wstar's Journal

wstar · 07-24-2009, 04:34 PM

Installed the sensors for my Blinder M25 laser jammer today. Semtex already did a writeup with pics on this so I won't bother (over here). The Gearwrench Microdriver is pretty much invaluable for the Blinder install, as the mounting screws would be a bitch to reach with anything else inside the grill.

I cut the two lower peices of plastic on the grill itself like Semtex did and mounted in roughly the same place, but I didn't shorten the mounting brackets, so mine are slightly more to the inside than his. Ran the wiring through the tiny hole just below the passenger-side Gen 3 intake tube (it's a little square hole that the telephone jacks happen to barely fit through), then ran the wiring up the passenger side of the engine bay near some factory wiring, and popped it through the big rubber grommet for the ECU wiring harness (and sealed my hole with black RTV).

So the sensors and sensor wiring is all done, but I haven't done the interior part yet. I just plugged it all up laying in the passenger seat to test it with a bench power supply so far. Interior might happen tomorrow AM, I haven't quite decided where and how to mount the switch/LED.

Supergoji · 07-26-2009, 06:14 PM

have you tested the blinders yet?

i have seen video's proving they are very effective and video's proving they suck.

wstar · 07-27-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supergoji

have you tested the blinders yet?

i have seen video's proving they are very effective and video's proving they suck.

No, I haven't tested them yet. Not having access to a real laser speed gun makes that hard

. Apparently it's either much more discriminating against falses than my V1, or just plain broken, one of the two. I pointed an IR remote control at the car and it set off the V1 but not the blinder. The IR remote operates at 980nm and police laser guns are at 904nm though, so my gut feeling is that the Blinder is just rejecting false signals better. Sometime this week I'm going to hunt down a cheap 904nm testing source, there must be some random crappy product at Fry's that happens to emit that wavelength or something (or worst case, I'll just buy a 904nm laser diode and build one myself).

wstar · 07-27-2009, 09:22 AM

And as far as existing product tests, these guys seem pretty reliable, and the Blinder does well there: Radar Detector Tests and Laser Jammer Tests by Guys of LIDAR

semtex · 07-30-2009, 11:19 AM

I tested my Blinder the old fashioned way -- been hit by cops twice already with laser.

I just love it when they keep trying and trying and trying, and I see the puzzled look their faces as I drive by. It never gets old.

wstar · 07-30-2009, 12:17 PM

Laser is rarer here. It used to be practically non-existent, but lately I see them from time to time. They generally sit in the fast-lane shoulder, out of the car with the gun propped on the door. Of course I haven't hit one yet since I put the Blinder in. Next up in my laser countermeasures is to apply Veil paint to the front headlights and chrome badge, hopefully today sometime.

LiquidZ · 07-30-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semtex

I tested my Blinder the old fashioned way -- been hit by cops twice already with laser.

I just love it when they keep trying and trying and trying, and I see the puzzled look their faces as I drive by. It never gets old.

Better hope they don't catch on!

As far as Ohio goes, I haven't seen a cop with laser... ever.

semtex · 07-30-2009, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidZ

Better hope they don't catch on!

As far as Ohio goes, I haven't seen a cop with laser... ever.

Why? They can't do anything about it. The device is perfectly legal in GA. I guess they could huff and puff at me and be generally obnoxious. That's why even though I know they can't read my speed, I slow down vs. blowing past them like some arrogant SOB tempting fate.

wstar · 07-30-2009, 05:16 PM

That's my plan, too. I'm still gonna shut the speed down ASAP when I notice a cop, like I always do. If I have the presence of mind to do so, I'll even flick off the blinder once I reach ~5-10 miles over, just to give them a shot at a late reading so they're less suspicious. But it's perfectly legal, so that's all just to avoid any kind of hassle with a cop who's pissed off about being jammed and decides to be a **** about it.

wstar · 07-30-2009, 10:21 PM

Just painted on the Veil coating. I did the front headlights and the front chrome Nissan logo. A few random pics:

The Veil can as it comes in the mail:

The contents (3 cheapo brushes that tend to fall apart, 1 small can paint, instructions):

Masking off the areas to be worked on (PITA with all the curves). I used Frogtape painter's tape:

After that, read the instructions and put on your painter's hat. When spread extremely thin, it looks fairly clear to the naked eye. Even a small thick droplet appears purple though, and thicker amounts are black.

It's about as thin as water, and tends to run and collect itself a lot as its being applied. They instruct you to wait for ideal weather conditions (not too hot, not too cold, not too humid), but that's simply impossible here, it's always hot and humid, so I don't know how that affected my experience getting it to apply smoothly. Use the smallest brush they give you, and just barely touch the tip to the paint to wet it, it's very easy to get too much paint on the brush for an entire headlight. Then stroke it around with the brush and try to get any glops and streaks smoothed over and let it dry. It tends to smooth out a bit and de-streak (and clear up) as it dries anyways, so it doesn't have to be perfect.

