I just finished hard wiring my V1. I thought it'd be easier than it actually was - well the lighter is close to the front - so I figured that I'd just tap that and be done. Well... I couldn't figure out how to disassemble the center area to get to the lighter cables and most threads recommended going to the rear fuse assembly.

So I did.

This install is wired from fuse 7 (previously unused) in the cargo area (C230 coupe). It runs through the wall cavity, past the rear passenger airbag, then down the B pillar into the floor cavity.

Within the floor cavity, MB put a really nice cable tray that then carries the cables up to the footwell/A-pillar foundation. The wires then enter into the instrument cluster just below the passenger compartment fuse box. Behind which, btw, is a cavity perfect for filling with aftermarket stuff!

Anyhow, the V1 itself is mounted in its optimal location - just to the right of the mirror, top of V1 front just under the tint. The wire from there runs through the headliner, down the A pillar on the driver's side and into - you guessed it the same cavity.

Finally, I ran an extra wire from where the driver's A pillar meets the windshield to the 'magic aftermarket cavity' for the remote.

Plugged it all in and voila, HUD (sort of) display, optimal location for the locator and everyone's happy. I'm including pix of the finished items below for inspiration. Sorry, I didn't have my camera to shoot along the way. It was quick and painless, and I'd be glad to explain any part to whomever is interested.

P

 

I like the little guy clinging to the rear view mirror.

Nice job!

- BT

 

that looks awesome! id like to do that, I have the same one on a scale of 1 to 10 for dificulty what would you rank it? how long did it take

 

Nice work. Ironically, I just hardwired my radar detector today too! And for the record I've never before been a DIY'er. I basically did the same thing you did, Peet, except:

a) I only have a Cobra- (who knows if it was worth the trouble to wire)

b) I have it on the left side of the mirror because I couldn't get a view of the detector on the right.

c) What was the cable tray? I just pushed my wire under the door sills.

fernrod- a 3, whole thing took me about an hour. The hardest part was getting the negative wire to stay on a bolt for grounding.

 

Fenrod..

it took me about 1.5 hours - I REALLY took my time. For example, after pulling 18gauge wire from back to front - and hooking it to a fuse holder with crimp connectors, I put shrink tubing over the crimps.

I took some standard spade plugs and machined them with a dremel to fit into the fuse slot with no wiggle. Then crimped it to the wire and covered the exposed part with heat shrink tubing.

So all in all pretty darned easy. The trick for me was that I have a high-grade (fiberglass) wiring snake. I used to do 'low voltage' installs (home theater, alarm etc...) anyhow, this allowed me to pull wire without taking all the panels off. If you don't have one, I dunno how long it would take to get the wire from trunk area to B pillar. On a scale of 1-10 (even taking into account all the over-engineering) I'd give it a 3. Go slow, be careful, use a panel popper tool (not a screwdriver and it'll go like a breeze.

Who_dog...

a) well. at least the wire's pulled for when you move on. I had a cobra too.. then a bel... finally 3 tickets later I learned. I can't say enough about the V1!

b) it goes on the left because of the heads up thingy... when that is hooked up, the main unit is black. So from the rear you don't see anything! But it sees back (it has a rear facing antenna and laser detector - so it wants a view backwards)

c) if you pull out the rubber door trim, then pop off the plastic sill cover (not the MB logo one, but the gray plastic one). Then peel carpet back a smidge, you'll see a black 'folder' with locking thingies. You can pop it open at the locking thingies and inside you'll see tons of wires. This runs front to back from the rear seats to the front firewall.

Finally, ground was a piece of cake. There is a central ground post located roughly half way between driver side rear light cluster and the trunk fuse panel. You can't miss it - it has like 5 brown wires attached. All I did was crimp on a =O type end (don't know name). I then unscrewed the bolt and added my ground to the mess already there. Wish I had brown cable then you'd never know I was in there!

P

 

I would have if I could have but I bought one of those Littlefuse Add-a-Circuit devices for the electronically challenged. I actually took a lot of shortcuts compared to Peet (ie add-a-circuit, wire tucking). looks good although not as professional, but maybe some day... If I had done it that way I'd still be outside

 

one of the most insane applications of the V1 that I have seen is the "inV1si-mirror" where they install a remote-display V1 INSIDE the rear-view mirror and then hide the unit inside the 3rd brake-light housing...

it can be done... http://www.apexcone.com/Radar/RadarLove.html

 

That's sick! Love it. But what about auto-dimming mirrors like with the C2 package?

