My friend's V1 radar detector keeps blowing it's fuse. He has tried both his cigarrette lighter and accessory outlet. As soon as the power is applied, the fuse blows. He has a '01 Firehawk T/A. I put the radar detector in my "97 T/A and it works fine! Any ideas where to look for why this thing keeps blowing it's fuse? Thanks for any replies!

 

obvious questions.. are you putting the right sized fuse in the fuse panel? IE: if there's a 5amp fuse in there, where there should be a 20amp fuse.. then.. yeah.

make sure they're not cheap fuses, too

has he done any other wiring?
are you using the same cigarette plug for the radar?

 

Yeah, the fuse is fine in the accessory spot. I am referring to the fuse in the radar detectors power cord. Cheap fuses, yes but the correct amp. Stock wiring, noting added or removed. He has tried both 12v ports and both blow the fuse. I would try different fuses but they worked in my car. My voltage output also reads the same as his on the dash, right at 13.8v.

 

That's a hard one, because 'loads' blow fuses from too much current draw, ie. the detector. If it works fine on your car but not his, there has to be a difference in how you hook it up to his car. Check for shorts/grounds with a multimeter and if your courageous, check the current when you plug things into the cig. lighter of his car.

Do other appliances work in his 12vdc outlets?

 

Here's a quick question. Have you tried it in your car since trying it in his or was it used in your car previously and it worked and now you are trying it in his car and it doesn't. If the second is the case perhaps there is a problem with the detector or the cord.

 

Thanks for the replies, I just put it in my car to test it. It was blowing fuses before it went into my car. The only other thing plugged into his outlet ever was a cell phone charger that seemed to work ok. Maybe i'll try my radar detector in his car to see if it blows my fuse. If so, I was going to see how many volts were at the accessory outlet, but like watsonusa said it draws the current. Should I be looking for a short to ground in the wiring?