▀▄ eas | DIY: Valentine One Radar Detector Hardwire

[Woodengun]

what does the hardwire kit piece (with main/acc plugs) do besides convert 2 wires to be compatible with RJ11 plug?

Just wondering if I can't get something like this and put the the spade connectors on it.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00R...ZBWHKC0HXXZGD4

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Woodengun

what does the hardwire kit piece (with main/acc plugs) do besides convert 2 wires to be compatible with RJ11 plug?

Just wondering if I can't get something like this and put the the spade connectors on it.

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00R...ZBWHKC0HXXZGD4

This would work, it would be a good idea to fuse the +12V line as an added precaution.

[tom @ eas]

Bumping to top for the new MY16s coming out!

[PDACPA]

I just installed the Mirror Tap in my 2014 435i vert and my son's 2012 135i coupe. No need for that extra part from Valentine (Hardwire kit that has the module for accessory and main unit plugs) if you just want it hardwired with the rj11 plug coming out of the headliner.

Works perfect and turns on and off with the car. Just slip the two ends into the ground and the switched power. My Valentine turns on and off with the car and nothing to hide up in the wiring.

[Cooltones]

Thanks for the DIY instructions, OP!
Followed your instructions carefully and got the V1 to work the first time. The only challenge I have now is that I'm getting a "Front camera not working" and "Collision Avoidance malfunction" error.

The front camera DOES work as I can still see it working when I press the camera icon button.

Not sure what triggered this though.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Cooltones

Thanks for the DIY instructions, OP!
Followed your instructions carefully and got the V1 to work the first time. The only challenge I have now is that I'm getting a "Front camera not working" and "Collision Avoidance malfunction" error.

The front camera DOES work as I can still see it working when I press the camera icon button.

Not sure what triggered this though.

Unplug the power connector to the detector and see if the message goes away, you may have accidentally tapped into the wrong wire.

[Cooltones]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Unplug the power connector to the detector and see if the message goes away, you may have accidentally tapped into the wrong wire.

Thanks for the tip, Tom. You had such good instructions that I tapped the Green+Brown for the +12V and the Black+Brown for ground. When I Turned on the ignition the V1 powered up. When I turned off the ignition the V1 turned off which is cool as it indicates having tapped a 12V source that only comes on when the ignition is turned on.

What I did do was turn off my V1 (thinking it's like "unplug the power connector" and interestingly enough the error did not show up.
Step 2 is for me to turn the V1 back on and see if the error replicates (which I suspect it will). I'll try this out tomorrow morning...

Thanks again for replying, Tom. I figured I'd go ahead and document my experience here just in case someone has the same experience.

Cheers,
-Tony

[Cooltones]

OK Guys,
I hope no one else runs into the problem that I encountered; however, if you do here's how to fix it:
Situation: Followed Tom's awesome DIY instructions to get my V1 hardwired and having that nice, professional install look.
Problem: Followed the instructions (Green+Brown=12V; Black+Brown=Ground) and the V1 turns on when ignition is switched on, and V1 turns off when ignition is switched off.
However, I then get a couple of faults appear on the check control: Collision system fault, Front Camera inoperative.

Troubleshooting steps:
1) I turned off my V1 and started up the car. The faults go away. Nice, but now I don't have the V1 operational...
2) Even though I was certain that I had connected the correct wires per Tom, I decided to crack open the mirror cover again and look....
3) Wait?!?!? There are TWO DIFFERENT WIRES WITH THE SAME color combo?!?!? TWO Black+Brown wires!!!! Just as an FYI - My M4 has all options except the CCB's. Could it be that due to all these options there are TWO Black+Brown wires?!?!?
4) I disconnected the V1 ground from the Black+Brown wire I was using, and added another wire tap to the OTHER Black+Brown wire and used that one as the Ground Source...
TAH DAH!!!! All is well now. Got my V1 turned on whenever the ignition is switched on. The faults are GONE...

Well, there you have it. I suspect that the original Black+Brown wire I tapped was for the collision avoidance option which seems to be more sensitive to any current/ground load. The Black+Brown wire I finally tapped into is the SAME one that is connected to the rearview mirror "compass". I know this because when things turn off I see that the compass light turns off the same time as the V1.

Wish I could tell you which Black+Brown is the correct one to begin with; however, when wires are bundled it's a bit hard to tell.

Good Luck all future V1 hardwire installers. Hope this info gets you out of a jam in the event you experience what i did.

And THANKS AGAIN to Tom for the DIY. The end result really is the clean/best solution I've seen out there.

Cheers,
-Tony

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Cooltones

OK Guys,
I hope no one else runs into the problem that I encountered; however, if you do here's how to fix it:
Situation: Followed Tom's awesome DIY instructions to get my V1 hardwired and having that nice, professional install look.
Problem: Followed the instructions (Green+Brown=12V; Black+Brown=Ground) and the V1 turns on when ignition is switched on, and V1 turns off when ignition is switched off.
However, I then get a couple of faults appear on the check control: Collision system fault, Front Camera inoperative.

