Battery shutoff swithches

[Brad H.]

Top mount screw type swithche's, can they be mounted on the pos and or neg posts with the same effectiveness, which is preferred? Thanks, Brad.

[Bruce B.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

Brad,
Most battery cutoff switches are mounted on the negative battery post on negative ground cars.

[Don H.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

I agree with Bruce, mine are on the negative side. Don H.

[Terry M.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

Top mount screw type swithche's, can they be mounted on the pos and or neg posts with the same effectiveness, which is preferred? Thanks, Brad.

Freon an electrical standpoint there is no difference -- and open circuit is an open circuit regardless of where the open is.

There may be mechanical reasons for choosing one terminal over another, however. Those might include ease of access, proximity to other energized components and some others, all of which will be governed by your specific circumstances.

I should add some of us prefer a knife blade switch rather than the screw type. I prefer to see the opening in the electrical circuit, but that comes from over 40 years in the electrical industry. That is just me.

[Harry S.]

Re: Battery shutoff switches

I agree with Terry about the knife blade or guillotine style switch. It's a visual confirmation that the circuit is open.

On some batteries the negative post is narrower than the positive post and depending on the switch it might only fit the negative post.

[Richard M.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

IMO... the negative terminal is a must if the battery has a metal shield around it.

I've had a knife type switch at the negative post on my '59 for as long as I can remember. I just have to stop burning my hand every time I disconnect it. It's pretty tight getting clearance between that hot exhaust manifold and the fresh air hose.

[Joe M.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

Boat store battery cutoff switch on pos cable mounted on passenger footwall for access from driver's seat. Instant access to switch a necessity.

[David A.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

i'm not trying to be a smart A**
but am just curious as to why
one needs a shutoff switch?
is this just to avoid the inconvinence
of disconnecting the battery when working on your cars?

the original cars did not have them,
and this is 'thee site' for corvette restoration.
a short free electrical system,
coupled with a well maintained battery
and a car that is driven once in a while,
should not need such a device.

i confess, i do have them on my 6volt WW II jeeps,
but not on my 56 vette!!

iowa

[Keith B.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

i'm not trying to be a smart A**
but am just curious as to why
one needs a shutoff switch?
is this just to avoid the inconvinence
of disconnecting the battery when working on your cars?

the original cars did not have them,
and this is 'thee site' for corvette restoration.
a short free electrical system,
coupled with a well maintained battery
and a car that is driven once in a while,
should not need such a device.

i confess, i do have them on my 6volt WW II jeeps,
but not on my 56 vette!!

iowa

piece of mind for me. knowing the car is turned off.

[Joe M.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

Vette valuable, want to preserve its existence under unforeseen circumstances. Same reason to carry a spare tire and fire extinguisher and brush your teeth.

If you believe in insurance and don't have any emotional attachment to worldly goods then no need for a cutoff switch.

[Harry S.]

Re: Battery shutoff switches

A few reasons. Original wiring may become cracked or break, a dead short can occur and the result is an electrical fire.

Also, when a car is judged, most judges on the mechanical teams have extension mirrors. This could also result is a short. When judging I always ask the owner to disconnect the battery.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

i'm not trying to be a smart A**
but am just curious as to why
one needs a shutoff switch?
is this just to avoid the inconvinence
of disconnecting the battery when working on your cars?

the original cars did not have them,
and this is 'thee site' for corvette restoration.
a short free electrical system,
coupled with a well maintained battery
and a car that is driven once in a while,
should not need such a device.

i confess, i do have them on my 6volt WW II jeeps,
but not on my 56 vette!!

iowa

1. Safety and peace of mind while the car is in storage. My car doesn't get used much. In the Winter when the snow piles in front of the garage, it might not get even looked at for a few months. Biggest danger to these cars in these conditions is rodents. Rodents love to gnaw on wiring. I don't want my car burning.

2. Shuts off and hopefully saves wear and tear on the clock while in storage.

3. Makes it easy when the car is being judged. When the car is being judged, the doors will be open, with the interior light on, for hours.

4. Simplifies working on the electrical system.

[Richard M.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

There was no factory circuit protection on C1's and early C2's between the battery and the fuse block. This means that the #10 hot lead from the battery to the ammeter is always hot and totally unprotected. That's why it's also a good idea to add a fusible link or circuit breaker at the feed point at the starter solenoid post.

Also, because I don't use my '59 every day, if I left the battery connected it will run down from the clock, which by the way is also totally unprotected on C1's as it's not on a fused circuit, along with the lighter. Mine are modified with inline fuses.

To me it's total peace of mind that the entire electrical system is shut down when I'm not around.

Rich

[David A.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

you have presented valid reasons to me
and convinced me that this is a good idea!
my clock has not worked since i bought the car
so i don't have a 'psuedo-functional' short here.
appreciate your thots.

BTW, i've never had my car judged
except for 'mayor's' choice here in GC, Iowa;
a town of about 1700!
in 30 years, i've never won it!!

iowa

[Christopher R.]

Re: Battery shutoff swithches

BTW, i've never had my car judged
except for 'mayor's' choice here in GC, Iowa;
a town of about 1700!
in 30 years, i've never won it!!
iowa

Make a large contribution to his/her re-election campaign.