[Black widow]

so i have a Beltronics Magnum, i do not know much about wiring. So i some help from you guys!!! So i watched this video, and this owner uses the on/off switch from the headlamp/reading lamp as an on/off switch for the Radar detector.

1. Is it possible that i can use the switch as an on/off?
2. If yes, where should i hard wire too. I know theres a ground, and its easy, but i don't know where the other one should go.

[Fundguy1]

Sure, but why would you want to? There's an ignition on wire there that turns on power when cars on, turns it off when cars off. Radar has a switch too. Basically the dude in the video did this probably because he didn't know any better.

[Black widow]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

Sure, but why would you want to? There's an ignition on wire there that turns on power when cars on, turns it off when cars off. Radar has a switch too. Basically the dude in the video did this probably because he didn't know any better.

right the rd has a on/off switch. I hardwired my dash cam to the fusebox, i dont know where else i can hardwire it too. any suggestions?

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by **********

right the rd has a on/off switch. I hardwired my dash cam to the fusebox, i dont know where else i can hardwire it too. any suggestions?

There is wires in the pod with the rear view mirror. Ignition on + and ground. I just hooked into those. Turns on with the car. I don't remember which is which. I did it 7 yrs ago. Just use a multimeter or test light. I wired cars, audio, alarms etc, professionally for years and can count the number of times I wired to a fuse box with one hand.

[Black widow]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

There is wires in the pod with the rear view mirror. Ignition on + and ground. I just hooked into those. Turns on with the car. I don't remember which is which. I did it 7 yrs ago. Just use a multimeter or test light. I wired cars, audio, alarms etc, professionally for years and can count the number of times I wired to a fuse box with one hand.

So is like like this DIY?

[Fundguy1]

Yes. I prefer crimps over the wire clips he used but same deal.

[Black widow]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

I wired cars, audio, alarms etc, professionally for years and can count the number of times I wired to a fuse box with one hand.

So since I hardwired my dash cam to the fuse box, is it still possible I can hard wire the RD to the fuse box too? Like is there another ground?

[Fundguy1]

Originally Posted by **********

So since I hardwired my dash cam to the fuse box, is it still possible I can hard wire the RD to the fuse box too? Like is there another ground?

The entire body is a ground. Anything metal. There are also grounded wired in locations without metal. Ex. Rear view mirror. As for hardworking to the fuse box I'm not a fan. Cameras, radar, alarms, etc use so little power you can just splice into a + constant or ignition almost anywhere so why run wires all over the car? Grounds you get locally wherever you are from a stock ground wire or a metal body panel. So no reason to go to the fuse box. Only time I ever did was on a car where fuse box was less than a foot from something like an alarm box I was wiring under the dash. Then that was the easiest. But even then the connections were subpar and it looked sloppy because if you opened the fuse box you could see it. Fuse box I'd just a place where the same wires all over the car get fused protection in the event of a short. There's nothing magical about it. Taping into the fuse is identical to taping into a wire on the other side of the car. Get a test light. Put one side on bare metal. The other side on the metal of the wire in question. Most have a sharp tip so you can poke through the plastic cover without stripping the wire. If the key is off and it lights up its a constant +. If it's doesn't light with key off but does when the key is on its an ignition + this is what you want for your radar. Then attach the end to a constant + and test another wire with key in all positions. If it stays lit always it's a ground wire. Simple.

[JustDriveIt]

I used this and tapped into the rearview mirror power. It took 2 minutes.

[Fundguy1]

I like the built in resistors. Where'd you pick it up?

[OneMoreAlex]

Originally Posted by JustDriveIt

I used this and tapped into the rearview mirror power. It took 2 minutes.

+1 I did the same, simple and easy.

[OneMoreAlex]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

I like the built in resistors. Where'd you pick it up?

it's called MirrorTap, check amazon.

[Fundguy1]

Thx. Looks clean.