Troubleshooting steps:
1) I turned off my V1 and started up the car. The faults go away. Nice, but now I don't have the V1 operational...
2) Even though I was certain that I had connected the correct wires per Tom, I decided to crack open the mirror cover again and look....
3) Wait?!?!? There are TWO DIFFERENT WIRES WITH THE SAME color combo?!?!? TWO Black+Brown wires!!!! Just as an FYI - My M4 has all options except the CCB's. Could it be that due to all these options there are TWO Black+Brown wires?!?!?
4) I disconnected the V1 ground from the Black+Brown wire I was using, and added another wire tap to the OTHER Black+Brown wire and used that one as the Ground Source...
TAH DAH!!!! All is well now. Got my V1 turned on whenever the ignition is switched on. The faults are GONE...

Well, there you have it. I suspect that the original Black+Brown wire I tapped was for the collision avoidance option which seems to be more sensitive to any current/ground load. The Black+Brown wire I finally tapped into is the SAME one that is connected to the rearview mirror "compass". I know this because when things turn off I see that the compass light turns off the same time as the V1.

Wish I could tell you which Black+Brown is the correct one to begin with; however, when wires are bundled it's a bit hard to tell.

Good Luck all future V1 hardwire installers. Hope this info gets you out of a jam in the event you experience what i did.

And THANKS AGAIN to Tom for the DIY. The end result really is the clean/best solution I've seen out there.

Cheers,
-Tony

Thanks for the detailed follow-up.

I've seen brown/black and solid brown, odd to see (2) brown/black wires. Likely you accidentally tapped into a bus wire, glad everything is back to normal.

[Fast4d]

is there enough voltage to run both a V1 and 12v to usb power supply for a dash cam?

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by Fast4d

is there enough voltage to run both a V1 and 12v to usb power supply for a dash cam?

I wouldn't recommend it, as the wire is small (22-26AWG) and was intended to power the mirror only.



Using an add-a-fuse, you can run a power lead from the trunk fuse panel to the front area.

[S65V8]

Originally Posted by PDACPA

I just installed the Mirror Tap in my 2014 435i vert and my son's 2012 135i coupe. No need for that extra part from Valentine (Hardwire kit that has the module for accessory and main unit plugs) if you just want it hardwired with the rj11 plug coming out of the headliner.

Works perfect and turns on and off with the car. Just slip the two ends into the ground and the switched power. My Valentine turns on and off with the car and nothing to hide up in the wiring.

I can also vouch for this method, took ten minutes to do really. The only thing you have to do as trial and error is that the wiring isn't always the same color you see in this post.

The ground wire is correct (brown/black), and where you plug in the black wire tap, but the red wire tap might need to go into another socket with a different wire color from harness - so just keep on testing if you don't get it the first time.

[sydude]

Just a quick tip for anyone doing a hardwire - if/when you remove the sunroof control panel/dome light assembly, DON'T disconnect any of the connectors. I did that just to keep it out of the way while I was doing the wire tap, and when I turned the car on I got a 'passenger restraint system malfunction' error which wouldn't go away even after battery disconnect or multiple restarts. The only way to get rid of the warning is to have the dealer clear the code, which mine did without issue.

[EALm4]

zero performance issues with the detector in that location?

[PDACPA]

I have been running my Valentine 1 up to the left of the rear view mirror behind 20% black tint strip on the windshield in my BMW 330Ci, M3 and now my 435. Never had any performance issues or decrease in detection and my son runs it in his 135i clipped on his visor with no performance issues (he does have something between the roof and visor to make the V-1 sit level as it angles down a bit when on the visor.

[tom @ eas]

No issues here *knocks on wood *

[SROC3]

I just tired this and. Toning turned on. I even made sure the wires were stripped properly by pushing the wire into the wiretap clip. Nothing. Switched wires to the other "black brown" one and still nothing. Crummy......

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by SROC3

I just tired this and. Toning turned on. I even made sure the wires were stripped properly by pushing the wire into the wiretap clip. Nothing. Switched wires to the other "black brown" one and still nothing. Crummy......

Not sure what "Toning" is, can you explain in detail?

Does the mirror compass display properly?

[SROC3]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Not sure what "Toning" is, can you explain in detail?

Does the mirror compass display properly?

You know tom.....I have no idea what "toning" is or what I apparently turned on..Mistype and I can't remember what I typed earlier. Sorry - wrote hastily and ran back down to try more wires...still no dice.

Edit - I meant "nothing turned on"

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by SROC3

You know tom.....I have no idea what "toning" is or what I apparently turned on..Mistype and I can't remember what I typed earlier. Sorry - wrote hastily and ran back down to try more wires...still no dice.

Edit - I meant "nothing turned on"

Does the mirror compass display properly? Do you have a digital multimeter in which you can test voltages at the wires?

[SROC3]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

Does the mirror compass display properly? Do you have a digital multimeter in which you can test voltages at the wires?

No multimeter. I can buy one at home depot right? What do I do to test for voltage and what should I be looking for?

And yes, the mirror compass works fine

[saigonpaul]

I installed MY V1 and the instructions were on the MARK....... PAUL is a happy camper!