Hardwire Radar Detector

A

Alfredo

Member
:
07 MS 6 GT
I could not find much on a search...
I just bought a Escort 8500 X50 and want to wire it directly. I hate keeping the ashtray open...
I want it to be switched so when I start the car, it will turn on and off whenthe car shuts off...
I figured I could use power from my sunroof, but not sure. Any ideas??
I would like to mount it high on the window or in the top dash storage compartment (this may not give it unobstructed view of road)
 
i got mine hardwired to my stereo. YOu will want to wire to something what will always be on when the car is on. I choose the stereo because i never have that off. I tapped in at the fusebox and hardwired it to sit above my rear view mirror. the cord runs up the a pilar and in the headliner. With my tinted visor i cant see it from the outside and it works great. turns on and off with a tun of the key.
 
mines wired in to the lamps above the rear view theres apower wire thats keyed for the sunroof in there so everytime the keys off its off kinda nice i can tell you whats power and ground if you like? pm me
 
Its not too hard to do. Escort makes a special cord that you can use to hardwire the detector. If you don't have that already I would suggest getting that from ebay. It should only be $15-$20. Once you have that then all you have to do it take off the pannel up by your moonroof and get a volt meter and test all the wires until you find one that is a switched 12 volt. Then the special cord just clips on to the factory wires and you need to find a ground and you're done. With that cord there shouldn't be any cutting or soldering needed.

Alfredo said:
I could not find much on a search...
I just bought a Escort 8500 X50 and want to wire it directly. I hate keeping the ashtray open...
I want it to be switched so when I start the car, it will turn on and off whenthe car shuts off...
I figured I could use power from my sunroof, but not sure. Any ideas??
I would like to mount it high on the window or in the top dash storage compartment (this may not give it unobstructed view of road)
Click to expand...
 
but if i have it done already why would he need a tester?lol i know what color is ground and positive, all you gotta do is save your 15-20 bucks and cut the lighter plug in off and strip the 2 wires that are in the one there red and black as always and your done
 
not true...if you look inside of the lighter plug there is a fuse. Also on the cord you need to buy there is a fuse. If you dont have that you run the risk of frying the detector. Then you just wasted your money on the detector and they wont take it back because of the cut cord. Do it whatever way you want but believe me, if you want to hardwire do it the right way.

ms64meplease said:
but if i have it done already why would he need a tester?lol i know what color is ground and positive, all you gotta do is save your 15-20 bucks and cut the lighter plug in off and strip the 2 wires that are in the one there red and black as always and your done
Click to expand...
 
so add a fuse 1.99 at radio shack :)

i didnt add a fuse but i put more wire down then most people anyways willing to bet more than one person at a stereo shop...lol i build truck bodies so a 14' bed has about 59' of wire+ thats an est i shorted that but i do about 7 beds a month and if the have a hoist its another 20 feet of 1ga. brake cont. etc...
 
i want to do the same but i want to keep the ability of hitting the mute button that comes in the cig lighter plug so i think i would have to wire it using the current wire and i would have to wire it to a point where i can have the mute button easily accessible.
any ideas there?
 
Well...I can think of ways to rig it to make it work, but in my opinion they are the correct way to do it. Isn't there a way to mute it without using the cord?

**EDIT - you might try using something like this...i dont think it would be quite as clean of an install, but you could locate the plug in the glovebox or under a seat or something.
RP-203EC.jpg


ZoomVT said:
i want to do the same but i want to keep the ability of hitting the mute button that comes in the cig lighter plug so i think i would have to wire it using the current wire and i would have to wire it to a point where i can have the mute button easily accessible.
any ideas there?
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
def not. The way it is right now plugges into the cig lighter puts the mute switch right in front of the shifter where my hand usually is making it extremely easy and natural position.

My idea was to just dremmel a hole between the cig lighter and the "air bag off warning" and hardwire the connector there, leaving the mute buttton intact. then running the wire trhough the vent system up the windshield. if i wanted to have it sitting low in the widnshield is not a big deal; but i wanted high sort of behind the mirror then i would need to run the cord around the windshield.
 
If you buy the part from Escort, you will maintain the remote lights and mute button. I have not checked the ebay link yet, but in my escort catalog the part is $40
I just checked, I would be looking to purchase this one:

https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)


Thanks for all your advice.

I am going to save the coiled cord for when i use the RD in my truck. The MS6 stays in the garage when I go snowboarding.....
 
Last edited:
good idea...thats probably the best choice. Post some pictures when you are done, im curious to see how it looks in the car.


Alfredo said:
If you buy the part from Escort, you will maintain the remote lights and mute button. I have not checked the ebay link yet, but in my escort catalog the part is $40
I just checked, I would be looking to purchase this one:

https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)


Thanks for all your advice.

I am going to save the coiled cord for when i use the RD in my truck. The MS6 stays in the garage when I go snowboarding.....
Click to expand...
 
I got mine as well. However, I do not have the hardwire cord, but instead of the coiled smart cord provided with all Escort 8500's.

Today I will straighten the cord out and run the wire behind/under the center console/map pocket. I also am goign to simply cut off the lighter adapter and split the wires and wire it to the sigarette lighter behind the console. Nice, clean isntall.
 
You shouldn't do that. Like I said below. You will need to get an inline fuse because inside that plug that you are going to cut off there is a fuse.

PRacing said:
I got mine as well. However, I do not have the hardwire cord, but instead of the coiled smart cord provided with all Escort 8500's.

Today I will straighten the cord out and run the wire behind/under the center console/map pocket. I also am goign to simply cut off the lighter adapter and split the wires and wire it to the sigarette lighter behind the console. Nice, clean isntall.
Click to expand...
 
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