One can of this stuff could probably paint up the headlights of 50 cars, it's enough to last a lifetime. Going to wait to remove the masking till tomorrow and then check it out in the bright sunlight to see how I did.

LiquidZ · 07-31-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semtex

Why? They can't do anything about it. The device is perfectly legal in GA. I guess they could huff and puff at me and be generally obnoxious. That's why even though I know they can't read my speed, I slow down vs. blowing past them like some arrogant SOB tempting fate.

As long as they are legal in GA, you are fine. I just wouldn't use one personally.

Mike · 07-31-2009, 03:19 PM

sorry about the stains, but at least you were able to pass on some valuable info to the rest of us.

Namir · 08-13-2009, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidZ

Better hope they don't catch on!

As far as Ohio goes, I haven't seen a cop with laser... ever.

Then you clearly haven't driven down 71 to Cincy. Once a month they speed trap on 71 with 7-8 cruisers in a 2 mile stretch. The literally sit in a line and pull out and then circle back down and do it again.
Cincy uses 60/40 Radar/Laser. The motorcycle cops ONLY use laser and they are damn hard to see because the bikes are so small. And you frequently see cruisers parked perpendicular to the highway on the shoulder with a laser gun on the window.

I love my V1 but I think its more important to just learn smart speeding, ie not excessive and only in places with good visibility of the shoulders.

LiquidZ · 08-13-2009, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Namir

Then you clearly haven't driven down 71 to Cincy. Once a month they speed trap on 71 with 7-8 cruisers in a 2 mile stretch. The literally sit in a line and pull out and then circle back down and do it again.
Cincy uses 60/40 Radar/Laser. The motorcycle cops ONLY use laser and they are damn hard to see because the bikes are so small. And you frequently see cruisers parked perpendicular to the highway on the shoulder with a laser gun on the window.

I love my V1 but I think its more important to just learn smart speeding, ie not excessive and only in places with good visibility of the shoulders.

You are right, I haven't driven down to Cincy ever. I pretty much stay in the Columbus vicinity.

wstar · 08-13-2009, 10:48 PM

Today was a shitty day for my Z.

Started off with picking up a nail on the passenger rear tire while driving around town somewhere. In the sidewall no less. Luckily the hole doesn't leak much, since it's one of those funny angle holes that mostly slips between layers. Even after I pulled the nail, there were only some very tiny bubbles at the hole (when wet), but it was maintaining pressure fine. I went ahead and deflated it and patched over the outside of the hole with some permatex silicon gunk and then reinflated after it dried, and made an appointment to get the tire replaced at the dealership tomorrow (since I bought their road hazard program for the factory tires).

Then I went out to dinner down in the Clear Lake area. Had a half-decent steak at Outback, and came out to find my car had been broken into in the parking lot. The ******** smashed in my passenger window, rifled around in the car a bit, and settled for taking my Valentine 1 and the Glock 26 I keep in the center console. The cop who took the report said the same guy had been doing this all over town this evening for hours (driving around random parking lots and doing smash+grabs on the contents of the cars) and they had a make/model on his truck already from earlier calls. Given that my incident netted him a loaded weapon and is well past the felony line in theft value, at least they responded quickly to take the report.

Nothing else was damaged on the car though, so I'll get an estimate and a scheduled date (I assume I'll have to wait for them to order the glass) to replace the window when I'm at the dealership for the tire tomorrow and take it from there. Still gotta file an insurance claim or two, and dig up the pistol's serial number from my records for the cops. What a day

07-24-2009, 04:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	Installed the sensors for my Blinder M25 laser jammer today. Semtex already did a writeup with pics on this so I won't bother (over here). The Gearwrench Microdriver is pretty much invaluable for the Blinder install, as the mounting screws would be a bitch to reach with anything else inside the grill. I cut the two lower peices of plastic on the grill itself like Semtex did and mounted in roughly the same place, but I didn't shorten the mounting brackets, so mine are slightly more to the inside than his. Ran the wiring through the tiny hole just below the passenger-side Gen 3 intake tube (it's a little square hole that the telephone jacks happen to barely fit through), then ran the wiring up the passenger side of the engine bay near some factory wiring, and popped it through the big rubber grommet for the ECU wiring harness (and sealed my hole with black RTV). So the sensors and sensor wiring is all done, but I haven't done the interior part yet. I just plugged it all up laying in the passenger seat to test it with a bench power supply so far. Interior might happen tomorrow AM, I haven't quite decided where and how to mount the switch/LED. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-27-2009, 09:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	And as far as existing product tests, these guys seem pretty reliable, and the Blinder does well there: Radar Detector Tests and Laser Jammer Tests by Guys of LIDAR __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-30-2009, 11:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
semtex A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Behind enemy lines Age: 54 Posts: 5,995 Drives: People to drink Rep Power: 33	I tested my Blinder the old fashioned way -- been hit by cops twice already with laser. I just love it when they keep trying and trying and trying, and I see the puzzled look their faces as I drive by. It never gets old. __________________ "There are no small accidents on this circuit." -- Ayrton Senna 316.8whp & 248 ft/lbs (Dyno Dynamics) \| 319whp & 256 ft/lbs (DynoJet) (04/23/10) Stillen G3 CAI, CBE, Pulley / F.I. LTH / GTSpec Ladder Brace / Setrab Oil Cooler / UpRev-tuned by Forged Perf.

