WOT causing LASER warning?

[MGV101]

Thanks. I guess I am going to start hunting down ferrite filters around my house then. I am sure I've got plenty of them lying around.

 

Not gonna put much hope on it but it's easy enough to worth a try.

[TSiWRX]

^ Definitely give it a try - I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

 

With the STi-R, I would choke the power feed to the control unit, as well as the RJ-terminal'ed wire for the LASER receiver element.

 

Oh, and BTW, I re-read your posts above - I tend to skip over details when I read too fast.

 

You said that your STi-R made funny noises during vehicle start-up.

 

It's possible that the unit is seeing power fluctuations during the vehicle starting process, which is in-turn causing the misbehavior. Over the last half-decade or so, Escort's products have become increasingly power-hungry/sensitive, and the start-up power fluctuations could definitely be a cause for your observations. Is there a way to either wire-in a delay to your detector's power circuit, or to wire-in a secondary kill-switch, so as to allow you to turn on the detector after starting the vehicle?

[MGV101]

Thank you for all the help!!

 

For the receiver wire, I should place the choke right before the receiver just incase the wire picks up interference on route to the receiver correct? Since the receiver is place right at the grill in front of the radiator, I'm afraid that the heat will kill the magnet in the ferrite filter though.

 

Oh, and BTW, I tend to skip writing details when I post too fast too. Since the RD is currently connected to an always on power source rather than a switched one, I have to manually turn the unit on/off when I start/switch off my car. The speakers are actually making noise when the RD is powered down but I guess it still make sense since as the speaker does have it's own power supply.

 

I can easily do a test on the start-up power fluctuations by unplugging the power cable from the control unit while starting the car and plugging it back in afterwards. If that really proves to be the cause, I'll definately add in a switch. I won't be able to try anything until early feb though since I am currently on a trip for work.

 

Even though the unit is powered off, as long as it is still connected to the power source, the power fluctuations could still overload the electronics as it is probably still drawing stand by power right?

[GTTuner]

Wow...I can't believe I am reading this...I have a V1 from 1998....it used to go off as I was logging in 3rd...scared the crap out of me as Im going nearly 100 by the time I hit redline in 3rd....

 

I also have seen the laser go off at other weird times (not at WOT)...must be some sort of interference...I remeber there being ambulances/Fire rescue trucks around whne it went off on several occasions.

 

 

Detector going off at 100 mph.

That will soil your underpants .

[TSiWRX]

Thank you for all the help!!

 

Please - think nothing of it! I'm just glad to be able to offer some advice...whether it'll work or not, that's another question altogether!

 

For the receiver wire, I should place the choke right before the receiver just incase the wire picks up interference on route to the receiver correct? Since the receiver is place right at the grill in front of the radiator, I'm afraid that the heat will kill the magnet in the ferrite filter though.

 

That's what I think, too.

 

But I caution you that I'm a biological scientist, not an electrical engineer! I took "Physics for Poets" as an undergrad!

 

Oh, and BTW, I tend to skip writing details when I post too fast too. Since the RD is currently connected to an always on power source rather than a switched one, I have to manually turn the unit on/off when I start/switch off my car. The speakers are actually making noise when the RD is powered down but I guess it still make sense since as the speaker does have it's own power supply.

 

I can easily do a test on the start-up power fluctuations by unplugging the power cable from the control unit while starting the car and plugging it back in afterwards. If that really proves to be the cause, I'll definately add in a switch. I won't be able to try anything until early feb though since I am currently on a trip for work.

 

Even though the unit is powered off, as long as it is still connected to the power source, the power fluctuations could still overload the electronics as it is probably still drawing stand by power right?

In this case, I definitely think that there's some noise issue, somewhere along the line.

 

As to your last question, though, that I do not know.....

[MGV101]

But I caution you that I'm a biological scientist, not an electrical engineer! I took "Physics for Poets" as an undergrad!

 

Hey! I did Biology for undergrad too (mainly molecular and microbiology)!

 

I was good at everything else BUT the exams which is the only thing they cared about so my GPAs didn't end up too well and wasn't able to pursure my career as a scientist.

 

Ended up being an auditor right now which is something that I enjoy much less.

[TSiWRX]

^ Hey, keep going at it! I'm also of the "I gotta do some extra work to improve that GPA" school. My first two years of college were a disaster in terms of my GPA, but surprisingly, I learned more than enough to not only do well in my undergrad research, as well as managed to get me very high marks in my upperclassmen seminars. I "paid for my time" with about three years of work-and-school, after I'd graduated, taking graduate-level courses and working to publish papers, before I got back on-track again.

 

If you're unhappy, go back!

[schwinn]

FWIW, neither my current Bel RX65 (based on the 8500 design, I believe), nor my previous 845STi had this issue. Both were wired from the power for the rearview mirror, located in the map lights area.

 

My Blinder M20 also doesn't have this issue - wired from the fusebox. Maybe I have a less noisy LGT...?

[TSiWRX]

My Blinder M20 also doesn't have this issue

 

Typically, anything other than the Escort ZR-series active jammers will not see this issue as a result of "common" line noise/fluctuations.

