Escort 8500 X 50 GOING NUTS ???

[ssigur]

Hi all from a newb.
I have a possible problem with my RD. After I turn the engine/ignition on sitting in the garage, it goes trough the self test mode fine without SERVICE REQ. Then it starts going off on the KA band full signal strength. Could motion detectors do that or could the self test be faulty???? To my knowledge there where no radars present. Thanks.

[TSi+WRX]

If it's displaying "Service Required," it's just that - you'll need to call Escort, get an RMA number, and send it in.

You can try a hard-reset, first (hold down all three buttons on the surface of the detector while power-cycling it), but I don't know that this will clear it.....

Best of luck....

[ssigur]

Originally Posted by TSi+WRX

If it's displaying "Service Required," it's just that - you'll need to call Escort, get an RMA number, and send it in.

You can try a hard-reset, first (hold down all three buttons on the surface of the detector while power-cycling it), but I don't know that this will clear it.....

Best of luck....

Thanks for the input. It had "Service Required" a while back and cleared it self on restart. I have not seen it since, but I think its picking up to much garbage on K and KA band. That is why i was wondering if the self cal/test mode could be faulty and not displaying the "Service Required". I have already tried the hard reset and it did not change anything. Any more thoughts other than send it in???? Thanks.

[Nighthawk243]

Have you tried taveling to a secluded area to see if it quiets down?

[ssigur]

Originally Posted by Nighthawk243

Have you tried taveling to a secluded area to see if it quiets down?

No, not yet. I will give it a shot because I just installed motion detection lights that could be effecting it. Thanks.

[wilnevrbbiased]

Man, I hate to hear this happening to others. You need to perform a system reset. To do this it is quite simple. As the unit is powered on, unplug it from the side. Hold both buttons on the top of the unit and the mute button at the same time, and w/ your other hand insert the plug into the unit. This will reset your unit and give you the revision # of the unit. After doing this, don't forget to go into the programming menu to adjust your settings to "your" preference.

[MEM-TEK]

Solution:

Send it to Escort and specifically request that a lead solder bead rather than a lead-free solder bead be placed on the local oscillator (LO) board for the horn ridge to LO board microstrip contact. Also request that the lead solder bead be secured to the microstrip on the LO board using a microscopic dab of solder paste. Why do I suggest this? This is what solved a similar problem on my 9500i. Since doing this on my 9500i, I have baked the RD in blazing sunlight and can't get it to throw a self cal error or service required error. Why does this work? Quite simply, because lead based solder is much harder than lead-free solder and assures a strong horn ridge to microstrip connection between the horn ridge and the microstrip leading into the rest of the stuff on the LO board.

There are also one or two other proprietary solutions to potential issues which the Escort engineer likely will implement to assure full resolution of the problem. Don't ask -- I won't tell. Yet the solder bead thing is one of the key things which works, even though it does not make the RD completely RoHS compliant (basically totally lead free) in its construction. Darned environmentalists! Not even trace amounts of lead are acceptable these days.

[CJR238]

Originally Posted by ssigur

No, not yet. I will give it a shot because I just installed motion detection lights that could be effecting it. Thanks.

I would guess the new motion lights could be giving something off. However if you have had the X50 for a few years its not a bad idea to send it in, especially with the “Service Required” message and the odd falses.

[ssigur]

Ok. Thanks for all the info. Looks like I am sending it in since I lack trust in it any more. I did the reset but it did not change any thing. Thanks again.