Greg's Boxster - Hacks - Valentine-1 Permanent Power Cord

HOME > HOBBIES > PORSCHE BOXSTER > HACKS > VALENTINE 1

Hack: Valentine-1 Permanent Power Cord
I'm still working on this page, so please be careful. I am not responsible for any problems you experience as a result of trying to do anything described here.
This hack is to install a permanent power cord for the Valentine-1 radar detector so you don't have to use the cigarette lighter plug and have a cord dangling in front of you. It does NOT include instructions for installing the remote unit. I don't use that right now. When I do, I will add instructions for doing so as soon as I find a location that works for me.
This version assumes you will keep the radar detector suction cupped to the right of the rear view mirror and will run the wired along the right side of the car.
The hack takes approximately one hour. Step by step instructions with pictures are included below. You can click on any picture to blow it up for more detail. Before you start you will need a couple items:

Valentine-1 Radar Detector
6' or longer 2 or 4 conductor RJ-11 phone cord. Please test it before beginning the hack. It would really suck to install it only to find it doesn't work.
#20 & #30 torx screwdrivers
Soldering iron and solder
Hot glue gun
2 - Insulated-Crimp Pin Connector - Radio Shack part# 64-395 (pkg of 10)

How to to it:

Step 1: Remove the sun visor on the right side. Use your #30 torx screwdriver to remove the two large bolts on the right side (closest to door). Pop open the cover on the other side. It pops open downward by putting a fingernail at the part closest to you. Using your #20 torx screwdriver remove the bolt hidden by the plastic flap. I took that second picture after the installation was complete, so you won't see the V1 or cord there, yet.

Step 2: Remove the module containing map light, motion sensor and microswitch. Using a fingernail pop out the two oval pieces covering the motion sensor hardware. Just inside you will see two large bolts. Remove then with your #30 torx screwdriver. Be careful as only a small bundle of wires will keep the module from falling. At this point you will find that the plastic moulding along the top is now loose as there really isn't anything else holding it in place.

Step 3: Loosen the trim on the right side that includes the vent and interior thermometer. It doesn't seem to come off, but that's ok, all you need to do is loosen it enough to be able to shove the wire in behind the trim. Do this by first removing the grill over the temperature sensor. This is held in by friction which can be removed by using your fingernails to pop it out. Inside you will see a screw that removes easily with your #20 torx screwdriver. Then, open the passenger door completely and remove the two screws with the #20 torq screwdriver.

Step 4: Finally, you're ready to run the wire. First, section cup the radar detector where you think it'll be. Choose carefully, you'll have to do this again if you want to move it later. Then, take the phone wire and fish it through the plastic moulding from the window to the inside of the car. Pull through until there is just enough slack left to easily plug it the detector. Now would be a good time test the RJ-11 cable one more just, just to be sure. Then, gently pull back the moulding and push the phone wire in behind it along the top of the window. It's easiest to push it in from the inside of the car, not from the side by the window.

Step 5: Work the wire along the side pillar. This looks harder than it is. Basically, just gently peel back the rubber and gently shove the wire in behind it. Work it in and it'll be completely invisible. Once you get by the trim you loosened earlier, it's a little easier as you can just pull it back gently and push the wire in behind it. Once you get down into the footwell, you will find a soft material under the dash. Feel around and use a flashlight to find the big plastic fastener. You should be able to unscrew it by hand, or use a large flatblade screwdriver. The material will pull down easily and you can continue to run the wire under the dash to the center console area.

Step 5 Option #1 (EASY): If you don't want to get any fancier than this, you can just use the original V1 lighter adapter and run the phone cord through the slot in the console and plug it right in. This is what I thought I'd do at first, but I wasn't happy with it and decided to go all the way!

Step 5 Option #2 (HARDER): This will permanently connect the wire to an unused plug that has switched 12V power. You want to take the side panel off. This is tricky. First, grab the side panel at the part closest to the front of the car. Pull back (pretty hard) until you feel it pop, then pull it towards the front of the car and it should slide out. Look in there and you will see an unused plug just sitting there. Earlier cars will have a 3 conductor plug, newer ones (like my 1999) will have a 4 conductor plug. I determined the green wire is +12V, and the brown wire is ground.