07-30-2009, 12:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	Laser is rarer here. It used to be practically non-existent, but lately I see them from time to time. They generally sit in the fast-lane shoulder, out of the car with the gun propped on the door. Of course I haven't hit one yet since I put the Blinder in. Next up in my laser countermeasures is to apply Veil paint to the front headlights and chrome badge, hopefully today sometime. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-30-2009, 05:16 PM	#9 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	That's my plan, too. I'm still gonna shut the speed down ASAP when I notice a cop, like I always do. If I have the presence of mind to do so, I'll even flick off the blinder once I reach ~5-10 miles over, just to give them a shot at a late reading so they're less suspicious. But it's perfectly legal, so that's all just to avoid any kind of hassle with a cop who's pissed off about being jammed and decides to be a **** about it. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-26-2009, 06:14 PM	#2 (permalink)
Supergoji Enthusiast Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Westchester NY Age: 36 Posts: 311 Drives: Z32tt / Supra tt Rep Power: 257	have you tested the blinders yet? i have seen video's proving they are very effective and video's proving they suck.

07-30-2009, 10:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	Just painted on the Veil coating. I did the front headlights and the front chrome Nissan logo. A few random pics: The Veil can as it comes in the mail: The contents (3 cheapo brushes that tend to fall apart, 1 small can paint, instructions): Masking off the areas to be worked on (PITA with all the curves). I used Frogtape painter's tape: After that, read the instructions and put on your painter's hat. When spread extremely thin, it looks fairly clear to the naked eye. Even a small thick droplet appears purple though, and thicker amounts are black. It's about as thin as water, and tends to run and collect itself a lot as its being applied. They instruct you to wait for ideal weather conditions (not too hot, not too cold, not too humid), but that's simply impossible here, it's always hot and humid, so I don't know how that affected my experience getting it to apply smoothly. Use the smallest brush they give you, and just barely touch the tip to the paint to wet it, it's very easy to get too much paint on the brush for an entire headlight. Then stroke it around with the brush and try to get any glops and streaks smoothed over and let it dry. It tends to smooth out a bit and de-streak (and clear up) as it dries anyways, so it doesn't have to be perfect. One can of this stuff could probably paint up the headlights of 50 cars, it's enough to last a lifetime. Going to wait to remove the masking till tomorrow and then check it out in the bright sunlight to see how I did. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

07-31-2009, 03:19 PM	#12 (permalink)
Mike The370Z.com Sponsor Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Loganville, GA Posts: 5,944 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 2186	sorry about the stains, but at least you were able to pass on some valuable info to the rest of us. __________________ NISSAN: 75 280Z / 86 300ZX GLL /87 Sentra SE / 03 350Z / 23 Z Porsche: 93 968 / 23 Macan GTS / 93 968

08-13-2009, 10:48 PM	#15 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	Today was a shitty day for my Z. Started off with picking up a nail on the passenger rear tire while driving around town somewhere. In the sidewall no less. Luckily the hole doesn't leak much, since it's one of those funny angle holes that mostly slips between layers. Even after I pulled the nail, there were only some very tiny bubbles at the hole (when wet), but it was maintaining pressure fine. I went ahead and deflated it and patched over the outside of the hole with some permatex silicon gunk and then reinflated after it dried, and made an appointment to get the tire replaced at the dealership tomorrow (since I bought their road hazard program for the factory tires). Then I went out to dinner down in the Clear Lake area. Had a half-decent steak at Outback, and came out to find my car had been broken into in the parking lot. The ******** smashed in my passenger window, rifled around in the car a bit, and settled for taking my Valentine 1 and the Glock 26 I keep in the center console. The cop who took the report said the same guy had been doing this all over town this evening for hours (driving around random parking lots and doing smash+grabs on the contents of the cars) and they had a make/model on his truck already from earlier calls. Given that my incident netted him a loaded weapon and is well past the felony line in theft value, at least they responded quickly to take the report. Nothing else was damaged on the car though, so I'll get an estimate and a scheduled date (I assume I'll have to wait for them to order the glass) to replace the window when I'm at the dealership for the tire tomorrow and take it from there. Still gotta file an insurance claim or two, and dig up the pistol's serial number from my records for the cops. What a day __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details

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