Powered receiver

Install your RAD MAG powered mount

Bond the receiver to the glass, wire it to switched 12V, snap the detector on. Work straight down the page - the three prep steps are what decide whether the bond lasts.

Time
20-30 min
Difficulty
Intermediate
You'll need
Microfibre cloth, trim tool, fuse tap*
Cure time
36 hrs before you load the detector

The six steps

Before you start: don't peel the 3M backing until steps 1 to 3 are done. The bond is won or lost in the first minute, and the tape only goes on once. Adhesive failures caused by improper preparation are not covered under warranty.

  1. 01

    Position

    Choose the spot

    Where the receiver sits decides how well the detector sees down the road, and whether you can get it off again.

    • Sit the detector level with the horizon so it looks straight down the road - that's how it picks up radar best.
    • Leave at least 2.5 cm of clearance between the front-top of the detector and the headliner. You remove it by tilting the front up to release the lip, so it needs room to lift.
    • Dry-fit before you commit: hold the mount in place, check your view of the road, and check the power tail reaches where it's going.
    Choose the spot
    Minimum clearance for unlatching: 2.5 cm between the front of the detector and the headliner.
  2. 02

    Prep

    Warm the glass

    The glass should feel warm to the touch - ideally 20°C to 38°C. Cold glass is the most common reason a mount lets go later.

    • Cold day or winter install? Run the defroster or a hairdryer over the spot for 1-2 minutes.
    • Below 15°C the acrylic foam in the 3M tape turns firm and glassy. It can't flow into the microscopic peaks and valleys of the glass, so tack feels weak and the bond fails under vibration.
    • Above 38°C - a windscreen hot from direct sun - the adhesive goes too soft, and pressing can shear the foam core and build stress into the tape before it cures.
  3. 03

    Prep

    Wipe, then buff dry

    Use the isopropyl prep wipe included in your box. How you dry it matters more than how you wipe it.

    • Wipe the mounting spot with the alcohol wipe.
    • Buff it dry straight away with a clean microfibre cloth, while it's still wet.
    • Don't let it air dry. Wiping while wet lifts the dissolved oils away; air drying just leaves them back on the glass.
    • Skip paper towels - they shed lint onto the surface you just cleaned.

    Don't touch it after this. Fingerprints put the oils straight back on. Go from buff to mount without a break - prep is what the bond depends on, and adhesive failures from poor prep are not covered under warranty.

  4. 04

    Mount

    Press, then leave it alone

    You get one placement. Line it up dry, then commit.

    • Peel the 3M backing and place the receiver on the spot you dry-fitted.
    • Press from the centre outward for 30 seconds minimum. Never press on the logo side - it can crack the plastic.
    • Leave it undisturbed for 36 hours before loading the detector. 72 hours for the Escort Redline 360C.
    Do not skip
    Wait 36 hours before you load the detector

    Press from the centre outward for 30 seconds, then leave the receiver completely alone for 36 hours - 72 hours for the Escort Redline 360C. 3M VHB keeps building strength after it goes on and only reaches full bond at 72 hours. Hang a detector on it early and the tape peels off the glass under the leverage of the arm.

    Adhesive failures caused by skipped preparation or an early load are not covered under warranty. Warm glass, buff dry, 30 seconds of firm pressure, then wait - that is the whole job. Read the warranty terms

  5. 05

    Wiring

    Connect switched 12V

    Your receiver ships with a D2 quick disconnect already fitted, plus one of two power tails. Follow the option that matches the tail in your box.

    Easiest
    Option A - Mirror tap

    Spade-plug tail. Piggybacks the power feed already running to your rear-view mirror.

    • Drop the mirror cover to expose the power loom
    • Identify the switched 12V and ground wires (a multimeter helps)
    • Slip the spade plugs onto the matching wires - no cutting, no splicing
    • Tuck the tail along the headliner and refit the cover
    Option B - Hardwire (fuse tap)

    12V bare-wire tail with a ring-terminal ground. Taps a switched fuse slot for ignition-controlled power.

