Hi Folks -

Just finished installing the V1 wired directly into the RX-8 and thought I'd share instructions. This message will contain the written instructions and pictures will follow.


This is really a pretty simple procedure, took about 30 minutes without directions and me figuring out which wires to use, etc.

I chose to wire directly into the home-link power in the rear view mirror. I prefer to have my detector shut off and on with the car, but instructions are also here for wiring with the detector constantly powered (you turn it on and off yourself)

What you'll need:

* A V1 Direct-wire kit, comes with the V1 or you can order another from http://www.valentine1.com
* A philips screwdriver
* A nut driver
* A pair of sharp-tipped cutters for cutting insulation around a bundle of wires that you don't want to damage

Steps:

1. Open the sunglasses holder and remove the two philips screws on the roof of the car. This took some muscle to get them going, especially the driver's side one

2. Pull the map-light/sunglass holder/sunroof switch unit out, pulling down from the windshield side at first, then pulling down to ease the unit out of the headliner.

3. Disconnect the power to the map lights and sunroof switches and set the unit aside. (Simple connectors that snap apart)

4. Disconnect the wire assembly from the back of the rear-view mirror. (Snaps out)

5. Slide the top wire cover above the rear view mirror off. Just slide down and pull toward you.

6. Pinch at the bottom of the lower wire cover to remove it.

7. Pull the rear-view-mirror wiring harness up through the headliner and down through the map light hole that you created by removing the unit above. This will allow you to work on the wires more easily and hide your work completely when you're done.

8. *Carefully* cut away the plastic surrounding the wires as close to the roof as you are able, exposing the 4 wires inside the bundle.

9. The all-black wire (or maybe it has a brown stripe, my eyes are getting old) will provide power only when the car is turned on. The red/black wire is constantly powered. From the V1 kit, attach the blue wire clip to the wire that will give you the behavior you desire.

10. Feed the red and black ends of the wires from the V1 kit through the front of the headliner where the rear view mirror wires pass.

11. Attach the red wire to the blue wire clip you just attached.

12. Attach the black wire to one of the hex nuts you see at the top of the map light comparment.

13. Position the plastic V1 power unit where you would like it... I attached it directly to the windshield with the supplied velcro attachment.

14. Pull the extra red and black wire up into the headliner, and feed the rear view mirror power harness back down to the rear view mirror.

15. Reassemble the rear view mirror by attaching the power cord and re-installing the two plastic pieces, they just snap back on.

16. Re-connect the map light and sunroof power connectors to the map light/sunroof unit. Remember to push the large block to the side before pusing the unit back up into the headliner, or there won't be room for the sunglass holder to operate properly.

17. Push the unit back up into the headliner

18. Replace the two phillips head screws in the sunglass holder

19. Mount your V1 on the windshield (or wherever you plan to put it) run the cable to the aux power box, and you're set.


You could alternatively fit the V1 power block into the headliner itself, I think, and just have a wire decending to the V1, but I haven't tried to see if it fits comfortably yet.


Hope this helps some of you...

Matt

could you post a picture of what your final installation looks like, I'm very curious..

The screws to remove

Removing the sunglass holder/map light/sunroof unit

Wiring harnesses to detach

Removing the plastic pieces that dress up the rear-view-mirror wiring harness

Removing the wiring harness from the rear view mirror

After removing the insulation, the four wires exposed

Blue splice clip attached

Two wires attached, (one red, one black), and the wires run through the front of the headliner

The power port attached

The completed install

Wowzer, thanks! :)

I'm not going to use that unit though, instead I'll get a length of telephone cable and use that to directly wire the car... that jack is really an eyesore :\

Attack,

Thanks very much for the pics and instructions. It takes a lot of time and effort to do a post like this.

-Mr. Wigggles

I did something like what you did, but just put the double RJ11 jack thingy up inside the headliner. So all that came out was a thin flat telephone wire I constructed about 6" long (in silver of course). Makes a nearly invisible install.

The other, and I think maybe easier part, is I didn't take apart, and use the mirror wiring. I instead used a large black wire coming out of the (larger) connector on the side going to the overhead assembly (***see the bunch of colored wires RIGHT IN FRONT in ATTACK's 3rd pic above w/big arrow pointing at it***) There are two black wires in there. To make sure you've got the right wire you can just use a voltmeter there to check what's live (red voltmeter lead to choosen connector wire, black to car chassis) while turning the key off/on.

Didn't have to strip anything, just clamp the V1 inline connector on it. Then plug and play! Works great. Sorry no pics of that, it's all back together.

This is great, I will definitely move the block up into the headliner since it fits. It looks like you're hooking the detector to your visor with the clip rather than to the windshield with the suction cups. Have you figured out a way to level out the detector? Looks like the rear-facing window is aiming at the roof rather than the back windscreen because of the 10 degree or so pitch of the sun visors. Maybe a little wedge of foam or napkin in between the detector and the sun visor does the trick?

Well, sorta. I just make the V1 level by moving the visor itself.

When I used the suction cups it was so far into the windshield, you could see it way to easily, but I was more afraid of heat from the sun cooking the thing.

On the visor it is a compromise. When it is dead level, it points straight out front OK, but it also points straight back too, BUT that means it also points a little into the headliner above the back window. I haven't noticed that is affects it any, seems to work from the rear OK, don't know about laser, but then ... can laser get you going away? I don't know.

I have to put a bumper on top of it it like you mention, cause with the visor mount it rattles over big bumps against the visor. Other than that I like it there!

OK, it must be that time of day where I ask what may be a dumb question...

When you mount the detector to the visor, doesn't that intefere with using the visor as a visor?

It seems to me that I'd want the visor to remain functional - why is this not an issue to you?

Not dumb... Life IS full of compromise.... when it comes to RDs.

IOW that's why God gave us hands... to use as visors while the other real ones are busy holding RDs.

Last V1 RD on visor update. Last time the problem was RD alignment level w/road, plus as a result, having to have visor pulled down somewhat, rather than being up in its normal position. Result: unstable position, rattling over bumps.

