Low voltage q for Mem Tek

[focalcivic]

I have an older Bel 960 (sister unit to the 985) I sometimes get a low voltage warning, I know that the Voltage detection is disabled on the 960 and the 985 has it. I was wondering if this similar to a "Self Calbration message on the newer units" or my electrical system is low. I will check the the plug to make sure it is fully in the cigarette lighter socket, to make sure that is not causing the message. I was wondering what you thought? I can not remember if it happens when I am idling or running the car. My car does not have a volt meter to check voltage. Mem Tek what do you think?

[MEM-TEK]

I have an older Bel 960 (sister unit to the 985) I sometimes get a low voltage warning, I know that the Voltage detection is disabled on the 960 and the 985 has it. I was wondering if this similar to a "Self Calbration message on the newer units" or my electrical system is low. I will check the the plug to make sure it is fully in the cigarette lighter socket, to make sure that is not causing the message. I was wondering what you thought? I can not remember if it happens when I am idling or running the car. My car does not have a volt meter to check voltage. Mem Tek what do you think?

Hmm...

The low voltage warning is not similar to the self cal message on newer units, but if the voltage falls too low then obviously the radar detector may not be able to function correctly.

Have you tested your radar detector in another vehicle yet? If it displays the same low voltage message when used in another vehicle, then either the radar detector's power cord or the radar detector's power jack is faulty, or the radar detector itself has some other internal problem.

Lets try to figure out why your 960 is displaying a low voltage warning, first by determining if the problem is within the 960 or if the problem is with the chain of power going to the 960. You will need a voltmeter and one of those simple automotive test lamps.


If you can't test your RD in another vehicle...

The first thing to check is your car's battery with the engine turned OFF. Use the voltmeter to check what the battery's voltage is. It should read at least 12.6 volts. If it reads less than 12.6 volts, then you either have a weak battery, a dead cell(s) within the battery, or have bad connections to the battery. Next, check that each battery's power cable is attached tightly to the battery's terminals. Is there a lot of corrosion or a white powder built up around the battery's terminals? If so, you will need to clean away this corrosion. Its better to let a mechanic clean/tighten the battery posts since one slip of a tool could cause an arc between the battery terminals or between the +12V terminal and the car's chassis. Either accident can result in a melted tool or an exploding battery.


Same problem in another vehicle, or you have ruled out the battery...

Assuming you have ruled out the battery, lets now check the power going to the radar detector. You will need a friend to help. Turn the ignition to the ON position if necessary in order to get power to your cigarette lighter socket. Plug in your radar detector's power cord and use your voltmeter to measure the voltage in the plug at the end of the power cord. It should read approximately 12V. Now have your assistant also touch the leads of the automotive test lamp to your voltmeter's leads which you are using to measure the voltage in the power cord's plug. The test lamp should light brightly, and you should NOT see an appreciable drop in voltage on your voltmeter. If you do see a drop in voltage (more than 0.25V), then either your radar detector's power cord isn't able to carry current very well due to mostly broken wires within the power cord, or you have a problem in your cigarette lighter socket.

-- If there was no voltage drop, then the problem is in the power jack within your radar detector.

-- If there was a voltage drop (more than 0.25V), then you need to check the cigarette lighter socket.


Checking the cigarette lighter socket...

(Likely you can skip this test if your radar detector had the same low voltage problem in another vehicle since the odds of both vehicle's cigarette lighter sockets being bad are pretty low.)

Test the cigarette lighter socket the same way you tested the plug on the end of the radar detector's power cord.

-- If the cigarette lighter socket tests out okay and you did see a voltage drop when testing the radar detector power cord, then the problem is the radar detector's power cord and you simply need a new power cord.

-- If the cigarette lighter socket tests out okay and you did not see a voltage drop when testing the radar detector power cord, then the problem is either the radar detector's power jack or another problem within the radar detector.

-- If the cigarette lighter socket doesn't test out okay, then you probably need a new cigarette lighter socket.


Well, this is the best I can come up with after thinking about it! Hopefully somebody else will chime in if I forgot anything to check.

--Michael

[focalcivic]

Come to think of it, on the occasional bump the detector will power off and then on, that leads me to believe it is the power jack on the side of the detector is going bad (old style barrel jack). Also, I take into consideration the detector is getting up there in age as well. I didn't think that a low voltage reading would be associated with a bad jack until I read your response.

I am curious fixing a bad jack, can that be done by myself? I assume it is soldered on?