Varad scanner install

[jimdiane]

I'm installing a LED scanner "fake alarm" on my dash. The wiring is quite simple, Black:ground, Red:power, Orange:Ignition(somewhere in the fuse box)
Does anyone know where this is located in the fuse box?
thanx
jim

[2005RS]

in my echo, the cigarette lighter is tied to the ignition/accessory circuit. if your car is the same, it would be easy to find and tap into that

[jimdiane]

what year is your echo?

[2005RS]

'05 hatch

[jimdiane]

so the ignition and the cig lighter are the same fuse?
jim

[2005RS]

Originally Posted by jimdiane

so the ignition and the cig lighter are the same fuse?
jim

not exactly. if you pulled your cig lighter fuse, you wouldn't kill the ignition circuit. However, the cig lighter circuit is activated with the key turning. of course you can verify this by plugging something into the lighter socket and seeing if it's powered with or without the key

[jimdiane]

thanx for the info. The lighter only works with the ignition on.
I'm a little confused with the directions:
" BLACK WIRE : GROUND
RED WIRE: BATTERY POSITIVE(constant)
ORANGE: IGNITION-Ground when engine is "off" (see fuse box)"

I do not understand what the orange wire is doing

[2005RS]

so let's review.
red goes to battery positive (on at all times)
black goes to ground

orange; positive when the ignition is on (like the cigarette lighter) but ground when the key is off. okay, so you need to locate your positive cig lighter wire, and check with a multitester to see if it goes to ground when the key is shut off.

you may already know this but you do this by turning the key off, setting the multitester to continuity or resistance. touch one lead to the wire in question and the other to ground. you should get continuity or zero resistance.

it sounds like the ignition wire not only gets shut off, it gets tied to ground when the key is shut off

[jimdiane]

thank you

jim