After much searching I found this post by Nanook which I pretty followed.
https://mbworld.org/forums/new-m-cla...tall-here.html
I couldn't get the upper console to release with a credit card so I used my trusty spatula.
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The console released and I could not find a ignition switched "hot" so I just used the red hot and brown ground on the first black plug to tap into.
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The middle white plug supplies power to the garage door openers and I thought that would be an ideal place to find a switched on hot but it didn't work out.
I just pulled the front cover off and the middle part of the console as well to thread the cable into the overhead console. It was a pain to snap it all back in place but with some cursing and fiddling it worked out splendidly.
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There is plenty of space between the windshield and the wire so it is easily adjustable, it moves freely. Thanks to Nanook!

UPDATE: OK, Good news and FYI
Of course I finally left my V1 on all night and thought the car would be dead in the morning because I had not found a ignition switched on power source that turned off when I turned the truck off. I had just come back from the shore last night and forgot to turn the V1 off when I parked it in the garage. My keys were in the house last night and I had left the drivers window down. When I got to the car this morning the little red power light on the V1 was dead and I reached in through the window and checked to see if I had left it on. I did. I turned it off then on again and no power. I fully expected to find the car dead when I opened the drivers door but it was all good. The lights came on and when I turned the V1 on, it powered up w/o the ignition being on. It powers on when I just open the door. I left it on and went to make breakfast and sure enough when I came out to leave the V1 had again powered down. My hunt for a ignition switched
on power supply to the V1 is over! No worries of a dead battery if I just leave it on.

 

Great guide!

 

so you tap the RED and BROWN wires from the overhead? I read from another thread where it will leave your headlights on by doing so, any issues?

I've been searching for the something and someone even suggested tap into the glovebox light, if the RED and BROWN on the first plug works, it's much simpler

 

Yes, I tapped the red (hot) and brown ( ground) larger wires going into the passenger side overhead harness. As I said in my post with all the pics, NO PROBLEMS.

 

I did the same thing and have had no problems

 

Question out of curiosity. If hard wired as such, is there a way to use the secondary detached light display - so the main unit is blacked out and thus less obvious?

 

Can you please elaborate on how you removed the middle part of the console so that you could thread the wire through? Thank you.

 

Sure, I just tugged at it and it came off. Use your common sense and be a bit careful, no need for excessive force, I was surprised at how easy it was.

 

Nice job Todd..I believe the power you/we sourced is actually timed sorta like pathway lighting and turns off after a short while..10-15 mins...if you're determined you could watch/time your V1 to see it go off

 

Installation success! Thank you!

 

Update, my vehicle power to the radar unit (V1 also) does not appear to be powering off even after the car is locked for an hour. To confirm, you tapped the red wire immediately adjacent to the brown ground wire?

 

I am presently timing my car, locked in the garage to see how long it takes for the V1 to power off. I was primarily concerned that the V1 would stay on indefinitely and drain the battery dead if I forgot to turn it off. It doesn't, but it does seem to take a while to power down. I am checking every half hour and at 1 1/2 hours still on. I know it goes off, and I will post how long it takes.

 

OK
AT 2 1/2 hours the V1 is powered down.

 

I don't think it's time related as much as battery voltage state which shuts down output to all but required monitors,,therefore the time the detector or other accessories (I also have a dash cam) stay on will likely vary but never kill the ability to start.

 

My escort 9500ix does not power off even after 3 hours.
I have a feeling it's going to kill my battery, I think I might need a trip to cartoys to have it wired to the fuse box instead

 

I really doubt it will kill it..I'd wait and see ...and switched power from the fuse panel is another baffling thing..maybe they can find a source there but I couldn't so I connected to the rear seat power outlet by hardwire tapping into it's circuit under the console..my STiR+ and ALP laser jammer reside on the upper side of the parcel shelf in the glove box and getting power from the console to there was relatively easy...the console is removed very easy...2 torx fasteners behind the rubber mat fore and two fasteners under the mat inside the console...tap into the rear outlet power wire with a tap and get ground from fuse panel passenger side "A" pillar screw..

 

Thank you for your replies. I will keep an eye on this thread. I can't imagine there isn't a switched 12v among the many wires up there. If I get a chance I may go pick up a voltmeter and start poking around.

 

Good luck! I tried every wire, especially the wires for the garage door opener in the rear view mirror as they don't work when the ignition is off, but I couldn't find one! If you find one please let us know.

 

i have direct wire and inviscord but none of them will work due to no switched power. I talked to a shop and they said i'm better off run it to my fusebox

 

Success. Spatula is the trick. Thanks

 

Switched power can be accessed if you run a tap to the glove box light. Fuse box is an option, but this was easier and closer, and there is no timer like with the overhead console - radar detector simply turns on an off with ignition.

 

I tried that, my 9500ix displayed low voltage and turned off. Maybe MB uses less than 12v for the glove box lights? This was on 12 w212

 

Hmmm, not sure if the voltage is different from the x166's, don't think that would be logical - but it definitely works ok on mine with an Escort Passport Max, no low voltage warning.

Of note, I did change out the glovebox lightbulb to a LED, not sure if that allows less of a draw than the standard incandescent? I'm not that electrically inclined, so maybe this doesn't make sense; I'm sure someone smarter can correct me if I'm wrong.

 

thanks for the tip! will do that to install my 3rd valentine 1 detector.

 

Thanks for this write-up. Worked great. Picked up a mirror tap off ebay (MT-2020) and it works fine. Kind of a b**ch to feed the wire through the headliner, but I finally got it done. I didn't bother taking off the lower plastic portion of the mirror housing. I just fed it over the headliner.