Updated:2002 CVPI

[jfab]

I recently bought a VHF motorola spectra to add to the collection. Here are some pictures. This is the first time I've powered a radio using the battery, so I'm pretty proud of myself! I tried to document the process to "inspire" others!

Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[jfab]

And more...

 

[jfab]

and finally....

 

[motomeso]

I see two things wrong.

1) The fuse should be at the battery and not at the radio. If that wire gets pinched anywhere (Like in the door jam) there is nothing to stop that car from burning up.

2) The wire coming through the door jam. It needs to be brought through the firewall. If it is an old police cruiser there may already be a spot to bring in through.

 

[jfab]

I see two things wrong.

1) The fuse should be at the battery and not at the radio. If that wire gets pinched anywhere (Like in the door jam) there is nothing to stop that car from burning up.

2) The wire coming through the door jam. It needs to be brought through the firewall. If it is an old police cruiser there may already be a spot to bring in through.

I looked for a place to bring it through and couldn't find anywhere. Any suggestions?

Also, what do you mean about the car "burning up?"

 

[bezking]

I looked for a place to bring it through and couldn't find anywhere. Any suggestions?

Also, what do you mean about the car "burning up?"

"Burning up" as in catching fire. Unfused, if that cable was breached in any way, exposing the wiring, and it was to come into contact with water (i.e. Rain), fire may occur. Unlikely? Sure. Possible? Absolutely.

 

[b7spectra]

How do you have that trunk unit secured? Any pictures of the front install (head unit)?

 

[jfab]

B7, its funny because I was going to ask you how you secured your spectras. I do not have it secured as of now.

Here is the front install...

 

[Skypilot007]

You should check the passenger side floor near where your feet would be if seated in the seat. Pull up the rug or mat and look for two heavy guage wires. These are 30 and 50 amp feeds from the power distribution block. One is switched with the igniton and the other is hot all the time, can't remember which is which right now. These are for powering radios and other police gear. I would have used these instead of running all that wire. If your going to continue using the wire you installed put a fuse or a breaker in the line near the battery. That's a bit of a safty hazard the way it is like mentioned.

 

[jfab]

You should check the passenger side floor near where your feet would be if seated in the seat. Pull up the rug or mat and look for two heavy guage wires. These are 30 and 50 amp feeds from the power distribution block. One is switched with the igniton and the other is hot all the time, can't remember which is which right now. These are for powering radios and other police gear. I would have used these instead of running all that wire. If your going to continue using the wire you installed put a fuse or a breaker in the line near the battery. That's a bit of a safty hazard the way it is like mentioned.

I know the area you are talking about and would definitely use those if I knew which one was which.

Would anyone happen to have a picture?

Thanks everybody for the feedback!

 

[windchaser]

drill a hole.

 

[gewecke]

drill a hole.

Umm,why? With a full pkg. CVPI there is no need to drill,unless it's for another antenna.
These are already set up for high current aux.use...till 2012
n9zas

 

[jfab]

Umm,why? With a full pkg. CVPI there is no need to drill,unless it's for another antenna.
These are already set up for high current aux.use...till 2012
n9zas

So there should already be holes in the firewall?

If for some reason I do need to drill, is there any method to that?

 

[khubbard]

So there should already be holes in the firewall?

If for some reason I do need to drill, is there any method to that?

Are you sure you should be installing a radio when you dont know how to drill a hole. Its an old police crown vic. It wired for radio power.

 

[jfab]

Are you sure you should be installing a radio when you dont know how to drill a hole. Its an old police crown vic. It wired for radio power.

I was simply asking if there was any particular spot in the firewall to drill. I didnt want to damage anything in my car.

The whole point of this forum is to ask questions and get answers from people who know more than you about this hobby. It's really frustrating to ask a legitimate question then get an answer like the one you just gave me. I did research on my own and figured out how to go through the grommet with a wire hanger.

If anyone else has any advice, I'd love to hear it. If not, please don't bother.

Thanks.

 

[jack103]

maybe he should read this!!!

I was simply asking if there was any particular spot in the firewall to drill. I didnt want to damage anything in my car.

The whole point of this forum is to ask questions and get answers from people who know more than you about this hobby. It's really frustrating to ask a legitimate question then get an answer like the one you just gave me. I did research on my own and figured out how to go through the grommet with a wire hanger.

If anyone else has any advice, I'd love to hear it. If not, please don't bother.

Thanks.

Vehicle fire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[jfab]

ok guys i get it...thanks. the install sucks. i could improve it, but why? im trying to learn here and all im getting is smart ass remarks and wiki links...

thanks...

 

[b7spectra]

I had them bolted to the floor under the back seat and in my truck, I have a cubby hole behind the back seat where I bolted one to the back of it. And just in case it decided to worm it's way loose, I have foam padding propped against it. All nice and neat and quiet. In the CV, you should be able to bolt it to the rear deck panel. If you have it mounted where it's tough to plug into it to program, you may want to fabricate a small patch cable - db15 female on one end, db15 male on the other and bring it around to the front of the radio for easy access.

Where in the front do you have the Spectra & RS installed? I would look at a short stalk bolted to the floor and mount the RS unit to it and since you are using a remote head on the Spectra, some real strong double sided tape the head to the top of the RS. Or, you could just fabricate a bracket for them both.

It's hard to see, but the 996RH is dbl sided taped to the base of my 9 head (the mic has since been move to the right side)

 

[Skypilot007]

I know the area you are talking about and would definitely use those if I knew which one was which.

Would anyone happen to have a picture?

Thanks everybody for the feedback!

I'll take a picture tomorrow if I have any vics around. The wires are not hard to find unless someone cut them off really short when removing equipment. If you can find them just check with a DVM to see which is switched.

Don't get discouraged by some of the comments on here. Most were for your saftey. I'd hate to read about your car burning to the ground. You're doing alright..not to many people have spectra's in thier cars or could even figure out how to program one.

 

[madrabbitt]

ok guys i get it...thanks. the install sucks. i could improve it, but why?

Why should you improve it?
For safety.
To keep the car from catching fire.
To keep from killing the radio.

HOW should you improve it?

If its a former interceptor, its going to have power feeds in the rear. Look for them. Look on the internet for interceptor fan sites, they generally have info on where the features are.

Dont run it thru the door jams if you can help it, in fact, never run power wires thru anything that could pinch them. You did good by protecting it with split loom, but even so, dont risk that.
Always fuse power lines as close to the battery as possible. If the line shorts, you want that fuse to blow to prevent any damage to anything.
Remove the paint around that ground point, get a dremel and sand it down to the bare shiny metal. It'll give you a better ground.