Marcus815 Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 Hey Guys, I ordered a cable to directly wire my Radar detector. A friend of mine directly wired his into his cigarette lighter, but I plan on using my cigarette lighter for something else and I don't want to overload it. So what would be the best way for me to run a direct wire into my car for my Radar detector? Thanks, Marcus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 The radar detector shouldn't draw much power so just about anywhere should be good. You need to know whether the power is always on, accessory power, etc. Depending on where the radar detector is physically located, you can get power directly from the lights on the sun visors, or from the rear view mirror. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill K Posted September 19, 2007 Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 I wired mine to the lighter as the car shuts off the power to the lighter after 20 min. If that were not the case I would have used an add a circuit. http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cf...tnumber=071-580 from a switched power circuit in the fuse box. Be sure to use an in-line fuse if you wire to the lighter or an other switched power source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2007 My Cadillac provides continuous power even when the car is off. I know this because I have forgotten to turn off my Radar detector on several occasion and have come out the next day to find it still on. I suppose I could run it into the cigarette lighter, but I will also be running a Pocket PC and GPS from that same cigarette lighter and I don't want to overload the circuit, let a lone a surge that could damage the Pocket PC or GPS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffputts Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 As a mobile isntaller, i would connect it to the accessory wire under your dash, that way it turns on adn off with the car. here are all the wires and waht they do. The ORANGE is accessory which is the one you want to use: 12volts red + ignition harness Starter yellow + ignition harness Second Starter Ignition pink + ignition harness Second Ignition Third Ignition Accessory orange + ignition harness Second Accessory Keysense Power Lock lt. blue + drivers kick Power Unlock black + drivers kick Lock Motor gray drivers door harness Unlock Motor tan drivers door harness Parking Lights+ brown low in the drivers kick Parking Lights- blue headlight switch Hazards Turn Signal(L) Turn Signal® Reverse Light Door Trigger gray/black - low in the drivers kick Dome Supervision dk. blue/white - underdash light Trunk/Hatch Pin black/orange - at the trunk light Hood Pin Trunk/Hatch Release black + trunk release switch Power Sliding Door Factory Alarm Arm arms with lock Factory Alarm Disarm lt. green - either kick Disarm No Unlock Tachometer white or pur/wht AC ignition coil Wait to start Brake Wire lt. blue + brake switch Parking Brake Horn Trigger black - steering column Memory Seat 1 Memory Seat 2 Memory Seat 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BodybyFisher Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 My Cadillac provides continuous power even when the car is off. I know this because I have forgotten to turn off my Radar detector on several occasion and have come out the next day to find it still on. I suppose I could run it into the cigarette lighter, but I will also be running a Pocket PC and GPS from that same cigarette lighter and I don't want to overload the circuit, let a lone a surge that could damage the Pocket PC or GPS. The Radar Detector is wired wrong, its wired to constant on (BAT) not ignition on (IGN) circuit. Do these tests for the retained power circuit, 1) door closed, turn on the radio, turn on ignition, radio playing, turn off ignition, radio still plays, OPEN DOOR, radio turns off, 2) sit in car with door closed, ignition on, radio on, turn ignition off, radio should play for about 5 to 10 min and then turn off. If these two tests work, the retained power circuit is OK and your radar detector is wired wrong (to continuous power) Pre-1995 - DTC codes OBD1 >> 1996 and newer - DTC codes OBD2 >> https://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/gm/obd_codes.htm How to check for codes Caddyinfo How To Technical Archive >> http://www.caddyinfo.com/wordpress/cadillac-how-to-faq/ Cadillac History & Specifications Year by Year http://www.motorera.com/cadillac/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cadillac Jim Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 I plan to do something like that in the near future with my car. My plan is to study the FSM to determine which wire to use, where it is, and what color it is, then make sure that the wires that I expect are there -- and finally to run the checks that Bodybyfisher suggests before I wire anything in. -- Click Here for CaddyInfo page on "How To" Read Your OBD Codes-- Click Here for my personal page to download my OBD code list as an Excel file, plus other Cadillac data -- See my CaddyInfo car blogs: 2011 CTS-V, 1997 ETC Yes, I was Jims_97_ETC before I changed cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 My Cadillac provides continuous power even when the car is off. I know this because I have forgotten to turn off my Radar detector on several occasion and have come out the next day to find it still on. I suppose I could run it into the cigarette lighter, but I will also be running a Pocket PC and GPS from that same cigarette