Master battery switch locations

[Back in Black]

My local retailer has them on the shelf. I would actually prefer a smaller key to have on my keyring, the red thing is HUGE. Not sure what my builder is going to install at this point, but I will have some type of keyed kill switch.

[Michael C Henry]

I'm a heavey Mobile equipment mechanic and heavey junk use master battery switches all the time.They are a common key looks like a fork.Everybody has one ,it's just to slow the kids down when they leave the machines on job site overnight.They're other styles I carry a ring of master and ignition keys with me when I go hunting in the event of an emergency and a peice of equipment would make a difference.
I just found another memerory stick that I had recorded pictures at SAI.The picture I'm looking for shows a 289 comp car w/ the master located center under dash on a small add on pannel along with ignition switch. Looked convient as anything I have seen yet.

[Ikestaa]

Has anyone tried to mount the cut-off switch in the glove box (if you have one). At this location it can still be behind a locked door, like the trunk, and yet much easier to get to.

[Whaler]

On the net today I was looking at the master switches that mount right at the battery post themselves, be they side or top post.

I have my battery in the trunk near the bulkhead behind the passenger seat on a tray ( not a box). So I think I may look at one of those, as the lockable trunk would easily help for security and anti-theft sake.

As for emergency access, that's no sweat either. Sure its not an arms reach away while in the drivers seat, but I think it is okay and cleaner looking.
I won't be racing or at the track so I don't need to adhere to rules regarding external access.

imho

Tim

PS, As for which side of the battery, we were taught to always switch the hot. So that's a rule of thumb I follow. ( it tends more to apply to AC than DC). I like knowing that the pos or hot side is now out of the loop and hopefully further upstream and away towards the battery source wise. In the case of a meltdown or short to ground I think taking off the positive is best and denergizes the cct better.
Ron, you either you choose to take the hot off the cct or eliminate the path to ground. What's the choice? If I were switched off at the pos fairly close to the battery...where is the potential coming from to energize the downstream ccts? On a car practically everything in striking distance is ground.

Half empty or half full... Black or white. Either way when the schmidt hits the fan you got run for a switch anyway.
Placement/location of the switch in either CCT is what counts. Lets just hope people with multiple heavy grounds to frame take those into acct.

Flip a coin

LOL

[Tim Votaw]

Hmmm... if I'm reading this right, rigging a kill switch to the ground side of the power source if you also have several separate engine to frame grounds may not work. Is that right?

TimV.

[Whaler]

Tim to interupt any side you must be switching upstream of the destination path.
Therefore you have to basically open up the ground path ahead of all the downstream grounds

Which gets back to being close to the source, the battery.
Most people use 2-3 big grounds ( I do)
One immediately from batt neg to frame.
One from frame to engine block
One from a starter bolt or bellhousing bolt to frame as well.

So where the battery sits may be a consideration when these multiple paths must be isolated, so the car can no longer offer a grounded side to an unswitched positive side.(the hazard)

You want to have opened up the negative side netween the batt and all 3 of these grounds....Thus offering no potential to the positive/s

[Tim Votaw]

Roger that. Thanks, Whaler.

Tim

[Mike Braddock]

My Optima battery is located in the passenger side of the trunk and I mounted the cut-off switch directly below the battery on the underside of the trunk. The switch kills the positive side of the power. My battery and alternator cables run to one side of the switch and the the power for the car runs from the other side. Like Roscoe, I have a tee handle mounted to the switch. But I have an aluminum rod that exits the car towards the rear via which the power can be killed by pushing on the handle from outside the car. I have also mounted a pull cable in the dash that trips this same switch, so I can kill the power to the car from the driver's seat. Seems to work well and complies with most sanctioning rules. The only catch is that when I pull the cable from inside the car, I have to reset the switch at the back of the car, so it's only used when parking the car for an extended time or in an emergency.

However, recently I have heard of a few cars catching on fire due to electrical problems and now I am considering adding a second switch on the rear bulkhead that can be switched off routinely anytime the ignition switch is turned off. It's seems like this method is very redundant though, but will provide peace of mind. I didn't realize you could have the cut-off switch inside the car and still be legal for NHRA or SCCA since the switch can't be readily accessed if the car is upside down...



Mike

[Tim Votaw]

Do any of you guys have a pic or two of your switch systems you'd be willing to email me? I'd like to compare some of these before I do mine.
I'm particularly curious how you incorporated the alternator into the shut-down circuit.

Would be much obliged.

TimV.

[Whaler]

Check this site out

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.c.../battisol.html

Also this switch in particular, second one down in the list above



Read the description on it

Tim

[cobrajeff]

Here's where I mounted my switch, on the rear bulkhead. I can reach it from outside the car, or inside, even with my belts tightened up.





regards,

cobrajeff

[Tim Votaw]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the feedback. That switch looks like just the ticket, and the bulkhead looks like the spot for it.

Tim