Found the solution, little black rubber tips at Home Depot. Check the pics, perfectly level now. Sees out the front, sees out the back. Visor clip is now under expansion pressure, no rattle whatsoever. Detector is well hidden from view, detector is out of direct sun heat/rays. :)

I have heard that the radar's detection gets cut down signifgantly if you put it into the 'glazing' that's on top of the front winshield.

That's why I mount mine UNDER the rear-view mirror. I take it off when I'm not in the car and it's parked so it doesn't get stolen... so it's not a big deal to me.

Originally posted by Hercules
I have heard that the radar's detection gets cut down signifgantly if you put it into the 'glazing' that's on top of the front winshield.

That's why I mount mine UNDER the rear-view mirror. I take it off when I'm not in the car and it's parked so it doesn't get stolen... so it's not a big deal to me.

You are likely right, I've heard that too. This install may not appear that way in my pic, but from outside and in front of the car, it has a clear shot, actually it is just below and maybe 3" to the right of the bottom line of the 'shading' behind the mirror. From the passenger side front the mirror itself obstructs, but I have found there is so much radar scatter, if you're within target range, the V1 knows instantly no matter.

I'm too lazy to take mine apart each time I leave the car. To me that would be major inconvenience.

I bought a fuse adapter from Pep Boys for about $8 and plugged it into the 7.5 amp accessory fuse in the left-had footwell fuse box. I attached the V1 power cord to the fuse adapter wire and ran the black V1 (phone type) cord up inside the A-pillar weatherstripping across the dash to a spot near the windshield, directly in front of the speedometer, and used the V1 suction cups to attach the V1 to the windshield down low.

Took me about 10 minutes, I didn't have to cut or splice into any OEM wires, and it looks pretty clean except for the black V1 wire on my dash. I don't need the remote display since the V1 is in muy line of sight. The downside is that my body may block some radar signals and laser signals from behind, and the V1 is more visible to people outside the car, including the local constanbulary. But it's easy to remove and store for secure parking. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it.

FWIW

Zonker, Any pics of what you did to the fuse box? I will probably go this route when hardwiring the Escort. (Valentine refused to sell me the hardwire kit for the V1, since I'm not a customer.. weird.. )

I'm trying, NT5K (I'm now Hard 8--I like this name better), but I can't figure out how to upload a picture. It seems to want me to post a URL, but I just want a direct upload. Is that impossible now?

Originally posted by Hard 8
I'm trying, NT5K (I'm now Hard 8--I like this name better), but I can't figure out how to upload a picture. It seems to want me to post a URL, but I just want a direct upload. Is that impossible now? Just use the "Attach file" option. Maximum size 200kB.

Or you can email them to me and I'll host them on my imagestation.. PM me if the attaching doesn't workout..

thanks

Got it; thanks for the help. I had forgotten that approach.

And:

Also:

And finally:

I had the V1 closer to the windshield before, but the way I have it now, closer to the steering wheel, makes it easier to hit the controls. I might install my remote display unit on my steering wheel, and relocate the main unit, but I kind of like this simpler approach for now. I just wish I could tuck the wire into the dash somehow. Any ideas?

The bundle of wires gets tucked into the little opening above the fuse box. The wire leading up to the V1 gets tucked into the door weatherstripping. The V1 power pick-up clips onto the fuse adapter, which I bought at Pep boys for about $8. The pick-up ground wire screws onto any metal screw under the dash. If Valentine won't sell you the remote adapter, maybe I can order one for you since I have an account with them, but I think it's specific to the V1, since it uses phone jacks for the power outputs

Number of cut wires: Zero
Number of modified OEM parts: Zero
Amount of OEM insulation damaged or cut: Zero
Damage remaining after removal: Zero

Sweet.. I'll give it a try this weekend when I get the car back.. I already bought the Escort hardwire kit which is pretty much the same thing. So we'll see..

Thanks!

You're very welcome. Please post pix and any suggestions for improvements.

When all said and done how many total amps are on the fuse adapter. (What is the amperage of the 2 fuses you put on it)

Bought the wrong size adapter by mistake.. doh.. heh.. Guess I'll try this tomorrow..

All done.. I put mine in the center of the car and shoved the wiring behind the windshield air vent.. Not too bad..

Thanks for the help!

Here it is..

Good information here. I just wish I had taken the time to look before I did my V1 hard wire. :) So, as a result, I have a few differences too.

I more closely followed the changes Hard 8 described. But I removed the trim piece right above the fuese box. Found a great ground spot there, a place to store the direct wire “plug” and was able to keep the wires from being pinched or showing. See pic. I also installed my unit right next to the rear view mirror. The wire runs under the interior liner. So the only spots where the wire is exposed are right by the V1 and across the base of the A pillar. Didn’t want to force it between the airbag and dash. Just didn’t seem like a good idea. But all the rest of the wire is hidden.

Thanks to all that contributed to the info in this thread.

The A pillar cross over

... and the install next to the rear view - well within reach.

Woah, dems some big pics. :) Looks good tho, nice and clean.

Originally posted by Omicron
Woah, dems some big pics. :) Looks good tho, nice and clean.

Moderator huh? What a swell way to meet ya! :)

Seriously, it was very late when I posted these pics. I scaled them back (originally from a 5 meg camera) to meet file size requirements, but didn’t bother to look at dimensions of other pics on the thread. So I moved them back to 800 wide. I think that fits better. Not that you asked me too, but I think it makes better viewing as well. I’ll try to do better in future posts … like getting to them earlier!
:D

Oh! And thanks!

I was driving down I-95 Thanks Giving morning into VA.. Since Radar detectors are illegal in VA , I removed my detector that was hardwired into the Homelink power in my mirror... Well I probably should have pulled over but I didnt. All of a sudden ALL the power in my car went out and nothing worked except the hazard lights..

Apparently, one of my wires were loose and I shorted them together.. Home-link is directly connected to the ignition fuse, so I was able to replace it with a spare..

Anyway this is info/warning to anyone using the home-link power..

I thought I would add a pic of the fuse box and the trim piece above it to show the wiring ...

Nah, not bein critical, just editorializin... :D

Nice to meetcha.