lighter and I don't want to overload the circuit, let a lone a surge that could damage the Pocket PC or GPS. The Radar Detector is wired wrong, its wired to constant on (BAT) not ignition on (IGN) circuit. Do these tests for the retained power circuit, 1) door closed, turn on the radio, turn on ignition, radio playing, turn off ignition, radio still plays, OPEN DOOR, radio turns off, 2) sit in car with door closed, ignition on, radio on, turn ignition off, radio should play for about 5 to 10 min and then turn off. If these two tests work, the retained power circuit is OK and your radar detector is wired wrong (to continuous power) Everything will turn off after ten minutes except the Cigarette lighters. It's never been a problem before, actually it's been quite a bit of help because I can leave my phone in the car to charge for an hour or so until it's full. So to get under the dash I ought to go in via that black panel on the floor on the passenger side? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northstar Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 If you have a sunroof you can tap into that where it plugs into the power cord and run the wire right under the headliner to the top of the window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KHE Posted September 21, 2007 Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 If you have a sunroof you can tap into that where it plugs into the power cord and run the wire right under the headliner to the top of the window. I tried that and when I turned on the radar detector, the sunroof would not operate... I disconnected it and then the sunroof worked fine. I need to run a wire from the fuse panel under the hood to the inside of the car. Kevin '93 Fleetwood Brougham '05 Deville '04 Deville 2013 Silverado Z71 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 21, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2007 What I think I'm going to do is wire it underneath the stearing column or down near the passenger seat wires. I just caught a cold though and I can't really go out to the car to work on this. Plus, I haven't received the direct wire in the mail yet. Thanks a ton guys, I'll let you all know the best way I figured the setup to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 As a mobile isntaller, i would connect it to the accessory wire under your dash, that way it turns on adn off with the car. here are all the wires and waht they do. The ORANGE is accessory which is the one you want to use: 12volts red + ignition harness So by "under the dash" you mean the wires that are at the foot area of the passenger side or physically under the dash? How do I get to them otherwise? Also, when you say connect, is there a port I can plug into, or do I need the crimp which cuts into the wire and allows me to then plug into? Thanks Jeff Alright. So I came home today and I found the direct wire in the mail. I'm ready to set it up. I was checking out underneath the passenger side on the floor where that black plastic cover is and there are a ton of wires down there but I'll be damned if I know what they do. So anyhow here is a picture of the wire to maybe help figure out how to wire this thing up, although I'm willing to bet they all look the same and I'm just a fool, haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 I called up some friends, one of whose father run's a repair shop. They all gave me different answer's, none of which were clear cut and kind of applied to their car in particular. I'm a bit lost here, haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Alright, so I looked at it again today and I'm even more confused. What's the best or easiest way to wire this thing in, because I don't like driving without a Radar Detector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thu Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 I wired mine to the vanity mirror lights. The wires come through the post that the sun visors pivot on. Easy and quick. That wire is continuous on, but the car's batt rundown protection will shut it off in about 10 mins if you forget to turn it off. I never have to worry about it. If you have a sunroof, it will be so much easier to install since you can pull down the headliner with the roof open and see and reach everything. By the way, did you buy a V-1? T 2003 Seville STS 43k miles with the Bose Sound, Navigation System, HID Headlamps, and MagneRide 1993 DeVille. Looks great inside and out! 298k miles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffputts Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 when i said under the dash, I meant drivers side below the steering wheel, you will see the ignition harness with all those colored wires in it. . just strip back a little of the wire and tap into that. use solder if your comfortable with that, or just tape it up good with electrical tape. that is the place that we use to install radar detectors, satellite radios, basically anything12volt becuase the wire is thick enough to support several devices at once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus815 Posted September 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 No, Unfortunately, I don't have the V1, I couldn't afford it, haha. I have a Beltronics Vector 940, an entry level upper class Radar Detector. Jeff, there is a large piece of gray plastic that covers the area that i think you're referring to, right where my shin's are. Do I remove that to find those wire's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.