I will figure out how to get to the cigarette lighter to tap it. I got close today, but settled for running the cables for the V1 and accessory through a hole where the coin holder is after you pop it out, then plug it into the lighter plug.

I attached the V1 to the passenger visor via the visor clip - the suction cup doesn't always stick reliably enough. I tucked the cable in under the headliner, down the A-pillar, and above the panel above the footwell and pedals into the center console, where I picked it up from behind and under the ashtray assembly (be careful when removing it, which you must do in order to get the wires through).

The accessory display fits snugly in the instrument cluster between the 120 mph and the Empty markers of the speedo and fuel gauge, respectively; the 120 and tip of the needle on empty are still visible, and it gives me optimum viewing distance. The cable is but invisible as it disappears immediately between the bottom of the instrument cluster housing and the dash panel, only to reappear next to the main V1 cable behind the ashtray.

I do like that HUD effect, though - it places it in your immediate field of vision, allowing you to keep your eyes on the money.

It looks like in order to get to the bottom of the lighter socket, you need to remove the cupholder, which is tricky. Didn't want to break anything but I'll try again. You can't just pop out the socket as the cable assembly is thicker than the hole.

If I get around to snapping a pic of the instrument cluster with the V1-Mini-Me, I shall post it here. Stay tuned.
Some of you may be able to admire the setup at the NE GTG in Edison, NJ this coming Saturday.

I ought to look into hardwiring my iPaq next. Frankly, it iSucks. After seeing Buttmunch's factory Nav - the Comand - my life will never be the same. Boohoo...$2000-plus smackers?!

 

Yo peet, can you supply instructions on how to add circuits into the driver-side fusebox? Thanks in advance.

 

Call valentine, they'll swap it out. I bought my V1 about 3 years ago. It's been on the same windshield (my old M3) that whole time. I took it off whenever I got service loaners. Never once did it fall off.

The visor clip left nasty squeeze marks on the vinyl.

P

P.S. Be careful with that crazy cupholder. It looks like replacement would cost $174.95 plus installation

 

Preyx:

there are 3 fuse boxes in the coupe (I dunno what you have so I'll assume coupe from here on out.)

The front 2 boxes (according to others research) have no ignition switchable (that is off when key is off) power sources. The only - and I mean ONLY one that exists and is actually available is #7 under the first aid kit in the trunk area.

To tap it.. simple - get one of the extender kits (see above post from someone else) or buy an inline fuse holder and attach a spade plug (crimp on type). Machine the spade plug with dremel or if not hack it with wire cutters - so that it is narrow enough to slide into fuse holder on fuse panel.

Essentially what you are doing is plugging in 1 pin of the fuse - so to speak. Since you are fusing inline on your wire, that's all that is needed there. Make sure you fuse close to your panel (THIS APPLIES TO ALL). If you short the wire up the chain then it will cause a fire. The V1 fuse will only protect the V1 - it will not prevent the fire that can happen if the short pops between the panel and the fuse.

Does this help? If you need more. lemme know!

P

 

Man, you can say crazy cupholder again, peet! Talk about German Overengineering. Not to mention the lighter socket.
But I got everything out, hardwired the V1 using the little kit supplied by Valentine, and popped everything back in place.

Only reason I bothered popping everything is I wanted to get to the blank terminals to find out which wire is the hot one. There are 3 going to the lighter: Brown=ground, Black/Yellow=Hot, and a thin blue-gray wire that apparently feeds the light.

You can access the hot wire without disassembling everything - they run past the gear shift. Use the little blue wire tap; it clamps down onto the hot wire, then you plug in the toungue connector at the end of the red wire of the kit. The black (ground) wire can be tucked under one of the screws securing the shifter assembly. Then just plug in the RJ11 heads of your V1 wire and your accessory into their respective sockets in the head of the hardwire kit, tuck everything in and put the cover and shift boot back on. Wow, this is cool! Forget about running cables to the trunk...

Got a point about the visor clip, peet. I got replacement suction cups that came with the V1, and I may give that a try. Then again, I may not...

