Electrical Experts Help!

[sfa500]

I want to hardwire my Escort 8500 X50 using a phone cord. I am going to plug one end into detector and splice other end into the cigarette lighter. I have purchased quick connects to do this. Now all I need is to figure out which colors provide power on my phone cord. I am confused about this part. I tried plugging cord into wall and using a multimeter. I touched the red prong on the phone cord and grounded the black and didnt get a reading. Please help me figure this out I am not very good at electrical work.

[bandit]

Why dont you just get the SmartCord and plug it into the fuse box and ground the cord?

Even a google search will show you how to do so. It cant get any easier than a video from Radar Roy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=twC5pCQYC90

[sfa500]

I want to use the phone cord. Help with multimeter please.

[njerald]

You can use the multimeter to check your power outlet, one probe on the center, one probe on the side. If the needle goes negative reverse the leads. That will show you whether you have power there.

Critical thing on the radar detector is what contact on the detector is the supply voltage and which is the ground. You can trace that if you have the original plug.

I hardwired my detector to the switched power in my overhead console and it attaches to the windshield just below the rear view mirror.

[sfa500]

Originally Posted by njerald

You can use the multimeter to check your power outlet, one probe on the center, one probe on the side. If the needle goes negative reverse the leads. That will show you whether you have power there.

Critical thing on the radar detector is what contact on the detector is the supply voltage and which is the ground. You can trace that if you have the original plug.

I hardwired my detector to the switched power in my overhead console and it attaches to the windshield just below the rear view mirror.

What outlet are you talking about? I have the phone cord plugged into the phone jack. I am really confused about this process.

[njerald]

Originally Posted by sfa500

How do I go about tracing the supply voltage and ground using the multimeter? I know I have power at that outlet.I am just really confused at what I need to do at this point.

With your key off and the multimeter on resistance, try each wire to a ground point. The wire that has no resistance (the meter goes to the top) is the ground.

[sfa500]

Originally Posted by njerald

With your key off and the multimeter on resistance, try each wire to a ground point. The wire that has no resistance (the meter goes to the top) is the ground.

If I understand correctly this is what I need to do.
1) Plug in smart chord in cig lighter to find which wire is ground and power
2) Plug in phone chord to detector using the same wire as my power and ground and splice into cig lighter
Is that correct? How do I test which wire is giving me power?

[njerald]

Originally Posted by sfa500

If I understand correctly this is what I need to do.
1) Plug in smart chord in cig lighter to find which wire is ground and power
2) Plug in phone chord to detector using the same wire as my power and ground and splice into cig lighter
Is that correct? How do I test which wire is giving me power?

With the key on and the meter on DC volts, connect the meter between the each other wire and ground. If you get a voltage reading, that is the wire.

I feel like I'm trying to give my wife directions......

[sfa500]

Originally Posted by njerald

With the key on and the meter on DC volts, connect the meter between the each other wire and ground. If you get a voltage reading, that is the wire.

I feel like I'm trying to give my wife directions......

I really appreciate your help but I am terrible with electrical work. Do I need to touch the ground to a bolt? Or touch the two prongs together? Thanks man

[njerald]

Originally Posted by sfa500

I really appreciate your help but I am terrible with electrical work. Do I need to touch the ground to a bolt? Or touch the two prongs together? Thanks man

If you have the ground wire identified that's fine.

Now to find the power:

One probe on each possible power wire (if more than one) and the other probe to a grounded bolt (Not a bolt that holds plastic together).