Having equipment professionally installed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dan Robinson
  • Start date Start date

Dan Robinson

I just bought a new vehicle, and I'm in the quandary of needing some essential chasing gear in there, and yet not wanting to drill or otherwise damage stuff in the process.

I can install things myself and get them functional, but I'm not the best with aesthetics. I wondered if anyone has approached a professional stereo/alarm/etc place to have them install chasing gear. My thinking is that they have all of the right materials, brackets, wiring and components to make things work properly and look good.

I'd like to get an inverter system hardwired in with a fuse and a dash switch, with nothing visible but the switch and 110v plug outlets mounted flush somewhere. I figure a pro can do that in a couple of hours, whereas it would take me all day (and I'd probably break something trying to do it). If it was an old car I'd had for years, I wouldn't care, I'd just do it myself. But a new one is a different story.

Wondered if anyone has had this type of thing done, and how much it cost. I just had an alarm put in for under $250, and figured something like an inverter system shouldn't be too much more than that (especially if I already have the components).
 
Do it right...

Dan,

If you're going to spend the money to get things professionally installed, then why go with an inverter? That's kind of an inefficient, "hack" way of installing things.

Doing it "right" would be getting the proper power supply to convert the current directly from DC to DC rather than from DC to AC (power inverter) then back to DC again with your OEM power adaptor. You'll use much less current, your power adapters will last longer, run cooler and you'll have much more power for other things like a mondo light bar!! (J/K!)

Plus, there's always some danger when you put AC in a car if it should get wet.
 
That would make sense if the only thing I needed power for was my laptop. I need something for the dashcam, the two Sony video camera chargers, the Canon battery charger, the cell phone charger, the charger for my electric razor, both of my laptops (which have two different adapter designs), any future laptop I happen to buy (planning on a netbook sometime this year), and any other device I happen to need now and in the future. Not all at the same time of course.

The goal is clean and neat without needing lots of different adapters and wires everywhere. Just plug the items I need at the time into the outlets :)

Basically the same setup I've been using since 2005, without having the 750w inverter take up space in the cabin.
 
A couple of years ago I had my rood antennas mounted "professionally" One of the holes they drilled hit a beam, they had to re-drill in a different location. They plugged the hole with one of those nylon plugs that are used to mount the insulation under the hood. It didn't seal out any water.
I had requested that they put silicone sealant in addition to the rubber gasket that came with the mounts. They didn't do it and they all leaked.
I took the van back for them to fix it after the first rain we had. They used some clear silicone sealant and just spread it around on the roof around all the mounts. It looked very sloppy and didn't seal anything.
I ended up getting my money back and fixing it myself.
 
If you're going to have in installed professionally, make sure you go to a professional that specializes in what you want installed. For example, your typical stereo shop is probably not going to be very experienced with installing roof mount antennas.

The aesthetics are definitely a plus, but the downside is always the price you are going to pay for a professional installation. I would shop around, as I've seen labor prices for these installations vary by as much as $100.

You might want to consider having them direct wire an accessory station with 3-4 outlets. We've been putting more of these into squads when we do installations, as they are nice for quick disconnect gear.

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I have learned over the years that getting someting installed by a "professional" just means that they are getting paid to do it. In many cases they know less about it than you do BUT they are getting paid per hour, hate their job, and are ready and willing to do it. This is not always the case but be weary......"pro" job usually means they are getting paid to do it and speaks nothing of their qualifications or experience in the job.

Graham
 
Yeah, that's probably true. The main benefit I see is if they break something, lose a screw, or cause a short circuit/overload, they'd be responsible for paying to fix it. New vehicles are getting increasingly harder to work on yourself, with under-dash free space seriously lacking and stuff packed tightly. You have to remove half the dash to get something to fit. I figure someone who does it all the time would be less likely to royally screw something up (and if they did, they'd have to fix it).

The local shop I used here for my alarm has been in the auto parts business for 80 years and seems to be more trustworthy that the average Circuit City/Best Buy or the fly-by-night car stereo shops. I'll probably talk to them this week and see what they'd charge to do it - can't hurt to ask :)

That said, for now I'm getting by with my 400 watt inverter for powering the basic necessities. The cigarette lighter plug outlet fuse is handling the load OK (laptop, 2 chargers and WxWorx) so this may be a moot issue. On my old car, the 750 watt would blow the fuse if I had everything plugged in to that circuit. I had to hardwire it with heavy-guage wire and its own fuse - I figured I'd need to do the same here, but so far it looks like I might not have to. Unless the fuse starts blowing all the time, I think I'll be OK with this setup.
 
Just a thought, but have you thought about checking with the service department in a dealership for your make of vehicle? It's a possible option where you could end up with someone that really knows the vehicle and may be less apt to just get a "hack" doing an install.
 
A good place to ask around is your local city garage where they install the equipment into all the police cars/fire trucks etc... They are used to antenna mounts, wiring radios, lights and extra power supplies and doing it cleanly. Maybe one of them would be interested in "after hours" work on the side.

I found a place here in amarillo ( a communications and electronics company) that the guy does alot of ham and 2 way radios for private companies along with a few of the surrounding county sheriff depts. He has done all my radios, consoles, lightbars, antennas, etc... and I have never had a problem except for a couple of blown fuses
 
It's hit or miss with installers. Some do a good job and request a healthy fee for their services while others are seemingly cheaper but often provide poorer service and sub-standard materials, installs etc.

I do all my own work, and some contract work with various public safety agencies around me. I like to keep the client list small as I can provide better service to them since I do it in my spare time. I'm currently in the middle of a new install on my new car...first import I've owned or done an install on, so far so good.
 
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