Originally posted by WHealy
Moderator huh? What a swell way to meet ya! :)

Seriously, it was very late when I posted these pics. I scaled them back (originally from a 5 meg camera) to meet file size requirements, but didn’t bother to look at dimensions of other pics on the thread. So I moved them back to 800 wide. I think that fits better. Not that you asked me too, but I think it makes better viewing as well. I’ll try to do better in future posts … like getting to them earlier!
:D

Oh! And thanks!

Sorry, there is one good man (or girl) that explain me what the V1 Radar Detector do????
thank a lot!!!!

Originally posted by lelemari
Sorry, there is one good man (or girl) that explain me what the V1 Radar Detector do????
thank a lot!!!!

Check out the Valentine One website (http://www.valentineone.com/demo/demo1.asp) for a nice demo of its features. :)

Originally posted by lelemari
Sorry, there is one good man (or girl) that explain me what the V1 Radar Detector do????
thank a lot!!!!

The web site is certainly the best spot for info as Speed Racer point out. But here's my opinions on the subject.

The V1 is a radar detector. In industry tests it either shows up on top of the results way above all the competition or listed as overpriced and falls from the top. The biggest differences are :

Direction arrows to let you know if the radar is in front of you, behind you or on the side. May not sound like much but once you have it, you really can’t go back. I don’t think any other detector has this feature.

A counter to let you know how many radars it’s showing. The idea being that sometimes radar is hidden in know false alarm area. With the counter, you can know it’s there. I believe a few detectors have this feature as well.

You can upgrade the unit. Unfortunately, the upgrade price is about the same as a low end unit. I don’t think other detectors have this feature.

There is a big price difference on this unit. As in it’s one of the most expensive.

Hope that helps

Thanx attack for posting such a detailed installation.

But Im a little concerned with the position of ur radar.
I've been studying on radar detectors at www.radar-detectors.com, at one part it says that the radar should be mounted to the dash board as close as possible, since most cops will point the radar at ur license plate.

Is this true? Or is actually mounting it near the rear view mirror fine?

Thanx

Originally posted by bong
Thanx attack for posting such a detailed installation.

But Im a little concerned with the position of ur radar.
I've been studying on radar detectors at www.radar-detectors.com, at one part it says that the radar should be mounted to the dash board as close as possible, since most cops will point the radar at ur license plate.

Is this true? Or is actually mounting it near the rear view mirror fine?

Thanx
No problem at all mounting it near the mirror. By the time the radar actually strikes your car, the beamwidth is significantly large enough to encompass the entire vehicle. The advantage of mounting it higher allows you to potentially "hear" the radar when it's being used against other vehicles ahead of you by letting it look farther out. Laser gets aimed at the license plate or headlights to get a good reflection (it's light, after all), but radar in and of itself doesn't need that reflective of a surface because the beam isn't nearly as precise.

Originally posted by bong
Thanx attack for posting such a detailed installation.

But Im a little concerned with the position of ur radar.
I've been studying on radar detectors at www.radar-detectors.com, at one part it says that the radar should be mounted to the dash board as close as possible, since most cops will point the radar at ur license plate.

Is this true? Or is actually mounting it near the rear view mirror fine?

Thanx

Here's the V1 info page on the windshield question. (http://www.valentineone.com/lab/MikesLabRpt2.asp)

As for me, I've had great sucess at getting plenty of advanced warning with my V1 with it's current position. Not scientific, but at least it's one testimonial.

Kinda off topic...

Can someone confirm that the rear view mirror is using the same power lead as the map lights?
Furthermore, it seems you can slip wires under the headliner without removing it, yes?

I did not get the Touring package because the moonroof doesn't give me enough head room, but I really want the homelink mirror. I'm thinking about buying it seperately , and checking to see what it would take to install.

Thanks.

Hi -
I started a new thread here: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=210821#post210821
I wanted to quickly thank Hard8 for his suggestion on the powering block, that thing is fantastic!
-Doccable

The forum comes through once again!

Just got my V1 today, and used the perfect instructions from Attack to hard wire from the upper console. Thanks guy, those were some great instructions! Need to move this thread to the DIY area.

I would have liked to use the fuse tap that Hard8 suggested, but neither my local auto parts store nor Radio Shack had one, and I got tired of looking. That is probably a better way to go if you can find the part.

I mounted the remote display as 1stRX8 did, in front of the steering column here (http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11325&highlight=valentine).

I liked Speed Racer's install below the volume knob, but didn't want to cut that piece (I never can do stuff like that and make it look good).

All of the wiring is hidden, and was an easy install with all of your help. All of the wires can be run under the weather stripping, A pillar, and headliner.

Y'all are great!

Nice job! How about sharing a pic of your install. :)

I knew that was coming... :)
(I had to charge my batteries)

Here is the remote display.
The part of the wire you see in this picture is the only visible portion. Everything else is behind the steering column, goes from there up the side weather stripping, up the A pillar, and across the top of the headliner, all underneath and not visible.

And here is the main unit. It is SO much nicer to not have the annoying wire running down to the cigarette outlet.

Another view. Note the adapter between the phone line and power line (which the remote unit also plugs into) is also tucked up inside the upper console along with all of the wires.

Again, the fuse tap method would be easier than taking out the upper console, and would look just as clean. I couldn't find any info on here about tapping other wires. Even so, not a difficult install.

Originally posted by Speed-ER doc
The forum comes through once again!

Just got my V1 today, and used the perfect instructions from Attack to hard wire from the upper console. Thanks guy, those were some great instructions! Need to move this thread to the DIY area. Good idea! Done. And nice job, too. :D

not sure if this has been posted, but i saw this in cardomain a little while back.. thought it was pretty slick.

Does this location affect its detection capabilities?

That's Speed Racer's handiwork. He put the remote display there, after disassembling it (I believe). I linked his thread 7 posts up. Here is another view of my placement, although his is definitely more beautiful.

Yep, that's my handiwork! :D

The V1 is still mounted up at the top of the windshield where it gets its best performance. I opted for the remote display because I hate announcing the presence of a radar detector (or in this case locator) with all of its flashing lights. It also places the mute/function button within a finger's reach when your hand is on the shifter.

any power wires up there if you don't have the homelink feature?

ya, what if you don't have the homelink feature, which wire should you use?

