500club

After painstakingly testing numerous wires, I found one in the overhead console that is hot with the ignition on. Rather than go through the lighter and then having to run the wire under the dash and then all the way up the side, I wanted to be close to the windshield and not have to run the wire very far. First, I started by removing the large clear dome light cover (it snaps easily with a thin screwdriver). 2 white tabs will be revealed...these are pulled forward to release the overhead console unit down:



Then look for a thin grey with with a blue stripe...it is on the far left side toward the back...there are 2 other wires near it, one brown and the other red/pink. This grey/blue wire is the one to place the tap to:



I then connected the ground wire to one of the screws holding in the sunroof motor (there are other areas to use for the ground). Take the excess wire and bundle it up and tuck along the edges:



Pull the other end of the cord through the header in front of the rearview mirror...I chose to mount on the left side. It actually helps to push the RJ cord from the window side first and then pull it back through the console opening:




Here is the final product:



Sorry, the pictures are a little dark cause I finished this at night.
Hope this helps.

Eich

Nice writeup. Thanks.

Too bad radar detectors are illegal in Virginia where I live - something I find to be very irritating and probably unconstitutional

kaiju

Very nice details there 500club but how did you managed to post pictures?

cliffybabe

Thanks for a great post

dbessa

Wow... thanks...

I have tried going to a lot of places to try and hard -wire my v-1, but nobody wants to do it.

Now I can use my v-1 the way I wanted...

e_one09

That is a nice and clean install.

MBZ4LIFE

Aren't they illegal in CA too?

E55AMG99

Nope.

MBZ4LIFE

...perfectly legal you say....

anyone know where I can get a good deal on the V1?

E55AMG99

Nope. They are available only from the manufacturer.

MBZ4LIFE

Great thread 500Club.

I appreciate the step by step instructions.

My V1 should arrive next week.

GDawgC220

You can also try ebay...i usually see them on there too.

-G-

E55AMG99

New?

GDawgC220

Some are new and some are used (but more recent versions).

-G-

E55AMG99

Interesting. You can always have them factory upgraded, right? I maean, doesn't Valentine offer lifetime code updates?

GDawgC220

I believe if you want to upgrade, depending on the age, I think there's a fee to pay. Probably not much to upgrade the software.

-G-

MBZ4LIFE

Okay...now that we all drive with our radar detectors on our windshield, can someone tell me what you do in the event a cop pulls you over? Do you reach up and take the detector down or do you just leave it there?

What happens when he spots the radar detector on your windshield? I'm guessing he can't do anything about it, but just wondering if he would make your life miserable just to spite you having a radar detector. Anyone have any experiences when the cop catches you with the detector?

Brunelleschi

Doesn't valentine have some kind of trade up program where you can trade up you old model when they come out with a new one? I have heard that they do, but don't know for sure.

E55AMG99

I leave it where it is. Since it is so high on the windscreen, they usually don't see it while standing outside the car. I guess it would be a sad state of affairs if I was caught on radar with the V1 on guard!

Valentine will upgrade their detectors when new technology is available.

MBZ4LIFE

Okay, I figured out how to connect and mount my V1.

However, whenever I open or close my sun roof, the V1 goes beserk. Anyone experience this problem?

AMG BRED

doesn't stop me from using one.

MBZ4LIFE

I presume you do the "oh &*#@ grab-rip-n-hide" method when a cop pulls you over?

AMG BRED

never been pulled over in 2 years. :p


*touches wood*

GDawgC220

bringing up an old thread but oldies are goodies, hehe.

any chance the wiring/wires are pretty similar to the w220? i'm going to try and hardwire a 8500 up there and rather than running down to the cig adapter, i'd like to try and do it in the overhead console.

thanks