[SimiGuy]

Anyone know what the white thing is dangling by the wire? I'm guessing a rain or light sensor? I undid the big plastic shroud behind the mirror to see if I could mount my 7" backup screen up there and found that sensor just dangling by its wire. There is a cover over the hole that it seems to be supposed to go into...hmm?

 

[David]

Sorry, please clarify - I do not see a sensor dangling from a wire?
(And, if there is a rain sensor INSIDE the van, then a leaking air filter box is the least of our worries!)

 

[alarmist]

It clips into the round recess underneath it. Its the auto lamp/wiper sensor.

 

[asdrew]

You seem to be missing the clip to hold it in place. I found it doing the same thing, looking to mount my Bluetooth/GPS there and poking around for power for the radar detector.

 

[Td7]

I have a clamp on mount for my radar detector. Does the mirror have a tubular arm that holds the mirror. I thought maybe I could clamp on my mount and trim the cover to let the mount stick through the cover. How did you remove the cover?

 

[asdrew]

I have a clamp on mount for my radar detector. Does the mirror have a tubular arm that holds the mirror. I thought maybe I could clamp on my mount and trim the cover to let the mount stick through the cover. How did you remove the cover?

No the mirror mount is not that straightforward, the first pic shows it from the drivers side with the mirror pushed aside (and my detector in its temporary location until I hard wire and mount it)

The other pics show the removed cover - it snaps into place from each side, so you have to gently pry it apart down the middle seam. Hopefully you can see the clips you have to pry at. :nerd:

 

[Td7]

That looks like you have a Valentine. Is there any power in the harness that has power with ignition on? I have this clamp on mount I got from amazon. Hope I can trim cover to use this I hate the suction cups falling off in the winter.

 

[asdrew]

That looks like you have a Valentine. Is there any power in the harness that has power with ignition on? I have this clamp on mount I got from amazon. Hope I can trim cover to use this I hate the suction cups falling off in the winter.

Yes, a Valentine, I've been using them since the early 90's and will probably upgrade my 2 units soon (the new ones filter all the lane-changing signals and such from new cars).
I like that mount, it would probably take some re-engineering to make it work on the Transit, but where there's a will, there's a way. Maybe rather than clamping you could run screws through half of it into the cover and/or the structure underneath it.

Yes, one of the wires has ignition + power (pictured), I plan to tap into it with a fuse to handle the detector and the GPS/Bluetooth that will be mounted there too.

 

[Td7]

Amazon has this hook up. https://www.amazon.com/PerformancePackage-Mirror-Wire-Power-Inline/dp/B00RA38XEK/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1453776367&sr=8-6&keywords=valentine+radar+detector+power+cord

 

[jonsobi]

For a 12v dedicated supply above the visor, I ran some 12 ga from the upfitter switch connector in the seat base.

It was a straight forward run up the grey cab trim line and above the shelf.

I gives a nice 20 amp switched service for any and all GPS/Cam stuff, and no more 12v cables coming up from the dash. I drilled a stealth cable hole forward of the light box to hide wire entry/exit from the shelf.

I did not like seeing my GPS and stuff lit up for 30 minutes after leaving the van.

 

[joefromga]

I used the power from the map lights. Easy to get to and tap.

 

[justcallben]

Rain sensor is inside

Rain sensors don't measure moisture, they "see" raindrops.

I tapped the power up there for my rear view mirror cam and my dash cam.