And is the V1 radar detector the best radar detector out there? (I'm guessing it is, but I would just like to make sure)

Scroll back up a few pages to find out how to tap power from the fuse box near your driver's door without cutting into any wires.

The V1 is ONE of the best. It is also the most expensive, at $400. Car & Driver consistently tests it out as the best, but a lot of people also like the Escort Passport 8500, which is smaller and simpler and cheaper ($300), but lacks the directional arrows.

I chose the V1, mainly because of the arrows, top test scores and metal case.

Escort has brought to market a unit even better than the Passport 8500, called the X-50. Read about it at www.radarbusters.com/products/escort/x-50.asp (http://www.radarbusters.com)

I have pre-ordered mine.

its the same as an V1 and the v1 is still more sophisticated

What is the best method to attach the detector to the windshield where the black screen dots are near the rear-view mirror?

I was thinking of placing some high quality tape on the dots to give the suction cups something to stay stuck to.

Of course I can glue the suction cups directly to the dots -- what have y'all done?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

is the fuse connection always on or does it shut off with the car?

The one I used is switched with the other accessories.

Which reminds me: Is there any way to shut off the V1's damned start-up beeping without turning down the volume knob?

Originally posted by Spin9k
Last V1 RD on visor update. Last time the problem was RD alignment level w/road, plus as a result, having to have visor pulled down somewhat, rather than being up in its normal position. Result: unstable position, rattling over bumps.

Found the solution, little black rubber tips at Home Depot. Check the pics, perfectly level now. Sees out the front, sees out the back. Visor clip is now under expansion pressure, no rattle whatsoever. Detector is well hidden from view, detector is out of direct sun heat/rays. :)

awesome. I found the same part at home depot today. wired it up in the overhead console, put it on the visor, and used the rubber peg to correct the angle.

on the rare times I drive west during sunset (I live on the east side of town fortunately) I can tilt the visor down somewhat, or just take the radar detector down and use the cruise control. I had it suction cupped to the windshield before reading this. I much prefer the sunvisor attachment.

thanks

I got my V1 a few days ago. I had planned on doing the fuse adapter method that Hard8, et al, did. I've been to every automotive parts shop in the Trussville area that I know exists. I found a fuse adapter, but it is the larger size (thus does not fit). The only Pep Boys in Alabama is about 4 hours from where I am. Unless I can get it over the internet or find a local shop that I don't know about, I might be SOL for a while.

I resigned to try splicing into a wire. I was going to open the map light panel to see if the wires originally suggested exist. I don't have the powered mirror, so I'm not really sure if they are or not. Unfortunately, after removing the screws, the panel was being VERY difficult to get out. I don't want to break anything on the car (yet) since it's still relatively new / it is the first car that my name has been on the title.

I'd much prefer the fuse adapter method. If someone who has done it this way could tell me a brand / part number or any additional information so that I know what I am looking for, I would be utterly grateful.

Post the info here for future use, and PM me that you posted it.

I finally found the fuse adapter. It is safe to say at 18$, Napa took my a$$ on this one. But, as I said, I looked all over Centerpoint / Trussville area, and I wanted to get this mod under my belt.

As previously stated, I don't have the powered rearview mirror. So, I had to use the fuse method. Whoever did the fuse install didn't really give much of a DIY, so I am going to try to fulfill that.

I took several pictures, but the camera I had on hand (Logitech Pocket Digital 130) couldn't deal with the extreme close-ups.

What I needed to complete the install:

1. Valentine One w/ hardwire kit.
2. Napa Buss Mini Add-A-Line (part no. 782-2226)
3. 13mm nut
4. flat washer
5. Wiring connector (looks like this (http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=64-3114) but not this one). It needs to have at least a 13 mm hole.

Tools I needed:

1. Needle nose pliers.
2. 13 mm wrench
3. Scissors and electrical tape to wrap things up.
4. Wire crimpers

Steps:

0. Use the V1 wire tap to crimp the wire coming out of the fuse adapter. I'd start near the end, incase something messes up and you need to do it again. On the V1 hardwire kit, remove the horse-shoe wiring connector, and replace it with the circular one. This is where the wire crimpers come in handy.

1. Open the fuse box (driver's side on the kick panel), and pull the third fuse from the top (the A/C fuse). It is a 7.5 amp brown fuse. Plug it into the back of your fuse adapter in the bottom hole. I put an additional 7.5 amp fuse in the top hole, though I don't know that it is needed.

2. Plug the fuse adapter into the fuse box where the 7.5 amp brown fuse was.

3. Run the wire around the back of the fuse box under the kick panel that it hides under. Most of the unit will be under the dash area beside the trunk / hood release. Plug in the V1 hardwire kit where you previously crimped the fuse adapter.

4. In the top left on the inside of the firewall, there is a long threaded bolt exposed. It should be 13 mm. This is where we are going to ground the kit. Put the black ground wire onto the bolt (it should have the rounded wire connector now). Put the washer on behind it and the nut behind that. Tighten it down. At this point, you should be able to turn the car to full accessory and plug the V1 in to see if it works. If you can use the A/C, the V1 should be running. If that isn't true something went wrong.

5. I taped the black ground wire to the black hood release wire, since I was mounting the hardwire kit by the buttons to open the hood / trunk. Then I wrapped up the remaining wires into a neat package and put them behind the kick panel. Then used the Velcro provided to attach it to the plastic behind the hood release.

6. I put the V1 above the rear view mirror where I wanted it. Then ran the provided phone line through the roof padding over to the "pillar post" that has covers the airbag. I ran it between the airbag cover and the roof padding. Then I put it under the weather stripping as was outline in previous DIYs. You might want to leave a little slack at the top incase you want to move it some.

7. Once I got to the bottom, I ran it between the crack that separates the fuse box / kick panel and the panel above it.

8. Finally, I plugged in the phone cord, and tidied up the excess.

All in all this is a pretty easy install, esp. after having done the shock sensor install.

A very nice addition to this thread, and the knowledge base in general around here Robertdot! Thanks for the contribution!

