Which wire to get power from?

[kdisjubjub]

Can I tap into any of these wires to hardwire my radar detector?

[Ether-D]

Put a volt meter on them and see. You can doit!

[StereoInstaller1]

Yes, use sunroof power, at the switch is easiest

[kdisjubjub]

Yes, use sunroof power, at the switch is easiest

Do you know which wire this would be? I don't have a volt meter at the moment.

[barbierij]

any e30 owner should have a volt meter. harbor freight sometimes has a coupon for a free one.

[kdisjubjub]

any e30 owner should have a volt meter. harbor freight sometimes has a coupon for a free one.

Just got the car last month and went on a two week vacation so haven't had time to get all the stuff I need.

[Mac_86ES]

I wouldn't use any factory wiring because you're on the draw side pf the fuse and are more likely to blow fuses unnecessarily. I put an accessory fuse block under the hood. If you want it on ignition use a relay and tap the ingition feed wire from the car. But I wouldn't use the factory wiring its easier but it always better to put the time in to do it right.

[StereoInstaller1]

It's less than a 1a draw on a 30a fuse, no need to run wires, this isn't some POS Civic....

[nando]

besides that, the E30 comes with a factory accessory fuse block. there's no need to add extra wiring, things like that are why so many of these cars have screwed up wiring. The stock wiring is actually really nice - remember, these cars were built before the day the bean counters took over from the engineers at BMW.

[kdisjubjub]

So doing an Add a Fuse will be the best option for me? Radar detector is needed in this car haha.

[StereoInstaller1]

So doing an Add a Fuse will be the best option for me? Radar detector is needed in this car haha.

If you feel you can run a wire through the firewall without creating waterleaks, you can run a wire from the auxilliary fusebox under the hood, but there is no need to do so. The sunroof power wire is a nice fat wire, carries plenty of power and is separately fused...running a tiny little load like a radar detector is nothing...so basically, if you have the skills to run all that way to the fuse block, go ahead, but there is absolutely no need to.

Oh, pretty sure it's green/blue, but test it to make sure.

Luke

[Garrick2007]

Was just thinking yesterday about doing this eventually when I get one, post photos of the finished instillation if you can.

[kdisjubjub]

If you feel you can run a wire through the firewall without creating waterleaks, you can run a wire from the auxilliary fusebox under the hood, but there is no need to do so. The sunroof power wire is a nice fat wire, carries plenty of power and is separately fused...running a tiny little load like a radar detector is nothing...so basically, if you have the skills to run all that way to the fuse block, go ahead, but there is absolutely no need to.

Oh, pretty sure it's green/blue, but test it to make sure.

Luke

Was just thinking yesterday about doing this eventually when I get one, post photos of the finished instillation if you can.

The PO took out a lot of the plugs in the fire wall so I have a lot of options to run the wire through. I'm going to try the add-a-fuse option and see how that works. Anyone know which fuse I should tap into?

[StereoInstaller1]

Which ever one turns off with the key