Trying to hardwire my radar, need switched power source

[mjesenovec]

As the title states, I have been trying to hardwire my radar detector in my '12 GT Premium using an add-a-fuse like i've done on all my other cars. Find a fuse that is turned on/off with the ignition key, plug it in, and you're done. Every fuse i've tried in the passenger side kick plate is constant power.

I have been powering my radar with my cig plug coil cable, but even that is frustrating since it's constant power, and I plug it in every time i get in my car. My bro and I are no strangers to automotive wiring, so splicing isn't completely out of the question...I just wanted to see if any of you are familiar with a switches power source in these things before we rip the whole interior apart and waste even more time. I just find it hard to believe that a switched power source doesn't exist somewhere. If any of your could chime in and give me any options, it would be greatly appreciated! Even if all the fuses are constant on, there has to be a wiring harness or something we can splice into.

Thanks in advance!

 

[twiles3451]

I'm a cop......radar detectors are stupid. They only work if you get a rookie cop that drives around all day with his radar constantly on. Any cop that is experienced is going to select when he/she wants the radar to emit sound waves and when not to. If I see someone that I think is speeding, I turn the radar on and I have your speed immediately, long before your detector can pick up my signal and much sooner than you can react and slow down. I pull many people over for speeding that have "good" radar detectors......

 

[mjesenovec]

Thanks for your input, but I have been using detectors for years, and I like them. Your response added absolutely no value to this thread, nor did it actually help me in any way. That is, unless you can tell me how I can tap into a switched power source.

I am in no way giving you any attitude, but I am am not looking for any opinions regarding whether or not I should be using a detector.

 

[twiles3451]

ok. feel free to continue to waste your money. Just trying to enlighten you on the matter from someone on the other side of "detectors"

 

[mjesenovec]

I know a detector will not work 100% of the time, nor did I ever claim they do. However, to say they do absolutely nothing is quite ignorant. Laser is gonna get you almost every time, but if I pick up a K or Ka band in traffic before an officer is even visible, I have plenty of time to slow down. Overall though, I am not am excessive speeder to begin with. I already own one, and I would like to hardwire it to my new, awesome car so I can continue using it. That is all.

 

[twiles3451]

You can do anything you want to your new car.....and congrats on the badass car by the way......however you are the one displaying a lack of knowledge on radar systems.....again, like I said I am a cop, which means that I work in a police car, and pull people over "all the time" as part of my job. And like I said earlier. I do not turn the radar on until I already see you speeding, so you are not going to see the "K" or Ka" band appear on your detector until I already have your speed.

 

[mustangford289]

Twiles is correct but if a cop hits a guy a 1/2 mile in front of me and my radar sounds off I slow down. It acts like a deterrent to speeding which is good....like any empty cop car sitting in a highway median, everyone slows down. Cops are not dumb. They know traffic cruises at 80mph on the highway...they just pick the car they want whenever they want and you get a ticket....try to prove u were not speeding even if u were not, lol.

If u want to wire the detector just pull out the owners manual and run the power lead off any off the fuses that power up when the car is on....

 

[mjesenovec]

I did look in the manual, and I did try multiple fuses that should be switched with the ignition, but my radar always has constant power, it's very frustrating since this was such an easy process in all of my previous cars. I hope somebody here can give me a simple and straight answer, as I can't be the only person who has ever wanted to hardwire a radar, gps, phone charger, shift light, or anything else that would warrant a switched power source.

And in response to Twiles, yes...if every cop everywhere did his or her job properly, like you apparently do, then a radar detector would be much less useful. However, to say a radar detector is useless just because YOU are a good cop is incorrect. I applaud you for keeping the citizens in your area safe and honest, but a radar detector in my area gives me plenty of warning to slow down if i need to most of the time. I go with the flow of traffic and do not drive like a maniac, but I like knowing when cops around running radar whether i'm speeding or not. I just like to know when it's safe to pass somebody, or should be safe to give it a little gas to get ahead and merge, etc.

 

[twiles3451]

Well in that case I am happy for you that the cops there don't know how to use their radars........Oh, and I forgot to mention one place where a radar detector is quite possible useful, which is in the case of Highway Patrol. Not all troopers, but most will just leave their radar on due to the large amount of traffic normally heading their way. Good luck with the wiring problem.

 

[mjesenovec]

I FOUND IT! Problem finally solved. We spent a great deal of time messing with the fuse box, and the only switched fuse we could find is a 5A Stability Control Fuse in location 34. This fuse is off until you turn on the ignition with the key. I hope this helps somebody else looking for an easy hardwire location without having to go through the firewall to the windshield wiper fuse under the hood.

Just to be clear, this fuse will work for radars, GPS units, 12v cig plug adapters, anything you need to have switched power in your car.

 

[mustangford289]

http://www.radarbusters.com/radar-d...es/addacircuitmini.cfm?source=pjn&subid=43737

 

[mjesenovec]

^^ Yep, using an add-a-fuse is definitely the way to go for this job. It's how i've always hardwired anything because it's so quick and easy. The problem I had was finding a fuse in the passenger's side kick panel that wasn't constant power. I finally found one, so all is well now.

 

[Celtic Stang]

As the title states, I have been trying to hardwire my radar detector in my '12 GT Premium using an add-a-fuse like i've done on all my other cars. Find a fuse that is turned on/off with the ignition key, plug it in, and you're done. Every fuse i've tried in the passenger side kick plate is constant power.

I have been powering my radar with my cig plug coil cable, but even that is frustrating since it's constant power, and I plug it in every time i get in my car. My bro and I are no strangers to automotive wiring, so splicing isn't completely out of the question...I just wanted to see if any of you are familiar with a switches power source in these things before we rip the whole interior apart and waste even more time. I just find it hard to believe that a switched power source doesn't exist somewhere. If any of your could chime in and give me any options, it would be greatly appreciated! Even if all the fuses are constant on, there has to be a wiring harness or something we can splice into.

Thanks in advance!

Thank u for the actual useful info on what exact fuse to tap into instead of the usual totally useless dribble. I also spent a few hours looking for the correct fuse and gave up. My HUD now works off the ignition perfectly. It was a pleasure getting to know u.

 

[TT5.0ca]

I love this guy coming in here and confirming every supercock stereotype about traffic cops. I'm a professional and I'm held to a higher standard of behaviour than John Q and there is no reason why a cop should be any different.

My radar detector has paid for itself many times over. Whether that's due to incompetent cops or them picking out someone ahead of me, I don't care. I drive a known heat score car and I'm pretty mature with it most of the time but, it does draw fire, bc it's a Mustang.

It is true that switched sources are quite hard to find on this car. You can also find one in the cluster of wires below the steering wheel.

 

[CoosawJack]

I tapped the overhead light source power and mounted my detector on the top of the rear view mirror....works PERFECTLY!!

Radar detectors are simply a warning system for me and make me pay extra attention whenever they go off!! A very useful tool that has saved me hundreds of times during my working career...back when I routinely drove 60K miles a year!!