I'm interested in buying a Valentine1 and mounting it above the rear view mirror and hard wiring it to an electrical source to eliminate dangling wires.

If anyone has done this, please share how it is done.

I believe Escorts are also able to be hard wired. You don't necessarily have to have a V1 to share insight.

Thanks

 

I've done it on my Z. Pretty simple, take apart the light, cut the power cord to the radar detector to the proper length (Not too short!!) and solder into the light. Make a little slot or hole where the cord can go out. Reassemble light.
One neat thing about this is the detector is more or less hidden behind the strip of dark tint at the top of the windshield.

 

Did you use an inline fuse? Will the radar have power when the light is switched off?

 

just wire it to your ignition wires with a fuse. best place to do it.

 

On my Z it is hot all the time. I have to remember to turn it off. You just have to be careful how you wire it. I don't have an inline fuse, I should.

 

Ive wired everything using the wires from the back of the cig lighter. Ground one end and power to the cig ligher outlet.

everything powers on when the car is started.

 

you could always run wires up the a pillar and into the headliner molding and out at the mirror.

 

I wired my Valentine One down behind the A pillar, into the fuse box. Just remember to turn it off. I left it on accidentally once for 3 days without driving the car and came back to a dead battery. (^^^)

 

That is how I have mine. Works well

 

The map light and dome light have power when the car is off. Tapping into the cigarette lighter circuit is probably best. I would recommend that you add an in-line fuse for the radar unit, the closer to the radar unit the better. I have a personal dislike with adding wires on the back of the fuse panel.

 

Mine turns on when the car was on.
1 minute to mount V1
1 min to pull off a-pillar. Be careful, don't bend the pillar. If your car is old, the springs holding the pillar are probably janky, just be careful when u pull.
2 min to remove driver side knee panel
2 min to remove center radio/AC console
5 min to run the telephone wire from the V1 to headliner, down A-pillar, under steering column, to behind the radio. Be sure to tuck the wire between the headliner and windshield. Also zip-tie down the A-pillar wires every 6-8 inches. Conceal wires that run under the dash.
Use supplied wiring to tap into Cig lighter

You could do this in 30-45min, but if you're asking this question, better give yourself 2-4 hrs to be safe and double-check everything. I think it took me 1hr cuz I kept messing w/the zip ties down the A-pillar and concealing under the dash. At least no rattles, worth my time.



There are way better ways to do this install... simpler, more stealth methods. I did this way cuz to me, it was simple.

Dr J