GTC

For whatever reason, GM does not include a spare accessory power set of wires under the passenger's footwell in 2004. Bummer. It was very convenient for hardwiring my Valentine1 in my 2003, but I'll have to do something different for my '04. I'm starting a write-up of what I'm doing, hopefully it will be a techtip when complete.

Where is a good ground connection to tap into under the passenger footwell?

And for the beginnings of my write-up,

Remove the passenger floormat, and the kickboard at the front of the passenger footwell. There are velcro pieces at the top left and top right of the panel, and it is somewhat hinged on the bottom. Here is a picture of it opened up and folded down.


Unscrew and open up the fuses box on the right


Using a digital multimeter, I found that there is an open fuse location that is 12v, and is switched on/off when the ignition is in run mode. This is exactly what we need for the Valentine 1.


Looking on the legend on the inside of the fuse box cover, fuse #22 is unlisted. The bottom part of this fuse location is hot. Because the Valentine 1 power connection contains a fuse in-line, we can connect directly to this power location.


This is what the Valentine 1 power connection looked like originally.


I butchered them with some vise-grips to swap the connections on the hot and ground sides. Here is a pic with the connectors on the other sides, and with their guards pulled down only for picture purposes. These guards will be pushed forward once installed.


Then I plugged in the hot side to fuse 22 location. It only needs to be connected to the bottom, but stretching it across both keeps it in place.


And now I need to connect the ground side. This is where I need a little help. Where is a good ground connection to splice into?

For testing purposes, I'm connecting to the metal chassis of the item to the left of the fusebox, but I do not recommend this for general use.

HalfMoon

Exactly my problem as well.

Rather than tap into a wire somewhere, I'm seriously thinking I'll just run a wire through the firewall grommit to create a ground in the footwell area.


Great pics, I just wish you did that 3 weeks ago before I spent a couple hours twisted up in the footwell... ;)

Cheers.

TorchRedRaider

GTC, I think this would have helped.
http://www.sportys-catalogs.com/acb/...ID=801&CATID=6


Do a search on the ground, someone posted about using a nut in the footwell area. Might post the question in the audio fourm.

NavyBlue99

I did the same hard wire as this except that I hard wired it to the cruise control. For the ground I drilled a small hole in the metal next to the fuse box. I cant remember where.
Just turn on the car and take the ground and find a spot where the V1 turns on. Then drill a small hole and screw er in!

I hope this helps

CORTVET

On my 04, I used the fuse jumper show in the pic. I used it in the cruise control fuse slot. It works perfect. As far as grounding, I used the bottom screw of the BCM(the sliver box).

I had the dealer look at it, they said it was a better job than they would have done. At least they are honest.


AZC5


PS. After looking at you pics closer, you have one of your test leads in the hole that the bolt goes that I used fro grounding. If you didn't get one with the car(some didn't get the bottom bolt), then go buy an assorted size set at Home Depot and fit the best one.


[Modified by AZC5, 4:09 PM 4/1/2004]

GTC

:rofl: You gotta love that!
Great! Mine didn't come with a screw in the bottom of the BCM mount. Right now I have the ground pinched in to the BCM chassis, though. If they say it is good, it will work for me! Thanks!
:cheers:

KzooVette

I have a silly question . . . I have done bunches of installs on other cars for hardwired radar detectors - how come everyone runs a long set of wires up from the footwell? Isn't it just easier to tap into the electrochromic mirror powerdrop and then float the ground wire OR just run down to the frame on the driver side??

Am I missing something? I know a ground is a little tougher to find on a alluminum chasis / plastic car - but what is the advantage to running off the fuse block in the footwell?

Sincerely - not so bright in Kalamazoo . . .

GTC

That is a good question. The Valentine 1 connects to power/ground with a standard telephone connection wire through this little black piece

Theoretically, you could directly splice in a phone wire to the mirror's power. However, by doing so, you would only be connecting the V1. If you also had a remote concealed display (which I do), you need to run another phone line from the black piece to the remote display. Yes, I think that you could splice into the other wires of the phone line and run another phone line to the remote display.

Running to the pass. footwell gives you a power supply and a convenient place to hide that black piece.


[Modified by GTC, 7:37 AM 4/2/2004]

DoctorV8

A friend of mine has tapped power from the mirror wires in several C5's. Using the V1's phone cord, you can get both power and ground from the mirror wires.

On my 2004 and all the other C5's I've seen done this way, the only (minor) downside is that power is cut to the V1 when the car is put in reverse. No biggie, really, except for a bit of extra beeping when doing a 3 pt turn.