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  DIY: RX-8 radar detector hardwire install, Whistler PRO-73
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| Jason |
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Site Admin
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 153
Location: North America
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Everyone eventually gets tired of the cigarette adapter power source for their radar detector. You then end up getting the Solo S2 wireless so you don't have to deal with wires. The problem with wireless units is that battery saving is high on the priority list, and the way to do that is by putting the detector to sleep for very short periods of time, repeatedly. Because of this, wireless detectors are typically not nearly as good as the powered counterparts. I ended up getting a speeding ticket, and was so fed up I sold the solo2 in order to pay off the ticket.
This time around I wanted a detector that was hardwired it into my RX-8. It didn't have to be top of the line, but it had to have decent range and functionality. After a day of random searching, I decided to get the Whistler PRO-73. MSRP is $199, buy.com had it for $130, and I paid via Google checkout, which gave me a $20 instant discount, and free shipping.
Features:
Quote: POP Mode detection
Intense blue text display
Easy-to-understand Real Voice alerts
High gain optical lens
Stay Alert
Total Band Protection
360 deg Total Perimeter Protection
Patented VG-2 Cloaking technology
Setting saver
3 city modes/quiet/auto quiet mode
Vehicle battery saver-selectable
Alert priority
Safety Warning System
Includes windshield bracket kit, straight power cord, dash pad & hardwire kit
Now for the install....
First off, you'll need to open the overhead sunglass compartment, and remove two screws. They're really tight, so it may take some effort.
Once the two screws are off, slowly pull the entire sunglass/moonroof control compartment out from the headliner. There are some clips around the edges.
Once it's out, unplug the homelink power source from the rear view mirror.
Push the power cable up and into the headliner, you'll see the other end of it in the spot where the sunglass compartment used to be.
Using a utility knife, carefully cut the power cable's plastic wrapper. Inside you'll find four wires. Three of the wires have dual colors. One is solid black - this is the the one you'll want to tap into. The solid black wire only gets power when the car is turned on.
Place a vampire clip around the black wire.
Clamp the clip down using plyers. In the bottom of the clip, you'll be able to connect the positive connector from the hardwire kit. I inserted it here to test that the vampire clip went into the black wire properly and was drawing power.
This is the mess of wires that comes with the Whistler PRO-73. As you can see, there's a lot of wire, and it's a mess. I'm not going to have enough space to use all that wire...
So I cut it down to size. Removing most of the excess wire. This leaves me with a power connector (which goes to the detector) and the pos/neg terminals.
I now route the power cable up into the headliner, and strip the end of the wire..
Using one of these things (I have no idea what the name is, but it's a small metal tube, with plastic on the outside, get it from radioshack), I insert the stripped power connector, and the stripped wire from the other positive cable, and using plyers, crush the metal tube inside, which clamps down and secures both wires together.
The negative terminal is "U" shaped. So I secured it to a ground, in this case, a screw that touches metal... I then zip tied the excess wire together and pushed it into the hollow area, out of the way.
Reconnect the overhead compartment, and plug the power cable back into the homelink mirror.
This is the finished product:
Due to it's location, you really have to look hard to spot it.
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| remy117 |
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Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Posts: 2
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im actually looking around for a good unit right now. can u give a review of this one?
Great DIY btw. will get looking over it as soon as i get one. |
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| Jason |
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Site Admin
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 153
Location: North America
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it's decent for an inexpensive detector. I would buy it again.
If I wanted better, I'd look at the X50 range or newer though. |
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| amit |
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Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Posts: 3
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I tried to do this today however my rx8 didnt have the thick black wire??
it is a UK RX8 2004
any ideas on how i can get my radar detector working?? |
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| amit |
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Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Posts: 3
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| and look at the pics i think i dont have the thick black wire as i dont have a sun roof?? |
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| Jason |
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Site Admin
Joined: 30 Oct 2006
Posts: 153
Location: North America
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| the wire is from the HomeLink mirror. So if you don't have homelink, you wouldn't have that wire to tap into. |
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| amit |
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Joined: 11 Dec 2007
Posts: 3
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| any ideas on were else i can get power from?? |
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| rotaryfiend |
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Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 9
Location: jacksonville fl
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| this is a fairly simple task iven if you are no mechanic. i hard wired my valentine one in the same manner. if you gao to any auto parts store or something like sears you can get a cheap 12 volt test light. for five to ten dollars. the once you take your upper tray out you can hook the clamp of the test light to ground and use the probe on the other end to check for power. when the light comes on good and bright you have enough power to power the detector. just make sure your detector uses a 12v supply and that there is no transformer as part of the cigarete adapter, the owners manual for your detector will tell you the power source. other than that you can cycle your key and see what the light on the tester does. ust make sure you have a wire that has no power with the key of and power with the car running as this will ensure your detector is off when your not in the car and on when your driving. if there is anything else i can help with please let me know i am a mechanic by trade and hve been doing coustom electrical work for quite some time. |
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| david8 |
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Joined: 17 Jul 2008
Posts: 29
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| Finally an answer to not having to go with a battery power radar detector, great DIY. |
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