Finished the hardwire for my radar detector. I mounted it to the top edge of the headliner. It is stiff at the top edge and keeps it up out of the way. the power cord is just long enough to fit with no excess hanging out. Way cool.
Thanks;)

Cool. Can you give a picture? I want to move mine up to the headliner area or one of the sunvisors, but I haven't decided yet the best place to mount it. Did you jam the sunvisor clip under the edge of the headliner?

Hey guys,

I'm considering doing this however I was just curious of what impact window tinting could have if any on the radar any experiences with this?

The valentine 1 web site (www.valentine1.com), has an FAQ on such issues (location, window tinting, etc.). Check out http://www.valentine1.com/lab/MikesLabRpt2.asp for a discussion of the effect of tinting upon laser detection--I don't see a discussion of radar detection:

"The windshield changes a laser detector's vision exactly as sunglasses change yours. The view is so bright on a sunny day that sunglasses don't hurt. But your detector doesn't want sunglasses any time you wouldn't wear them. That means that darker windshields hurt laser-detector performance on gray days and at night. ."

Good Stuff Hard8.!...This is a bummer as i was seriousley looking into tinting my car all around even the front windshield with a very light tint....do any of you have tints on your 8's?..and if so have you experienced any less performance from the Valentine 1 because of it?....

If all it affects is the laser detection, I wouldn't worry about it: By the time the laser detector goes off you're toast anyway. BTW, I just found this:

http://www.teamrocs.com/audiofaq/index.htm#tint

"Can window tint affect my radar detector?
"This depends greatly on what type of tint you have. Normally, tint is a plastic film with a dye painted on to it. This will have no effect on the ability of the unit to detect X, K, and Ka, or Safety Radar. This will affect the rearward laser detection, since laser is still light.
"Other types of tint include metallic film tint. This type of tint is a very fine layer of aluminum, gold, titanium, or other metal. This will affect your rearward and side radar and laser detection. Gold tinting is used on the windows of the F-117 Stealth Fighter to keep the pilots helmet from returning a radar signal, so I'm sure it'll deflect the radar guns signals."

Sweeeeeeeeeeeet!...ok i feel better about getting my tints now.

Thanks Hard8!..Youdaman!

The power of Google. :D

i hear that!

I talked to my girlfriend about attempting to hardwire the v1 up near my rear-view mirror and she almost had a heart attack...lol

i'm doing it anyway though :D

I just hope my tints don't screw me too bad...i think i'll be ok though...this thread certainly cleared up any doubts i had about doing this....

A hardwire is safe. It's not fool proof, but it is safe. All you do is tap a wire with a provided wire tap. If you are tapping anywhere easy to get to and you cut a wire instead of tapping it, you probably shouldn't be driving.

Of course, I say that and I'll screw up the next time I install anything.

I tried mounting my old Whistler detector above the mirror but the suction cups wouldn't stick to the dotted area.

So I took the suction cups off and slid the bracket up under the edge of the head liner. To hold in in place, put a piece of 3M double sided sticky foam between the bracket and windshield. I had to bend the bracket a bit to get the correct angle but it's held fine for the past couple of weeks.

Now I need to wire it to the overhead panel. Right now I have the power adapter cord hanging down to the lighter outlet. I tried to undo the upper panel but the screws are really in there tight. I got the drivers side out with moderate force/cursing, but the passenger side is a real b*tch. I am on the verge of stripping the scres head with the amount of force I'm using. Any suggestions???

Wow, be careful not to strip the screw then you'll really be pissed, i don't know guys what should he do?..I am definitely going to give it a shot especially with the excellent documentation provided from the earlier posts on this thread...i don't think it would be too hard....I guess only time will tell, I should have the fender strakes tomorrow, the tints friday and already have the radar so let's hope i don't screw up!

All right here are the pics of my install. Finished. I did not show the wiring, it is the same as the thread starter.

Another

Looks sweet!...Nice job!

what about mounintg them under the sunglass door?

great guide. Pulling the map lights out was pretty hard but not too bad. I put the accessory box up inside as well since I don't have the remote display.
Here's a few pics of the final install:

From the front:

hey jon...you are doing mine when i get it in...but on the otherside of the mirror.

I have enough slack to put that thing anywhere i want really.

has anybody tried to install hard-wired the concealed display kit?

http://www.valentine1.com/moreinfo/Display.asp

i want to have this right in front of my dash next to my spedometer... i can attach it by velcro.. but the extra wiring may be a pain in the butt to get hidden down the side of the dash

any ideas?

I'm about to move to VA where, unfortunately, RD's are illegal. Anybody put any thought, or have any ideas for a stealth install using the remote screen to see any indications. I know you lose sensitivity when you don't have perfect line of sight to the outside, but I'm willing to lose a bit of range for a concealed unit. Any Ideas?!?!

You could wire and mount the sensor behind the front grille and the remote display to the ash tray. That'd at least be "out of sight". It might be better to look at a unti designed to be hidden before looking at a V1 w/ remote display.

Escort makes a mega-buck concealed radar detector kit (http://www.cardomain.com/item/ESCPASSPORTSR7). Car and Driver tested it on an M3 and were impressed. The main unit gets installed in the glovebox (or wherever it makes sense), with sensors down low, front and back. It's over $1,000. The sensitivity is not quite as good as the V1 (since the sensors are so low), and you have to hope it doesn't emit any stray radiation for the police to pick up, but otherwise it sounds pretty killer.

hey guys... I bought a radar detector. It isn't a v1, but it's a decent model. Can I just hard wire mine into the power source like you are doing with the v1? Or do I need to look at the power requirements on the detector?

Originally posted by JasonHamilton
hey guys... I bought a radar detector. It isn't a v1, but it's a decent model. Can I just hard wire mine into the power source like you are doing with the v1? Or do I need to look at the power requirements on the detector?

It really depends on the detector. The V1 comes with a hard wiring kit. If your detector came with one, I would think you could. Otherwise, you need to find out what the voltage the detector runs off of is exactly and find a line in the car that gives you that voltage. The lighter adapter should be 12 volts so you should be able to create a modified plug to wire it in just like we did.
I can't say for 100% sure though w/o knowing precisely what your detector takes.