 

I hardwired my Passport 8500 a few months ago and wired it to the fuse box under the hood. I couldn't tell you which fuse it was now, but I know that it was ignition switchable, and I think that there were several of them available. I know that the fuse box on the side of the dash has nothing available, of course it couldn't be that easy. I don't see why anyone else's cars would be different than mine, but check for a fuse under the hood and then you can run a wire through the firewall and up around the dash. Hope this helps.

 

Columbus. Glad to hear you go tin there... can you post some step by steps to opening that area up? I want to pull a firewire cable and a audio in cable for my ipod (power and audio in) to the arm rest.

Thanks.

Matt/Columbus:

On the fuse thing, like I said, I couldn't get the tranny tunnel covers off to get to the fuse - no patience. But Matt, the point to going into the trunk, is that I am using an existing OPEN fuse position. Not attaching onto other items. This way you get a free out of jail card if electronic bugs start messing with you. You know... "well sorry sir, your computer is not covered because you hardwired the radar detector to the ABS sensor fuse." or some such.

P

 

I never really thought about that. And it's probably very likely that there will be a problem at some point or another with every piece of electronics in the car. There are a lot of open fuse locations on the side of the dash, so it really sucks that they aren't switched.

Although I think that I put it on a fuse that didn't seem too important. If I can remember, I made sure not to put it on ABS, or Airbag or anything like that. That way at least the car can still be safe if it messes up that fuse.

 

Columbus,

Is the cig lighter on a switched circuit? That's a great alternative from feeding a wire from the trunk!

rebel3

 

Yep Cig is switched. That's why it was my first choice too.

P

 

Running a lead to the trunk is EASY (way easier than fishing a wire to the cancer match), and as others have said, does not require any splitting into existing circuits, and leaves the cig lighter power point for other applications. Yes, I realize you can run other plugs if the detector is wired below, but I would be concerned about overloading the circuit with too many items plugged in. I use the cig lighter for my hands-free wireless kit, so don't want the radar detector there, too.

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ght=hardwiring

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ght=hardwiring

 

okay - you asked for it:
1. pull up shift boot; slide open cupholder cover
2. open ashtray cover, grab front edge of center console cover and gently pry it loose working your way backwards
3. you may want to remove the ashtray/storage bin - here's how:
lightly pull back the tabs left and right at the bottom (remove ashtray insert if it's still in place)
4. open cupholder, then carefully remove rubber pad from bottom of compartment (start along one edge, gently prying upward until you can grab and extract it)
5. you should be able to remove the cupholder by gently twisting the assembly clockwise as viewed directly from above (the rear edge is beveled and rests against the rear right corner of the compartment, partly concealed by the sliding cover
6. now you can dislodge the two tabs left and right on the front edge of the lighter socket/coin slot panel, and flip the panel back into the cupholder compartment; you'll note that it is part of a three-piece lining of the compartment - front, bottom, and back - secured at the bottom by two tabs
7. with the lighter panel tucked in and out of the way, slide the cover forward and out of its tracks
8. gently pry loose the bottom of the cupholder compartment lining and remove
You can now comfortably access the contact pins at the bottom of the lighter socket, and perform whatever surgery you had in mind.
9. to reassemble, proceed in reverse order.
Sorry I didn't take any pics along the way...now that would have been cool, wouldn't it :-)
Be gentle, be tender, don't break anything you don't intend to break and you should be good to go.
Particular attention should be paid to the brittle little exposed copper contact of the lighter socket bulb assembly where it joins the socket!
Enjoy.

 

back from the dead.

Does anyone know how big (or small) of a fuse I need for the #7 location in the trunk? TIA

 

You don't use a fuse there. You put a fuse inline in the wire going from that location to your device. You fuse the device with the correct fuse for the device itself - so it's not a catchall.

Peet

 

thanks peet, so how big of a fuse do I need for a V1? My hardwire power block has some small little fuse built in, is that good enough?

 

Honestly I don't know - mine's buried

Here's how you can tell, crack open your cigarette lighter adapter and look at the value on the fuse inside there... the tip unscrews to replace the fuse.

Peet

 

hey, I was searching and found this thread. I'm going to install mine tomorrow (hopefully), can someone please re-post the pics? I need some guidance. thanks!

 

Can you take pictures of your install as you make progress? Thanks!