redterminator

Hey guys,

I've noticed numerous posts on how to hard wire radar detectors but most of them apply to Valentine 1 or Escort. Is there a wiring kit for the Bel (mine is an 870) radar detectors? I'm not sure what the wire connectors to the detector itself look like for other brands but its seems like Bel might be different. I guess I could always buy the straight cord that they sell and cut off the end but I'm not if that will work or not.

redterminator

Bump. Has anyone tried to do this? Or do all TL drivers have money flowing out of their pockets and just drop $400 for V1?

TeknoKing

Well, to answer your question, you must have a fuse of some sort in the positive line of the wiring; this way you are not blowing or short circuiting anything if you did the wiring wrong. Also, the Belkin might require lower voltage than 12V, so it must have some resistor of some sort, since it comes with cig. lighter plug in, see the specifications of the plug-in to see exactly the voltage required....and are you sure that Belkin doenst make a hard-wiring kit?

V1 is a great tool, i love it, and it works. (and 400 bux seems a lot, but its worth it)

redterminator

Hey technoking, this is a little off topic but how did you write the little description under your name in Russian? That's pretty dope.

Back to the original topic though, I'm pretty sure Bel doesn't make a kit, at least I couldn't find one on the internet. If you know of a place that sells one, that would be big help.

Brewmaster

Bel doesn't have a hardwire kit available .. I also suspect that the cig plug has a voltage step down which is why I haven't hardwired mine yet. Prob is the leads on my voltmeter aren't small enough to get a reading at either end of the wire and I'm not too keen on slicing into it just to get a reading.

TeknoKing

well, if you click on User CP, click on edit profile, scroll down to Custom User Title, and add there whatever you want...i spelled it out using the English alphabet.

try contacting Bel, ask them what voltage the radar detector is using, then you can go about hard-wiring it. Without that info I cant guide you on the hardwire, cauz i dont want you to burn up your radar det.

good luck, peace.

Bud427

You can use an ordinary straight pin pushed through the insulation to facilitate using your multi-meter to check voltage

redterminator

Looking at my owner's manual for the Bel, here's what it says:

Power jac: using coiled or straight power cord, BEL 870 or bEL 860 operates in any vehicle with a 12 volt DC negative ground system (10.5 volt to 16 volt range).

So I'm assuming that this means there cigarette lighter does not adjust the voltage and the radar detector can handle the 12 volts. I just want to run this by you guys to make sure. I also went to radio shack and they have an insert for the wire that allows you to put an inline fuse into the wire. It looks like the original fuse from the BEL wire can be used. So if my interpretaion of the owner's manual is right, the hardwire can actually be done.

PTN

i had my BEL hardwired by a friend of mine who does car stereo. he used the original straight cord and added a 5AMP inline fuse between the detector and +12 volt wire under the dash near the hood release. no problems. i did this same setup in my 2K Maxima as well.

trade4jka

5amps? that sounds high, I would have thought 1 amp. the radar detector 's not a big current draw.

there must be a good way to tie into an existing circuit that is already fused. I am not a fan of bringing the hardwire done the pillar where the air bag is. Has anyone tried just cutting into the overhead dome lights. Looks like there is access from where the rearview mirror goes to the ceiling... and if you've done the blue led mod on the domes... you know you can get into that compartment?

I would like to make the rj11 cord myself for the beltronics 965 that I have... and just tie in somewhere near rear view mirror

Thanks