Just a tip, in VA, the state police have radar detector detectors. My brother is a cop and loves pulling people over for speeding and then seeing the dumb look on their face when he asks for the detector and takes it. Just wanted to warn anyone traveling in VA.

I hear they're illegal only in VA and DC, right? I also hear that V1s leak a lot less radiation than most; they MAY be invisible to the police; I'm not sure. I know they have a nice, beefy magnesium case.

WHealy...nice installation...am getting an escort and wish to mount it where inspection sticker would usually go (none here in FL). Was the removal of the trim above fuse box difficult? how was it achieved? tnx

If I'm understanding your question, you don't need to remove anything but the cover of the fuse panel to do the job. There's already an opening behind the panel through which you can feed the wire.

Thanks so mcuh for that tip Hard8...that sounds like an elegant solution. I'm rather opposed to doing any drilling cutting etc. not from an expertise standpoint but from a purist one. Do you think that the escort 8500 xp50 is a good choice? Do you think my mounting location is viable (performance wise)? I've not owned a detector, don't overly speed, but am concerned mostly when traffic is moving along at 80 in a 65 on the FL tpk and I just don't want to be the unlucky one. PS...they don't use laser I'm told in FL. Thanks again

great guide. Pulling the map lights out was pretty hard but not too bad. I put the accessory box up inside as well since I don't have the remote display.
Here's a few pics of the final install:

I installed my V1 yesterday evening and even in the dark this DIY made it a breeze. I also placed the the pwr box in the headliner but I was able to run the RJ11 cable through the wire channel in the mirror. Looks very clean...

Thanks for this great post!!!

Thanks to Hard 8 for the find on the fuse adapter. I had no idea such a thing existed. I couldn't find these at Advance Auto, but did find them at Pep Boys as Hard 8 had mentioned.

I had a little trouble finding what I was looking for (since I wasn't sure what they looked like).

Attached are some pics of the packaging card (didn't think about taking the pics until it was already installed).

Hope this helps.

PS - I think Mazda had hard wiring radar detectors in mind with the way they aligned the trim along the path between the fuse box and rear view mirror...the Valentine power cord slipped right in there.

You gotta drill through your baby, but it fits in there nicely. The remote display fits in there so well, I don't have anything mounting it. Sits in the ash tray like it was designed for it...

Nice, very consealable! :D

You gotta drill through your baby, but it fits in there nicely. The remote display fits in there so well, I don't have anything mounting it. Sits in the ash tray like it was designed for it...

I did that on my 'vette - put the remote display in the ashtray then it was conceled by closing the lid. I found in practice it was way too far from line of sight, however.

Your detector goes off and your eyes naturally jump to the speedo - if you mount the remote display on top of the column or somewhere close by you can check your speed AND access the threat with a single glance. Having to check the speed, glance down, look back up, look back down - not as nice.

Better (stealthy) place to put the display, but worse (usability) location. IMHO.

Dennis

Great DIY! I installed mine a couple days ago, and now it looks excellent. I didn't have to buy anything extra; I used alsmost everything that came with the V1. There's enough room up there to stuff the super long black telephone cable. I routed the telephone cable behind the powermirror's connector, and it looks like a million bucks. I set the V1 above the powermirror. The powermirror is double jointed, so lower it a little and set the V1 on the dotted area. Placement is perfect for peripheral vision of the V1 display, so is access to the unit, and the black dots don't seem to affect detection range.

I installed my V1 above the rear view mirror and the concealed display in the HU trim plate. It was OK but during the night I couldn't see the mute button and had hard time identifying which band led is active. So I came up with this-installed a couple of blue LED's covered with fabricated reflector. Works great and matches the instrument cluster blue LED's to. :)
Night (https://home.comcast.net/~nijel/Lights_Off.JPG)
Day (https://home.comcast.net/~nijel/Lights_On.JPG)

I installed my V1 above the rear view mirror and the concealed display in the HU trim plate. It was OK but during the night I couldn't see the mute button and had hard time identifying which band led is active. So I came up with this-installed a couple of blue LED's covered with fabricated reflector. Works great and matches the instrument cluster blue LED's to. :)
Night (https://home.comcast.net/~nijel/Lights_Off.JPG)
Day (https://home.comcast.net/~nijel/Lights_On.JPG)

Clever. The LED shroud looks like a drawer handle from a hardware store. Or did you fabricate that yourself?

Clever. The LED shroud looks like a drawer handle from a hardware store. Or did you fabricate that yourself?
Cut it from a light switch wallplate.

Hey guys,

I didn't see anyone post pics of an X50 directwire install with the smartcord, so I thought I'd post a couple pics of mine (the exception being the guy who installed it under the volume knob). I've included a shot of the smartcord placement, and one showing the wire routing. This was really the only place I could see to mount it without cutting into the dash or removing a lot of dash pieces, and also so you wouldn't be able to see wires. As others have done, I used a fuse adapter which worked great.

And here are two pics of the detector placement. I was thinking of putting it up near the rearview, but I'm not quite sure yet if I want it way up there. The wire coming up from the dash isn't the cleanest, but it really doesn't look too bad... especially when the NAV screen is up.

Olorin, what did you use to attach the smart cord to the dash?

rotor_man: Sorry for the late reply. I just used a piece of the velcro that came with the smartcord. I'd like to use something different, because the velcro is too flexible on the small surface area and the thing moves around a lot.

Btw, I've since moved my detector up to just under the rearview mirror. It was very easy to run the cable up the weather stripping, A-pillar and across the roof lining. Plus, I get a little better radar detection now.

Direct-Wire Power Adapter Kit
Item 00030

Direct-wire power adapter (Item 20305) and a Straight power cord (Item 20311) together at a reduced price.

is this the right thing to get if i want to hardwire like the DIY states?

Direct-Wire Power Adapter Kit
Item 00030

Direct-wire power adapter (Item 20305) and a Straight power cord (Item 20311) together at a reduced price.

is this the right thing to get if i want to hardwire like the DIY states?

This is for a Valetine V1?