 

It's still possible, however, if there's enough noise and/or if the fluctuations is large enough - that's actually not unheard of, although rare, and can usually be traced down to either vehicle or install-related problems.

 

More often than not, active jammer units "false" in response to either an IR-source or even bright visible-light sources.

 

Maybe I have a less noisy LGT...?

 

^ That's certainly possible.

 

My '05, for example, has never seen this issue.

[Verwilderd]

I glad to see other people have this issue....I have had this on my last two cars and could never figure out why. My best guess was voltage changes. The escorts have a voltage read on them and I always wanted to switch my read out to see if there was a pattern, but always forgot. So this def offers some insight.

 

The only thing weird now, is with my 9500, the lasar will sound only at WOT, but not everytime. In fact, it seems like the laser only sounds in certain areas while at WOT. Weird....I guess it must be a combination of voltage changes as well as external sources. It just always scares the crap out of me because I'm going WOT, which means I'm probably over the speed limit (or if not, about to be).

 

All in all, listen to TSi+WRX. This guy knows what he's talking about!

[TSiWRX]

I glad to see other people have this issue....I have had this on my last two cars and could never figure out why. My best guess was voltage changes. The escorts have a voltage read on them and I always wanted to switch my read out to see if there was a pattern, but always forgot. So this def offers some insight.

 

The voltage reading is only valid of the line you're pulling from, and also, remember that since the alert will take precedence, you may or may not get a glimpse of the "snapshot" occurrence. Some have tried it and have seen the readout peg to what some speculate to be the device's highest possible reading, before the false occurs, but not everyone's had success. It's definitely worth a try, to see if you can spot trouble, right off the bat - and as-such is certainly a worthy troubleshooting step, since it's both easy and does not require any "digging" (this is how I favor troubleshooting, to start from the most obvious and the most easy to access, first, digging-in only as-necessary) - but it won't necessarily be conclusive.

 

The only thing weird now, is with my 9500, the lasar will sound only at WOT, but not everytime. In fact, it seems like the laser only sounds in certain areas while at WOT. Weird....I guess it must be a combination of voltage changes as well as external sources. It just always scares the crap out of me because I'm going WOT, which means I'm probably over the speed limit (or if not, about to be).

 

If you can make reliable observations of the "where you are," there might be more than coincidence at-play. It could very well be that the specific spots where you either like to have fun by going WOT or where you're doing your datalogging pulls is somehow within sightlines of some IR source - or, it's even possible that, say, in that *specific* spot where you go WOT, the trees to the side of the road, casting shadows alternating with extremely bright spots of sunlight peeking through, can occur at just the right frequency, given your road-speed, to elicit an alert, kinda like how a visible-light LED-strobe on some emergency vehicles can also cause this false.

 

That "tree-lined street" scenario is an uncommon one, but far from impossible. I was among those who first reported it, of the then-newish Escort ZR3, and people laughed at how impossible it sounded - but soon, more and more users reported the same, and we were all then, like, "WTF! that guy's not crazy after all!" It's one of those "out there" things, but it can happen, however rare.

 

All in all, listen to TSi+WRX. This guy knows what he's talking about!

 

^ No no, not at all! I'm just a hobbyist when it comes to speed-detection countermeasures, that's all. Nothing special. And to be honest, as of the past 3 months or so, I've started to lose track, as I've been inactive in that community due to how busy I've been at home and at work.

 

Look at the amount of detail that G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2 goes into, in his post. Look at the same by armscrafter1, on RD.net. I can't do that. All I can do is remember who posted what, and help point others to those reference posts.

 

I'm no guru. I'm just someone who has been around long enough that I can serve as a guide, that's all.

[schwinn]

Not arguing with you TSI... just wanted to state my "good" setup for reference.

 

I'd be happy to capture some scope-readings from my car, if someone wants it for comparison to their car... (eg Verwilderd)... but if others don't have access to a scope, then I don't want to waste my time...

[TSiWRX]

Not arguing with you TSI... just wanted to state my "good" setup for reference.

 

No, no, that's understood - didn't mean for you to mis-read that as some kind of argument or anything, my bad!

 

I, too, am merely stating for the record and clarifying, that's all.

 

I'd be happy to capture some scope-readings from my car, if someone wants it for comparison to their car... (eg Verwilderd)... but if others don't have access to a scope, then I don't want to waste my time...

 

^ Damn, I wonder if there's any engineers on the board who are also into countermeasures?!

[schwinn]

^ Damn, I wonder if there's any engineers on the board who are also into countermeasures?!

Besides me?

[TSiWRX]

^ That's what I meant!

[CTSubiefan]

Thanks for explaining all this. I've filled my shorts a few times launching up a onramp only to hear the soul piercing laser alarm as I fly past 90mph:ohhh:. That kind of cardiac episode can't be good for my health. I'll be sending mine to Escort for the adjustment. Thanks again.

