Having Trouble with Radar Detector

[Hayabusa]

I tried one of those sleeves in my cigarette lighter for my Valentine One and it was still too small.

I also tried the little plastic sleeve on my cell phone plug-in and it too was too small and didn't connect.

Aside from hard wiring the lot of them is there any other alternative that anyone has tried and had success with???

[copper]

Fold a post it note into a thick small strip (or other similar object) and wedge it alongside, opposite the metal connection spring, forcing contact.

[ZOA NOM]

I had the same problem with my lighter plug, and found that the wire coming into the back had wiggled loose. After some serious blind reaching from inside the trunk, I managed to reinstall it correctly, and the contact now protrudes further into the socket, creating a better connection. Use a non-conductive stick of some kind to check by moving it to see if it wiggles.

[ZOA NOM]

Now back to instant-on -

The vast majority of traps around here are not instant-on. It's a real PITA to pull that trigger all damn day. There aren't many hand-held units in use that I've seen. The vehicles are outfitted with the radar, and the officer just sits and waits, while the radiation isn't anywhere close to his testicles. This is true even on the BMW bikes the CHP are using.

Also, there really isn't a direct link to the instant-on radar gun's ability to reduce the radiation levels around the groin if you lay it in your lap all day. There is still a significant amount of radiation from the local oscillator inside the gun, which never stops unless the gun is powered off. I've worked with radar for over 20 years, and it's had no affect on my testicle.

[Hayabusa]

Originally posted by ZOANAS
I had the same problem with my lighter plug, and found that the wire coming into the back had wiggled loose. After some serious blind reaching from inside the trunk, I managed to reinstall it correctly, and the contact now protrudes further into the socket, creating a better connection. Use a non-conductive stick of some kind to check by moving it to see if it wiggles.

Thanks for the tip, Zoanas. I will give that a shot. Not only does it seem to be loose but the stem contacting to back also seems to not connecting.

Copper Post-a-notes!

[86 911]

I just solved the problem tonight. I went ahead and took out the cigarette lighter, cleaned the inside contact real well, and inspected the wires leading to the lighter plug. I found out that the ground wire was hooked into another switch, thus not giving the lighter much of a ground. I went ahead and cut a completely different wire, wired it to the lighter with an alligator clip, and wired the other end to the inside firewall, and now the detector (as well as any other device) works excellent when plugged in.

[scottb]

Originally posted by 86 911
wired it to the lighter with an alligator clip

You might want to consider something a bit more permanent.

[86 911]

Sorry, not what I meant. I just noticed what you thought of by me saying alligator clip. I really don't know what to call it, but it is the thing where you slide the wire through the little tunnel, crimp the tunnel so that the wire is tight, and slide the metal end onto the contact on the cigarette lighter. I forgot what this is called, but I don't think it's ever coming off!

[scottb]

Not sure what it's called either, but it splices into your existing wire and then clamps into place. MUCH better than an alligator clip. Good job!!

[86 911]

Originally posted by scottb
Not sure what it's called either, but it splices into your existing wire and then clamps into place. MUCH better than an alligator clip. Good job!!

Yeah, that's it! You'd have to be pretty strong to get one of those things off of the wire.

[ZOA NOM]

They are called "bayonnette" connectors.