Step 6 Option #2 (HARD): This is the hardest part. Cut off the plug on this end of the RJ-11 wire. Carefully peel back the insulation on the center two wires (if yours is a 4 wire) and expose the bare wire. Use your soldering iron to put a nice coat of solder on the otherwise VERY thin wire. Let that cool, then crimp on the Crimp-Pin connectors, one red one blue. If your wire isn't color coded (mine wasn't) you'll have to use trial and error to find out which is which and plug in the wires into the two marked sockets, if the V1 doesn't turn on when you turn the ignition to RUN, then swap them. Once you have that working, use your hot glue gun to put some glue to hold the whole thing together. Run the wire carefully so it won't get in the way of any trim you took off, then put it all back togther!

Step 7: Finally, make sure the V1 turns on like it's supposed to. Once you're satisfied everything is plugged in and properly insulated, go ahead and put the panels back together in the reverse order you took them off. Put the top down (assuming it's not raining or snowing) and go for a nice long drive!

THE END

Step 1: Remove the sun visor on the right side. Use your #30 torx screwdriver to remove the two large bolts on the right side (closest to door). Pop open the cover on the other side. It pops open downward by putting a fingernail at the part closest to you. Using your #20 torx screwdriver remove the bolt hidden by the plastic flap. I took that second picture after the installation was complete, so you won't see the V1 or cord there, yet.

Step 2: Remove the module containing map light, motion sensor and microswitch. Using a fingernail pop out the two oval pieces covering the motion sensor hardware. Just inside you will see two large bolts. Remove then with your #30 torx screwdriver. Be careful as only a small bundle of wires will keep the module from falling. At this point you will find that the plastic moulding along the top is now loose as there really isn't anything else holding it in place.

Step 3: Loosen the trim on the right side that includes the vent and interior thermometer. It doesn't seem to come off, but that's ok, all you need to do is loosen it enough to be able to shove the wire in behind the trim. Do this by first removing the grill over the temperature sensor. This is held in by friction which can be removed by using your fingernails to pop it out. Inside you will see a screw that removes easily with your #20 torx screwdriver. Then, open the passenger door completely and remove the two screws with the #20 torq screwdriver.

Step 4: Finally, you're ready to run the wire. First, section cup the radar detector where you think it'll be. Choose carefully, you'll have to do this again if you want to move it later. Then, take the phone wire and fish it through the plastic moulding from the window to the inside of the car. Pull through until there is just enough slack left to easily plug it the detector. Now would be a good time test the RJ-11 cable one more just, just to be sure. Then, gently pull back the moulding and push the phone wire in behind it along the top of the window. It's easiest to push it in from the inside of the car, not from the side by the window.

Step 5: Work the wire along the side pillar. This looks harder than it is. Basically, just gently peel back the rubber and gently shove the wire in behind it. Work it in and it'll be completely invisible. Once you get by the trim you loosened earlier, it's a little easier as you can just pull it back gently and push the wire in behind it. Once you get down into the footwell, you will find a soft material under the dash. Feel around and use a flashlight to find the big plastic fastener. You should be able to unscrew it by hand, or use a large flatblade screwdriver. The material will pull down easily and you can continue to run the wire under the dash to the center console area.

Step 5 Option #1 (EASY): If you don't want to get any fancier than this, you can just use the original V1 lighter adapter and run the phone cord through the slot in the console and plug it right in. This is what I thought I'd do at first, but I wasn't happy with it and decided to go all the way!

Step 5 Option #2 (HARDER): This will permanently connect the wire to an unused plug that has switched 12V power. You want to take the side panel off. This is tricky. First, grab the side panel at the part closest to the front of the car. Pull back (pretty hard) until you feel it pop, then pull it towards the front of the car and it should slide out. Look in there and you will see an unused plug just sitting there. Earlier cars will have a 3 conductor plug, newer ones (like my 1999) will have a 4 conductor plug. I determined the green wire is +12V, and the brown wire is ground.

Step 6 Option #2 (HARD): This is the hardest part. Cut off the plug on this end of the RJ-11 wire. Carefully peel back the insulation on the center two wires (if yours is a 4 wire) and expose the bare wire. Use your soldering iron to put a nice coat of solder on the otherwise VERY thin wire. Let that cool, then crimp on the Crimp-Pin connectors, one red one blue. If your wire isn't color coded (mine wasn't) you'll have to use trial and error to find out which is which and plug in the wires into the two marked sockets, if the V1 doesn't turn on when you turn the ignition to RUN, then swap them. Once you have that working, use your hot glue gun to put some glue to hold the whole thing together. Run the wire carefully so it won't get in the way of any trim you took off, then put it all back togther!

Step 7: Finally, make sure the V1 turns on like it's supposed to. Once you're satisfied everything is plugged in and properly insulated, go ahead and put the panels back together in the reverse order you took them off. Put the top down (assuming it's not raining or snowing) and go for a nice long drive! THE END