Discussion
Fed up with the amount of revenue spinners being put up, I have finally invested in a Road Angel. Being a lanky git I cannot plug anything into the cigarette lighter as it sticks out too much and my knee cant get past it to depress the clutch. Its plugged in there at the moment simply to check i am happy with the RA.
I have booked the car in for Friday at the auto electricians. They will be fitting a new stereo and, whilst they have access to the electrics, wiring in a permanent live feed wire for the radar detector. The detector needs to be mounted on top of the dash to get best reception (plus the laser detector attachment sticks to the windscreen so the wire needs to run straight to that). Now the detector will be removed whilst parked to avoid some sh*tbag nicking it. In addition, I need the permanent feed wire to be removed when the car is sold as the road angel shall be coming with me. I am planning on locating the unit just to the right above the heater controls
So if i stick the detector on the dash (velcroed down), what is between the top of the dash and the wiring at the rear of the stereo? Please dont tell me its a dash out job cos the auto electricians wont be able to cope with that.
Looking at it from the outside, there is the heater controls and the various instruments centrally positionned that the wire would have to get passed. is this possible if a hole is drilled at the top of the dash and the wire fed down that it would actually reach the rear of the stereo/fan (etc) switch? I have never looked behind the dash to be able to tell. Also, has anyone got any ideas to avoid drilling a hole in the dash for the wire? (ie, feed it through one of the heater vents?)
edited to add photo.
>>> Edited by shnozz on Tuesday 20th May 16:11
I have booked the car in for Friday at the auto electricians. They will be fitting a new stereo and, whilst they have access to the electrics, wiring in a permanent live feed wire for the radar detector. The detector needs to be mounted on top of the dash to get best reception (plus the laser detector attachment sticks to the windscreen so the wire needs to run straight to that). Now the detector will be removed whilst parked to avoid some sh*tbag nicking it. In addition, I need the permanent feed wire to be removed when the car is sold as the road angel shall be coming with me. I am planning on locating the unit just to the right above the heater controls
So if i stick the detector on the dash (velcroed down), what is between the top of the dash and the wiring at the rear of the stereo? Please dont tell me its a dash out job cos the auto electricians wont be able to cope with that.
Looking at it from the outside, there is the heater controls and the various instruments centrally positionned that the wire would have to get passed. is this possible if a hole is drilled at the top of the dash and the wire fed down that it would actually reach the rear of the stereo/fan (etc) switch? I have never looked behind the dash to be able to tell. Also, has anyone got any ideas to avoid drilling a hole in the dash for the wire? (ie, feed it through one of the heater vents?)
edited to add photo.
>>> Edited by shnozz on Tuesday 20th May 16:11
I think that the heater matrix is above the stereo, so careful with the drill
It may be easier and less damaging to run the wire from the back of the lighter socket, over the steering column, around the end of the dash at the door pillar and tuck it down into the bit between where the screen and the dash meet and back along to the RA.
Andy
It may be easier and less damaging to run the wire from the back of the lighter socket, over the steering column, around the end of the dash at the door pillar and tuck it down into the bit between where the screen and the dash meet and back along to the RA.
Andy
Having had most of the dash out over the last few days to try to sort out a wiper motor, (didn't know it was the motor until I tried everything else..), I reckon your best bet would be to run the wire forward, down through one of the heater vents then out of the pipe and into the wiring behind the steering column. You will be able to pick up live feed there fairly easily. If you do it like that, it will be less obvious to you when you drive the car than if you run it backwards and down the front of the dash..
Other thing to think about is where to put the unit itself. Don't know the system myself, but presume it warns you with both a beep and flashing lights.. TVRs not being the quietest of cars the lights are your main cue so you need to be able to pick them up easily when driving; how about the hump on the dash behind the steering wheel? Need to check line of sight and so on, but you are more likely to pick up the lights with peripheral vision when they are closer to where you are attending, (i.e. straight ahead) than to the side.
Other thing to think about is where to put the unit itself. Don't know the system myself, but presume it warns you with both a beep and flashing lights.. TVRs not being the quietest of cars the lights are your main cue so you need to be able to pick them up easily when driving; how about the hump on the dash behind the steering wheel? Need to check line of sight and so on, but you are more likely to pick up the lights with peripheral vision when they are closer to where you are attending, (i.e. straight ahead) than to the side.
Psychobert said: Having had most of the dash out over the last few days to try to sort out a wiper motor, (didn't know it was the motor until I tried everything else..), I reckon your best bet would be to run the wire forward, down through one of the heater vents then out of the pipe and into the wiring behind the steering column. You will be able to pick up live feed there fairly easily. If you do it like that, it will be less obvious to you when you drive the car than if you run it backwards and down the front of the dash..
