Will the detector turn on if there is no ground?

**tmushy** · 03-01-2009, 12:38 AM

Hello everyone
I just hardwired my radar detector by hooking it up through the fusebox. I saw a metal screw around that area so I assumed it would work as a ground

Please note I am no pro so this may seem like a ridiculous question. I am not positive that the screw i attached the ground wire to is actually a grounded screw.

My radar detector turns on just fine so my question is: Will the detector turn on if it wasnt correctly grounded?

**REBinc** · 03-01-2009, 12:56 AM

If you did not ground it, the detector would not turn on. Since it turns on, that screw is grounded.

**tmushy** · 03-01-2009, 01:49 AM

Thanks for your reply you put my worrying to rest!

**Cloaked Milan** · 03-03-2009, 07:54 PM

Do you have a meter to check it? It could be a floating ground which means that it would technically work but it would generate heat in that circuit. If the screw went directly to the fuse box then you should be OK, but if it's just 'close' to the fuse box then I would verify that it's a proper ground with a meter.

**MEM-TEK** · 03-03-2009, 09:17 PM

I assume that tmushy has a recent Escort RD model. If it displays 12v or higher when its display is set to show the vehicle voltage, then he is good to go.