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My second "mod" - radar detector hardwire (FAIL) ('02 996 C2)

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Old 03-07-2013, 12:28 AM
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RDUBiker
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Default My second "mod" - radar detector hardwire (FAIL) ('02 996 C2)

So I got aggressive and went for another quick (or so I thought) job on the "new" car tonight.

Grabbed the DVM and went to town under the upper light/sunroof switch panel. Checked and found which wires were power and ground, connected everything up, and not only did the sunroof begin acting wonky, the radar made a clicking noise as if it didn't quite have enough juice to power on.

I tried to be fancy and soldered the ground wire to the sunroof switch and, although it checks out fine as far as ground and power go, I think the ground is my issue and I will try again next time using the supplied ground lug and try to get it screwed into one of the two panel mount screws. When I tested the ground like that, it worked fine, and the only change was soldering it into the ground lead of the sunroof switch.

The main reason I didn't just use the ground lug to begin with is that it would have been pretty much impossible to keep the lug in place over the screw hole, put the panel back on top, then screw it all together.

My next plan is to slightly pry up the retainer/fastener where the screw is secured to the roof itself, feed the hardwire power lug behind it (which will keep it aligned) and then screw everything back together. It's getting late so I will attempt this another time and report back and take some photos if all goes well.

Old 03-07-2013, 12:41 AM
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PaulieB
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Someone already mentioned this...but I can't find the post. It was a few days ago - I think there is a voltage shortage on your power choice. The post mentioned a brown and white wire to splice into. Sorry. Not much help
Old 03-07-2013, 12:46 AM
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RDUBiker
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I might search a bit. I still think a better ground would do the trick but I could be wrong. The radar uses around 200-300mA IIRC, as I had to go through this when I hardwired it to my motorcycle as well.

Most circuits can easily take a few hundred mA extra without overloading but maybe Porsche is using all the available power for the sunroof switch and there's none available for the radar. I really do not want to run a power wire across the windscreen and down the pillar if I can help it.
Old 03-07-2013, 01:48 AM
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pfbz
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I tee'd into the black/orange (switched power) and brown (ground) in the dome light wiring harness to feed my hardwired V1.... works perfectly.

I tried tapping into the sunroof switch first and had some funkyness as well.

(2004 C2 coupe)
Old 03-07-2013, 02:26 AM
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white out
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I usually just tap into power from a fuse. It makes life much more simple.

http://lambodiy.blogspot.com/p/hardwire-radar.html
Old 03-07-2013, 09:35 AM
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frisbee91
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I just ran a wire down the passenger a-pillar. If you use a thin wire, it tucks completely under the plastic trim. Then, I ran it behind the "glove box" area, and connected to the accessory/cell phone plug behind the center console. There is already switched, fused power there. Only took about 30 minutes total. Maybe less.

Here's info on the switched and unswitched power connector behind the center console:

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/568925-switched-power-in-center-console.html


Old 03-07-2013, 09:37 AM
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I know about the fuse and a-pillar options but those are not really what I was hoping to achieve. I have no reason to run power so far from the unit when everything is contained within the roof.

Thanks, pfbz, I'll check for that wire in the dome light harness and use it instead. Perhaps it doesn't mind donating a few milliamps to the cause.
Old 03-20-2013, 09:15 PM
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tdurden032
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great info - thanks guys
Old 03-20-2013, 09:33 PM
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Misplacedyankee
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Originally Posted by white out
I usually just tap into power from a fuse. It makes life much more simple.

http://lambodiy.blogspot.com/p/hardwire-radar.html
Same here. I just rand a wire tap on a switched fuse and took the a pillar off and ran it across. Came out perfect for my V1 and done in 20 minutes max.
Old 03-21-2013, 11:05 PM
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Hurdigurdiman
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Originally Posted by frisbee91
I just ran a wire down the passenger a-pillar. If you use a thin wire, it tucks completely under the plastic trim. Then, I ran it behind the "glove box" area, and connected to the accessory/cell phone plug behind the center console. There is already switched, fused power there. Only took about 30 minutes total. Maybe less.

Here's info on the switched and unswitched power connector behind the center console:

https://rennlist.com/forums/996-forum/568925-switched-power-in-center-console.html


You are able to get to this 4 wired plug without unscrewing anything via a pull away carpetted triangular side panel by your right calf when seated in the driving position(LHD). It is hanging down on it's own behind that panel.
I discovered mine when I was removing an old hard wired Radar detector. Thanks to you guys I hard wired my newer Cobra Radar detector into the ignition switch part about 6 months back using the green and the brown wire of that connector.. Saves all this plugging and unplugging into the cig lighter. The reason I hard wired it is, I did some spirited driving and on arriving home discovered that I had not plugged the Cobra into the lighter. That can't happen again as it comes on with the ignition switch.. Unfortunately you can see the lead as it comes out from behind the carpeted panel and up to the stick on part of the radar on the dash (not the window as its against the law to use the window in PA) but that's no biggy for me. It works every time and that is the main thing for me.
Old 03-21-2013, 11:14 PM
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UPDATE:

I used the same 4-wire connector in the center console area because none of the wiring up in the upper light and sunroof switch area would switch on and off properly with the ignition as I thought it would. The only wire that worked was on that connector. Since I was installing rain sensing wipers at the same time, I simply pulled the a-pillar completely off and ran the wire down there instead.



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