irondad

I'm hard-wiring my radar detector and want switched power, but I am changing my cigarette lighter, the usual source for switched power, to always on (via the engine bay fuse option) so I need another source for switched power.

The fuse box on the left of the dash are not switched so that's not an option.

Any input into any sources of switched power under the dash or in the console other than the cigarette lighter?

Efivehundred

How about the OCP?

http://www.****************/products-...ware-retrofit/

Mike_W

Here's another option - Leave the line to the cigarette lighter switched, disconnect it from the lighter and use that for the radar detector. Connect the lighter (through an inline fuse) to an unswitched source in the fuse box on the left of the dash. The lighter uses quite a bit of current - so I would not recommend this approach if you are actually using the lighter, only if you are using the lighter socket to power other electronics.
Mike

irondad

Cool product... unfortunately I have the Escort with the smart cord or whatever it's called so the power is down in the ash tray where I have the remote thingy installed.

irondad

Interesting approach... I guess 12v is 12v?
My lighter has an adapter with two USB ports, just used to power electronics.

Mike_W

Assuming that you'll switch to USB 3.0 someday - that is still only around 1 amp per port. Should be no issue.
Mike

irondad

Yeah... I picked the one that was 1 amp per port since that was was the chargers for my phone put out. There was a one-port one that stated "2.1 amps" and, not knowing much about electronics, figured that might not be what my HTC Android phone would like.

apl175

Running directly UNDER the center cup holder assembly (you have to lift the entire piece out) is the wiring harness for the REAR cigarette lighter that remains switched, even if you have made the modification to the front one.

irondad

That's EXACTLY what I'm looking for! What do I have to remove to find it?