Best place to tap power in dash for sat radio?

[dcomiskey]

I have a Sirius Sportster windshield mounted sat radio. It was easy to hook up in my VW since the fuse panel was on the side of the dash and I just tapped into it. Not so on the MS3. I haven't had much time to look, but where it the best place to tap into the power on our cars? If the factory unit was a lot cheaper, I would have just purchased that, but I really like the portable unit.

 

[chuyler1]

Doesn't it come with a cigarette lighter adapter? Well, if it doesn't, the cigarette lighter is still a good place to connect it.

 

[dcomiskey]

Doesn't it come with a cigarette lighter adapter? Well, if it doesn't, the cigarette lighter is still a good place to connect it.

Well, it did, but I cut it in order to hard wire the deal. Also, I keep the radio to my left on the windshield and it would be a pain to have to run a cable all the way from the armrest cig lighter (dash lighter plug is for my radar detector.)

 

[meinp5]

Did you put an inline fuse in after you cut the plug off? Inside the cig. lighter plug is a fuse so if you didn't replace it you run the risk of damaging your receiver. If you can hide the wires, using the cig lighter might be a good idea because I believe that its switched 12V.

 

[dcomiskey]

No, I didn't, but that's a good idea. I was thinking of just running the wire to the back of the dash lighter.

 

[chuyler1]

Where is the fuse box on the Mazda3? Its on the lower left part of the dash on the Protege so I figured it would be in the same location on the Mazda3. If it is, you can just tap into the switched acc fuse.

 

[icspots]

First off the fuse panel in the 3 is on the passenger's side behind the glove box. You can access it by removing the box, or by unscrewing it and letting it drop down.

To the OP. I suggest you tap the power off of the dash cigarette lighter port. I know you said you're using that for your radar detector, but I'm not talking about the plug. Just run the wires behind the panel and use a few fuse taps on the wires for the cigarette lighter. Then you'll have switched power, and your sirius will turn on/off with the car. Also like meinp5 said add an inline fuse while you're about it.

Another option would be to get a multi-plug DC power deely (you know, with 3 or 4 cig. lighter plugs on it). Plug that off the wires behind the lighter, and you can run whatever you want to that and have all the wires hidden. I just don't like wires that you can see is all.

 

[zoomzoom485]

The new sportsters take 6 volts not 12v. In the plug there is a resistor that converts the 12v input to 6v output. If you just hook it up you will fry the unit. You either have to use the existing plug or reconnect it. Take apart the plug and solder on to the lighter pins. If you can, find a female end for the lighter and hardwire that side and plug it in.

 

[icspots]

Good point zoomzoomzoom485. That's actually what I did in my friend's car. I tapped the cig. lighter wires to a 12v power plug that had about 6" of wire off of it. Then I plugged the sirius into it.

In addition to not frying your satellite unit it also keeps you from having to cut your charging cord in case you end up selling it later. You can get a 12v female port for about $5 at radio shack.

 

[dcomiskey]

So, I hooked everything up yesterday. Very clean install. You can't see wires anywhere. I tapped into the aux cig lither port since I couldn't get access to the dash plug no matter what I did.

I had to drill a large hole in the inside of the armrest to run the 1/8" plug through to the Aux input. Unfortunately, I'm getting an incredible amount of electrical interference when the car is running. I'm guessing I need to get one of those filters put on the power wire.
In the meantime, the FM transmitter works fine, which makes me unsure of why I'm getting such interference via the 1/8" cable...... :/

 

[dread]

you need a ground loop isolator, I had the same problem until I installed one. Crutchfield.com has a nice one for $17.00.

 

[icspots]

Yup, alternator whine. Mazda didn't sufficiently isolate the power port so that's what you're getting. The GLI should fix your problem.

Incidentally why were you unable to access the dash lighter plug?

 

[dcomiskey]

Yup, alternator whine. Mazda didn't sufficiently isolate the power port so that's what you're getting. The GLI should fix your problem.

Incidentally why were you unable to access the dash lighter plug?

Thanks, I'll order one today.

I couldn't access it because I couldn't get the panel off for some reason. I got the left side to pop out fine, but the other side wouldn't pop and I didn't want to break it. Everything came apart real easily in this car, except this one panel. Grr.

 

[Hughes412]

How about for a protege? I'm going to get one for christmas, but I don't know what kind yet. where is the best place to hook it up on the LX sedan?