A new V1 should come with both of these items - the direct power tap and a couple of non-coiled cords. Did you not get these with yours?

That is what you use to hard-wire a V1, but you should not have to pay extra for them - unless you are hard-wiring more than one car. You need the remote display ($39 and includes another 8' cord and a 3" cord) as well to really make the install slick. Mine is Velcro'd on top of the steering column where I can glance an it easily.

Dennis

i got my used and only came with cig liter so i just want to doubt check if thats teh right item before i purchase it

heres the parts list link
https://store.valentine1.com/store/default.asp?category=partsdept

i just recieved my radar today so i wanna get this installed asap so once im positive of the parts i need im gonig to place my order.

As long as you have a fairly current V1, then that is what you need. Get that kit (hard wire adapter and 8' cable) and then go ahead at spend the $39 for the remote display. That is what makes it sweet!

Direct-Wire Power Adapter Kit
Item 00030

Mount the V1 up above the mirror and it about can't be seen from behind and will be totally dark (with the remote display). You can also drop down the sunglass holder door to completely concel the detector (but would block rear laser).

Dennis

I messed up >.<
Anyone know where to get that blue quick splice clip? I looked all over the place and I couldn't find it....

I messed up >.<
Anyone know where to get that blue quick splice clip? I looked all over the place and I couldn't find it....


Radioshack?

Hey guys, I have a Uniden radar detector that was given to me, and I can't really justify getting a V1. Currently it is powered by the curly cord that came with it, which plugs in with a standard round connector to the unit. I have it suction-cupped to the winsheild under the mirror, with the cord tucked around the center console plastic, and eventually into the cig lighter. It's really ugly, and requires that my lighter door is partway open all the time. Any ideas on how to get this hooked up to some power in a less hideous way?

Nevermind. I took a trip to my local best buy and bought a universal hardwire kit for $13. It basically had a slim, straight cable and universal ends for it to fit in any detector. The other end of the cable was fuse connectors. I just bought an add-a-fuse from Auto-Zone for like $6, and then hooked it up to the aux power fuse. Now my detector turns on with the car, and looks very stock ;-) Thanks guys for your great guidance on this thread! I'll post a pic at some point here, as I'm pretty impressed with how it looks.

Yep, that's my handiwork! :D

The V1 is still mounted up at the top of the windshield where it gets its best performance. I opted for the remote display because I hate announcing the presence of a radar detector (or in this case locator) with all of its flashing lights. It also places the mute/function button within a finger's reach when your hand is on the shifter.
I'd like to mount my Passport remote unit the same way. Does the plastic piece on the front of the Head unit just pop off, or do you need to pull the whole thing?

Your install looks great!

Thanks!!

I'm looking to do the fusebox hardwire for a V1 and type Add-A-Circuit into google to try to find the fuse part and came up with http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009U64H4/102-5824066-9800156?v=glance&n=172282

Is this the correct part?

Thanks.

Great DIY instructions. I installed my V1 today and these instructions made it completely painless. I did as others suggested and hid the power unit with the red cord in the headliner to the left of the dome lights/glasses holder.

Followed Hard8's tips on a VERY CLEAN V1 install using the 'add a circut' method. Only wire showing is about 3 inches from the detector to my dash. Thanks!

add me to the crew that has done the V1 hardwiring. :) i used one of the two middle wires on the small, 4-plug wire going to the dome lights, i believe. i also used the tip from post #15 and tucked the V1's adapter box up against the roof, above and next to the metal frame that the dome light assembly screws into. the only thing showing is the cable.

the two middle wires were both at 12V with the ignition off, which although not ideal isn't a big deal, as i really should take the detector off and lock it in the glovebox when parked.

i used the amazon.com $5 multimeter/voltmeter, btw, and it worked like a charm. it's perfect for small, non-demanding projects like this.

http://www.amazon.com/Ziotek-Mini-Multimeter/dp/B000BSHHKW/sr=8-4/qid=1167609476/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/104-3575294-7417545?ie=UTF8&s=electronics

can you hardwire without the sunroof?

can you hardwire without the sunroof?
i believe that the wire i used goes to the dome light. just bust out the voltmeter and see if wires in the roof are at 12V...

alright thanks man!

i believe that the wire i used goes to the dome light. just bust out the voltmeter and see if wires in the roof are at 12V...

I would also think that all 8's have the same wiring harness, so the same wiring and connector is present under the headliner for moonroof and non-moonroof cars.

But mine is a GT, so what do I know :wink2: ?

Dennis

Good DIY, thanks.

FWIW, there's plenty of room above the metal assembly behind the lamp/sunglass unit to store both the V1 "power block" and any excess power cable.

Also, my V1's suction cups seem to be adhering to the "dot matrix" on the windshield without difficulty.

Thanks again!

Also, my V1's suction cups seem to be adhering to the "dot matrix" on the windshield without difficulty.


Mine does as well - and even if one cup comes loose it just drops down a fraction of an inch and sits on top of the mirror - so it does not come off the glass. Pretty stealth install with the remote display mounted on top of the steering column and becomes 100% stealty if I leave the sun glass holder open. About once of twice a year, usually during season changes, the V1 suction cups come loose and I have clean them and work with them to get a good stick back on the glass - but I have the same problem with an Escort 8500 and its mount is not nearly as nice (nor is the detector).

Dennis

Mine does as well - and even if one cup comes loose it just drops down a fraction of an inch and sits on top of the mirror - so it does not come off the glass. Pretty stealth install with the remote display mounted on top of the steering column and becomes 100% stealty if I leave the sun glass holder open. About once of twice a year, usually during season changes, the V1 suction cups come loose and I have clean them and work with them to get a good stick back on the glass - but I have the same problem with an Escort 8500 and its mount is not nearly as nice (nor is the detector).

Dennis


I've found that the hotter the ambient air temp, the more durable the suction seal will be. I'll often crank the windshield defroster at max temp for a few minutes to really heat things up before affixing the suction cups. That way, as the windshield/air/cups cool off, the air inside the seal also cools off and shrinks -- tightening the seal as it does so.

