That's a great write up but I have a more basic question. How do you keep it sticking on the windshield? mine keeps on falling off, whether in the crossfire or the XC90. I've tried keeping it away from the defogger vents but nothing seems to work..

 

All the fuses in the panel inside the drivers door are always live and will work fine.
If you are looking for a connection which is live only when the key is on follow my instruction in post #18.

 

Best Hardwire Install yet...

It goes along with the V1

 

I have the passport in both the crossfire and my 06 s500. In the crossfire I had an extra fuse box put in. It made the install a lot easier. I have hardwire kits in both cars. Best money I ever spent. I am actually in the process of looking at Escorts bumper mounted set up.

 

Ah, thanks. That means I can at least hardwire it "temporarily" and just manually turn it off and on until I have more time for a real hardwire.
Thanks.

 

i love that valentine mirror install. my only problem with it is you still have to have the valentine visible. im used to the k40 where noone knows where it is. i like that. but i do like the features of the valentine. it looks like im doing another k40 install in my car

 

The best place to wire something like this is he cigarette lighter. The reason for this is that the fuse for it goes to this and the instrument cluster lights. If the fuse blows, it will not take out anything vital to the car. It is also powered only when the key is on accessory or ignition or start. Also, since these "accessory" items are inteded to be powered by the cigarette lighter, it only makes senst to tap these wires. Yes, it is more time consuming to get to the wires, but they can be traced to under the dash, but I don't know which color wires they are. I added my radar when I was installing my radio, so it was easy that way.

 

Actually, I went and checked it out myself today.

Fuse #4 is not live all the time, and it is active as soon as the key is turned. Most of the other fuses are not usually live, as they are linked to lighting systems and are only active when the lights are on.

I tested out a temporary setup today (there are 3 grounded bolts behind the weatherstripping, and everything worked fine. My plan is to get a fuse tap around fuse #4 and connect to that. MY only concern is that it will all fit. I will keep you updated.

 

anyone found out anything about that mirror install? thats BY FAR the best install

 

A note about the mirror install:

Having the display inside the mirror is "cool" but considering that the sensor of the V1 is still on the stinking V1 itself, what is the point of moving the display to some other location? One still has to have the V1 up on the windshield in order to actually catch the signals.

That said, I also just bought the Valentine One straight from Valentine's web site. I will be doing a permanent install also.

My wiring is a little bit different. When retrofitting my power seats, I did the following:

1. Got the "power on accessory" from the glovebox light (very easy in my opinion.)
2. Ran the power from the glovebox to an automotive relay.
3. Ran full chassis power to the automotive relay.
4. Ran the output of the automotive relay to a 6-fuse fuseblock.
5. Covered all wires with seamless nylon "rattlesnake pattern" wire looms (no crappy plastic split looms).
6. Mounted the fuseblock in a potted ABS box to the passenger footwell plate.

Now the power seats go to a 30 amp fuse on in the passenger footwell and the V1 will go to a 5 amp fuse. Both activate when the key is turned onto the ignition, and I still have 4 fuses that can be used for future upgrades.

The real question is whether or not there is a "stealth install" for the sensor portion of the V1.

 

Also, does anyone have any experience with mounting the actual V1 unit behind the grill (so that it can catch lasers in front as well as radar signals (i don't think the vehicle will attenuate much of the radar from behind) and having a remote display in the cabin?

 

Does anyone here have an Escort Passport 9500i? I bought the hard wire kit from Escort, and unfortunately, the wire connector that they issue with the kit is only for 14 to 18 gauge wires. The ones that go up the A-pillar look like they are somewhere around 22 or 24 gauge wire and are too small for the connector. (can someone confirm the actual gauge of these wires?)

Has anyone had any alternative locations to hard wire a 9500i successfully using the supplies from the kit?

By the way, the FAQ is awesome! I was scared at first to try the hard wiring myself, but it's actually easy (despite the incorrect connector size I have) thanks to the FAQ. Great job.

 

Looks like I never updated. Sorry 'bout that.

Everything worked fine. I did not use the blue "crimp" connector that came with the hardwire cable. I also cut the male plug off of the end of the wire and replaced it with a female.

I used a fuse tap to connect fuse #4, and had no problem grounding to one of the bolts behind the weather stripping.

Easy as pie, requires no cutting of any of the Crossfire's wiring, and it turns on and off with the ignition. I've run like this for over 3 months without issue.

XLR8BYU, this should work just fine for you.

 

Awesome. I like that there's no cutting of any wires. I'm going to go with your way. I'd much rather be cutting or manipulating the 9500i's hardwire kit rather than messing with the Crossfire's wiring.

Thanks

 

I've had the V1 for about six years, and it pays for itself month after month, best money I've EVER spent.

Where did you get that V1 mirror install, that's slick ?????

 

I want to do this. Fuse #4 is 15amp. My fuse tap says 10amp max, and every fuse tap I have seen is 10amp. Do I need to look more, or can I use the 10amp? If I do, do I put the 15amp in, or replace it with a 10?

 

Got the answer from radarjammer forum. I should work. 10amp rating if for the new fuse.

 

I just picked up an 05 base and fuse #4 works fine for this. In this particular model there are no wires in the A pillar. There is plenty of room though. Just pop off the pillar, drop a wire through the hole to the fuse panel, plug the wire into the fuse tap, Use the bolts behind the weather stripping to ground to. It takes like 5 minutes lol.