GOLD72

I just went through quite a time getting my Invisicord to power up my V1 in my new ZR1. I have never used this product before having previously used the V1 standard cord and running it all the way to the passenger floorboard fuse box on both the 01Z and the 06Z. So I thought I would share some hard won advice without providing a "how to manual" as those are readily available with using the Search function.

I installed the hot and ground wire spades into the back of the Onstar mirror electrical harness plug in the recommended spots and just assumed the electrical connections were good. I used two electrical wire ties to fasten the Invisicord to the mirror cable harness as advised in case the suction cups failed and allowed the V1 to fall from the windshield. With the V1 on the windshield and connected, it failed to power up when I cranked the engine. Bad mistake. Twisted the mirror back downward & to the right to gain access to the harness plug to disconnect. Now using a multimeter, I discovered I had neither a good ground at the ground spade nor 12v at the hot spade. Struck out on both accounts. The spades were making only occasional contact and were wanting to fall out of the harness plug.

You may have to try all four sides of the factory wire entries into the back of the harness plug to find a side where the spade will go almost all the way in (maybe with only 1/8" of the spade showing) to get a good connection and one that won't come loose when you reconnect the mirror and rotate it back to normal position.

The advice is that the Invisicord wire spades need to almost completely insert into the back of the wiring harness plug and that using a multimeter is really helpful to know when a good connection for the spades have been made. I got it to work with the original recommended wire terminals but it took a lot of trial and error trying to get the spades to insert far enough to make a good and permanent connection.

XEUROTRASHOWNER

The easier way is to just go on Bugmans website-all the info you need is there. Also you should look at the bentmount or the mount made by Something trophy- Your ZR1 deserves better than suction cups.

keyplyr

Took me 3 minutes - plug'n play

WV Vette

Had no problems with the cord, went in and worked 1st time. Check out getting a Blendmount also. Got one 2 weeks ago and an excellent product, puts the detector solidly just below the mirror. Choked a little on the price but after installing it, worth it.

Knob Jockey

Good advice OP.

Even using Bugman's excellent instructions you can still have trouble.

Since you are inserting the pins into the backside of a connector that already has a contact in place, in some cases, you have to try all four sides surrounding the contact before you can get the Invisicord pin to fully insert.

Sometimes you get lucky and hit it on the first try, I did with my 12V, but I had to try a couple sides to get the ground fully connected.

And you have to use the nylon cable ties to hold the pins in place.

This is still the easiest and best way to power a detector, IMHO.

Cor430vette

Ground was easy on mine...not so much with the 12v.
Finally got it to work.....PITA!!!

VETFEVER

vetfever

Rich Mickol

I tried so many ways I thought I was going to break the mirror. Gave up and bought a S3.

cclive

Scott, the "bugman"....all the info you need about many topics including this one. http://www.bugmanweb.com/c6/c6index.html

And I agree about the suction cups...my solution was documented here:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...nt-w-pics.html

keyplyr

After about 2 years in good working order, the plastic pin that makes the detector-side Invisicord jack snug broke off. It still worked but it kept vibrating out of the detector, so I was looking for an alternative.

I would have eventually just purchased another Invisicord, but right about then the DashTronix Radar Projector came to my attention via these forums. It doesn't use the Invisicord, but instead uses the long cord that came with my Valentine One radar detector. Problem solved.

And for anyone who is considering getting the DashTronix unit, it is absolutely the best

anothercrisis

My invisicord for the Valentine 1 was plugged into the mirror on my c6 in early 2005. It has been there ever since and has worked flawlessly. I guess I was lucky as I remember having no trouble making the connections. In fact, as I think about this, I hope that I don't ever have to take out the mirror side connections as I would have no clue where to put them!

george vee

I unplugged the wire harness from the mirror and installed the invisacord, a lot easier this way. Then I installed the Blendmount, a great product, easy install and my detector is rock steady.

vetteright

It's the Great Lakes Trophies visor mount. I have one and it works great. I agree completely about the suction cups and ZR1 - those terms do not belong in the same sentence!

BSSN

I'm going to differ here.

I used to have a blendmount in my Z06. Here is why I do not, now.


First, let me say that the Blendmount is VERY well made, and does what it says it does.

Second, let me also say the same about the Valentine 1.

Now, on to the technical: The blendmount uses the Valentine 1 suction-cup mount. This mount is designed as a 3-point mount: Left suction cup, right suction cup, face of the detector (That little rubber ridge on top of the "window" on the front? Yeah, it has a purpose besides feeling soft...).

What the blendmount does is replace 2 (suction cups) of these 3-points--and it does so very admirably. The problem arises in that the 3rd point is left unattended. This causes the detector to wobble and shake, which in turn causes the mirror to wobble and shake. Not bad, but annoying.

The subjective: With the Blendmount, everyone can see your radar detector. With suction cups, it is much safer from the prying eyes of cops and crooks, which are not mutually exclusive to each other necessarily.

Anyway, here are pictures to illustrate the difference in how my car looks.

Objectively, my mirror now does not shake, my RD is ROCK solid with the 3-point mount now in full use, and the suction cups have not even hinted at wanting to turn loose. I put some 5% Pinnacle F1 ceramic tint across the front to shade the detector from sun and eyesight. It looks JUST under it, but as I have the lowest car on the road for the most part noone sees that and due to the slope of the windshield the black window of the RD is about 1" from the glass or so. Not very visible at all as you can see. Also, it is up higher.

Now, if none of that matters to you, the Blendmount is a first-class act. It just wasn't for me. I will probably sell it if I don't change my opinion after a while of sitting and looking at it.








here it is with the brow in place:



Much more stealth than the Blendmount.

GOLD72

Thanks for the most excellent rebuttal to those that don't like the suction cups. I too want my detector up high and as out of sight as possible without interfering with its function. I have ten years of experience with the V1 in this location and know that its front and rear antennas work just fine for radar and laser signal reception. I leave my detector in the car in place and I don't want it hanging out there where it is more easily seen from outside the vehicle. JMHO.

6 string player

I too had trouble getting the ends to go into the socket and make good connection. I end up unplugging the connector from the mirror and then with my pliers snipping the ends of the invisicord to a point or arrow,if you will. Went right in after that.

vara411

Darn it, even doing that it still didn't work for me... What did you mean by "snipped," exactly? I pretty much squished them with needle nose pliers to make them thinner. They slide in but I'm still not able to power my Passport 9500ix.

Don-Vette

I flattened the pins and then push them in ABOVE wire in plug!!!! Pushing pin in below wire in plug didn't make contact for me......

vara411

Thanks for the suggestions... turns out I had been sent a defective unit. I verified this with the vendor and they are mailing me a new one. Hopefully I'll have better luck!

csvette8

Does the wiring harness unplug from the mirror easily?