Need help on installing a radar detector to my fuse box

[jazz4890]

I have a 91 s13 and I have a cobra radar detector I have been using my cigarette lighter for the radar detector but the piece for the end of the cable that plugs into the cigarette lighter hole broke I was wondering if I could just run the wires to my fuse box and how I would go about doing that.

[future240owner]

Be careful some of those adapters have resistors and stuff inside them. If you wire it straight to 12v thats a good way to fry your radar detector. Most companies sell a hardwire kit.

[SirSilvia]

you can use on of these, goes between the 12V source and the device.

[Broadfield]

Look at the cigarette lighter end of the radar detector. There should be a sticker on the side of it. It will label what voltage the unit operates under. If it is 12v then you can chop off the end of it and directly wire it to the fuse box and ground. If you do this you will need to figure out which wire is positive and which is negative. The wire with the white strip isn't always the positive lead. So you would want to do a continuity test between the cut lead and the actual cigarette lighter end.

[jazz4890]

i want to wire it to my fuse box i just dont know where i am supposed to put the positive wire? is there a picture you can show me on how to connect the positive wire to the fuse box.

[Broadfield]

What I'm saying is that if the radar detector runs off something besides 12volts, then you will smoke it if you wire it into your fuse box. So you need to figure that out first!!!!! What does the sticker say on the side of the cigarette lighter end?

[jazz4890]

Yeah its 12v so it will be good if I wire it to the fuse box. I just don't know how to wire it to the fuse box.

[Broadfield]

If you want to tap into the fuse box, then strip some of the insulation back on the wire..... about 1". Then slightly twist the strands, then flatten it out. Take the blade of the fuse and lay it onto the flattened out wire. You will fold the flattened out wire around the end of the blade. So you are basically forming a flat hook out of the wire, then sliding the fuse down into the hook. You want the wire as tight and flat against both sides of the blade. You want to make sure the copper strands only touch the one blade of the fuse. Then you can insert the fuse back into the fuse box. You will simply ground the negative wire to metal or a OEM ground bolt/lug.

[White Comet]

you can use on of these, goes between the 12V source and the device.

or you can use 2 female spades, and a fuse. just make sure you insulate each spade adequately with electrical tape

[nikl240]

If the device is 12 volts ( it should be being a Cobra but check anyways) then you can wire it to the ignition wire for the radio and ground it to the chassis. That way it will shut off with the car.

[jazz4890]

alright thanks for all of your help i really appreciate it