SeeSixVert

I've tried numerous searches and can't find a post about this. I installed my Bel Vector to a visor mount with Invisicord. I noticed right away it displayed "Low Voltage" when the engine started, then normal cycle up and seemed to be working. Later, I approached a roadside radar sign that displays your speed and it didn't trigger. I hit the power button and nothing happened. I unplugged it, plugged it back in and then it worked. Another day, I noticed it didn't trigger as I passed a store that always triggered K before. Same thing. I later had car battery problems and replaced that, still the same problem with the Bel. It failed to power up at all one day and I could smell burnt electronics coming from inside it, so I replaced it. New one does the same thing. No trouble at all when I use the cig lighter plug.

My girlfriend bought the same detector and had no problems, but wanted a rearview mirror install, so I got her that and an invisicord. After installing, now hers does the same thing.

We both are now in the habit of turning it off before killing the car, then on after starting up.

Any ideas how to overcome this?

Thanks!
-Chris

epic

I have the same setup and was having an issue tapping into the back of the harness as it would be loose and lose power. Ended up tapping directly into the wires leading into the harness, electrical tape, and have had no problems since. Probably not the ideal solution, but now I have no issues. Still beats having to run a wire all the way around the dash.

Knob Jockey

Just speculating here....

Are you sure you have a solid connection between the Invisicord pins and the sockets on the mirror plug? Did you secure the pins with the supplied nylon ties to prevent the pins from working loose?

The + and - pins on the Invisicord are ID'd with heat shrink (at least they were with mine) and not the wire color of the cable. Did you confuse these/reverse them?

Are you sure you used the correct sockets on the mirror plug?

Is the Invisicord you are using made specifically for the Bel detector?

Good Luck.

keyplyr

Maybe the invisicord doesn't like the Bel radar detector.

SeeSixVert

I've double and triple checked the connections, used the zip ties to secure the wiring... it's not that it malfunctions or goes dead or even glitches while driving around... it works great while driving around. The issue seems to be the mirror wiring is in one of the circuits that gets reduced power while the engine starts and the radar detector doesn't like going from 0 to 12v, then reduced voltage while the engine starts, then full 12v again. It goes, "beep beep" as it normally does when turning it on, then displays "Low Voltage" while the engine starts, then goes "beep beep" and proceeds through the normal self check/startup routine, then displays the mode it's in (City/Hwy/Automatic) and looks like it's functioning properly. But, at that point, it won't usually respond to pressing any of the buttons. I have to unplug it and plug it back in to get it to work. If I turn the unit off before killing the engine, then turn it on after starting the engine, it always works fine.

I was just hoping that someone else here had seen the same thing and would say, "Oh yeah, I had that problem and fixed it by putting a capacitor on it" or "...used the purple wire instead of the pink one..." something like that. Looks like my solution will be to extend the cable, run it to the fuse box and find a circuit that goes directly from 0 to full 12v-14v without dimming during engine startup.

Incidently, I did contact Invisicord about this and Cary said similar problems have been seen and the solution was to get power from elsewhere (instead of at the mirror). Cary and I exchanged several emails on the subject and finally decided that if nothing else turns up, extending the invisicord to another 12v source is the way to go.