I have an Escort S2 detector but it runs out of battery weakening its range.

After finding this:
http://break.com/index/how-to-build-a-sola...sb-charger.html
I'm looking for a way to convert my radar detector into solar power.

There is a solar powered detector out there, but if I can mod mine for a dime then why not? Anybody know if it's possible?

 

It'd be infinitely easier to wire it into your car.

 

Yep, I would just do that.

 

^ i've thought about it but i use it far more on my dads car than mine and i'm also taking it to europe with me this year. it looks easy as hell to do though. i'm just wondering how to go about the connecton to charge the batteries.

 

well, you can still hard wire it in a way where theres a release in the hardwire allowing you to take it to different places. Basically hard wire it with a quick realese and in a way that it will still run on batteries when in different cars. I say get the solar power idea out of your head, you would also need to wire a capacitor in to hold the charge, and then if you did accomplish that what about at night, no more sun, no more radar.

 

Can't it be plugged into your cigarette lighter or is that being used?

Would seem the best way to take it from car to car or am I missing something?

 

actually not a bad idea.

you would need to get into some wiring, but it shouldn't be too bad. 2 of these guys...

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item..._2200_MAH_.html

with one of these...

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bin/item...1_RED_LED_.html

it says the batteries are prolly bad on the solar cell deally, so just replace them with the ones above in the spot on the detector for batteries, then just run the charging wires from the solar cell into the battery compartment.

 

would you be able to have something draw power and charge at the same time? Would the device just pull what it needs from both sources?

 

pretty sure you would need some type of diode arrangement, but it should all be included with that "charging circuit" solar panel thing.

 

u could mount "one of these" on the base of ur rear window on the cover thingy and wire it through ur kickpanels with some crimp connecters. then up your passenger a pillar and across to the radar... with that much wiring u might as well wire the solar panel up to ur battery also.

that other radar probably sucks and is built for low power consumption, the one u are looking at using would use a bunch more power then a panel the size of it can put out...


ive seen semi transparent solar cells in flexible strips somewhere, it would work good for tint on the top of ur windshield if u could get the right size; and cut down on wiring fing02.gif