Yay, physics! :D:

I thought about trying to stick some of that "super duty" Velcro to the glass and the other side to the V1 mount (suction cups removed) and try that. If the Velcro can stay stuck to the glass, then I know the V1 is light enough to hang on to the Velcro.

I also toyed with the idea of putting some silicone sealant or some other liquid adhesive on the cups and just glue them to the glass. When I sell the car, the next owner would get a free pair of V1 suction cups :rollingla

Dennis

I just accomplished this DIY. Thanks to everyone who posted above...made my install quick and easy. These DIYs rock!

Techsan

I do not have a wire that runs in the head liner that is only on when the car is on.... Any suggestions? Would i have to wire one all the way from the fuse box?? any help?

You can wire it to the back of cigarette lighter and run it up your passenger A pillar.

Hard 8,
I tried this installation and couldn't get the fuse panel cover back on correctly. It seems the fuse tap bulges out a bit and doesn't allow for complete closure. Did you have this problem as well?

Hard 8, great pictures on the install although this being my first time to do this kind of wiring, I was very intrigued to figure it out even if I had no clue what I was doing. Since I dont have a powered rear view either I had to go the fuse box method...

I can add a little bit in depth for anyone who is COMPLETELY clueless with wiring as I am. Just like everyone said I went out and bought the add-a-circuit from Autozone. It wasn't the one that you guys posted but it still worked.. it came in this small yellow packaging. I think it was like 7 bucks. I cut the end of the red wire on the direct power adapter (comes with the V1) so a little bit of silver wiring was exposed and stuck it in the blue connector of the add-a-circuit. I got some pliers and clamped the blue connector with a little bit of force so the red wiring wouldn't slide out.

If you notice on hard 8's last picture he has both the fuse panel out and another panel out. There is a little screw next to the upper panel that's connected to the dash right next to your gauges. I wasn't sure what to connect the end of the black wiring to (that's connected to the V1 power adapter) so I got a washer and stuck the end of the black wire between the screw and washer to power it. I connected the add-a-circuit to one of my spare fuse inserts and yes it worked!!

I rolled up the excess wiring from the V1 power unit into a circular bundle like a hose and just used a zip tie to keep the wires from going everywhere and stuffed those and the actual power unit into the upper panel. It takes a little bit of effort but you can fit them in there if the power unit is turned just right. I then ran my flat power cord up the weather panel and into the insert between the side airbags and the pillar. You can get it to fit in between the little niche if you work with it a bit. Then from there you can fit the rest of the cable in the opening of your roof.. definitely much easier if you have two people. I held the power cord in place in the roof while my sister tightened the cord near the passenger side and pulled it out to plug into the radar which is above my rear view mirror.

Sorry for the long entry, but I tried to detail the explanation as much as possible for anybody else attempting to do this with no knowledge of wiring or messing with the fuse box or anything! Definitely use Hard 8's pictures.. they explain A LOT!! I will try to take some pictures as the mount above the rear view mirror looks VERY concealed even from the outside and the power cord that slips in between the side airbag and pillar slit is hardly noticeable!!!

I have the Escort X50, and was wondering if anyone has use this piece for hardwiring into to fuse box. The hardwire kit from escort has the "male" spade style lug, so I would also need a female/female spade lug coupler.

123386

Any reason why this would not work? Does it mater which side/blade of the fuse itself that I attach this tap to?

BTW into which plug are we piggy backing this? I'd like to tap the radio fuse so that the detector only gets powered on when the car/accesories are? I imagine the fuse box map is in the owners manual??

Thanks for the alternative. It was really hard trying to bring the Homelink wiring through the hole. So I tried you're method on my 2009 Rx8 and it worked. Just note: There is only one black wire on the 2009 models and that's the one I've plugged mine into. Didn't buy a voltmeter or anything. Really easy to do!


I did something like what you did, but just put the double RJ11 jack thingy up inside the headliner. So all that came out was a thin flat telephone wire I constructed about 6" long (in silver of course). Makes a nearly invisible install.

The other, and I think maybe easier part, is I didn't take apart, and use the mirror wiring. I instead used a large black wire coming out of the (larger) connector on the side going to the overhead assembly (***see the bunch of colored wires RIGHT IN FRONT in ATTACK's 3rd pic above w/big arrow pointing at it***) There are two black wires in there. To make sure you've got the right wire you can just use a voltmeter there to check what's live (red voltmeter lead to choosen connector wire, black to car chassis) while turning the key off/on.

Didn't have to strip anything, just clamp the V1 inline connector on it. Then plug and play! Works great. Sorry no pics of that, it's all back together.

is there a way to hardwire a Cobra radar detector by splicing the cigarette lighter plug and direct wire to power source?

yes.. the cigarette lighter is a power source.. so splicing it will work fine. Run the wires behind the dash, zip tie as you go, then up one of the A pillars. it will take all of 10 minutes to do.

Success ran the power source to the radio fuse with a fuse inbetween the radio fuse and radar detector for extra security against blowing anything vital. Also hooked up a nicely mounted on off switch.. here some pics

switch:
http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/44930/2498428720105211901S425x425Q85.jpg

radar:
http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/43467/2151705590105211901S425x425Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2151705590105211901lGzYpN)

um.. you realize that having the radar detector mounted there and pointing downward will ensure you'll be able to wave to the cop before the detector even goes off, right?

Ive always had it mounted there and it works well. never had an issue with it

Ive always had it there and works find. Never had an issue with the distance of the radar catching the cops radar

Props to Attack!!!

Just got the hardwire kit from Escort in the mail a couple of hours ago and thanks to this awesome DIY I already have the entire installation finished and it works great! Seriously Attack, thanks!

I just did this, and it worked great. I chose the black/red wire that was running behind the metal bracket. I also put the whole power adapter/wiring package up into the cavity for a cleaner look, and the stretchy power cord run for slack.

I'm using the visor mount and just a triangular sunglass-lenses case wedged between the roof and the visor to keep the V1 level, pointed ahead.

It looks good. Pics to come.

One difference was that I used this DIY to remove the map lights:

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=97596.html

Much cleaner, no force necessary to remove it.

thx for the guide guys, did the hardwire today