After perusing this forum regarding how to neatly mount my radar detector, I came<br>up with a solution which has some novel aspects which I haven't seen here.<p>In the process, I found the niftiest circuit piggyback device going... ...I think it's<br>a fairly new product.<p>I use a Bel detector which is quite small and discrete. I don't really like the detector<br>on the visor. It doesn't work much better up there, and it's kind of obtrusive.<p>In my Honda Civic Si, I was able to tuck the detector on the dash the the driver's<br>LEFT. I did the same thing in the A4. But I had to use a little block of high-density<br>black foam to make a 'booster seat'. Otherwise, the detector is slightly obscured<br>by the black windshield coating around the edges, which can't be good. I just<br>put velcro on each side of a block of 1/4" foam. Matching pieces on the dash and<br>detector. Between the velcro and the foam, it's now 'just right.' I've found the <br>detector to work very well in that position.<p>The other advantage of this arrangement in New Jersey and many other states is<br>that the inspection sticker is often right there. If you time it right around inspection<br>time, you can make sure the sticker is strategically placed so that it offers both<br>camouflage and shade for the detector, while still leaving the antennae with a clear<br>view of the road ahead. Nice.<p>Now, for the wiring I went into the local NAPA store looking for 'pigtail' fuses. What<br>I found was even better. They now sell a Littlefuse product which is a block with a<br>pigtail sticking out of it which takes two fuses: one for the old circuit, one for the new<br>one.That way you don't have your detctor fused by a 30 AMP fuse! The fuses sit<br>at a right angle to their previous position, and the little block is just small enough so<br>that the fuse cover on the A4 keeps it from vibrating out! <p>Also, there seems to be a blocking diode such that if you put it in so that the pigtail<br>is on the 'hot' side (thus bypassing the fuse), the circuit won't operate. Thus you're<br>bound to get it right. I like this arrangement a lot better than the little metal ears Radio<br>Shack sells to jamb into a fuse holder. It's too easy to get the wrong side, you have <br>to solder to them, they are tough to install, and they stretch out the fuse sockets <br>so that you may end up with an intermittent circuit.<p>When picking the circuit to tap, you need to be a bit judicious in finding one that is<p>a) controlled by the ignition switch and ONLY the ignition switch<br>b) not in such a position that the block either won't quite seat properly or <br>interferes with the fuse-puller or sunroof emergency crank, if any<br>c) not part of some safety or some vital circuit (i.e., DON'T use the 'engine timing'<br>circuit or the ABS circuit. The externder block is not as robust as the simple fuse,<br>and I wouldn't bet my life on it. So make sure a failure is an inconvenience, not<br>the cause of an accident.<p>I picked the climate-control blower fuse. Forget the radio fuse... ...it's always hot<br>and once you pull it you have to re-enable the anti-theft system on the radio using<br>the code.<p>I use a straight wire (chopped up the one that came with the detector) and found that<br>it easily slipped between the A-pillar and the dash. Tie any excess back with cable <br>ties, use a spade connector on the top fuse-box bolt to get a ground, and fix things <br>up so they don't vibrate and make noise or fatigue and break. Some small cable-ties<br>come in handy.<p>Follow these suggestions, of course, at your own risk. :-)<p>My only question is 'how come such a lovely and expensive car has such a cheap-***<br>and flimsy fusebox cover?' Most cars these days come with a nice, hinged door. <p>Cheers,<p>Greg

 

someone goes to a lot of trouble to remote locate and hide a V1.

 

Is it possible for you to post some pictures?

 

nt<br>

 

there is an article there about concealing a V1 radar detector. <p>TonyG<br>fort lee NJ

 

It sounds like you have a nice camouflage for your detector, but aren't you sacrificing detection capability by neglecting to visor mount your unit? The favorite spot for cops to hide where I live is just over the crest of a hill, with instant-on radar guns. The first part of your car that is visible when cresting a hill is the roof, and the visor is the highest available interior mounting point. It seems to me that mounting a detector anywhere but the visor would sacrifrice detection in hill situations. (it mentions this in my BEL manual too) Some thing to think about anyway.<br>Cheers,<br>Mark