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Adding a battery disconnect switch - which post? Jump to page : 1 Now viewing page 1 [50 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
Forward Look Technical Discussions -> Electrical, Battery and Charging | Message format |
56D500boy |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9855 Location: Lower Mainland BC | I just bought one of these at Walmart. The instructions suggest that it should be connected to the negative terminal. Does that make sense? | ||
wizard |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+ Posts: 13042 Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | I'm positive that you shall connect it to negative | ||
Old Ray |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 507 Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | I think it should go on the positive, that is what I am going to do. I also wish I could remember all the reasons why ! | ||
Lancer Mike |
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Location: The Mile High City | I have mine connected to the negative. It is a negative cutoff switch - I am not sure what a positive connection would do. Maybe it would work just fine, maybe the whole car would go ka-blouie! | ||
wizard |
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Board Moderator & Exner Expert 10K+ Posts: 13042 Location: Southern Sweden - Sturkö island | In practice, it does not matter where in the circuit you break the power if you want to make a system powerless, but there are exceptions. If the disconnector is located in a different location than in the space where the battery is located and therefore must have a cable between the battery and the separator. Then, the discnnector should be connected to the negative pole of the battery. The reason for this is that if you pull a positive cable (in a minus car) directly from the battery to the disconnector, this cable is unprotected by the disconnector. Should this cable cause damage to the insulation and ground to the body, short circuit occurs and then the disconnector is ineffective since the short circuit is in front of the separator. For this reason, the separator (this also applies to fuses) should be as close to the battery as possible. Most disconnectors is designed to be mounted battery's negative pole which has a smaller diameter. Also, every fsm always state that the negative Cable should be disconnected before any electrical work is done on a car. Remember, the disconnector only protects your electrical system while the car is parked………… This was the reason why the fuse links was invented………………….. | ||
ttotired |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 8443 Location: Perth Australia | It should go on the negative, you will notice that the neg post is smaller than the pos post, so there not really interchangeable, although that said, I have fixed a few cars with batteries that were fitted backwards. Electrically, it makes no difference which side you isolate, but normally, its done on the neg side to reduce the chances of short circuits (not much chance with this style) and because there is normally less wiring to the neg post As for the terminal isolators like that, they can give trouble and I personally wouldn't use one, but they do work and are more aesthetically pleasing than a real isolator switch | ||
60 dart |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 8947 Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | if one is careful disconnecting and connecting the oem cable , it's easier and faster than the fancy coupling . i just don't like the fancy so called fast disconnect ............ period! --------------------------------------------------later | ||
51coronet |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 360 | Another reason is you are more likely to be at the negative polarity than the positive when working on the car. Just by leaning on the car this is true. Current flows with that difference of potential so say it was on the positive side, you are working on the positive and therefore at positive polarity and lean on the car you now complete the circuit and enough current can flow to be dangerous depending on multiple variables. Bottom line its safer on the negative side. | ||
57chizler |
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Expert Posts: 3768 Location: NorCal | I've used the shutoff switch in the OP and the choice of terminals is a matter of convenience. In all my FL cars the positive terminal is at the rear of the battery and easier to hook up and access. Also, I hate the look of the battery terminal clamped on that switch, I prefer to drill and tap the existing hole in the switch and attach the cable with a ring terminal and bolt. | ||
Old Ray |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 507 Location: Invermere B.C. Canada - Rocky Mountains | I think I remembered why it should be on the positive terminal of the battery; This is the one I am going to use, the handle can be removed as a theft deterrent. (battery switch.jpg) Attachments ---------------- battery switch.jpg (201KB - 139 downloads) | ||
56D500boy |
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Expert 5K+ Posts: 9855 Location: Lower Mainland BC | 56D500boy - 2018-07-26 1:02 PM I just bought one of these at Walmart. The instructions suggest that it should be connected to the negative terminal. Does that make sense? After hearing the pro's and con's of negative vs positive, I realized that the disconnect that I bought only works on the negative terminal so that is where I installed it, as shown below: By the way, if anybody has a lead on an OE battery hold down, please let me know, this generic one is starting to annoy me. (WalmartSchumacherSwanTerminalDisconnectInstalled.jpg) Attachments ---------------- WalmartSchumacherSwanTerminalDisconnectInstalled.jpg (179KB - 145 downloads) | ||
rebel |
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Extreme Veteran Posts: 309 Location: Western Colorado | I looked for years for an original battery hold down without any luck. I finally fabricated my own, based only on pictures. The hardest part was the formed pieces at the hold down bolts. The rest was simple. I made it out of 16 gauge sheet metal and then had it powder coated with the rubbery type powder coat, just like the original. Bob (Chrysler battery hold down 001.JPG) (Chrysler battery hold down 002.JPG) (Chrysler battery hold down 005.JPG) (Chrysler battery hold down 006.JPG) (Chrysler battery hold down 007.JPG) Attachments ---------------- Chrysler battery hold down 001.JPG (105KB - 153 downloads) Chrysler battery hold down 002.JPG (106KB - 141 downloads) Chrysler battery hold down 005.JPG (99KB - 147 downloads) Chrysler battery hold down 006.JPG (96KB - 154 downloads) Chrysler battery hold down 007.JPG (131KB - 148 downloads) | ||
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