Cheap battery disconnect

[Bitsyncmaster]

Not that I'm cheap but I don't like the idea of a battery switch mounted to the battery cover. I've bought a few switches and did not like the result.

This may not be as fast as a switch but with the wrench right in sight it's pretty quick.

[LEVY]

Yeah, it will help you get that battery out quick! Like the idea of have a wrench easy to reach.

This might also help:

http://i21.geccdn.net/site/images/large/POQ_018-39-014.jpg



Not that I'm cheap but I don't like the idea of a battery switch mounted to the battery cover. I've bought a few switches and did not like the result.

This may not be as fast as a switch but with the wrench right in sight it's pretty quick.

[Ron]

This may not be as fast as a switch but with the wrench right in sight it's pretty quick.
lol ...I have a ratchet next to mine.

[Michael]

I plan to put a saftey disconnect key on mine that I can pull without moving the battery cover. If something grounds out, I think your car would be on fire before you get a ratchet on it.

[Ron]

Yeah, that is a better idea, even though I leave the cover off most of the time playing with different ideas etc.
I'm a fireman...we like it hot!

[DMCMW Dave]

It doesn't quite meet the "no battery cover" criteria but this is the kind we use.


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[WelmoedJ]

I don't want to be a teacher lecturing, but:
Shouldn't a disconnect be in the negative line?

(On most cars having a negative to ground instructions tell you to disconnect the ground terminal before disconnecting the positive terminal).

Therefore IMO a disconnect, cutt off or whatever you want to name it, switch ought to be on the negative side of the battery.
I've seen otherwise though.

Welmoed.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I don't want to be a teacher lecturing, but:
Shouldn't a disconnect be in the negative line?

(On most cars having a negative to ground instructions tell you to disconnect the ground terminal before disconnecting the positive terminal).

Therefore IMO a disconnect, cutt off or whatever you want to name it, switch ought to be on the negative side of the battery.
I've seen otherwise though.

Welmoed.

It does not matter which side you disconnect. Since the neg. post is way back in our cars it would be hard to disconnect that unless you wire a switch for it.

[WelmoedJ]

It does not matter which side you disconnect. Since the neg. post is way back in our cars it would be hard to disconnect that unless you wire a switch for it.

Sure in our car we have less chance of grounding the positive terminal in the battery area.

However consider the moment you're going to replace the battery wires while at the same time needing a new battery.
Then change the position of the pos and neg terminals with a matching battery.

I've seen at least one car over here that has the neg terminal facing the front of the car and also has the cut off switch in the neg wire.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I've seen that neg. terminal recommendation elsewhere but can not see any truth to why it is stated.

[WelmoedJ]

I've seen that neg. terminal recommendation elsewhere but can not see any truth to why it is stated.

On other - non fiberglass bodied - cars there's a risk of shorting the battery if the pos terminal is taken off first.
And while doing so accidently touching any ground on the car with the tool used to remove the terminal.
It also seems of influence on the car's computer.
That's why, however you already knew that.

[DMCMW Dave]

I don't want to be a teacher lecturing, but:
Shouldn't a disconnect be in the negative line?

(On most cars having a negative to ground instructions tell you to disconnect the ground terminal before disconnecting the positive terminal).

Welmoed.

Electrically it makes no difference. Disconnected is disconnected. Since it's inside a plastic/wooden housing the ground safety is not an issue. The disconnecte would be very difficult to reach if connected on the back terminal in this installation.

On a "normal" car with the battery under the hood and many grounded metal parts in the area, it would be advantageous to disconnect the ground connection.

[DMC5180]

the rule is as Dave says
Always remove neg first and install last. It has to do with accidentally swinging a wrench on the pos side and creating sparks insta-welding things together. Not good

A switch or disconnect like Dave uses (and me) is one of the best little items I've purchased for the car.

Btw, their is a rule for connecting jumper cables. Pos. first at battery Neg. second away from battery (eng preferred) in the event of possible gases exploding (rare but possible)

[Farrar]

This (http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?ProductModelId=20223) is the kind I have.

Farrar

[jawn101]

A PO installed a really nice one in 2100 by removing the rear bulkhead (the wooden panel behind the seats to which the battery compartmrnt door attaches, forgive me if I used the wrong word here) and drilling a small hole just above and to the right of the battery compartment towards the center tunnel. It's a heavy-duty low profile cutoff, and it's hooked to the negative terminal. All I have to do is reach underneath the carpet that covers the battery door and switch it on or off. It's so easy that I find myself doing it every time I get out of the car. Can't even see that it's there.

[TEXSIX]

It's so easy that I find myself doing it every time I get out of the car.
Doesn't that screw up your radio settings every time?

[DMCMW Dave]

Doesn't that screw up your radio settings every time?

Depends on the radio. If it's OEM Craig/ASI, yes, it forgets everything. Newer radios seem to have a better memory.

[jawn101]

Depends on the radio. If it's OEM Craig/ASI, yes, it forgets everything. Newer radios seem to have a better memory.

Bingo. My JVC doesn't lose anything, but my console clock is always wrong :) I can't see the darn thing anyway so that's not a huge issue.

[AdmiralSenn]

You could also get a battery disconnect with a "standby" connector that powers things like the clock and radio that require battery connections to keep their memory. Just a thought.

[Evildeli]

This (http://www.northernautoparts.com/ProductModelDetail.cfm?ProductModelId=20223) is the kind I have.

Farrar

I've got the same one on the neg.

[lazabby]

A PO installed a really nice one in 2100 by removing the rear bulkhead (the wooden panel behind the seats to which the battery compartmrnt door attaches, forgive me if I used the wrong word here) and drilling a small hole just above and to the right of the battery compartment towards the center tunnel. It's a heavy-duty low profile cutoff, and it's hooked to the negative terminal. All I have to do is reach underneath the carpet that covers the battery door and switch it on or off. It's so easy that I find myself doing it every time I get out of the car. Can't even see that it's there.

A FUTURE owner not PO, I'm sure. Unless the PO jumped to 2100 to do the job.

[cpear760]

It doesn't quite meet the "no battery cover" criteria but this is the kind we use.


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Thank you for the pics. I recently ordered a switch from H and this is the version I got. I was hoping someone would post it installed.