    • Ground: bolt the black ring terminal to any bare-metal chassis bolt
    • Power: connect the red wire to a switched fuse slot via a fuse tap
      • 2A fuse into the slot furthest from the tap blade
      • Original fuse into the remaining slot
      • The original fuse must be rated higher than 2A
    • Tuck the wires along the headliner and down the A-pillar
    Option A - Mirror tap
    Wiring harness plug Mirror stem Cover pops down
    1Drop the trim coverEase the cover off the mirror stem with a plastic trim tool.The factory wiring harness plug sits directly behind it.
    +12V GND DC V 12.4 V Key on: reads ~12.4V Key off: drops to 0V
    2Find switched 12VRed probe to the live wire, black probe to ground. The correctwire reads ~12V with the key on and 0V with the ignition off.
    Factory OEM connector Flat spade prong slides into the cavity No cutting, no splicing - push until it clicks
    3Push the spades onThe RAD MAG tail ends in flat spade prongs that slide intothe back of the factory connector alongside the OEM pins.
    Tucked under the headliner seam Cover snapped back on Nothing visible from the cabin
    4Tuck and refitPress the cable up behind the headliner seam above themirror, then click the trim cover back over the stem.
    Option B - Hardwire
    Brass ring terminal Paint scraped back to bare metal Heat-shrink sleeve
    1Bolt the ground loopScrape the paint back around a factory bolt, then clamp thebrass ring under the bolt head. Paint underneath = bad ground.
    HEAD WIPER HORN INST RADIO 12V SKT MIRROR ACC Keep this fuse - it goes into the tap Empty slot dead with the key off
    2Pick a switched slotPull fuses until you find one that is dead with the ignition off.Keep that fuse - it goes back into the tap. Never alarm or ECU.
    Add-a-circuit fuse tap: the original fuse sits nearest the original prongs, the 2A fuse for the windscreen receiver sits in the auxiliary slot, crimped to the receiver's red wire
    3Load the fuse tapOriginal fuse into the lower socket, inline above the blades.New 2A into the offset socket. Original must be rated above 2A.Fuse tap sold separately - not included with the receiver.
    RAD MAG Behind the headliner trim Curtain airbag zone keep the wire on the inner edge Under-dash fuse box A-PILLAR
    4Route the wireAlong the headliner, then down the inner edge of the A-pillarto the fuse box. Never across the curtain airbag deploy path.

    Not sure which tail you have? Mirror tap ends in two flat metal spade plugs. Hardwire ends in a red wire plus a black ring terminal.

    Switched 12V only. Verify polarity and switched-vs-constant with a multimeter before you connect. A constant live feed will drain your battery while the car is off.

    Now included

    Every powered receiver now ships with a D2 quick disconnect fitted to the receiver tail. Changed your mind on how you take power, or moving the mount to another car? Unplug one connector and plug in the other lead - no rewiring, no cutting. Spare mirror-tap or hardwire leads are sold separately.

  6. 06

    Done

    Snap it on and drive

    • Snap the detector arm onto the receiver - the magnets pull it in and locate it on the pins.
    • Start the car and check the detector powers up.
    • To remove: tilt the front of the detector up to release the lip, then twist and pull it off the magnet.

Need a hand?

Mirror tap is the cleanest install - no fuses, no splicing. Not comfortable with vehicle wiring? Any local car audio shop can finish either option in under 15 minutes.

Get in touchSee power optionsNon-powered guide

Keep exploring

More reasons drivers choose RAD MAG

Know your mount

2-Pin vs 4-Pin - which do I need?

2-Pin

Power only - your detector runs as normal. Best for simple hardwire installs.

4-Pin

Power + data - required for the Escort Smart Cord, Uniden Remote Mute Kit or Valentine One ESP accessories.

2-Pin and 4-Pin aren't interchangeable - a mismatched connection can damage your detector.
Compare 2-Pin vs 4-Pin
Your install

Power options

Power it your way

Mirror tap or fuse-tap hardwire - see what's in each kit and which suits your car.

See power options
Risk-free

Peace of mind

30-day money-back guarantee

Mount it, drive it. If it's not right, send it back within 30 days for a full refund.

Read the guarantee