires the detector to be turned on and off manually.

Then it depends on how the car's accessories are wired. On an RX the cigarette lighter is ignition-controlled so the power wire to it can be used if you want automatic on/off. Ground is right there as well.

It is not clear why you'd want a hardwired connection when the cigarette lighter is so convenient and the detector can be swapped with other vehicles without purchasing another power cord.

New Escorts outperform the Valentine but that is another topic

[ED.]

I need to hardwire it into something in the moonroof control area. Hardwire is the way to go when it is being used in one car. I don't swap it out all that much and when I do I have my case with me and just grab the bracket and smartcord.

I would be curious to see how it is compared to the 9500 but after a few days I all ready see improvement over the X50. Laser detection is the reason I bought the V1. I went through Georgia and was hit with laser at least two times and heard not a single peep. I'll be ready for them in July when I go back down to South Carolina. Laser here in Saint Louis is rare for me personally.

[GDixon]

OK, I'm convinced.

Try this link:

http://rx300how2.home.comcast.net/~rx300ho...ar_detector.htm

The moonroof area electrical connections should be the same or at least very similar.

[GDixon]

Here is a radar detector test from 2007 comparing the BEL and Valentine. Escort and BEL are now the same company. There have been software updates since then of course.

http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleID=100542

Here is a test from 2008:

http://www.radartest.com/article.asp?articleid=9090

[VBdenny]

Having owned several Escorts, including the very first one, I now have a V-1. As they say, once you drive with the arrows... I bought my wife one for her birthday.