Is the switched phone power cable enough for radar detector and an accessory?

I've got an 02 C2. I currently have my V1 hardwired into the switched phone power cable in the center console. I am going to install a tire pressure monitor. I assume it has a hard wire kit, if not I'll have to see how many amps it draws and put a fuse inline. Anyway, will that switched cell phone line be enough for the radar and tire monitor at the same time?

Why not hardwire the detector into the sunroof wiring in the roof console? That's where I have mine. A lot easier than running the wire from the center console, and lots of amps there for a radar detector. It is switched power. And what does an inline fuse have to do with the tire pressure monitor and it's need for amps? All the circuits are already fused and the fuses are the weakest links. So if you draw too many amps, your fuse will blow and you will know that circuit can't handle it. An inline fuse would only be needed if you took power directly from the battery and bypassed all the existing fuses. So, in summary, wire it up and see if it works...If it doesn't, go to plan B and move the detector to where it should be in first place.

Dog- what pressure monitor are you going with? I was thinking about doing the same thing... eventually.

You could, but it would take 3 hours to pop your popcorn. Typical microwaves are 1000Watts at 120V. At 12V for a car, that's about 83.3amps. So you'd have to stick with a 90Watt microwave or you'll blow the fuse...

I didn't wire the V1 into the overhead console because I have a cab and I assumed there was no sunroof wiring harness. Am I correct in assuming this? I knew I had power at the cell phone connection, so I just went with that instead of pulling the overhead down and hoping there was power up there. Nick: I went with the Tiresmart system, or at least that's what I think it's called off the top of my head. I know a local tuner that uses them on all his customers' cars and loves the system. Real time pressure and temps, as well as audible alarms for user set low pressure warning. Does require you to dismount your tires to install the sensors. I need new tires so I thought this would be a a good time. Check out Vulcan Tire or Tirerack. They both sell them, but Vulcan has them on sale. If you get it, make sure you get the remote display option. PorschePRH: Is that quote by toolpants regarding the cell phone circuit? I couldn't tell where it was quoted from. With regards to the fuse, I assumed you needed one inline regardless since the V1 comes with one and it's designed to be tapped in to another circuit and not wired directly to the battery. I'm not an electrician by any means If you say I can do without it, then I'll skip that step.

Thanks Dog! I'll check into it.

Not sure what you are referring to about toolpants? The in-line fuse is not necessary for the V1 installation if you are tapping into power that is already fused. I have been running V1's for 8 years in probably 6 different cars without additional fuses as evidence of that. However, in the strickest of engineering terms, if the wire that you are using to connect between the V1 and the fused, switch circuit of the car can not handle the same amount of power as the existing fuse in that car circuit then a lower rated fuse would be preferrable at the point of connection of the wire to the car circuit. But in practive, it's just not an issue. My real point in my original message was that the fuse wasn't going to make a difference as to whether or not the circuit could handle the extra power load of hooking up more devices to that circuit.

[QUOTE=PorschePRH]Why not hardwire the detector into the sunroof wiring in the roof console? That's where I have mine. A lot easier than running the wire from the center console, and lots of amps there for a radar detector. It is switched power. PRH, I need to do this...is there a DIY step-by-step somewhere...I'm beyond clumsy and don't want to screw anything up.

[QUOTE=triode] Yes, there is. I thought I saved the link in my favorites, but I can't find it. It's etiher on here or renntech.org....

Found it: http://www.geocities.com/porschecarr...3_document.htm

PorscheRPH: I wasn't referring to the circuit handling the extra load because of the fuse in my original post either. I was probably confusing things by bringing it up. I was just thinking that if the line you tap into supplies more power than what the unit needs, a fuse might not be a bad idea. Which is what I think you are saying in your recent reply. If I'm understanding you right, still doesn't sound like it's really necessary to add an inline fuse at this point. You quoted Toolpants in one of your replies. You quoted him as saying "Should be a 7.5 amp fuse. You can run a microwave oven off that. " Does the cell phone line have a 7.5 amp fuse? Thanks for your help.

Muchas gracias!

Yes! oops, I know I'm late as usual!