[TSiWRX]

^ Just remember that if they do up your shielding (again, that's an "if" - it could very well be that they open your unit, and find some form of true electrical issue or age-degraded shielding, repairs of which should not affect LASER sensitivity), you'll have a detector which is even less sensitive to LASER than it was, originally (which would be not all that great, at all, to start with, sadly ).

 

So, if you routinely face LASER threats, it would be time to reconsider whether you want to undertake further passive and/or active protective measures.

 

[papa g]

My V1 laser reading goes off occasionally when it does not seem like there are any bogeys around. It has happened at random throttle levels. Cruising and at WOT. I always assumed it was other interference in the area.

[TSiWRX]

^ The V1 is a different beast from the Escort detectors.

 

Although the STi-Driver and the RedLine supposedly both have more than one true receiver, the other in-cabin standalone models all carry only one single, forward-facing receiver set, and utilize a "light pipe" to conduct light from the rear sensor to the front sensor.

 

Additionally, none of the Escort/Bel in-cabin standalone models utilize a true optical collimator as seen in the forward-facing LASER receiving element of the V1 - which is truly like a giant eye....

 

It's no wonder that the V1 is so sensitive to LASER - and, as a by-product, is also thus more prone to "falsing" from all different forms of light sources, both visible as well as IR.

 

The V1 typically falses LASER for reasons completely different from that of the Escort/Bel units.

[black318i]

Originally Posted by G35C_WRX_MX5_MR2

Yes I know exactly what's causing it. When you go WOT the output of your alternator increases voltage output and the capacitors in the laser section of the detector can't handle it. The capacitors they used degrade over time. I've repaired the two Escort 8500 detectors I have by replacing the tantalum surface mount capacitors in the laser section. I think Escort will fix it for a nominal fee of about $50.

 

 

 

It's a simple repair if you can solder. I didn't take any photos when I repaired mine but here's a description. Open the case and you'll see a section of the PC board with an RF shield over it. This is the laser section. The RF shield is held in place by a couple of solder tabs. You can melt the solder holding them at the same time as prying them up so the tabs will be perpendicular to the board and you'll be able to pull the shield away from the PC board. Under the shield look for the surface mount tantalum capacitor it will probably be small yellow capacitor marked 226. This signifies 22UF (micro farad). They used only 20 volt parts and since they degraded they can't handle even 14.5 or so volts, this is what causes the false signal. Get a 22UF capacitor the same size but 25V and replace the bad part. These parts can be removed with a small soldering iron if you're careful not to rip the traces off the board. Clean the flux off the board with some alcohol or flux cleaner, re-install the RF shield and you're done. I've fixed two units this way and have not had a single false Laser signal since. The laser portion still works great.

 

I did this a few days ago and it seems to have done the trick. I believe the cap is a size C, but I couldn't find anything smaller than a D for 25v. It's big for the pad spacing, but you can get the solder to flow well enough for a good contact.

[B-BGTLimited]

Really no one...

 

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/Data/djdigitald/20091130154830_sharks_with_laser_beams-w72pgv-d.jpg

 

I had to... lmao.

[TSiWRX]

^

[dr_sharp]

SIMPLE FIX: wipe the pcb down with alcohol and a clean cloth.

 

I know it sounds ridiculous and I'm the last person to believe that this would work over swapping caps... but I did it and it worked like a charm.

 

I have an 8500 that I bought from a friend. After about a month of owning it, it started doing this to me. It got worse and would eventually do it while I was just driving at constant speed. I did some research and found a lot of people saying that cleaning the pcb fixed the problem. I pessimistically tried it and it worked. Haven't had a false positive laser detection since cleaning.

 

Sorry if this is mentioned elsewhere in the thread, I stopped reading after pg 2.

[TSiWRX]

^ Very interesting.... To be honest, I'm not sure I'd ever cataloged that very simple fix! Thank you!

 

So, with that, then, a question -

 

If the need arises due to condensation and/or grime, and that this only happens with certain units, then would it not be reasonable to think that the origin of the problem, with those particular units, would be defective case sealing - and that after cleaning, it would benefit the owner to insure that the unit is better sealed (i.e. check for defects in case molding, etc.)?

[Verwilderd]

^ Very interesting.... To be honest, I'm not sure I'd ever cataloged that very simple fix! Thank you!

 

So, with that, then, a question -

 

If the need arises due to condensation and/or grime, and that this only happens with certain units, then would it not be reasonable to think that the origin of the problem, with those particular units, would be defective case sealing - and that after cleaning, it would benefit the owner to insure that the unit is better sealed (i.e. check for defects in case molding, etc.)?

 

Well it could be due to a defective case seal or it could be due to the way it's handled...ie if a person takes it out of the car frequently (so as to keep it concealed) or if there's switching out for car to car....or depending upon what car and where they mount it on the windshield it could see more vibration which could cause the seal to wear over time.

 

I know there are times when I park in public places that I will take my 9500 off the windshield and place in the glove box (and lock it of course) and then sometimes when I get back in the car, I forget to get the detector out and just drive to my destination....well while in the glove box, it's moving/bouncing around which could damage the seal.