Radar detector current draw test
03-27-2016, 05:58 PM
#1
Radar detector current draw test
I have a 2 excellent radar detectors. An Escort Redline and a Max 2. I have been wanting to find out how much current draw these units pull, so as to help me decide on how I want to wire them. Going to the mirror location or to the fuse box.
I hooked both units up to my regulated power supply, and am sharing the results. The Redline was a tic lower on current draw all around, but they both ran near the 300 milliamp range on start up and running idle.
When running the volume up to maximum, with the speaker talking on both units, there is of course more current draw. They both peaked right at 500 milliamps, or 1/2 amp! The inline fuse is rated at 2 amps on most inline fused power cords.
When running both units via the smart cord with the small LED built in, they used a hair more current than just with the power tap cord alone. The pictures show the results.
As far as the overhead bus in the mirror tap location, and what current it may handle before a circuit drops or throws a code, I don't know. Needless to say, these are very low power consumption devices and you have to make up your own mind to what works best.
I know where I am getting power at this point. I would not think anything under 1/2 amp or less would create unwanted anomalies.
I hooked both units up to my regulated power supply, and am sharing the results. The Redline was a tic lower on current draw all around, but they both ran near the 300 milliamp range on start up and running idle.
When running the volume up to maximum, with the speaker talking on both units, there is of course more current draw. They both peaked right at 500 milliamps, or 1/2 amp! The inline fuse is rated at 2 amps on most inline fused power cords.
When running both units via the smart cord with the small LED built in, they used a hair more current than just with the power tap cord alone. The pictures show the results.
As far as the overhead bus in the mirror tap location, and what current it may handle before a circuit drops or throws a code, I don't know. Needless to say, these are very low power consumption devices and you have to make up your own mind to what works best.
I know where I am getting power at this point. I would not think anything under 1/2 amp or less would create unwanted anomalies.
03-27-2016, 07:07 PM
#3
Thanks Teambell. That I would love to know myself. I would love to have a variable resister wired into the circuit and turn it up to see what it would take to dump the circuit. But we need a test car lol I won't be that brave.
When I get into it, I will do some more investigating. Current draw on a circuit is pretty easy to figure out, if you know exactly what is on that circuit and can get everything cranked to full load to take the measurement.
When I get into it, I will do some more investigating. Current draw on a circuit is pretty easy to figure out, if you know exactly what is on that circuit and can get everything cranked to full load to take the measurement.
Last edited by stratocaster69; 03-27-2016 at 07:46 PM.
03-28-2016, 07:01 PM
#4
stratocaster
When you speak of mirror tap. Does the 991 actually have a mirror with a lead you tap into. Or do you have to open up a housing to get the power?
I have done the mirror lead tap on 3 of my vehicles. But on a new Mini Cooper I recently bought I had to go to the fuse box.
Just wondering as I have a new 991.2 due any day now and am considering my options.
When you speak of mirror tap. Does the 991 actually have a mirror with a lead you tap into. Or do you have to open up a housing to get the power?
I have done the mirror lead tap on 3 of my vehicles. But on a new Mini Cooper I recently bought I had to go to the fuse box.
Just wondering as I have a new 991.2 due any day now and am considering my options.
03-28-2016, 08:16 PM
#5
stratocaster
When you speak of mirror tap. Does the 991 actually have a mirror with a lead you tap into. Or do you have to open up a housing to get the power?
I have done the mirror lead tap on 3 of my vehicles. But on a new Mini Cooper I recently bought I had to go to the fuse box.
Just wondering as I have a new 991.2 due any day now and am considering my options.
When you speak of mirror tap. Does the 991 actually have a mirror with a lead you tap into. Or do you have to open up a housing to get the power?
I have done the mirror lead tap on 3 of my vehicles. But on a new Mini Cooper I recently bought I had to go to the fuse box.
Just wondering as I have a new 991.2 due any day now and am considering my options.
The wiring harness is behind all of that. I talked to my SA at Porsche and told him the detector pulled very little amps, and he said to be careful with all the other stuff in there. Proximity sensors, etc! He was saying if too much power was pulled that it may mess with the alarm or something else.
When I was talking mirror tap, I was talking of the main wire to tap into to get power is all. Basically a pull apart plug harness that has 12 volts up there.
After I broke the two little trim piece tabs off on one of the trim sides, I just ended up running it down the A pillar to the passenger side fuse box. The new trim parts were $16.00.
I have the wire all ran and to the fuse box and just need to finish the connections is all.
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I have a 2 excellent radar detectors. An Escort Redline and a Max 2. I have been wanting to find out how much current draw these units pull, so as to help me decide on how I want to wire them. Going to the mirror location or to the fuse box.
I hooked both units up to my regulated power supply, and am sharing the results. The Redline was a tic lower on current draw all around, but they both ran near the 300 milliamp range on start up and running idle.
When running the volume up to maximum, with the speaker talking on both units, there is of course more current draw. They both peaked right at 500 milliamps, or 1/2 amp! The inline fuse is rated at 2 amps on most inline fused power cords.
When running both units via the smart cord with the small LED built in, they used a hair more current than just with the power tap cord alone. The pictures show the results.
As far as the overhead bus in the mirror tap location, and what current it may handle before a circuit drops or throws a code, I don't know. Needless to say, these are very low power consumption devices and you have to make up your own mind to what works best.
I know where I am getting power at this point. I would not think anything under 1/2 amp or less would create unwanted anomalies.
I hooked both units up to my regulated power supply, and am sharing the results. The Redline was a tic lower on current draw all around, but they both ran near the 300 milliamp range on start up and running idle.
When running the volume up to maximum, with the speaker talking on both units, there is of course more current draw. They both peaked right at 500 milliamps, or 1/2 amp! The inline fuse is rated at 2 amps on most inline fused power cords.
When running both units via the smart cord with the small LED built in, they used a hair more current than just with the power tap cord alone. The pictures show the results.
As far as the overhead bus in the mirror tap location, and what current it may handle before a circuit drops or throws a code, I don't know. Needless to say, these are very low power consumption devices and you have to make up your own mind to what works best.
I know where I am getting power at this point. I would not think anything under 1/2 amp or less would create unwanted anomalies.