Other thing to think about is where to put the unit itself. Don't know the system myself, but presume it warns you with both a beep and flashing lights.. TVRs not being the quietest of cars the lights are your main cue so you need to be able to pick them up easily when driving; how about the hump on the dash behind the steering wheel? Need to check line of sight and so on, but you are more likely to pick up the lights with peripheral vision when they are closer to where you are attending, (i.e. straight ahead) than to the side.
cheers mate - most helpful. so if i go through one of the heater vents where will the wire come out?? (ie where do those vents lead? I assumed they must lead directly to the inlet pipes from under the bonnet?? How would I manage to lead them to the back of the steering column somewhere? if that is the case i can then run it straight through the back of the centre cover and into the area at the rear of the stereo.
also, would the wiring be ok led down the heater vent with regards to temparature?
I agree vis a vis the location of the unit, although straight in front of the wheel may not be ideal as it would mean my vision being obscured ever so slightly. Although being a tall bloke I may be able to get away with it as it would only really effect me when undertaking tight parking maneouvres when i would have to sit up a little more. Of course, it would also mean any future girlfriends would be unable to drive the TVR
I could re-wire it in the case of jenny though...... 
alans said: you bought one then, I should get commission!
Alan
give park gate halfords a call mate!
i was depressed on my way home from your place. i thought my car got a few looks....not quite the same as a bright purple cerbera that pops and bangs its way down the road
was out on a road test for the angel when i saw you towards wickham and then passed you in sarisbury green! Bloody laser detector attachment constantly going so ended up unplugged!
I fitted a Geodesy. Stuck the unit in the centre of the dash and ran the wire to the base of the windscreen, then right along the top (rear) of the dash. If you really wedge the cable down with a blunt thin piece of metal, it isn't visible. I managed to route it under a seam, down the side of the dash (right hand side of driver), under the dash (over the top of the steering column then behind the panelling where the cigarete lighter rests.
To get ignition selected electrical hook-up it was simply a case of tapping into the cigarette lighter feeds.
Whole job took about 20 minutes and was semi-permanent in so much as it was fixed, but easily removable. Aside from the device itself, the only visible part was the wire from the unit to the base of the dash / screen interface.
This was on a sweeping dash I'll add. Don't have first hand knowledge of the later versions.
To get ignition selected electrical hook-up it was simply a case of tapping into the cigarette lighter feeds.
Whole job took about 20 minutes and was semi-permanent in so much as it was fixed, but easily removable. Aside from the device itself, the only visible part was the wire from the unit to the base of the dash / screen interface.
This was on a sweeping dash I'll add. Don't have first hand knowledge of the later versions.
shnozz said:
cheers mate - most helpful. so if i go through one of the heater vents where will the wire come out?? (ie where do those vents lead? I assumed they must lead directly to the inlet pipes from under the bonnet?? How would I manage to lead them to the back of the steering column somewhere? if that is the case i can then run it straight through the back of the centre cover and into the area at the rear of the stereo.
also, would the wiring be ok led down the heater vent with regards to temparature?
I agree vis a vis the location of the unit, although straight in front of the wheel may not be ideal as it would mean my vision being obscured ever so slightly. Although being a tall bloke I may be able to get away with it as it would only really effect me when undertaking tight parking maneouvres when i would have to sit up a little more. Of course, it would also mean any future girlfriends would be unable to drive the TVR
I will refrain from comment..
Think you'll be ok re heat, but the wire needs to go into one of the hot air pipes, (i.e. down the vent) and asap out of the pipe - make a little hole in it and thence into the dash area. Ok, you will loose some heat from the vent through the hole, but not a lot and it will merely help to keep the electrics under the dash moisture free..
Stupidly busy ATM, (hence sat with laptop at this time of night and not here much..) Will take a better look under my dash when I've seen sense and resigned my job and have the time to put it all back together again.. Give you a call then..
shnozz said: cheers Pete - how did you find the geodesy by the way?
When it worked it was spot on, but I often had real grief getting sat lock.....could drive for miles without anything happening. All down to aerial positioning apparently.....
Re: the cigarette lighter, forgot to mention this will still work in parallel with the 'locator' device.
RichardR said:Shnozz,
Can't help with your question, but I think you should get your handbrake checked out - it appears to be radioactive!
Richard
cheers Rich - the krypton handbrake from Leven.
car in at the auto-electricians today for hard wiring the road angel in and fitting the new stereo
all done. the best option was to fit a second cigarette lighter socket on the right hand side of the footwell about 10 inches along from the door hinges. well out of the way of my feet and the wire can be fed from said socket around the side of the dash and along the front with no problems
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