Radar detector
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OK, so it appears you have 3 wires to deal with. One is likely a fused and switched +12v ignition wire and another is ground. The third one is a bit of a mystery. It might be continuous +12v for Homelink so you can open/close the garage door without running the car. Note that even if you don't have Homelink, they may provide power for it in the wiring harness because the harness is used for multiple trims.
My suggestion is to use a digital voltmeter (DVM) put on the DC auto-ranging setting or the lowest DC range above 14v that will properly indicate the +12v (which will actually read a tad over 13v in practice). I'd clip the black lead of the DVM to the car frame or any metal screw head that taps into the body sheet metal (e.g. on the firewall). Avoid clipping to painted surfaces and avoid screws that have anything to do with the various airbags!
Now, with the ignition off, take the red lead and probe the three wired pin sockets on the hanging connector in the picture. If you find one that has +12v, then that is continuous power and you can eliminate it for your purposes of powering the radar detector. The other two pin sockets should have negligible voltage.
Now switch the car ignition on (it's not necessary to actually run the engine but at least have it in the ignition 'ON' setting). You should expect to find one of the two remaining pin sockets on the connector to have +12v. That will be the +12v ignition wire you will use for the positive (+) power wire to your radar detector power plug. The remaining connector pin socket should have little or no voltage reading as it will be the ground wire (-) for the negative side of your radar detector power plug.
Now you know what wires on that hanging connector to tap into for powering your radar detector. I recommend carefully skinning the insulation for these wires without cutting them. Do NOT skin them both at the same distance from the connector. That way the exposed conductors can't touch and short when they're taped. You solder the radar detector power cord's pigtails to the appropriate exposed conductors and tape the spliced areas with electrical tape.
My suggestion is to use a digital voltmeter (DVM) put on the DC auto-ranging setting or the lowest DC range above 14v that will properly indicate the +12v (which will actually read a tad over 13v in practice). I'd clip the black lead of the DVM to the car frame or any metal screw head that taps into the body sheet metal (e.g. on the firewall). Avoid clipping to painted surfaces and avoid screws that have anything to do with the various airbags!
Now, with the ignition off, take the red lead and probe the three wired pin sockets on the hanging connector in the picture. If you find one that has +12v, then that is continuous power and you can eliminate it for your purposes of powering the radar detector. The other two pin sockets should have negligible voltage.
Now switch the car ignition on (it's not necessary to actually run the engine but at least have it in the ignition 'ON' setting). You should expect to find one of the two remaining pin sockets on the connector to have +12v. That will be the +12v ignition wire you will use for the positive (+) power wire to your radar detector power plug. The remaining connector pin socket should have little or no voltage reading as it will be the ground wire (-) for the negative side of your radar detector power plug.
Now you know what wires on that hanging connector to tap into for powering your radar detector. I recommend carefully skinning the insulation for these wires without cutting them. Do NOT skin them both at the same distance from the connector. That way the exposed conductors can't touch and short when they're taped. You solder the radar detector power cord's pigtails to the appropriate exposed conductors and tape the spliced areas with electrical tape.
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Don't splice the wires. Get a mirror power tap adapter for your radar. This is my cadenza also with a mirror mount. You follow the steps above to ensure which wires to tap but the adapter has needle like ends that you push into the back of the mirror plug. Power adapter and mount were available on Amazon.
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5 Posts
So did you find out which is power and ground? Also what size Mirror Tap end?
I'm happy to have found this thread but it seems to have died off 6 months ago.
I've got the same connection at the rear-view mirror and the "SimpleUSBCable 12V to MiniUSB Two-Prong Universal Dashcam Adapter" by Dongar Technologies, off Amazon.
I haven't had the time to start working on it yet but it looks pretty tight. I'll have to search for ways to squeeze in the probe pins without causing damage.
Working with a Canadian 2021 K5 GT, trying to clean up the installation wires of a Garmin 57 Dash Cam. Any tips from anyone who has done this already?
I've got the same connection at the rear-view mirror and the "SimpleUSBCable 12V to MiniUSB Two-Prong Universal Dashcam Adapter" by Dongar Technologies, off Amazon.
Amazon.com: SimpleUSBCable 12V to MiniUSB Two-Prong Universal Dashcam Adapter : Automotive
Amazon.com: SimpleUSBCable 12V to MiniUSB Two-Prong Universal Dashcam Adapter : Automotive
www.amazon.com
Working with a Canadian 2021 K5 GT, trying to clean up the installation wires of a Garmin 57 Dash Cam. Any tips from anyone who has done this already?
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