Surge Protection...

ES13Raven · 11-16-2005, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by aust3333

To each is own ES13Raven, but Bel has said numerous things that I found to be questionable. Although running your detector the way that you do is ideal, I just don't feel comfortable doing so. With the other Belscort users in this forum using the power down and unplug method, It would be interesting to see how long we can go without receiving the dreaded "service required" message, and better yet if we receive the message at all. Good luck.

2 weeks and counting. I guess I will be a good "guinea pig" for this test. Heat should not be an issue until around April.

Hopefully I will not get the Self Cal or Service Required messages.

Didn't I read on here that part of the 4.5 firmware was to help the "low voltage" issue that some cars were having when the RX65 is left on and the SmartCord is plugged into the cigarette lighter? Something about having power through the cigarette lighter while the car is off, then turning the car on and the RX65 loses power and resets when that happens?

ES13Raven · 11-16-2005, 12:27 AM

Originally Posted by stalker

you will notice that the ACC power turns off when u start the car anyway....ive ran detectors like that for 6 years and never had a problem

I am not getting my power from ACC. I am tapping the fuse to the Radio.

Come to think of it... if that was a problem in doing it that way, wouldn't car stereos be in danger of the same thing? I know stereos have inline fuses and all stereos are run that way. I really don't think there is an issue then. :roll:

**aust3333** · 11-16-2005, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by ES13Raven

Originally Posted by stalker

you will notice that the ACC power turns off when u start the car anyway....ive ran detectors like that for 6 years and never had a problem

I am not getting my power from ACC. I am tapping the fuse to the Radio.

Come to think of it... if that was a problem in doing it that way, wouldn't car stereos be in danger of the same thing? I know stereos have inline fuses and all stereos are run that way. I really don't think there is an issue then. :roll:

All depends on the device being used. Some are definitely more sensitive than others. I too have tapped into the radio fuse for power.

**stalker** · 11-16-2005, 12:47 AM

you will find that the power lwading to the car stereo has surge protection on it already...

You should be safe...I now have mine on the same circuit as my radio and I know that circuit is isolated and surge protected on my car, All new cars will have this.

**JNewell** · 11-16-2005, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by ES13Raven

Come to think of it... if that was a problem in doing it that way, wouldn't car stereos be in danger of the same thing? I know stereos have inline fuses and all stereos are run that way. I really don't think there is an issue then. :roll:

There are two different issues here. Fuses protect only against over-current, not voltage spikes or "surges," which are a separate issue. Your point about car radios not getting fried all the time is a good one, but they may be more robust. I know ham radio operators who have (or at least say they have) fried radios left connected and powered up when starting/shutting down the vehicle's engine.

**stalker** · 11-16-2005, 01:41 PM

man ive had radios in my cars for over 10 years and never had a problem....as long as you run off the radio circuit you will be fine.

ES13Raven · 11-19-2005, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by JNewell

There are two different issues here. Fuses protect only against over-current, not voltage spikes or "surges," which are a separate issue. Your point about car radios not getting fried all the time is a good one, but they may be more robust. I know ham radio operators who have (or at least say they have) fried radios left connected and powered up when starting/shutting down the vehicle's engine.

Well, that begs the question then of: Is the most likely damage being done from over-current, or over-voltage?

Are normal car batteries capable of going over say 18v? I know there are different CCAs (cold cranking amps) for batteries depending on your type of car/engine so amps can vary.

But what about voltage? I run my RX65 in Pilot V mode, which always displays the vehicle voltage. I usually run about 13.7-14.1 volts. The RX65 will display a "low voltage" warning message followed by an audible alert if the voltage drops below 10.5. It will also display a high voltage warning and audible alert if the voltage goes above 16.0 volts.

I guess it is safe to say that the RX65 can safely and correctly operate in this voltage range.

I would tend to think that over-current is more of an enemy than over-voltage. I am running the RX65 with 2 fuses as protection (radio fuse and in-line fuse) for over-current. I'm sure the RX65 runs on a lot less than 12v and they use an internal voltage regulator to bring the higher voltage down to what it actually runs on.

Stalker - do cars just have fuses for protection of the car stereo, or do they actually have "surge protectors"?

**411** · 11-19-2005, 07:14 PM

To my knowledge the highest surge voltage a car could deliver is 14.1 volts or the maximum charging voltage coming from the alternator : 14.8.

The problem is always mostly under voltage .

Running many rd at statup and never have a problem.

**SmaartAasSaabr** · 11-19-2005, 08:26 PM

If the voltage regulator on the alternator breaks, (the regulator that determines the current going into the windings of alternator, and thus changing the output) the voltage can spike to whatever.

But if the regulator is working fine, there should be no problems. Mind you, with a Belscort unit, due to all the history of calibration trouble, I'd turn off the unit until the time you put the car in 1st and get moving, so the RD always gets a nice feed of 13,6v or whatever.

When you are starting the car, you usually have an under-voltage going on.